Unesco

21 July, 2018 - 01:57 ancient-origins

Is UNESCO World Heritage status for cultural sites killing the things it loves?

Jo Caust / The Conversation Hoi An is a beautiful coastal town in central Vietnam that escaped the devastation of the American War. In 1999, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site because of...

Construction work being undertaken at Gobekli Tepe.

26 March, 2018 - 13:55 aprilholloway

Outrage as Concrete is Poured on World’s Oldest Known Temple at Göbekli Tepe

Archaeologists around the world have been left shocked and furious after the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry gave the go ahead for ‘conservation work’ at the ancient site of Göbekli Tepe, which...

South Bridge, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China.

2 February, 2018 - 01:50 aprilholloway

Dujiangyan: The 2,200-Year-Old Chinese Irrigation System That is Still Used Today!

The oldest irrigation system in the world is in China. Called Dujiangyan, it is also the only surviving monumental non-dam irrigation system from the ancient past. A marvel of Chinese science and...

Inbuilt rock house of Monsanto, Portugal.

30 January, 2018 - 18:59 Riley Winters

Monsanto: The Thriving Medieval Town Built Around Giant Boulders

In most parts of Europe, the medieval period ended around the fourteenth century, right around the time Giotto introduced perspective into the art of pre-Renaissance Italy. Yet for the twelfth...

Tombeau de la chretienne, Tipasa. (tomb of the Christian Woman – an alternate name of the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania).

25 January, 2018 - 13:58 dhwty

The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania: Deadly Wasps Once Prevented its Destruction

In almost any culture, an ancient royal couple would have been expected to have provided themselves with a superior, monumental, or otherwise unique final resting place. Such was the case with Juba...

3 January, 2018 - 01:59 dhwty

Valuable Volubilis: The Best-Preserved Roman Ruins in Morocco

It was time for the harvest and the inhabitants of Volubilis were busy in their fields. This was the prime moment for a local tribe to attack the rich administrative center. As the Roman soldier saw...

The archaeology team were delighted to find the large statue. (Image: Apsara Authority)

3 August, 2017 - 13:50 Theodoros Karasavvas

Unexpected Find of Impressive Ancient Statue at Cambodia's Angkor Complex

A team of archaeologists has uncovered a large ancient statue that is thought to have once stood as a guard over an ancient hospital to the north of Cambodia’s Angkor Thom city complex. Impressive...

22 June, 2017 - 19:00 dhwty

Jaisalmer Fort: The Imposing Desert Fort With a Bone-Chilling Custom

Sitting in the desert with its towering golden-hued walls and imposing bastions, the 12th century Jaisalmer Fort certainly makes an impact. This fort has two important titles - the oldest desert fort...

Bayron Temple, the most notable temple in Angkor Thom

6 June, 2017 - 18:44 dhwty

Walking in Shadows of Serenity: The Great Sacred City of Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom (which means ‘Great City’) was the last capital of the mighty Khmer Empire, which was based in modern day Cambodia. This typically intricately decorated Khmer city, which is located in...

Traditional architecture and modern shops in Pingyao, Shanxi Province, China.

28 April, 2017 - 18:50 dhwty

Pingyao: What Gems of Architecture are Housed in this Traditional Imperial Chinese City?

The ancient city of Pingyao is a county-level city located in the center of China’s Shanxi Province. This ancient city has been described as an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional...

Remains of the Apadana, the Audience Palace

24 April, 2017 - 22:58 dhwty

Alexander the Great’s Capital Punishment? The Building of Persepolis and its Flaming Demise

Persepolis is an ancient city that once served as the capital of the mighty Achaemenid Empire. Persepolis is the Greek name for ‘Parsa’, and both these names mean ‘Persian City’ or ‘City of the...

27 January, 2017 - 01:56 dhwty

Finding Zen in the World’s Most Famous Rock Garden

Ryōanji, translated as Peaceful Dragon Temple, is a Zen Temple located in the northwestern part of Kyoto, Japan. This well-known temple was built during the 15th century, and is today best known for...

6 January, 2017 - 00:50 Alicia McDermott

Queen of Sweden Says Her Old Palatial Home is Haunted by Friendly Ghosts

Queen Silvia of Sweden has recently told the press that her home is haunted. The elaborate residence in question is Drottningholm Palace - a well preserved palace dating back to the 1600s. The royal...

11 November, 2016 - 21:51 marinasohma

Dezful Bridge: The Oldest Usable Bridge in The World Was Built by 70,000 Roman Prisoners

The city of Dezful, located in present-day southern Iran, once belonged to the ancient and powerful Persian Empire. One of its most iconic landmarks, the Dezful bridge, is the oldest still-standing...

8 November, 2016 - 17:02 ancient-origins

The mysterious ancient coral reef city of Nan Madol

Nan Madol is a mysterious ancient coral reef city off the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia. Described by UNESCO as a “globally significant masterpiece of creative genius”, the ancient city is an...