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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!

The Opening of the New London Bridge (completed in 1831) by George Chambers. Source: Public domain
15 April, 2024 - 22:57 Cecilia Bogaard

Oddly Enough, London Bridge is Now Located in the Arizona Desert

In an unexpected twist of history, the famed London Bridge now stands proudly in the Arizona Desert. Its journey from the heart of London to the American Southwest is a testament to the bridge's...
Representative image of hands covered with Maya blue pigment. Source: Generated with Adobe Firefly
3 April, 2024 - 14:51 Cecilia Bogaard

Maya Sacrificial Victims Were Painted Blue and Tossed into a Sinkhole

In Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula lies a site which was once central to Maya sacrificial rituals—the sacred cenote of Chichen Itza. This natural sinkhole harbors secrets of human sacrifice and religious...
The reconstructed Ishtar Gate of Babylon at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Source: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin / CC BY-SA 4.0
1 April, 2024 - 14:51 Cecilia Bogaard

Babylon's Monumental Ishtar Gate Travelled from Iraq to Germany

If you've ever stood in awe beneath the towering 14-meter (46 ft) high Ishtar Gate at Berlin’s Pergamon Museum, you might have questioned how on Earth this Babylonian marvel came to be there—6,000 km...
The Gatchina Palace Fabergé Egg. Source: CC0 1.0 Universal
31 March, 2024 - 14:59 Cecilia Bogaard

Fabergé Eggs Were Opulent Easter Gifts Created for Russian Royalty

Almost everyone has heard about Fabergé eggs, thanks to their making headlines as they fetch exorbitant prices at auction. In one case, in 2007, the famed Rothschild Clock Egg was sold by Christie’s...
Philip II banned Arabic in an attempt to quash Moorish heritage. Detail from the ceiling of the Hall of Kings at the Alhambra in Granada. Source: Rumomo / CC BY-SA 4.0
25 March, 2024 - 13:51 Cecilia Bogaard

Philip II Outlawed Arabic to Try to Erase Moorish Heritage in Spain

The reign of Philip II of Spain stands as a pivotal era marked by religious fervor. In 1566, Philip II issued a decree that reverberated across the Iberian Peninsula. This edict not only outlawed the...
Representational image of the legendary giant Amazonian snake known in folklore as Yacumama. Source: Regys / Adobe Stock
22 March, 2024 - 16:50 Cecilia Bogaard

The Legendary Yacumama is a Cryptozoologists Dream Come True

Deep within the heart of the Amazon rainforest, amidst the dense foliage and winding rivers, lies a creature of legend that has captivated the imaginations of indigenous peoples for generations...
Representational image of a Native American dance. Source: Iobard / Adobe Stock
17 March, 2024 - 21:44 Cecilia Bogaard

The Peaceful Ghost Dance Movement Was Misconstrued as a Threat

Throughout history, governments have continually feared and misrepresented peaceful resistance movements, none more tragically than the misinterpretation of the Ghost Dance Movement by the United...
Representational image of an ancient octopus. Source: Ariestia / Adobe Stock
14 March, 2024 - 00:00 Cecilia Bogaard

Before the Era of Dinosaurs, There Was a Ten-Legged Octopus

Locked away in a drawer in a museum in Canada, scientists rediscovered a fossil that rewrote the paleontological history of the octopus, revealing its earliest known ancestor. To their surprise, not...
A modern take on the vampire image. Source: All You Need AI/Adobe Stock
8 March, 2024 - 23:24 Gary Manners

The Great Vampire Epidemic: A Bizarre Chapter in History

Imagine a time when the fear of vampires wasn't just the stuff of horror movies, but a genuine epidemic that swept across Europe. Yes, you read right, - a vampire epidemic! This wasn't a small-scale...
Bowl of vichyssoise soup. Source: Michael / Adobe Stock
5 March, 2024 - 22:01 Cecilia Bogaard

Vichyssoise Is Served Cold Because King’s Taste-Test Took an Eternity

In the rich casserole of culinary history, few stories are as captivating as the legend surrounding the origin of vichyssoise soup. According to popular lore, the origin of this creamy delight is...
Caricature of Charles Cunningham Boycott, published in Vanity Fair magazine in January 1881. Source: Public domain
3 March, 2024 - 16:50 Cecilia Bogaard

Captain Boycott's Abuse of Irish Farmers Sparked the Term “Boycott”

Certain words emerge from peculiar circumstances, leaving an indelible mark on language and society. The term “boycott” is one such example, as it carries a fascinating origin story that intertwines...
Millions of postcards made a mockery of Leap Day traditions which gave women the opportunity to propose to men once every four years on the 29th February. Source: Public domain
29 February, 2024 - 13:49 Cecilia Bogaard

Women Have Proposed Marriage to Men on Leap Day for Hundreds of Years

Welcome to February 29th, the Leap day that comes around but once every four years! In the age of viral marriage proposals, the persistence of outdated traditions whereby men inevitably go down on...
The secret staircase at la Casa del Rey Moro in Ronda. Source: Ingo Bartussek / Adobe Stock
28 February, 2024 - 13:35 Cecilia Bogaard

‘Moorish King's House’ Had a Secret Staircase to Survive Sieges

Nestled within the rugged landscape of Ronda, Spain, lies a hidden gem of ancient ingenuity: La Casa del Rey Moro, or the House of the Moorish King. While this historic site is renowned for its...
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson has been remembered as one of the greatest naval commanders in British history. Painting by Arthur William Devis. Source: Public domain
24 February, 2024 - 21:45 Cecilia Bogaard

Admiral Nelson's Defiance Inspired the Saying “To Turn a Blind Eye”

The expression “turning a blind eye” denotes the deliberate choice to ignore or overlook something, especially wrongdoing or undesirable information. While deeply ingrained within the English...
Bara Imanbara in Lucknow in northern India. Source: Memories Over Mocha / Adobe Stock
23 February, 2024 - 16:53 Cecilia Bogaard

The Gravity-Defying Bara Imambara was Built to Create Jobs During a Famine

The Bara Imambara, or “Great” Imambara of Lucknow in northern India, stands a testament to human ingenuity and compassion. Built during a devastating famine in the 18th century, this architectural...
The tonsure of King Wamba, by Joan Brull Vinyoles circa 1894. Source: Public domain
18 February, 2024 - 21:33 Cecilia Bogaard

King Wamba Lost the Throne When He Unwittingly Underwent a Tonsure

Within ancient history, tales of kings and rulers often contain unexpected twists and turns. Enter Wamba, the 7th century King of the Visigoths, whose reign is shrouded in a peculiar legend regarding...
Fresco of a priest sporting a coronal tonsure hairstyle. Source: Public domain
11 February, 2024 - 13:28 Cecilia Bogaard

Roman Catholic Priests Rocked Seriously Quirky ‘Tonsure’ Hairdos

In the annals of religious history, the Roman Catholic tonsure hairstyle stands out as a peculiar and enduring tradition. From the early centuries of Christianity to its eventual abolition by the...
Representational image of Ashoka the Great. Source: Luke/Adobe Stock
30 January, 2024 - 13:48 Cecilia Bogaard

Shocked by His Own Brutality, Ashoka Converted to Buddhism

One of the most remarkable transformations in history unfolded during the life of Ashoka the Great, a ruler who transitioned from a brutal conqueror of a vast empire to a benevolent emperor guided by...
Nike Air Jordans which broke world record as most expensive sneakers ever sold at auction. Source: Jordan Geller / CC BY-SA 4.0
27 January, 2024 - 23:55 Cecilia Bogaard

Nike Sportswear Took its Name from the Ultimate Champion

Believe it or not, but the origin of the name Nike for the globally recognized sportswear giant dates back to Greek mythology. For the brand chose the winged goddess of victory as its namesake. The...
Susanna and the Elders, by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1610. Source: Public domain
22 January, 2024 - 00:00 Cecilia Bogaard

Artemisia Gentileschi Used Art To Avenge Her Rape

Since the 1970s, the work of Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi has seen a surge in popularity due to her unique perspective as a female artist of the 17th century. Artemisia Gentileschi...
Within Chinese medicine, dragon bones or long gy have long been prescribed to treat a variety of ailments. Source: Nu / Adobe Stock
13 January, 2024 - 13:51 Cecilia Bogaard

Thanks to the ‘Dragon Bones’ Malaria Cure, China Unearthed its Earliest Writing

Believe it or not, but the intriguing discovery of China's earliest writing was thanks to an unlikely ally— malaria . When the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Wang Yirong, contracted malaria, he...
Mysterious eyes in binary code. The Great Cipher of Louis XIV had codebreakers stumped for centuries. Source: Kundra / Adobe Stock
8 January, 2024 - 23:52 Cecilia Bogaard

Louis XIV’s Great Cipher Baffled Codebreakers Until the 19th Century

In the clandestine corridors of 17th-century France, a remarkable cryptographic system known as the Great Cipher emerged, becoming the go-to code for the French monarch Louis XIV. The genius behind...
Representational image of a Pyrrhic Victory and a bloody battlefield. Source: Mr. Bolota / Adobe Stock
7 January, 2024 - 16:57 Cecilia Bogaard

King Pyrrhic’s Costly Conquest that Inspired the Term “Pyrrhic Victory”

The term “Pyrrhic Victory” stands as a testament to the intriguing and often paradoxical nature of warfare. Originating within the victories of the Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus, this term has found...
Woodcut depicting a vagrant being punished in the streets of Tudor England. Source: Public domain
4 January, 2024 - 23:55 Cecilia Bogaard

Unemployment Under Edward VI Was Punished with Branding and Slavery

In the annals of history, peculiar laws are often found, shedding light on the societal norms and governance of bygone eras. One such oddity is the Vagrancy Act of 1547, a draconian decree that sent...

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