667 Items Tagged

Ancient

Each night during his journey across the netherworld, the sun god Ra's barque crosses the desert Rostau, realm of the falcon god Sokar, borne by snakes.

In Ancient Egypt, the Duat Was a Netherworld of Gods and Monsters

A guide called the Amduat helped pharaohs navigate the complex afterlife.

Nicky Nielsen October 3, 2023

Strada del Sole ('Road of the Sun')

A former millstone quarry in the Italian Alps is strewn with rocks bearing distinct round shapes.

Arrizala, Spain

Dolmen of Sorginetxe

An ancient stone structure that, according to legend, was built by witches.

Atlatls use leverage to launch spears faster and farther than hand-thrown javelins.

How Ancient Dart Launchers Changed the Game for Early Female Hunters

A female archaeologist is challenging the idea of men as hunters and women as gatherers, one throw at a time.

Roxanne Hoorn September 5, 2023

Pyramids of Caral-Supe

A 5,000-year-old city in Peru holds the remains of a stunning set of astronomically-aligned pyramids.

Mochrum, Scotland

Drumtroddan Rock Art

Carved between 3500 and 1000 B.C., the distinctive carvings at this site are poorly understood.

Fugoppe Cave Petroglyphs

One of the only two archaeological sites in Japan to feature petroglyphs, which some believe to be a long-lost writing system of the gods.

An ancient wall with a path running through it under a metal roof

Shimao Relics

A massive ancient Chinese city with stone walls and evidence of human sacrifices.

Bessans, France

Mont Cenis

From Carthage's Hannibal to riders of the Tour de France, many have crossed this scenic route through the Alps.

Podcast: The Complaint Tablet of Ea-Nasir

Turns out, beefing about bad service really is as old as time.

The Podcast Team July 12, 2023

Seoul, South Korea

Son Kee Chung’s Greek Helmet

This ancient Corinthian helmet is South Korea’s only national treasure of Western origin.

A damaged sarcophagus sits in a stone-walled burial chamber

Puig des Molins Necropolis

The largest and best preserved necropolis in the Western Mediterranean.

Monasterio de San Pedro de Rocas

An abandoned 6th-century monastery features a medieval map of the known world.

The azimuth theodolite.

9 Observatories Where Ancient Humans Looked to the Stars

The mysteries of the night sky have captivated our species for millennia.

Diana Hubbell May 25, 2023

The massive complex of Monte d'Accoddi on the island of Sardinia is nearly 6,000 years old.

This Mysterious Ziggurat Was an Ancient European Pilgrimage Site

Sardinia's 'mountain of stones,' Monte d'Accoddi, is nearly 6,000 years old.

Jeffrey Biggers May 24, 2023

This ancient dodecahedron found in Avenches, Switzerland, once the Roman city of Aventicum.

objects of intrigue

The Mysterious Dodecahedrons of the Roman Empire

The first of many of these puzzling objects was unearthed almost three centuries ago, and we still don't know what they were for.

Frank Jacobs, Big Think May 12, 2023

A Hindu priest holds a lit coconut oil lamp in front of statues of Prince Vijaya (left) and Kuweni (right) at the Sri Subramaniam temple in the southern Sri Lankan town of Matara.

How This Demon Dance Banishes Illnesses in Sri Lanka's Remote Jungles

The kankariya dance all started with a legendary demon queen named Kuweni.

Zinara Rathnayake May 4, 2023

However long this snowman effigy, known as the Bӧӧgg, takes to burn will determine the remaining length of winter.

To Banish Winter in This Tiny Wisconsin Town, Burn a Swiss Snowman

The burning of the Bӧӧgg is like a fiery version of Groundhog’s Day, but with fireworks and sausages.

Tea Krulos May 2, 2023