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Ancient Traditions

Ancient Origins brings you articles related to Ancient Traditions from all over the world. Find related articles in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends.

Meena Raghavan, oldest practitioner of Kalaripayattu martial art. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Great Big Story.
9 August, 2023 - 17:00 Joanna Gillan

At 74, This Woman is The Oldest Practitioner of an Indian Martial Art

Meena Raghavan embodies perseverance and determination in the world of Indian martial arts . At 74, she represents both history and tradition while also challenging age and gender barriers. Beginning...
Japanese carpentry miyadaiku. Source: Fergus Coyle / Adobe Stock.
9 August, 2023 - 01:56 Joanna Gillan

Repairing Temples in Japan Without a Single Nail (Video)

In historical Japan , the luxury of using metal for construction was a costly endeavor out of reach for many carpenters. As a workaround, the ingenious "miyadaiku" carpenters, specialized in temple...
Renata Flores sings in Quechua to save an ancient language. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Great Big Story.
8 August, 2023 - 20:56 Robbie Mitchell

Quechua: Saving an Ancient Language Through Pop Music (Video)

Renata Flores, the 16-year-old musical prodigy hailing from Peru, has emerged as a beacon of hope for a language on the brink of fading into oblivion. Amidst the shadows of discrimination and...
Two Japanese Kendo fighters. Source: Karramba Production / Adobe Stock.
6 August, 2023 - 17:00 Joanna Gillan

How This Ancient Martial Art Helps Japanese Police Fight Crime (Video)

Mitsuru Hamasaki, a seasoned practitioner of the ancient Japanese martial art of kendo, has spent nearly 60 years honing his skills. A former police officer, Mitsuru has a unique perspective on the...
The royal game of Ur. Source: Trustees of the British Museum / CC by SA 4.0.
5 August, 2023 - 01:55 Robbie Mitchell

Playing the 4,500-Year-Old Royal Game of Ur (Video)

What happens when a popular Youtuber takes on the British Museum curator at one of history’s oldest board games? That’s just what happened when Tom Scott challenged Irving Finkel to a Royal Game of...
Blacksmith forging weapon. Source: helivideo / Adobe Stock.
4 August, 2023 - 20:55 Robbie Mitchell

Bronze Age Blacksmithing: From Liquid Fire to Sword in Minutes (Video)

In a fascinating video, the BBC’s Neil Oliver skillfully recreates the ancient art of fashioning a Bronze Age sword , using techniques and materials identical to those employed by our ancestors. The...
Illustration of one the graves with Viking and horse, by Mirosław Kuźma. Source: Leszek Gardeła/The Conversation
4 August, 2023 - 18:57 ancient origins

Shared Horse and Human Burials Show Vikings’ Bond With Their Animal Companions

Keith Ruiter & Harriet Evans Tang / The Conversation Is your pet part of the family? That’s nothing new. Archaeological evidence exists to suggest that the Vikings held their own animals in high...
Traditional fabric printing in India. Source: kalcutta / Adobe Stock.
4 August, 2023 - 17:00 Robbie Mitchell

French-Indian Textile Designer Recreates Ancient Mughal Designs (Video)

Renowned French-Indian textile designer, Brigitte Singh, has masterfully revived ancient Mughal designs on fabric, igniting a renaissance of timeless beauty. With meticulous attention, she unfurls a...
traditional medicine, Cambodia, healers, ingredients, healthcare
3 August, 2023 - 16:54 Joanna Gillan

Reviving Ancient Healing Arts: Cambodia's Groundbreaking Approach to Healthcare (Video)

Traditional healers, with their deep knowledge of nature's bounty, have long played a pivotal role in providing healthcare in Cambodia . They use an array of natural ingredients, including dried...
The resulting reconstruction of the Neolithic necklace discovered in southern Jordan. Source: PLoS ONE / CC BY 4.0
2 August, 2023 - 19:01 Nathan Falde

Elaborate 8,000-year-old Necklace from Child Burial Reveals Ancient Culture

A team of researchers from various European countries painstakingly reconstructed a decayed Neolithic necklace. The beads had been unearthed from an 8,000-year-old child's grave found at the renowned...
Vietnam water puppets. Source: Kalyakan / Adobe Stock.
1 August, 2023 - 20:55 Robbie Mitchell

Tourism Keeps Vietnam's Ancient Water Puppets Afloat (Video)

Vietnam's water puppet tradition is a captivating art form that has been cherished for centuries. Originating in the rice paddies of the Red River Delta, this unique cultural expression dates back to...
Thai Tattoo Master makes Sak Yant tattoo. Source: Denis / Adobe Stock.
31 July, 2023 - 20:51 Robbie Mitchell

Sak Yant: Foreigners Drawn to Ancient Thai Tattoo Masters (Video)

The ancient art of 'sak yant,' traditional Thai tattoos , has long been cherished by locals for its spiritual significance. In recent times, however, an increasing number of foreigners are drawn to...
From Sumerian time to modern-day clocks, the number 60 has stood the test of time. Source: (Samantha/CC BY 2.0), nebula NGC 1788 Orion constellation (ESO/CC BY 4.0), Zodiac of Dendera (Alice-astro/CC BY-SA 3.0)
31 July, 2023 - 14:59 Kerry Sullivan

Sumerians Invented the System of Time 5,000 Years Ago – And We Still Use It Today!

One might find it curious that we divide the hours into 60 minutes and the days into 24 hours – why not a multiple of 10 or 12? Put quite simply, the answer is because the inventors of time did not...
Representational image of a magical Viking rune or Viking Code. Source: Artur / Adobe Stock
29 July, 2023 - 18:50 Dr. Eran Elhaik

Unlocking the Cryptic Viking Code Using Runic Writing and Ancient DNA

Runic script is an alphabetic system based on a non-alphabetical order row. This means that it has letters, like in many languages, but the letters are not arranged in a standard alphabetical order...
A Muslim and a Jew inside a Jewish synagogue in Kolkata, India. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Atlas Obscura.
29 July, 2023 - 01:55 Robbie Mitchell

The Muslims Preserving Kolkata's Last Jewish Synagogues (Video)

In the vibrant city of Kolkata, India, a heartening and harmonious interfaith tradition is flourishing as Muslim caretakers diligently preserve the last remaining Jewish synagogues . This unique...
Shaolin Master training. Source: Whitezgraphy / Adobe Stock.
28 July, 2023 - 16:57 Joanna Gillan

The Extraordinary Final Test to Become a Shaolin Master (Video)

The Shaolin Temple , renowned worldwide as the home of Kung Fu, is a place of rigorous training and spiritual devotion for the 400 monks who reside there. Of these, 100 are warrior monks, students...
Capstones at the Bryher burial site in the Isles of Scilly, where the tomb of the female warrior was discovered. Source: Isles of Scilly Museum Association
28 July, 2023 - 14:51 Nathan Falde

Curious 2,000-Year-Old Isles of Scilly Burial Mystery Solved

On one of the small and lightly populated Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall in southwestern England, archaeologists uncovered a unique stone-lined burial chamber in 1999. The grave goods...
The Kurultáj festival (Derzsi Elekes Andor / CC by SA 4.0)
27 July, 2023 - 21:00 Robbie Mitchell

Hungary’s Kurultaj Festival Celebrates Warrior Roots (Video)

Every year the Kurultaj Festival, hosted in Bugac, Hungary showcases a captivating reenactment of the country's ancient history, specifically the conquest by Hungarian tribes over a thousand years...
Egyptian Zar ritual (Asghar Besharati / CC by SA 4.0)
26 July, 2023 - 20:53 Robbie Mitchell

Rhythms of Possession: Egypt's Mysterious Zar Exorcism Tradition (Video)

The ancient 'zar' ritual of Egypt is a captivating and enigmatic cultural practice that dates back centuries. Rooted in ancient beliefs and folk traditions, the zar ceremony is performed to exorcise...
Interior of salt mine in Hallstatt, Austria. Source: Posztós János / Adobe Stock.
26 July, 2023 - 16:59 Robbie Mitchell

7,000-Year-Old Austrian Salt Mine Holds Bronze Age Secrets (Video)

Hallstatt, an ancient salt mine nestled in the picturesque Austrian Alps, holds an extraordinary tale of human history dating back an astonishing 7,000 years . While all mines necessitate regular...
Inca woman crossing the Q'eswachaka rope bridge. Source: Danita Delimont / Adobe Stock.
26 July, 2023 - 01:54 Robbie Mitchell

Preserving the World’s Last Inca Rope Bridge (Video)

Every year in June, Peruvian communities nestled within the Cusco region, once the capital of the mighty Inca Empire , come together in a remarkable display of cultural preservation and unity. Their...
Sirius, the Dog Star, the dominant star within the Canis Major constellation. Source: iryna / Adobe Stock
24 July, 2023 - 22:55 Joanna Gillan

What Makes Sirius, the Dog Star, So Special?

The accolade of “brightest star in the sky as viewed from Earth” goes to the well-known star Sirius, popularly called the Dog Star due to its role as the dominant star in the Canis Major , meaning...
Mesopotamian / Iraqi Marshes with the so called Marsh Arabs. Source: Felix Friebe / Adobe Stock.
24 July, 2023 - 16:58 Robbie Mitchell

Iraq's Marshes Are Dying, and A Civilization With Them (Video)

The Mesopotamian marshes in Iraq, once a thriving ecosystem and the heart of an ancient Marsh Arab civilization, are facing a dire threat as they wither away. Parched by a prolonged drought, the...
Traditional Lenj boat building on Qeshm Island, Iran. Source: Gone For A Drive. / Adobe Stock.
22 July, 2023 - 01:59 Robbie Mitchell

The Dying Craft of Traditional Boat-Building in Iran (Video)

For nearly 400 years, the Guranian people of Iran's Qeshm Island have upheld the extraordinary art of crafting Lenj boats - large, handmade wooden vessels used for transporting passengers and cargo...

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