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Roman Era Bronze Plaque Showing Alexander the Great Found in Denmark

Ancient-Origins.net - Fri, 04/12/2024 - 16:32

During explorations on the Danish Island of Zealand, a pair of amateur archaeologists unearthed a small but remarkable artifact. While using metal detectors to search for coins or other items at a site near the city of Ringsted

Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & Archaeology

Six Things That Made the Colosseum Unique (Video)

Ancient-Origins.net - Fri, 04/12/2024 - 14:39

The Colosseum, an architectural marvel in Rome, is renowned for its unique features that set it apart from other ancient structures. Its oval design, accommodating over 50,000 spectators,

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyAncient PlacesEuropeVideos

Man’s Other Best Friend: Did Patagonian Hunters Domesticate an Extinct Fox?

Ancient-Origins.net - Fri, 04/12/2024 - 11:45

Was Man’s Best Friend a fox? For hunter gatherers in Patagonia 1,500 years ago, that may well turn out to be true. A team of archaeologists excavating the intriguing Cañada Seca site

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyHistoryAncient Traditions

Footprints, Fairies and even a Foreskin: 9 Bizarre Relics from History

Ancient-Origins.net - Fri, 04/12/2024 - 07:09

From time immemorial, people had the need to venerate objects of great significance: religious relics, mythical symbols or depictions of holy figures.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsMyths & LegendsUnexplained Phenomena

Spectacular New Frescoes Uncovered in Pompeii

Ancient-Origins.net - Thu, 04/11/2024 - 18:53

A spectacular banqueting room with elegant black walls, decorated with mythological characters and subjects inspired by the Trojan War

Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & Archaeology

Why So Few Witches Were Executed in Wales in the Middle Ages

Ancient-Origins.net - Thu, 04/11/2024 - 16:46

The fear of witchcraft led to centuries of persecution and executions across Europe. While there were an estimated 500 executions in England, and between 3,000 and 4,000 killings in Scotland, only five people were hanged for witchcraft in Wales.

Read moreSection: NewsHistoryAncient Traditions

All The Diseases You Might Have If You Lived in A Medieval City (Video)

Ancient-Origins.net - Thu, 04/11/2024 - 14:59

Living in medieval cities exposed residents to a myriad of afflictions stemming from unsanitary conditions and limited medical knowledge. Leprosy, caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria, was a widespread concern during this era. Historical records indicate that leprosy was prevalent in both the Byzantine Empire and Western Europe from the 12th century onwards. The establishment of leper hospitals outside city centers, such as those in France and the Low Countries, illustrates the severity of the problem and the societal response to it.

The Black Plague, caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, remains one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. It swept through Europe during the mid-14th century, resulting in millions of deaths. Eyewitness accounts from the time describe the widespread fear and devastation caused by the disease, with entire communities being decimated and mass burials becoming commonplace.

Read moreSection: VideosHistory

Bronze Lamp Revealed as Dionysus Cult Object in Cortona Italy

Ancient-Origins.net - Thu, 04/11/2024 - 12:04

An interesting new study has challenged the previous estimations surrounding a beautiful bronze lamp unearthed in a ditch near Cortona, central Italy.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsHistory & Archaeology

The Carrot Patch Hoard: A Detectorist's Dream Comes True

Ancient-Origins.net - Thu, 04/11/2024 - 08:17

In a fortunate turn of events, a routine carrot harvest in Fife, Scotland, led to the remarkable discovery of a hoard of ancient coins dating back 500 years.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & Archaeology

Seven Unusual Beauty Treatments That Ancient Women Used (Video)

Ancient-Origins.net - Wed, 04/10/2024 - 19:00

In the pursuit of beauty, ancient women employed unconventional methods, challenging modern notions of glamour. Foot binding, prevalent in 10th-century China, exemplifies the extremes sought for aesthetic perfection. 

Read moreSection: NewsVideosHistoryAncient Traditions

Investigation of Tomb Burial Reveals Sick Neolithic Ritual Sacrifices

Ancient-Origins.net - Wed, 04/10/2024 - 17:00

Recent research has unearthed chilling evidence of ritual sacrifices in Neolithic Europe, a practice that involved the gruesome method of "incaprettamento" - tying victims' necks to their bent legs, leading to self-strangulation. 

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyHistoryAncient Traditions

Athena Parthenos: Tales of Artistry, Myth and Athenian Glory

Ancient-Origins.net - Wed, 04/10/2024 - 12:49

The city of Acte had not formally been bestowed with divine protection. However, its king, Cecrops, ushered a golden period so remarkable that the city was then renamed Cecropia and the gods acknowledged its splendor. 

Read moreSection: NewsPremiumPreview

Are Toro Muerto's Petroglyphs in Peru Hallucinogenic Visions in Stone?

Ancient-Origins.net - Wed, 04/10/2024 - 11:50

A new study has offered a fresh perspective on the enigmatic petroglyphs discovered at Toro Muerto in the Peruvian coastal desert. The site contains intricate designs and petroglyphs, etched onto over 3000 volcanic rocks, dating back to the Wari Culture of the Middle Horizon era (500-1000 AD). These have long puzzled archaeologists due to their unique blend of anthropomorphic figures, geometric motifs, and enigmatic symbols, but some light might have been shed on this marvel now, suggesting a connection to the afterlife!

Toro Muerto Petroglyph Phenomenon

Toro Muerto, meaning "dead bull" in Spanish, is a significant rock art complex located southern Peru, nestled within a desert gorge near the Majes River Valley. Encompassing an expansive area of approximately 10 square kilometers (3.86 sq mi), this site holds around 2,600 volcanic boulders, each adorned with ancient petroglyphs. These petroglyphs vary in size and complexity, ranging from small stones featuring single motifs to massive boulders adorned with intricate arrays of multiple images.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient WritingsNewsHistory & Archaeology

The Hidden Role of the Milky Way in Ancient Egyptian Mythology (Study)

Ancient-Origins.net - Wed, 04/10/2024 - 08:45

Ancient Egyptians were known for their religious beliefs and astronomical knowledge of the Sun, Moon, and planets, but up until now it has been unclear 

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyHuman OriginsReligionsMyths & LegendsAfrica

The Mysterious Disease That Wiped Out the Aztecs (Video)

Ancient-Origins.net - Tue, 04/09/2024 - 18:47

The Aztecs, a once-flourishing civilization in central Mexico, faced a devastating onslaught in the mid-16th century. 

Read moreSection: NewsVideosHistoryImportant Events

The Unmatched 9,500-Year-Old Honeycomb City of Çatalhöyük

Ancient-Origins.net - Tue, 04/09/2024 - 17:02

Overlooking the Konya Plain in Turkey lies the remarkable and unique ancient city of Çatalhöyük, the largest and best-preserved Neolithic site found to date.

Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsAncient PlacesAsia

Agrippina the Younger and Her Influence on Nero (Video)

Ancient-Origins.net - Tue, 04/09/2024 - 14:50

Agrippina the Younger wielded significant influence over her son Nero's rise to power. Initially content with a life of artistry, Nero's path shifted under his mother's ambition.

Read moreSection: NewsVideosHistoryFamous People

Medieval England’s Sudden Silver Currency Conversion Solved

Ancient-Origins.net - Tue, 04/09/2024 - 11:12

After years of speculation, researchers have finally traced the origins of Europe's revolutionary adoption of silver coins in the mid-7th century, uncovering a tale of economic evolution

Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & Archaeology

Man Out of Mountain: The Striking Figure of the Apennine Colossus

Ancient-Origins.net - Tue, 04/09/2024 - 08:50

At the feet of the Apennines, Aeneas and his men defeated the Latins in one of the first victories of the early Romans. Amid flying arrows and screaming men

Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsGeneralAncient PlacesEurope

Remarkable Horseshoe Shaped Prehistoric Structure Discovered in France

Ancient-Origins.net - Mon, 04/08/2024 - 18:59

Beneath the countryside landscape of Marliens, mere kilometers from Dijon in the heart of the Ouche valley, lies evidence of ancient life spanning through millennia. 

Read moreSection: NewsHistory & Archaeology

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