Ten Extraordinary Ancient Texts That Exploded Our Ancient Knowledge
There are literally thousands of incredible texts that have survived from the ancient world, which are etched onto copper, beautifully inscribed on papyrus, chipped onto tablets, and even written using the ink of ground down gold and precious stones. While it is impossible to choose the best of the bunch, we have chosen ten incredible […]
Ten Amazing Artifacts Reveal the Secrets of the Ancient World
There are undoubtedly millions of amazing artifacts from the ancient world that have served to shed light on the lives of our ancestors from many millennia ago. But some stand out for their uniqueness, their intrigue, or their ability to expand our knowledge about previously unknown aspects of our history. Here we feature ten such […]
The Unmatched 9,500-Year-Old Honeycomb City of Çatalhöyük
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. At a time when most of the world’s people were nomadic hunter-gatherers, Çatalhöyük was a bustling town of as many as 10,000 people. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it […]
Han Purple: The 2,800-Year-Old Mystery Solved by Quantum Physicists
Han purple, an artificial pigment created by the Chinese over 2,500 years ago, was used in ancient artworks such as wall paintings, the famed terracotta warriors, ceramics, metalware and jewelry. A technological wonder, the pigment was made through a complex process of grinding up raw materials in precise proportions and heating to high temperatures. So […]
Dealing in the Past: How Did Ancient Egyptians Get Nicotine and Cocaine?
The discovery of traces of nicotine and cocaine within 3,000-year-old human remains, which came to be known as Egypt’s cocaine mummies, raised curious questions amongst historians. Challenging existing historical narratives and prompting inquiries about potential transoceanic contact in antiquity, these controversial findings disrupted conventional narratives and prompted scholars to reconsider the scope of cultural exchanges […]
Emperor Nero’s Legendary Revolving Dining Room Really Existed
While the extravagant palace of Emperor Nero, the Domus Aurea—which boasted some 300 rooms covered in dazzling polished white marble—was first rediscovered during the Renaissance, in 2009 a team of French and Italian archaeologists made a stunning find. Their excavations uncovered an unexpected surprise: a revolving dining room which once served the illustrious guests of […]
Ten Mysterious Rock Art Examples from the Ancient World
Rock paintings and engravings are among the world’s oldest continuously practiced art form and are as diverse as the wide-ranging cultures and civilizations that have produced them. Depictions of elegant human figures, richly hued animals, unusual figures combining human and animal features, and detailed geometric patterns, continue to inspire admiration for their sophistication, powerful forms, and […]
Port Royal Unveiled: Sunken Secrets of a Pirate Paradise
Seventeenth century life in Port Royal, Jamaica, commonly referred to as “the wickedest city on Earth,” conjures up images of marauding pirates, treasure hunters, naval conquests, looting and the overindulgence of food, alcohol, gambling and women. But the extravagances of the wealthiest port in the West Indies came to a rapid end at precisely 11:43 […]
The Lost Years of Nabonidus, Last King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning from 556-539 BC. He took the throne after the assassination of the boy-king Labashi-Marduk, who was murdered in a conspiracy only nine months after his inauguration. It is not known whether Nabonidus played a role in his death, but he was chosen as the new […]
Is the 10,000-Year-Old Yonaguni Monument a Man-Made Marvel or Nature’s Art?
Nestled along the southern coast of Yonaguni, Japan, are enigmatic submerged ruins that have captured the fascination of researchers and ignited fervent debates. Believed to date back approximately 10,000 years, the origin of the Yonaguni monument remains shrouded in mystery. Hotly debated among experts, some asserting that these formations are unmistakably man-made, while others, adopting […]