storytelling

Herodotus, by Jean-Guillaume Moitte, relief 1806.

20 October, 2016 - 17:08 MartiniF

Herodotus, Cato the Censor and Josephus: Understanding the Life and Times of Historians of the Ancient World

For thousands of years, we turned to history to explain the what, why and how an event happened. Although “historian” did not become a professional occupation until the late nineteenth century, the...

Myths & Legends

Glastonbury Tor. Source: vlorzor / Adobe. Inset: Representational image of a skeleton.

The Glastonbury Giant: Who Did the Mystery Bones of A Nine Foot Skeleton Belong To?

When researching the reality of giants in the past, one story which has survived the ages is the apparent discovery of the ‘Glastonbury Giant’ which was allegedly unearthed in 1190, on orders of King Henry II, following rumors that the legendary King Arthur was in fact buried at that specific location.

Ragnar Lothbrok: A Real Viking Hero Whose Life Became Lost to Legend

The Darker Side of Irish Fairy Lore: When Encounters Turn Dangerous

The Truth Behind the Jackalope and Those Who Hunt the Elusive Warrior Rabbit

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

Polyphemus - Whose Prayer for Revenge Was the Origin of the Odyssey

Human Origins

Chichén Itzá’s shadow revealed during the spring equinox on Kukulcán.

Chichen Itza's Shadows: Unexpected Light Shed on Ancient Maya

Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think

The Secret Life of an Ancient Concubine

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

Easter Island’s Birdman Cult: A Story of Struggle and Survival

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Ancient Technology

Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword?

The Norimitsu Odachi is a huge sword from Japan. It is so large, in fact, that it was said to have been wielded by a giant. Apart from the basic knowledge of it having been forged in the 15th century AD, measuring 3.77 meters (12.37 ft.) in length, and weighing as much as 14.5 kg (31.97 lbs.), this impressive sword is shrouded in mystery.

Was the Baghdad Battery a medical device?

150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time?

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

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

10 Innovative Medieval Weapons: You Would Not Want To Be At The Sharp End Of These!

Ancient Places

New Caledonia Cave. Credit: damedias / Adobe Stock

Pindai Caves, Once Home to the Lapita People and Extinct Species

New Caledonia, in the South Pacific, is a special collectivity of France. Not only does it have a fascinating history and unique culture, the islands also have one of the most important archaeological sites in all of Oceania, the Pindai Caves.

The Templar Tunnel: Knight’s Strategic Passageway Was Lost for 700 Years

The Macabre Capela dos Ossos: Why was it Decorated with the Dead?

Eisriesenwelt Cave, Home of the Legendary Ice Giants

Chichen Itza's Shadows: Unexpected Light Shed on Ancient Maya

Competing for the Title of the Oldest House in England - Luddesdown Court and Saltford Manor

Opinion

Naupa Iglesia: An Egyptian Portal in the Andes?

Halfway up a near-vertical ravine in the Andes, someone carved an inverted V-shaped entrance into the mountainside. Then they sliced the bedrock with great precision to create a shallow door that...

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

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?

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.