Search

Clay Wonders: The Handmade Figurines of Djenne-Djenno

Amidst the vast expanses of the Malian region, there once flourished a remarkable civilization. How do we know? The unique terracotta figurines of Djenne-Djenno give historians a glimpse into the rich and fascinating history of this region.

Lex Leigh - 17/03/2023 - 13:53

Lead White Was a Lethal Pigment That Painted a Deadly History

Lead white, a pigment as notorious as it is historic, has painted a perilous line through human history. For over two millennia, this deceptively vibrant hue has been a silent killer, lurking in the toolkits of artists and the vanities of the ancient elite.

Joanna Gillan - 25/11/2023 - 21:51

Goujian: The Ancient Chinese Sword that Defied Time

... easily cut a stack of twenty pieces of paper. Chinese man finds ancient sword in ground, uses it as kitchen knife ...

Bryan Hill - 17/07/2018 - 12:15

Mastema – The ‘Persecutor’ of God

Christian texts are full of controversies regarding actions of God which could be perceived as harsh, or even revengeful. These controversies are also extended to other Biblical figures/beings, for example, the angel called ‘Mastema’. In Hebrew the word ‘mastemah’ means ‘hatred’ and ‘hostility’.

johnblack - 11/11/2013 - 11:02

Ancient Chinese Coin Swords: Demon Fighting Weapons of the East

One of the most fascinating discoveries from ancient China are coin swords. Coin swords, also known as cash swords, are an ancient type of feng shui talisman that has been around since the Qing dynasty. These unique swords, while large and intricate, were not used in physical fights with others. Instead, Chinese coin swords were used to ward off evil and are frequently still used in Daoist rituals.

Lex Leigh - 25/12/2022 - 17:32

Shipping Blackspot: Largest Find of Shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Intensifies

In Greece, marine archaeologists have made an unprecedented discovery of shipwrecks in one area of seabed - now numbering 58. It is the largest such find in the history of the Mediterranean. The wrecks that lie off a small archipelago in the Aegean Sea include vessels from Ancient Greece right up to modern times. Experts suspect that those wrecks from ancient times contain many precious artifacts. It is expected that the find could become one of the most important marine archaeological finds of the twentieth century.

Ed Whelan - 13/10/2018 - 02:02

Matariki: Mythology, Astronomy and Warring Gods of the Maori New Year

The Māori, or the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, use a special word Matariki, which identifies the cluster of stars known to astronomers as the Pleiades, and to mythologists and folklorists as the

ashley cowie - 19/02/2021 - 13:39

28,000-Year-Old Mammoth Kill Site Discovered in Austria

... mammoth femur, throwing its operator from his seat.” Did Man and Mammoth Ever Live in Harmony? Not Quite… Is This Proof Early Man Weaponized Ivory from Woolly Mammoth Tusks to ... around 14,500 years ago. The smoking gun 'proving ancient man killed woolly mammoth 45,000 years ago' A Mammoth Task: ...

ashley cowie - 12/09/2018 - 13:59

Ancient Origins of the Moon: Was it Once Part of Earth?

The origin of the Moon has been a subject of research for many years and theories about its creation abound. Hypotheses vary from non-scientific proposals, such as that the Moon is a spaceship, to the currently favored idea that it was formed more than 4.5 billion years ago from a dense cloud of debris created when another planet struck the Earth in its early stages of development.

Nathan Falde - 14/06/2019 - 11:03

Over a Millennium of Influence: The Pyu Civilization and Ancient City-States

The Pyu civilization, known also as the Pyu city-states, is an ancient entity located in present day Myanmar (also known as Burma). One reason this civilization/group of city states is important is due to its links with Buddhism. Today, Buddhism is one of the major religions in the Southeast Asian region. Historically speaking, Buddhism was practiced in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

dhwty - 08/12/2015 - 03:52

Where Did the Ancient Measure of Quarantine Start?

The recent global spread of a deadly coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China, has led world leaders to invoke an ancient tradition to control the spread of illness: quarantine.

ancient-origins - 05/02/2020 - 22:59

Pre-Stonehenge Landscape Was Perfect for Hunter-Gatherers, Study Shows

A new study by a team of scientists from the Geography and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Southampton has revealed the truth about what the land around Stonehenge was like several thousand years before one of the world’s most famous megalithic structures was constructed.

Nathan Falde - 30/04/2022 - 14:54

The Spanish use of Animals as Weapons of War

... blades so sharp they are capable of decapitating a man at a single blow. You do not have guns – you do not ... were taken to be supernatural creatures, part beast, part man, and not of this earth. And again, as with the war dogs, ...

ancient-origins - 06/10/2013 - 10:51

How the Ouija Board Got Its Sinister Reputation

By now, most have vague notions of the Ouija board horror narrative, in which demonic spirits communicate with – even possess – kids.

ancient-origins - 07/02/2019 - 13:51

Ahuitzotl: Powerful Ruler in the Aztec Golden Age

Ahuitzotl was a tlatoani (meaning ‘speaker’) of the city of Tenochtitlan, and the eighth ruler of the Aztec Empire. This emperor reigned from 1486 AD to 1502 AD, a period which is regarded by some modern historians as the Aztec Golden Age. It was during Ahuitzotl’s reign that the Aztecs Empire was expanded to its greatest territorial extent and consolidated. In addition, huge building projects were undertaken. This Golden Age, however, did not last for very long, and ended following Ahuitzotl’s death.

dhwty - 09/12/2016 - 03:54

Hieroglyphic Vase Reveals Amazing Insights into Maya and Eventual Collapse of Civilization

The discovery of an ancient Maya vase painted with hieroglyphs is the longest Pre-Columbian text ever found in Belize and is offering new information about this once powerful civilization including the reasons for their final demise.

The Maya were one of the most important of all the pre-Columbian civilizations, and their influence is witnessed over a vast region. The shattered vase is now helping us to have a better understanding of its Classical Age.

Ed Whelan - 16/04/2019 - 14:06

Plato’s Prehistoric Athens Destroyed In A Neolithic Landslide

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato wrote his Atlantis story in two documents called the Timaeus and Critias. These writings date from about 360 BC and are the only known works that describe the Atlantean civilization in detail. Most modern scholars argue that Plato fabricated the entire story of Atlantis to illustrate his political theories.

Dr. Phil Flambas - 16/08/2021 - 22:20