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Ed Whelan

My name is Edward Whelan and I graduated with a PhD in history in 2008. Between 2010-2012 I worked in the Limerick City Archives. I have written a book and several peer reviewed journal articles. At present I am a full-time freelance writer and researcher and live in Gillogue, County Clare.

I am from Limerick in the Republic of Ireland. I have a lifelong love of history and have been fascinated by the subject from an early age. I attended the University of Maynooth 2003-2008 and studied history and classical studies. I obtained a BA from Maynooth and was admitted to the History PhD program. Based on my BA results I was awarded two scholarships and during my post-graduate studies I worked as a tutor.

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DNA genetic analysis proves link between Ancient Polynesians and Indigenous South Americans. Source: Ruben Ramos-Mendoza / Nature

8 July, 2020 - 22:59 Ed Whelan

Genetic Analysis Shows Early Contact Between South Americans and Polynesians

New evidence is emerging about the links between Polynesian and South American populations in the Pacific before the arrival of the Europeans . The theory that South Americans first colonized Easter...

Cerne Abbas Giant chalk figure, in Dorset, England is now believed to be less than 350 years old! Source: PeteHarlow / CC BY-SA 3.0

8 July, 2020 - 19:02 Ed Whelan

Research Shows Cerne Abbas Giant Chalk Figure Is NOT Ancient

In Britain, researchers believe that they are finally able to date the mysterious gigantic chalk figure at Cerne Abbas . The Cerne Abbas Giant has intrigued people for at least a century as its...

Norman dietary influences in England after the Battle of Hastings (pictured here) and the Norman Conquest. Joseph Martin Kronheim (1810–96) / Public domain

7 July, 2020 - 19:04 Ed Whelan

The Norman Conquest Didn’t Kill the English Appetite

A team of researchers have established that Norman dietary influences in England after the Norman Conquest were less profound than previously imagined. This was a huge surprise given the perceived...

Diver Christophe Le Maillot documents the ocher mining activity at the site. Source: Sam Meacham, CINDAQ. A.C. SAS-INAH / INAH

4 July, 2020 - 16:15 Ed Whelan

Divers Find Oldest Ocher Mines in the Americas

Experts in Mexico have discovered what they believe to be the oldest ocher mines in all the Americas. They date back an astonishing 10-12,500 years ago. The discovery is helping researchers to better...

The entrance to Bant’s Carn Source: Stringer, J / CC BY-NC 2.0

4 July, 2020 - 02:05 Ed Whelan

The Extraordinary and Ancient Entrance Grave of Bant’s Carn

The five inhabited islands of the Scilly Isles, an archipelago located off the south-west coast of England, is popular with visitors because of the warm climate and beautiful beaches. There are,...

Hegmataneh hill, Hamadan City, Iran, where the new Iranian Median Empire discoveries were made Source: IRNA

2 July, 2020 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

New Digs Provide Insights into the Median Empire and Capital

The Median Empire and the Medes people are one of the most important in the ancient world. However, relatively little is known about them or their capital city, thought to be Ecbatana. Now, Iranian...

Pont Du Gard, Nimes, France Source: Emperorosar / Adobe Stock

2 July, 2020 - 02:03 Ed Whelan

Pont Du Gard - Is This Mighty Engineering Feat in Danger of Collapse?

Some of the most remarkable Roman remains are its roads, amphitheaters, and bridges. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring of all their aqueducts is the astounding Pont du Gard found in Nimes, France. This...

The Chapelle Expiatoire, a chapel in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, where supposed Reign of Terror victims were found in a wall. Source: Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France / CC BY 2.0

1 July, 2020 - 18:32 Ed Whelan

Reign of Terror Victims Found Hidden in the Walls of a Paris Church

Evidence of Reign of Terror victims found hidden in the walls of a Paris church is changing the narrative of one of the bloodiest episodes in modern European history. It is now believed that many of...

Stamp seal found in the excavation of a parking lot in Jerusalem depicts a person believed to be a king sitting on a chair, with columns which probably represent the Babylonian gods Nabu and Marduk. The finds may provide clues as to the resettlement of the city by the Jews after the Babylonian Exile. Source: (Shai Halevy / Israel Antiquities Authority)

30 June, 2020 - 18:51 Ed Whelan

Seals Tell of Jewish Return to Jerusalem After Babylonian Exile

In Jerusalem, the discovery of two homemade seals may provide unprecedented insights into an extremely critical period in Jewish history and the Bible . The artifact is showing that the city remained...

A group of locals posing with the ancient cross in Pakistan. Source: Pamir Times

30 June, 2020 - 14:03 Ed Whelan

Mysterious Ancient Cross Found in Northern Pakistan

Researchers have unearthed a massive ancient cross in a remote mountain area of northern Pakistan . The evidence suggests it is a Christian object from the Middle Ages , but there is also the...

This Bronze Age site in Xinjiang, China may help researchers discover more about the Silk Road’s origins. Source: CCTV

28 June, 2020 - 18:57 Ed Whelan

Bronze Age Settlement Uncovered in China Reveals Silk Road Origins

Archaeologists working in the north-west of China have made a very important discovery in relation to the Silk Road’s origins and development. They have found the remains of a Bronze Age settlement...

Pipe residues reveal Native American smoking habits from centuries ago. Source: DedMityay /Adobe Stock

27 June, 2020 - 23:01 Ed Whelan

Ancient Pipes Reveal What Natives Americans Were Smoking

American researchers have used ground-breaking technologies to make discoveries about Native American smoking habits . They have, for the first time, found traces of a non-tobacco plant in a pipe...

A fisherman found this Madonna in a river near Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Source: Conchi Paz via Apatrigal

25 June, 2020 - 19:00 Ed Whelan

Investigators Puzzle Over 700-Year-Old Madonna in a Spanish River

A mysterious Madonna (statue of the Virgin Mary) has been recovered from a river in Galicia, Spain. The religious figure is believed to be up to 700 years old. Researchers are attempting to solve the...

This lintel engraved with a cross was found during excavations at a Christian town in Galilee. Source: G. Cinamon & Y. Lerer

25 June, 2020 - 06:06 Ed Whelan

Excavators Find Christian Town in Galilee’s ‘Forbidden Territories’

After years of investigations, Israeli archaeologists now believe that they have uncovered a Byzantine-era Christian town in Galilee. This site has yielded a host of remains and historic artifacts...

Roman lead ingot Source: Ian Grant/ © Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust

24 June, 2020 - 23:01 Ed Whelan

Metal Detectorist Finds Rare Lost Roman Lead Ingot in Wales

A metal detectorist in Wales, Great Britain, has made an important discovery. He unearthed a large lead ingot, inscribed and dated to the time of Roman rule. This find is providing experts more...

Nalanda University Source: disha / Adobe Stock

21 June, 2020 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

Nalanda, Ancient University Opens to International Students Again

India is a religiously diverse nation and has many important archaeological sites associated with Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Islam, to mention a few. When Buddhism was founded more than 2,500...

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