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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Weird Facts

The world’s history books teach us about famous figures, ancient civilizations and important events that have shaped our world. But there is so much more to history than just the ‘big moments’. History is full of weird and wonderful tales, bizarre events, quirky people, and strange happenings, and it is these ‘weird facts’ that bring to life our past in a way that is fun, amusing and sometimes shocking!

Illustration by John Tensile of the Dodo from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.” Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

Scientists Plan to De-Extinct the Dodo!

Have you ever wondered where the phrase “dead as a dodo” comes from? Used to describe something obsolete, unimportant and unquestionably dead, the saying was inspired by the sad story of the long-...
Representational image of Chines paper armor. Source: AI generated

Ancient Chinese Paper Armor Was Tougher Than Steel

You’ve probably heard the saying “the pen is mightier than the sword,” but have you heard of paper armor being stronger than metallic protective clothing? It goes against everything we’ve learned...
Portrait of Looty the Pekingese lion dog, commissioned by Queen Victoria and painted by Friedrich Wilhelm Keyl. Source: Public domain

Queen Victoria’s Dog Was Stolen from Chinese Emperor and Mockingly Called ‘Looty’

What at first glance appears to be an unexceptional dog , actually started out its life in the household of the Chinese emperor before being looted by the English during their sacking of the Old...
Woman crossing the Queshuachaca Inca rope bridge near Huinchiri in Peru. Source: Danita Delimont / Adobe Stock

Dizzying Inca Rope Bridges Were Grass-Made Marvels of Engineering

Spanish conquistadors couldn't believe their eyes while exploring the rugged terrain of the Andes during their invasion of Peru. On entering Inca territory in the 16th century, they were bowled over...
The Japanese Waseda he-gassen handscroll depicted farts so powerful they could uproot trees. Source: Public domain

Fart Battles of the He-gassen Handscrolls Brought Toilet Humor to Life

Japanese art is full of surprises, including rowdy depictions of phallic contests, intercourse tournaments, and the unforgettable he-gassen fart battles. Bawdy, boisterous and downright delightful,...
Representational image of a curious dinosaur. With such curious resident dinosaurs, why don’t we know more about the long-lost continent of Appalachia? Source: simon / Adobe Stock

Long-Lost Appalachia Was Filled with Dinosaurs You’ve Never Heard Of

Believe it or not, but once upon a time, in the area we now know as North America, there existed a forgotten continent which was inhabited by a cast of peculiar dinosaurs you’ve probably never heard...
Walrus ivory snow goggles, created by the proto-Inuit Thule culture of Alaska, dating back to about 800 to 1200 AD. Source: Public domain

Snow Goggles Are Masterpiece of Inuit Indigenous Innovation

While most readers would never expect to see the terms “snow goggles” and “ancient history” in the same sentence, snow goggles are actually nothing new. Despite being a modern-day necessity in snow-...
Representational image of a Roman soldier with a red-crested helmet. Source: Sunshower Shots / Adobe Stock

Romans Wore Red-Crested Helmets to Avoid Fratricide on the Battlefield

We’ve all become accustomed to seeing iconic red-crested helmets depicted in Hollywood battle scenes set in the Roman era. But, are these red crests historically accurate or just a product of...
Geta Dying in his Mother's Arms by Jacques Pajou. His death at the hands of Caracalla has been remembered due to the subsequent use of damnatio memoriae to erase him from public memory. Source: Public domain

Caracalla Erased Hated Brother’s Memory Using Damnatio Memoriae

We’ve all had issues with family at one time or other. But the lengths taken by the Roman emperor Caracalla really take the biscuit. To ensure he would never again be reminded of his younger brother...
Nursing Madonna (Madonna Lactans) by anonymous master from the School of Bruges. At the Chapel of the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem, Virgin Mary milk powder is sold as a cure for infertility. Source: Public domain

Even Today, Virgin Mary Milk Powder is Used as a Cure for Infertility

The Virgin Mary’s breast milk has been the subject of veneration for centuries and even today couples battling infertility often imbue it with miraculous powers. This is especially true at the Chapel...
Saint Bernard and the Virgin by Alonso Cano. Source: Public domain

The Virgin Mary Squirted Saint Bernard with Breast Milk

Mythology is filled with an array of outlandish and far-fetched stories. Christianity is no exception. One of the most surprising, at least for me, is the story of the 12th century monk, Saint...
Jonathan the tortoise at Plantation House on Saint Helena Island in the South Atlantic. Source: Darrin Henry / Adobe Stock

190-Year-Old Jonathan the Tortoise is the Oldest Living Land Animal in the World

It’s incredible to envision all the changes which have taken place over the last two hundred years. But imagine actually living through them. Like a living time capsule , there is one land-based...
Representational image of Saint Theodora of Vasta. Source: Francis Valadj / Adobe Stock

Saint Theodora of Vasta Spawned a Miraculous Church of Sprouting Trees

When discussing Saint Theodora , most people are referring to the rags-to-riches story of the prostitute-come-empress, and wife of Justinian I , who worked to promote women rights in the 6th century...
Women have been banned from the paradisiacal Mount Athos for over 1,000 years. Source: Alexey Achepovsky / Adobe Stock

For 1,000 Years, Monks of Mt Athos Have Banned Women and Female Animals!

Believe it or not, but beside men’s toilets, gentlemen’s clubs and certain temples, there is actually an entire peninsula in northern Greece, now a semiautonomous republic of Eastern Orthodox monks,...
Lithography of Saint Helena by Fridolin Leiber. Source: Public domain

St Helena, Discoverer of the True Cross, Was the First Archaeologist

In 326 AD the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine set out on a legendary pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Dubbed the world’s “first archaeologist,” Saint Helena was posthumously credited with...
Pedro González and his wife Catherine (c. 1575) by Joris Hoefnagel. Source: Public domain

Beauty and the Beast Was Inspired by a Tragic True Story

While the fairytale Beauty and the Beast has a happy ending, the tragic true story on which it was based most certainly did not. Published in France as La Belle et la Bête , it seems that the 1740...
Allegorical portrait of an elderly Elizabeth I, who is said to have suffered the effects of poor dental hygiene and black teeth. Source: Public domain

Queen Elizabeth I Had Beggarly Black Teeth

Queen Elizabeth I of England was particularly fond of sugar. This was a time of great conquests and explorations to the New World for the royal houses of Europe, accompanied by expanding trade and...
The saying “to cut off your nose to spite your face” is said to have its origins in the actions of Saint Aebbe and the marauding Vikings. Source: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / Adobe Stock

Saint Aebbe Cut Off Her Nose to Spite Her Face

If you’ve ever heard the saying “cut off your nose to spite your face,” have you ever wondered where it came from? Legend has it that Saint Aebbe, also known as Saint Ebba or Æbbe the Younger, was a...
Cleopatra by John William Waterhouse. Source: Public domain

There Was More Than One Cleopatra in Ancient Egypt

Very few people have failed to hear of Cleopatra, one of the most well known women in history. Remembered as a seductive temptress, not only the lover of Julius Caesar but also the wife of Mark...
Mary, Queen of Scots was said to bathe in white wine. Source master1305 / Adobe Stock

Mary Queen of Scots Washed with White Wine

While Cleopatra is fabled to have bathed in sour donkey milk , Mary Queen of Scots is said to have washed with white wine to ensure a smooth complexion. A devout Catholic, throughout her life Mary...
King Ludd, the leader of the Luddites. Source: Public domain

Calling Someone a Luddite Isn't Actually an Insult

Historically Luddites have gotten a bad wrap since the use of the word exploded as a belittling term for clumsy “Neanderthal technophobes” in the 1960s. Unfortunately for the Luddites, the way its...
Top image: Ancient Greek athlete.  Source: Fxquadro / Adobe Stock

The Sweaty Body Grime of Greek and Roman Athletes was a Hot Commodity

The ancient Greeks and Romans had very different ideas on how to stay clean. For despite the Roman (deserved?) reputation for hygiene due to their elaborate plumbing systems, heated public baths and...
In this 1941 painting by Mexican artist Jesús de la Helguera, la Malinche is portrayed as a sultry character with European features, nestled in the arms of Hernán Cortés. Source: Joseaqc / CC BY-SA 4.0

Mexican Native Princess, la Malinche, Inspired a Popular Mexican Slur

For Mexicans, being called a malinchista is an insult. The word comes from la Malinche, remembered as the indigenous interpreter who helped Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec...
The modern-day presentation of ketchup on Chinese food. Source: RomixImage /Adobe Stock

Ketchup Actually Originated in… Ancient China?

If asked, the first all-American meal to come to mind will probably be a hamburger, fries and a healthy dollop of ketchup. Unfortunately, none of these items actually originated in the United States...

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