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Khadija Tauseef

Khadija Tauseef, has always had a passion for ancient history. She completed a BA(Hons) and MPhil in History along with historical programs online. Egyptian and Greek are of particular interest but she likes to study all she can. She is currently mid-way through two courses that are about the ancient Greeks and their myths and wants to share her learning with others.

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A view of the The Dahshur necropolis in Egypt, from the Saqqara necropolis.  Source: Blumesser/Adobe Stock

Exposing Egypt's Military Zone Protected Dahshur Necropolis

The cult of death played a crucial role in the history of ancient Egypt - they believed that their souls would continue to exist in the afterlife after they died. The concept of the afterlife was...
Female monarchs have been rare, but not unheard of, across the world. Like their male counterparts, they had mixed track records. Source: FrankBoston / Adobe Stock

Five Female Monarchs of the Muslim World

The death of British Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year provoked retrospectives on her reign, as well as reflection on the rule of other female monarchs. Many powerful women leaders of the West are...
Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth and home, holding the flame of life. Source: matiasdelcarmine / Adobe Stock

Hestia: Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Home

A woman stands next to a large flame, with a staff in one hand and tending to the fire with the other. This is Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth, home, and family. Her name literally means “...
Stylized depiction of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.	Source: Towseef / Adobe Stock

Controversial Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb & Mughal Wars of Succession

An old man sits hunched over his prayer mat as dawn breaks over the horizon, his white beard soaked from tears shed through the night. No one would believe that this troubled figure is the sixth...
The Urdubegis were female warriors tasked with protecting the Mughal emperor and his harem. Representational image. Source: Public domain

Urdubegis: The Forgotten Female Fighters of the Mughal Empire

When we think of the empowerment of women, we usually think about Western culture. Nevertheless, the East has had its fair share of female role models. While Islam has historically given men the role...
Representational image of Achilles. Source: Warpedgalerie / Adobe Stock

Achilles: The Greatest Hero of Greek Mythology?

“Sing Goddess, the rage of Achilles” is the very first line of The Iliad , Homer’s epic poem, as he introduces its main hero. The Greek hero Achilles was believed to have been the strongest, bravest...
Baron Samedi and his Voodoo powers over death continues to be a powerful force in the Caribbean region, especially in Haiti.

Baron Samedi And the Voodoo Loa of Haiti

Death is an inevitability that every person must face. It is the fate of all humans. However, to make death easier, each religion provides a guide that assists the transition from the human world to...
The lost city of Amarna found in the 19th century was built by the almost alien-like heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, who introduced the smaller, more efficient talatat blocks for building construction and changed Egyptian religion for a while. 		Source: Brown University

Talatat Blocks and Akhenaten’s Failed Architectural Revolution

Egypt has a rich history of architectural monuments that dot its landscape. Each monument is a testament to the pharaoh who created it. These buildings have forever cemented the names of the pharaohs...
Caracol site in Belize. 	Sources: ivanka84 / Adobe Stock

Caracol: The Most Remote and Magnificent Maya Ruins In Belize

Something of a hidden gem, Caracol is one of the largest Maya sites of Central America, and certainly the largest in Belize, yet it receives far less footfall than other ruins in the region. The...
Mystical shamanic ritual. Photo By: Andrey Kiselev / Adobe Stock

What is the Real Celtic Creation Myth?

A bard travels through the streets, gathering an audience as he goes, and then starts to recall the adventures of heroes and the tales of the gods. In the ancient world, word of mouth was one of the...
The Bolivian celebration known as the Fiesta de las Ñatitas pays homage to the dead. Source: Carlillasa / CC BY-SA 4.0

Bolivia’s Fiesta de las Ñatitas: Venerating Human Skulls and the Dead

As the sun reaches its zenith, people begin to flood the streets of La Paz, holding in their hands glass urns containing — wait for it — skulls. Although to many cultures this practice may seem...
Thanatos, the ancient Greek personification of death, was said to possess a beauty rivaling that of Eros. Source: chainat / Adobe Stock

Thanatos: The Beautiful Reaper of Death in Greek Mythology

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...
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, one of the Navratnas, presenting Emperor Akbar with the Akbarnama. Source: Public domain

The Navratnas: Nine Jewels of Emperor Akbar’s Mughal Court

In Mughal history, it is a well-known fact that Emperor Akbar’s court was exceptionally enlightened. Akbar sat at the helm of one of the most progressive courts of his time, ruling the Mughal Empire...
The five female Olympians of the Ancient Greek Pantheon. Source: local_doctor / Adobe Stock

Five Female Olympians of Ancient Greece: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Greek Mythology consists of numerous gods and goddesses, although the Greek pantheon itself is comprised of just twelve main gods ruling Mount Olympus. Among the twelve, there are five female rulers...
Zeb-un-Nisa: Mughal Princess and Rebel Poetess

Princess Zeb-un-Nisa: Rebel Sufi Poetess and her Gilded Garden Prison

Sitting alone in her quiet gardens, reciting verses of poetry and waiting for the end to come. This is how Princess Zeb-un-Nisa spent the final years of her life. Zeb-un-Nisa means “jewel among women...
Jahanara and Roshanara: Rival Princesses of the Mughal Empire

Jahanara and Roshanara: Rival Princesses of the Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire has been filled with remarkable women , but the most understated of them are two princesses - two sisters - who played a very crucial role during the reign of Shah Jahan and the war...

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