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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.
music

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.
ancient

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
Athens, Greece

Archaeological Site Inside Monastiraki Metro Station

View the ancient remains of buildings and the ancient "River of Hades" before hopping on a train.
Bonfires and revelry dominate modern Beltane celebrations, but the origins of the event are more mundane.
astronomy

Beltane Is About More Than Fire and Fertility

The ancient “Celtic” start of summer is rooted in animal husbandry—and it’s not on May 1.
Gemma Tarlach April 28, 2023
architecture

Podcast: Bete Giyorgis of Lalibela

Explore an Ethiopian "Jerusalem."
The Podcast Team April 17, 2023
Zempoala, Mexico

Zona Arqueológica Cempoala

Palace, temple, and pyramid ruins mark the ancient Mesoamerican capital of Totonacapan.
Athens, Greece

Panathenaic Stadium Passage

Gladiators once walked this ancient, subterranean passage.
One of the Bronze Age burial mounts on Krejansberget
Siuntio, Finland

Krejansberget Bronze Age Burial Site

These large stone piles are ancient burial sites.
Carving
Stuttgart, Germany

Cataphract Funerary Monument

A funerary monument for two brothers who served in the Roman cavalry.
Campobello di Mazara, Italy

Cave of Cusa

The ancient Greeks abandoned this quarry to escape Hannibal's devastating invasion.
paintings

Did Ancient Egypt Have a Pigeon Problem?

More than 3,000 years ago, the birds appeared in unexpected places.
Shoshi Parks January 25, 2023
Miramar, Mexico

Quiahuiztlán

The site where the Spanish first landed in Mexico was once a thriving Mesoamerican city.
churches

Podcast: Urnes Stave Church

This intricately carved church is one of Norway’s great treasures of architecture.
The Podcast Team January 23, 2023
Many wine stones were carved at an angle, possibly to let juice flow downwards.
ancient

Were These Giant Carved Stones Used to Make Ancient Italian Wine?

Rocky artifacts may offer insight into an Etruscan industry.
Vittoria Traverso January 18, 2023
objects of intrigue

Can an Old Coin Solve the Mystery of a Lost Roman Emperor?

Examining whether a ruler slipped through the cracks of a tumultuous century.
Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing January 17, 2023
islands

Did Humans Arrive in Micronesia Much Earlier Than We Thought?

Ancient sites such as Nan Madol, the "Venice of the Pacific," may need to be reconsidered thanks to new evidence about sea level change.
Juliet Sefton, Andrew Kemp, and Mark D. McCoy January 3, 2023
Archaeologists believe this head belonged to a figurine representing a high priestess of Ur.
relics

History’s First Named Author Was a Mesopotamian Priestess

Her name was Enheduanna.
Sarah Durn December 22, 2022
Dimitrios Katsikis bangs away with a hammer, which he crafted himself from scrap metal, to shape a bronze greave, or shin guard. One of the very few modern technologies he allows himself is ear protection.
art

Meet the Blacksmith Resurrecting Greek History

Dimitrios Katsikis geeks out on making ancient armor with traditional methods.
Demetrios Ioannou December 16, 2022