When the Romans invaded and incorporated ancient Egypt into their vast empire, they inevitably brought with them their own customs, traditions, and religion. But, even so, they could not extinguish...
The myth of the underworld, much like the myth of the lost paradise and the worldwide deluge, is a universal one. Cultures from all across the world, past and present, widely separated and with...
The recent discovery of an ancient tomb from the Old Kingdom era has ignited excitement among archaeologists. This remarkable find predates many other historical artifacts by around two millennia,...
In the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh lies a marvel that eloquently blends natural phenomenon with spiritual fervor – the Jwala Ji Temple , famed for its eternal flame. Home to a so-called eternal...
In Te’omim Cave in the Jerusalem Hills of central Israel, excavations that took place between 2010 and 2016 recovered a huge collection of Roman oil lamps, weapons, pieces of pottery and actual human...
Archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) recently announced the completion of a study of a rare and unusual Maya artifact. During an underwater dive into a...
The Ancient Egyptian pantheon was filled with imaginative deities of all kinds. In fact, this pantheon numbered hundreds of different gods and goddesses, whose importance often waned over the passing...
Deep in the Yucatan jungle , near the ancient city of Mayapán in Mexico's Yucatán peninsula lies a cenote, a natural sinkhole, that has long been shrouded in mystery and superstition. It is a place...
In a recent discovery, a team of researchers has uncovered what appears to be an underwater portal to the Maya underworld . The team had set out to explore the sacred pools of the ancient Maya,...
Beneath the surface of our world, hidden under layers of soil, stone, and history, lie remnants of ancient civilizations - vast networks of tunnels, expansive underground cities , and complex...
When it comes to ancient mythology it can sometimes be difficult to separate fact from fiction. While most myths are obviously fictional, they often contain at least a grain of truth. The ancients...
One of the most fascinating concepts of Greek mythology is that of the underworld. The Greek underworld is one of three realms that make up the cosmos. It was believed that after death, an individual...
Underground structures, and sometimes even entire cities, have always been part of myths and religions around the world. While a few of these have been discovered, most of them have not. Alongside...
Religious visions have frequently taken place in the dark damp setting of caves and subterranean chambers making them attractive locations for shrines, chapels, pilgrimages and healing. One of the...
Deep in north central New Mexico is the sleepy little town of Dulce. Located on the Archuleta Mesa on the Colorado - New Mexico border, Dulce is home to about 3,000 residents and is the headquarters...
Son of night and darkness, and brother of the god of sleep, Thanatos was the personification of death in Greek mythology. Analyzing the scant stories in which he appears can help us understand the...
Shahmaran is the name given to a mythical creature found in the various cultures of the Middle East, in particular, those of the eastern Anatolian region of Turkey. According to the folklore of these...
Death always held great significance amongst the ancient cultures of the world. For many, death was a gateway into a new and different life in the underworld that was governed by the gods of death (...
Deep in the old-growth forests of Northwestern America lives a glorious gem of natural beauty. Crater Lake is renowned for its extreme depth, vibrant color, and crystal clarity. The towering cinders...
Few ancient cultures have captured the modern imagination like the Egyptian and Maya civilizations, with their elaborate belief structures. The author traces a remarkable resemblance between two dog-...
Who were Demeter and Persephone? And why did their myth resonate so strongly with women of ancient Greece? The story of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and her daughter Persephone, queen of the...
Doomed to forever roll a huge boulder up a steep hill, Sisyphus is a figure in Greek mythology who represents an impossible task. As his punishment in the Greek Underworld , each time Sisyphus neared...
In days of old, the dead were buried with a silver coin (the shiner the better) so that the souls of the faithful departed could pay the toll to the deathless demon ferryman of the underworld: Charon...
Ancient beliefs are often a complex puzzle and putting the pieces together can often be extremely challenging. Time has its way with unwritten traditions, and little of what wasn’t written down...