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Wu Mingren

Wu Mingren (‘Dhwty’) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods. He has been an active participant in archaeological fieldwork, and has been on excavations around the world, including the UK, Egypt, and Italy.

His interests range from ‘conventional’ to ‘radical’ interpretations of the archaeological/textual/pictorial data set. He believes that intellectual engagement by advocates from both ends of the spectrum would serve to enhance our understanding of the past. In addition, such discussions would serve to bring archaeology to a wider audience as well as to stimulate their interest, curiosity, and critical thinking of such issues.

History

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An edition of the Kangyur text.

The Kangyur: Written with 9 Precious Stones

Buddhism was founded over two and a half millennia ago in India by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha (Sanskrit for ‘awakened one’). Like the practitioners of Hinduism, Buddhists believe in the concept...
Lake Parime: The Legendary Lake of El Dorado

Lake Parime: The Legendary Lake of El Dorado

Gold has long been regarded as a precious object and has been equated with kingship and authority. As gold was rare, and sometimes not locally available, people often travelled over great distances...
The Behistun Inscription, 520 BC, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Behistun Inscription, The Rosetta Stone of Persia

The Behistun Inscription is an engraving located on the cliff of Mount Behistun (said to have had the meaning of ‘place where the gods dwell’ in antiquity). This inscription was written in three...
What Made the Griffin a Timeless Symbol of Power and Protection?

What Made the Griffin a Timeless Symbol of Power and Protection?

The griffin is a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle, and the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion. As the eagle was considered the ‘king of the birds,’ and the lion the ‘king of...
Ogedei Khan

Ogedei Khan: Only His Death Could Save Europe from the Mongols

Ogedei Khan was the second Khagan (meaning ‘Great Khan’) of the Mongol Empire. He was the third son of Genghis Khan and succeeded his father in 1229. Ogedei continued to expand the Mongol Empire, a...
A statue of Harihara, the half Shiva, half Vishnu god. The statue is a mortuary deified portrayal of Raden Wijaya.

How a Javanese King Defeated One of the Most Powerful Rulers of the Mongols

Raden Wijaya (known also as Nararya Sangramawijaya) was the founder of the Majapahit Empire. Apart from being remembered as the man who established the Majapahit Empire, Raden Wijaya is also known...
Undated poster for the Theatre Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin.

How Robert-Houdin Used Magic to Aid the French Government

Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin was a French magician who lived during the 19th century. Amongst other things, Robert-Houdin is commonly regarded today as the originator of the modern style of conjuring (...
A modern Pagan Wiccan altar set up.

Secrets of Magic in Modern Paganism Revealed

Magic is one of the aspects that can be found in many of the groups that are part of the movement known collectively as Modern Paganism. According to practitioners of magic within the movements of...
Dunhuang Silk Road History. AI illustration.

Dunhuang Manuscripts: Insights into Ancient China

Dunhuang is situated in the northwestern part of Gansu province in the west of China. The ancient town occupied a strategic position at the crossroads of the ancient Southern Silk Route and the main...
Bronze statue torso detail of a butt-naked horseman

Fighting in the Buff: Did Celtic Warriors Really Go to War Naked?

The Celts were known in ancient times to have been ferocious warriors. According to certain written sources, some of these Celtic warriors went a step further by going into battle carrying only their...
The deceased nuns were left in seated positions to decompose. Source: Yellow.Cat from Roma, Italy/ CC BY 2.0

Daily Prayers with Decomposing Corpses: Death Chairs at Aragonese Castle

The Aragonese Castle is a castle built on top of a rocky islet next to Ischia, a small Italian island on the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. Whilst a stronghold is said to have already been built...
Colorized engraving depicting Sawney Bean. Source: Public Domain

Cannibalism in Scotland: The Dark Legend of Sawney Bean

Sawney Bean is a legendary figure from Scotland, who is said to have been a prolific cannibal. Together with his equally cannibalistic family, Sawney Bean murdered and robbed unfortunate victims from...
The Cyrus Cylinder. Source: Prioryman/CC BY-SA 3.0

The Cyrus Cylinder and the Ancient Proclamation of Human Rights

More than 2 millennia before the French Revolution introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizens , an ancient Near Eastern monarch issued a charter that is considered to be the...
Side view of the colossal head of Decebalus. Source: Cazanele Dunării/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Colossal Head of Decebalus, King of the Dacians

In the heart of Rome stands a 38-meter tall (124.67ft) tall column built in the 2nd century AD. Carved in low relief spiralling around the monument are over 2600 figures, representing the combatants...
Images of the Ancient water clock, the Egyptian Clepsydra. Source: Left; Archivist/Adobe Stock, Right; Egypt Museum

As Old As Time: Ancient Invention of the Water Clock

Today, the ability to keep track of time seems to be taken for granted. One just simply needs to glance at a watch, clock, or mobile phone to know the exact time, even down to the nearest second...
Photo showing a portion of the ‘Treasure of Priam’. Source: Public Domain, I, Sailko/CC BY-SA 3.0, I, Sailko/CC BY-SA 3.0, I, Sailko/CC BY-SA 3.0

The Treasures of Priam: Golden Riches from the Legendary City of Troy

Homer’s Iliad is often considered as one of the greatest works of Western literature. For many centuries, Homer’s Troy, the city besieged by the Greeks, was considered to be a myth by scholars...

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