sculptures

A rock surface containing a circular pattern with a central depression. Source: Science Direct.

23 September, 2019 - 23:01 ancient-origins

Explaining Ancient Patterns and Sculptures on South African Beaches

One of the first things many kids – or even adults – may do when they are on a beach or dune is to make patterns in the sand or sculptures in the form of sandcastles. Many generations of humans have...

Magnetized Potbelly Sculpture, Guatemala Source: Roger R. Fu

7 May, 2019 - 13:58 Ed Whelan

Ancient Attraction: Mesoamerican Sculptors Created Magnetic Stone Figures

Researchers from the world-famous Harvard University in America have made an astounding discovery in Guatemala . They have collected evidence that a very ancient Mesoamerican culture intentionally...

Roman busts found in an ancient cemetery outside the old city of Beit She'an, Israel

1 January, 2019 - 18:14 Ed Whelan

Woman Spots Stone Head Poking Out of the Ground in Israel and Discovers Two 1700-Year-Old Statues

A woman walking through a cemetery in northern Israel has made a very important discovery. After heavy rains had washed away top soil, she chanced upon the top of a stone head, which turned out to be...

Hidden carvings have been found on the tomb of Bishop Robert Cardeny at Dunkeld Cathedral.

27 December, 2018 - 23:05 Ed Whelan

Medieval Stone Carvings on Bishop's Tomb Lie Unseen for 600 Years

Many amazing discoveries have been made entirely by accident and Scottish experts have just announced one such discovery. During conservation work they have unexpectedly found medieval stone carvings...

Marine research and excavation in the area of the Mentor shipwreck

11 October, 2018 - 18:41 dhwty

The Mentor Shipwreck and the Disastrous Journey of the Parthenon Marbles to Britain

The British Museum in London is one of the largest and extensive museums on earth, containing approximately eight million works—objects taken from all over the world during the time of the British...

Black Madonna of Częstochowa with crown.

28 September, 2018 - 22:38 dhwty

Are the Black Madonnas found around the World intentionally so?

‘Black Madonna’ is a term used to describe depictions of the Virgin Mary (usually statues or paintings) that have dark-colored skin. In such images, the Virgin is often shown with the infant Jesus,...

Foreigners accompany a triumphal procession of the King; design by Anand Balaji (Photo credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York); Deriv.

16 March, 2018 - 12:58 anand balaji

Echoes of Eternal Egyptian Art: Effulgence and Beyond at Amarna—Part II

Egypt witnessed religious and cultural upheaval on an unimaginable scale when Pharaoh Akhenaten assumed the reins of power and declared the Aten as the supreme god. One of the noteworthy...

“Litany of Ra” scene in the tomb of King Merenptah (KV8), Valley of the Kings, Luxor; design by Anand Balaji

15 March, 2018 - 12:59 anand balaji

Echoes of Eternal Egyptian Art: Masters of Form and Finesse—Part I

The ancient Egyptians were pioneers of various forms of art and architecture. Down the millennia, the world has been left awestruck by the design and purpose of their grandiose monuments, their...

High relief of standing dromedary on sandstone spur at center of image.

14 February, 2018 - 01:41 ancient-origins

Rock art: Life-sized Sculptures of Dromedaries Found in Saudi Arabia

At a remarkable site in northwest Saudi Arabia, a CNRS archaeologist and colleagues from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) have discovered camelid sculptures unlike any...

25 May, 2017 - 18:57 Kerry Sullivan

The Real Reason That Men in Classical Portrayals Were Given Small Manhoods

Today, bigger is widely regarded as better. But was this always the case? This article sheds some light on how the Western culture changed in its phallic preferences. Over the past few decades,...

Dulhadeo Temple, Khajuraho, India. Source: Sfu / CC By-SA 4.0

9 January, 2017 - 00:56 Kerry Sullivan

Khajuraho: The Sexiest Temples in India

The Khajuraho temple complex is a series of beautifully built and decorated buildings in Madhya Pradesh. Of the 85 temples originally built by the Chandela dynasty between 900 AD and 1130 AD, only 25...

The famous Ica Stones in the collection of Professor Cabrera.

12 September, 2016 - 21:50 WalterJoergLangbein

Library in Stone: The Ica Stones of Professor Cabrera – Part II

I came to the realization that the dismissive attitude of orthodox science annoyed and aggrieved Professor Cabrera. He frequently voiced his outrage at the refusal of mainstream scientists to...

12 September, 2016 - 14:48 WalterJoergLangbein

Library in Stone: The Ica Stones of Professor Cabrera – Part I

In 1961, the Rio Ica burst its banks and flooded parts of the Ocucaje Desert. Was an earthquake responsible for the flood? When the water had retreated, the local farmers inspected the damage. Their...

Hundreds and Hundreds of objects in the once-secret collection of Professor Cabrera.

10 September, 2016 - 21:51 WalterJoergLangbein

Professor Cabrera’s Cabinet of Horrors: Secret Chambers and Shocking Artifacts with Controversial Origins

In Ica, Peru, I visited the most mysterious museum on our planet. It is the Museo de Piedras Grabadas de Ica , (Museum of the Engraved Stones of Ica). Professor Javier Cabrera Darquea (1924-2001)...

15 July, 2016 - 21:41 Mark Miller

Controversy Reignites as British MPs Propose Finally Returning Ancient Parthenon Marbles to Greece

When the British Empire ruled much of the world, many artifacts and artworks, including reliefs and statues from the Parthenon in Athens known as the Elgin Marbles, were taken to Britain. For years...

30 April, 2016 - 03:54 Mark Miller

Extraordinary Buddhist Sculptures Unearthed in the Ruins of an Ancient City in Pakistan

Archaeologists excavating the ruins of a city of the Kushan Empire in Pakistan have discovered an ancient shrine with statuary depicting the Buddha’s entry into the world of suffering people. After...

Pages

Myths & Legends

The Powerful Symbol of the Swastika and its 12,000 Year History

The swastika is a symbol that has been used for at least 12,000 years. While in the Western world it is synonymous with fascism, being the centerpiece of the Nazi flag, in ancient times it was used as a positive symbol representing well being and good fortune.

Jason and the Legendary Golden Fleece

The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon

The Dramatic True Story Behind Disney's Mulan

Lilith: Ancient Demon, Dark Deity or Sensual Goddess?

Ten Mythological Creatures in Ancient Folklore

Human Origins

Religion Isn’t The Enemy of Science: It’s Been Inspiring Scientists for Centuries

Take notice of any debate in the media and you’ll see that science and religion are, and always were, at loggerheads. Science is about evidence-based fact, religion is about faith-based belief.

Rh-Negative Blood: An Exotic Bloodline or Random Mutation?

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? Their Origins May Surprise You

The Outstanding Story of Osiris: His Myth, Symbols, and Significance in Ancient Egypt

The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?

Ancient Technology

The Ancient Invention of the Water Clock

Today, the ability to keep track of time seems to be taken for granted. One just simply needs to glance at a watch, clock, or mobile phone to know the exact time, even down to the nearest second...

The South-Pointing Chariot: This Ancient Chinese Invention Led Armies In a Unique and Impressive Way

The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt

Does ‘New Evidence’ Prove Noah’s Ark Is Buried on a Turkish Mountain?

The revolutionary invention of the wheel

Defenders of the Dutch Polders: The Kinderdijk Windmills

Ancient Places

Kailasa Temple: How Was This Massive Hindu Temple Carved out of a Single Rock?

The Kailasa Temple has been dubbed as ‘Cave 16’ of the Ellora Caves, and is notable for being the largest monolithic structure in the world that was carved out of a single piece of rock. Apart from the temple’s impressive size, it is also remarkable for its sculptures, as well as for the fine workmanship of its other architectural elements.

The Lost Tribe of Clover Hollow – Oldest Civilization in the World Found in Appalachian Mountains?

The White Slaves of Barbary

Mount Hua Trail: Where 100 People Plummet to Their Deaths Every Year

The Meiji Shrine: An Oasis of Zen in the Center of Bustling Tokyo

It Looks Like a Laser Cut But What Really Split the Ancient Al Naslaa Rock?

Opinion

Nephilim - Giants - Sons of God And Daughters Of Man

The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?

Who were the nephilim ? The word nephilim appears twice in the Old Testament of the Bible. They are first mentioned in chapter 6 of the book of Genesis and then again in Number 13:33. But their brief...

Mount Shasta: Spirits and Danger on a Sacred California Mountain

Mysterious Worlds: Travels to the Faerie and Shamanic Realms

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

Changing Colors and Scampering Across the Night Sky: What Did the Ancients Say about Sirius?

Cracking the Code to Discover Ancient Tarot Symbolism and Forgotten Universal Knowledge

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.