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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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wealth

Pile of gold bullion coins and bars. Argor Heraeus, Münze Österreich, Royal Canadian Mint, U.S. Mint, Australian Mint of Perth, panda and Krugerrand.      Source: Zlaťáky.cz/Unsplash

The Human Fascination With Gold Throughout History

Gold and humans have a very special relationship, and humans still think that gold is one of the most valuable materials on the planet. In this article, you can find an overview of the history of...
Bronze Age Treasure Accidentally Found in Swedish Forest

Bronze Age Treasure Accidentally Found in Swedish Forest

The Nordic or Scandinavian Bronze Age lasted from 1700-500 BC – ancient prehistory – with major metallurgical influences from Central Europe. The people from the Nordic Bronze Age were adept metal...
Maya Wealth Inequality Was Linked to Despotism, Claims Belize Study

Maya Wealth Inequality Was Linked to Despotism, Claims Belize Study

A new study of hundreds of Maya habitations in Belize has revealed a massive wealth gap developed in the Classic Maya period. While it may not come as a surprise to discover that Maya society was...
Lakshmi: The Enigmatic Hindu Personification Of Mother Nature

Lakshmi: The Enigmatic Hindu Personification Of Mother Nature

It is no secret that the enigmatic Hindu pantheon can be quite unique and overwhelming to fully grasp. It is full of mythical gods and goddesses, of wondrous divine creatures, and deep, meaningful,...
The Shining History of Gold: From Ancient Treasure to Modern Tech

The Shining History of Gold: From Ancient Treasure to Modern Tech

Gold is arguably the human race’s most valued commodity and a lot could be written about the history of this metal. The luster, beauty, resistance to tarnishing, malleability, and overall brilliance...
Left) A grave from Osłonki with valuable artifacts, visible near the hands; right) a drawing of the artifacts. Source: Peter Bogucki

Neolithic Wealth Gap Wasn’t Just for the Living

An international team of archaeologists in Poland have been working to answer a very interesting question. Were the people buried with rich grave goods necessarily as wealthy in life as they were in...
An example of an inscription found in the Pompeii ruins.        Source: prosiaczeq /Adobe Stock

Decoded Inscription Reveals Pompeii was a City of Extremes

The ruined city of Pompeii that was devastated by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD continues to provide insights into Roman history and society. An inscription on the tomb of an unidentified...
Recreated Viking helmet and weapon

Burning, Pillaging, and Carving up the Lands: Viking Raids into England - Part II

Vikings in history and popular culture are known as strong and dangerous, bloodthirsty killers, raiders, pillagers – pirates of land and sea. But who were the Vikings, and what were the causes of...
Egyptians with domesticated cattle and corn circa 1422-1411 BC

Rising Inequality Began with Agriculture and Domestication of Plants and Animals

Researchers at Washington State University and 13 other institutions have found that the arc of prehistory bends towards economic inequality. In the largest study of its kind, the researchers saw...
The School of Athens: Plato and Aristotle

Aristotle is Dead, but his Ideas are Alive: Manipulating Money, and Plato’s Communism– Part II

Aristotle died. But then he returned from the grave, in a manner of speaking. The ancient Greek philosopher and scientist’s ideas remained mostly dead until the middle ages. With his rediscovered...
The Battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War that took place on 2 August 216 BC in Apulia, in southeast Italy. The army of Carthage, under Hannibal, surrounded and decisively defeated a larger army of the Roman Republic

Analysis of Roman Coins Proves Roman Empire Got Rich on Iberian Silver

An analysis of Roman coins has revealed information about the defeat of the Carthaginian General Hannibal and the rise of the Roman Empire . The scientists who examined them suggest that the defeat...
Bust of Timur ( CC BY-SA 3.0 ), and Timur defeats the Sultan of Delhi

To Plunder, Destroy and Kill: Atrocity and Terror as Tamerlane Sacks Delhi— Part II

Timur, historically known as Tamerlane (1336 - 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror and the founder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia. After having conquered much of the Near East,...
Bust of Timur ( CC BY-SA 3.0 ), and Timur standing with cane (Public Domain)

When I rise, the world shall tremble! Tamerlane’s Deadly Drive into India—Part I

Timur, historically known as Tamerlane (1336 - 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror and the founder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia. Timur rose through the ranks by gaining the...
Helen of Troy

Achieve Your “15 Minutes of Fame” & Ancient Lessons on How to be Famous: Celebrity Culture in the Ancient World

An early third century CE Greek inscription recovered from the ancient town of Oinoanda in southwest Turkey reveals that the Roman army relied on the services of Lucius Septimius Flavianus...
Archaeologists are Ecstatic that a Major Viking Age Manor is Finally Found in Sweden

Archaeologists are Ecstatic that a Major Viking Age Manor is Finally Found in Sweden

For centuries it has been speculated where the manor of the royal bailiff of Birka, Herigar, might have been located. New geophysical results provide evidence of its location at Korshamn, outside the...
Roger de Flor and His Catalan Company: From Grand Duke to Caesar – Part II

Roger de Flor and His Catalan Company: From Grand Duke to Caesar – Part II

Military adventurer and mercenary for hire, Roger de Flor was as shrewd a businessman as he was a skillful sailor and fighter. Through his rich services to kings and the elite, he established a...
Roger de Flor and His Catalan Company: From Knight Templar to Pirate – Part I

Roger de Flor and His Catalan Company: From Knight Templar to Pirate – Part I

Roger de Flor was a swashbuckling military adventurer and condottiere (mercenary) leader of the Catalan Company. He was born in the city of Brindisi, Italy, which at the time of his birth was a part...
Weighing of the heart scene from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer.

Death and Rebirth: Startling New Information Emerges About Ancient Egyptian Pot Burials

Ancient Egyptian funerary practices were not just about making mummies. Surprising new information reveals that pot burials were not just for poor children in ancient Egypt either. Instead, it seems...
Astounding Ancient Assyria: The Grand Palace of Assurnasirpal

Astounding Ancient Assyria: The Grand Palace of Assurnasirpal

The grand palace of Assurnasirpal (Ashurnasirpal) II was one of the most incredible sites of ancient Assyria. Located in Nimrud, Iraq, the immense palace was richly decorated with sophisticated...
Fast Money: The Egyptian Economy, Monetary System, and Horrendous Taxes

Fast Money: The Egyptian Economy, Monetary System, and Horrendous Taxes

The ancient Egyptians created a sophisticated economic system thousands of years ago. Although they may seem far removed from modern life, their inventions in the monetary realm provided the basis...
Mural of siege warfare, Genghis Khan Exhibit in San Jose, California, US

Palms Over Baghdad: Tumbling to Dust during the Mongol Invasion – Part II

The Fall of Bagdad Hulegu sent messages to his commanders informing them to muster their forces and move on Baghdad. Baiju moved his forces from Rum via Mosul to cover the western side. Ked-Buka...
Conquest of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258.

Palms Over Baghdad: Riches and Fear during the Mongol Invasion – Part I

In 1253 CE, a breeze began to blow into Baghdad from the east. Unbeknownst to Al-Musta'sim, the Abbasid Caliph, this breeze would soon turn into a violent shamal (wind). This shamal was gaining...
The ruins of Tanis.

King Solomon’s Mines Discovered: Ancient Treasures - Part II

Have King Solomon's Mines really been discovered? Yes, indeed. In fact, they have been known about for centuries, and modern archaeological work on them started way back in the early 19th century...
Wallpainting in a Laotian temple, depicting the Bodhisattva Gautama (Buddha-to-be) undertaking extreme ascetic practices before his enlightenment. A god is overseeing his striving, and providing some spiritual protection. The five monks in the background are his future 'five first disciples'.

Wealth and Religion Tied through Time: Was Ancient Religious Morality Spurred by Affluence?

Religion has become associated with having a focus on morality. But that wasn’t always the case, researchers say. Academics have long suspected that the modern world’s major religions were born of...

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