All  

Store Banner Desktop

Store Banner Mobile

Primary tabs

dhwty's picture

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

Member for
11 years 4 months
Opt-in to Ancient Origins Newsletter (AC): 
No

Posts

The female pope Joan

Remembering Pope Joan, the One and Only Woman to Serve as Pope (Allegedly)

The choice of Chicago native Robert Prevost as the new pope is a historic one, as he is the first North American to occupy the most important position in the Catholic Church. But more than 1200 years...
Spartan points to a Helot

The Helots: Slave Warriors of Ancient Sparta

The ancient Greek city state of Sparta had a social hierarchy that was different from many of its neighbors. The top of the social pyramid was occupied by the two kings, whose powers were checked by...
Talgua Cave

Unveiling Talgua Cave: The Glowing Skulls of Honduras' Past

Talgua Cave, known also as the ‘Cave of the Glowing Skulls’, is a cave located in the Olancho Valley, which is situated in Catacamas, a municipality in northeastern Honduras. The cave’s name may be...
A photo of the Unfinished Obelisk at Aswan

Why Did the Egyptian Masons Put Down Tools on the Largest Obelisk Ever?

The Unfinished Obelisk is an ancient Egyptian obelisk located in Aswan. This obelisk is known for its massive size, as well as for the fact that the work that was carried out on it was never finished...
The Gunpowder Plot: The conspirators’ last stand at Holbeach House

Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot to Obliterate the British House of Lords

Every fifth of November, people across the United Kingdom celebrate Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night, and Firework Night). Every November, cities and towns across the...
A Medieval Doctor examining a bottle filled with a liquid

What Could Your Urine Tell a Medieval Doctor?

In modern medicine, urine samples are routinely examined in laboratories to obtain clinical information about a patient. This procedure, known as urinalysis, developed from an ancient medical process...
Montezuma meets Cortes

The Stolen Treasure of Montezuma: Secrets of the Lost Aztec Gold

In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes arrived on the outskirts of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the mighty Aztec Empire. It has been said that to the Aztec emperor, Montezuma II, Cortes and...
The Atacama Giant

The Puzzling Case of the Atacama Giant

The most well-known geoglyphs in the world are undoubtedly the Nazca Lines of coastal Peru. Yet, in the Atacama Desert of Chile, there is another group of geoglyphs that are equally as impressive...
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...

Pages

Next article