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Various cultures have created jewelry and other talismans to protect themselves from the negative effects of what has come to be known as the evil eye. Source: Dennis Skley / CC BY ND 2.0

Warding Off the Evil Eye: Ancient Rings and Phallic Talismans

For thousands of years, people have been plagued by the haunting belief that envious or disdainful gazes could bring them harm, injury, bad luck or even death. In response, various cultures have...
Today, oysters are consumed as an aphrodisiac. Source: Ricky / Adobe Stock.

10 of the Weirdest Things Consumed as Aphrodisiacs

These days if someone needs a little help getting in the mood, they are likely to use wine, chocolate, oysters, or maybe even certain pharmaceuticals. But what about our ancestors? Well, across...
The magic disc was discovered by an Israeli lifeguard near Tel Aviv. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority

Israeli Swimmer Finds 2,500-Year-Old Magic Disc in the Mediterranean Sea

While taking his regular morning swim in the Mediterranean, an Israeli lifeguard named David Shalom spotted something unusual on the sea bottom in shallow waters. After diving down to take a closer...
Egyptian Zar ritual (Asghar Besharati / CC by SA 4.0)

Rhythms of Possession: Egypt's Mysterious Zar Exorcism Tradition (Video)

The ancient 'zar' ritual of Egypt is a captivating and enigmatic cultural practice that dates back centuries. Rooted in ancient beliefs and folk traditions, the zar ceremony is performed to exorcise...
Redheads have attracted unwanted attention throughout history. Source: Anastasiia / Adobe Stock

Redheads Have Been Scarlet Underdogs Throughout History

Whether you call them carrot tops, strawberry blondes or gingers, redheads have attracted unwanted attention throughout history. The target of objectification and abuse, animosity towards fiery locks...
The forgotten jewelry found buried with a girl in Jerusalem. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority

1,800-Year-Old Golden Protective Jewelry Adorned Roman Girl

In 1971, on Mount Scopus in Israel, an extraordinary discovery was made: an 1,800-year-old lead coffin containing a young Roman girl adorned with precious jewelry to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and...
A fierce rat. Source: Kai Beercrafter / Adobe Stock

The Truth Behind the Terrifying Legend of the Rat King

Imagine a group of rats whose tails have become so entangled that they've formed a grotesque, single entity - that's what's known as a "rat king." This monstrous creature has been talked about for...
The Great Pyramid, south side. Source: © Jonathon A. Perrin

The Lost Egyptian Origins of the Superstitious Numbers 13 and 18

The superstitious numbers 13 and 18 both have a long history reaching back millennia. The first is usually regarded as unlucky, the latter, lucky – but why? What are the actual origins of these...
The excavated wishing well found in Germering, Bavaria, Germany. Source: Marcus Guckenbiehl/ Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

Magical-Mechanics Discovered In 3,000-Year-Old Wishing Well

Archaeologists digging in a Bavarian city have discovered around 70 ancient water wells. However, none of them was as laden with treasure as this latest well. For all ancient civilizations , water...
Talk of folklore creatures have terrified people for centuries, but how many were based on real monsters? Source: Анна Богатырева / Adobe Stock

8 Bizarre Folklore Creatures That Will Keep You Up at Night

We’ve all heard of mythical creatures and cryptids like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, but those aren’t the only strange creatures rumored to be wandering the earth. Throughout history, there have...
Inscribed lead Roman curse tablet. Source: British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

8 Hilarious Curse Tablets from the Roman World

The Roman Empire was famous for many things, but did you know they were also famous for their curse tablets? These tablets, called defixiones by researchers, were a way for ancient Romans to express...
Halley’s Comet was seen as a harbinger of doom for the English subjects of Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. This watercolor is entitled The Comet of 1532. Source: Science Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Halley’s Comet Prophesized the Battle of Hastings in 1066

When it came to the sighting of comets and meteors, experienced as eerie apparitions in the sky, ancient cultures understood them as omens sent by the gods. Without the benefits of modern-day science...
After 900 years the cursed prophecy of the broken Killing Stone has come true in Japan, and many are worried about what comes next!		Source: ITmedia

Japan’s Killing Stone Has Cracked, Sparking Widespread Fear

A legendary volcanic rock in Japan associated with an ancient evil vixen-demon, has split in two. While geologists assure the occurrence is natural, others are convinced the chaotic fox spirit has...
Literature’s first vampiress was called Carmilla. Source: Subbotina Anna / Adobe Stock

The Story of Carmilla: Literature’s First Vampire Was Actually a Woman

The novel Dracula , written by Bram Stoker and published in 1897, became a cult classic of horror literature throughout the world. It brought vampire legends to a wider audience and captivated...
Top Stories This Week: A Big Stink, a Sacred Clean Up, a Magic Brooch and More

Top Stories This Week: A Big Stink, a Sacred Clean Up, a Magic Brooch and More

In this top story overview, we highlight our most read articles this week, including a look at a study dispelling the ‘meat made us human’ hypothesis, an almighty stink in London, and a controversial...
There is a myriad of mythology surrounding mirrors. Source: MiaStendal / Adobe Stock

Haunted Mirrors, Bloody Mary and Superstitious Mirror Mythology

A particular genre of mythology has formed around mirrors, made up of traditions and superstitions within cultures throughout the world. Researchers have tried to get to the bottom of these legends,...
Woman practicing molybdomancy for New Year’s Eve. (Source: Gina Sanders / Adobe Stock

Molybdomancy: Divination and the Search for Omens in Molten Lead

Throughout history people have been looking for answers and salvation, seeking the assistance of the gods, the spirits of nature, and looking to them for help. When looking for answers about what lay...

The Evil Eye in the Mediterranean: How to Avert Accidental Envy

The ancient Mediterranean belief of the evil eye still has its adherents today. Those who have the “eye” are thought to give bad luck unintentionally to anything or anyone that they are envious of...
An Omani Caves Exploration Team member about to descend to the bottom of Yemen’s legendary Well of Hell.			Source: Screenshot / OCET Oman

Omani Cavers Brave Descent into Yemen’s Famous “Well of Hell”

Popularly known as the Well of Hell, the Well of Barhout is a 98-foot (30-meter) wide and 367-foot (112-meter) deep sinkhole located in Yemen’s Al-Mahara province in the east of the country. The...
Ishi-no-Hoden: Japan’s Colossal Floating “Anti-epidemic” Megalith

Ishi-no-Hoden: Japan’s Colossal Floating “Anti-epidemic” Megalith

Ishi-no-Hoden is one of Japan's most mysterious and bewildering monuments, a gigantic stone structure in the shape of an old tube TV almost 6 meters (20 ft) high and 500 tons (560 US tons) in weight...
The idea of suicide is complicated and controversial, and the position of the Church was less than sympathetic.

Dire Consequences of Suicide in the European Middle Ages

The cycle of life and death is an eternal and unchanging truth of human history. Yet, the attitudes around both are influenced and shaped by a number of factors. Today, dying of old age is seen as a...
After a ten year run of bad luck, an Irish farmer was advised by University College Cork to contact druids to perform a ceremony. Source: heywoody / Adobe Stock

Cursed Irish Farmer Calls in The Druids

A Cork farmer has employed the services of druids to end his decade of bad luck after a bull damaged an ancient standing stone on his land. The Irish farmer, Donal Bohane, owns a 30-acre (12.1 ha.)...
Searching for the Gold of the Lost Dutchman Mine in the Superstition Mountains

Searching for The Gold of the Lost Dutchman Mine in Superstition Mountain

The Lost Dutchman Mine is said to be a rich goldmine located somewhere in the southwestern American state of Arizona. Generally speaking, this mine is claimed to be situated in the Superstition...
Man kissing the Blarney Stone. Source: Steve Bowbrick/CC BY NC SA 2.0

Ancient Tradition of Kissing Blarney Stone Banned Over Coronavirus Fears

The traditional Irish practice of Kissing the Blarney Stone has been temporarily prohibited. This is in response to fear that the practice could increase the spread of the COVID 19 virus. The move is...

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