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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.

Searching for the Knights of the Star and their giant pentagram. Source: Dada635 / Adobe Stock
1 April, 2024 - 17:55 The Jerusalem Files

The Knights of the Star and their Giant Sacred Pentagram in France

In June of 1344, Pope Clement VI moved to reorganize the Knights of France in a series of six letters sent to Jean, Duke of Normandy, the son of King Philip VI of France. The pope proposed that the...
The Court Jester by John Watson Nicol. Source: Public Domain
30 March, 2024 - 19:48 Robbie Mitchell

What Life Was Really Like as a Medieval Jester (Video)

Life as a medieval jester encompassed more than whimsical performances; it was a complex role integral to the fabric of courtly life. Despite common misconceptions, jesters were often well-educated...
Bas-relief at Angkor Wat, Cambodia, c. 1150, depicting a demon inducing an abortion by pounding the abdomen of a pregnant woman with a pestle. Source: Malcolm Potts/CC BY-SA 3.0
29 March, 2024 - 19:42 Robbie Mitchell

Family Planning in the Ancient World (Video)

In ancient times, family planning methods such as abortion and contraception were integral parts of medical practices and societal norms, particularly in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East...
Representational image of jousting horses. Source: Public domain
25 March, 2024 - 21:53 Nathan Falde

Jousting Horses Ridden by English Knights Came from Mainland Europe

Jousting was a popular sport among elites in medieval England, as anyone who has ever read a book or watched a movie about English knights in the Middle Ages is well aware. Jousters wore thick armor...
Oracle bone from the Bīn group of diviners from period I, corresponding to the reign of King Wu Ding (Shang dynasty). Source: Public Domain
25 March, 2024 - 19:50 Robbie Mitchell

How Did the Chinese Develop Their Writing System? (Video)

The Chinese writing system , originating during the Shang Dynasty around 1600 BC, is a testament to China's rich cultural heritage. Unlike alphabetic systems found in many Western languages, Chinese...
The Garamantes carved out a thriving civilization in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth. Source: Superhero Woozie / Adobe Stock.
24 March, 2024 - 13:49 Aleksa Vučković

The Garamantes, Ancient Masters of the Hostile Sahara

In the heart of the Sahara desert, an arid wasteland the size of the US, it seems nothing can survive. But there were some who mastered this most inhospitable of landscapes, and turned an empty land...
The foodstuffs found on the obsidian blades at Anakena in Rapa Nui suggest the islanders made the voyage to South America and returned. Source: F.C.G. / Adobe Stock.
23 March, 2024 - 16:30 Sahir

Rapa Nui Obsidian Discovery: Did the Islanders sail to America?

It has long been thought that the people of Rapa Nui (popularly called Easter Island) lived a largely isolated existence, cut off from other lands by the vast and treacherous ocean. However a new...
Left; part of one of the murals, Right; Entrance to the mastaba. Source: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
22 March, 2024 - 22:00 Gary Manners

Mastaba With Stunning Murals Unearthed in Dahshur Necropolis

In the shadow of the ancient pyramids of Dahshur, a remarkable discovery has once again highlighted Egypt's enduring legacy as a cradle of human civilization. Thanks to the diligent efforts of a...
The infant Heracles strangling the snakes sent by the goddess Hera (a woman protects Iphiclyse on the right). Source: Public Domain
20 March, 2024 - 19:53 Robbie Mitchell

Surprising Mythological Stories From Around the World (Video)

Exploring mythological stories from diverse cultures unveils a rich tapestry of beliefs and narratives deeply embedded in human history. For instance, the Hawaiian tradition embodied in the kumulipo...
Black-figured runners with the torch. AI Illustration in the ancient Greek style. Source: sebos / Adobe Stock
19 March, 2024 - 23:39 Robbie Mitchell

The Olympics Saga: How the Olympics Came to Be (Video)

The ancient Olympics, originating in 776 BC in Olympia , Greece, were deeply ingrained in the fabric of Greek society. Held every four years in honor of Zeus, the games featured a range of events...
Samurai gold armor statue. Source: Public Domain
19 March, 2024 - 21:56 Caleb Strom

The Amazing Story of Yasuke, The Forgotten African Samurai

Samurai are among the most enduring symbols of Japanese cultural heritage, thus unsurprisingly, most samurai were Japanese. There are, however, examples of non-Japanese who became samurai as well...
Part of a tomb dating to the Jin Dynasty found in Changzhi city, Shanxi Province, China. Source: Shanxi Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology/ China Daily
19 March, 2024 - 16:59 Sahir

Three Jin Dynasty Tombs Discovered in Chinese Village Reveal History

Three brick-chamber tombs from the Great Jin Dynasty (1115 – 1234 AD) that were uncovered in China have been found to feature beautiful and intricate wall murals. Though subject to looting and damage...
A mural from and ancient Egyptians tomb. Source: Svetlaili/Adobe Stock
18 March, 2024 - 16:49 ancient-origins

Here’s How We Know Life in Ancient Egypt was Ravaged by Disease

Thomas Jeffries /The Conversation The mention of ancient Egypt usually conjures images of colossal pyramids and precious, golden tombs. But as with most civilizations, the invisible world of...
Representational image of Maya healing by a medicine man. Source: HaiderShah / Adobe Stock
18 March, 2024 - 13:55 Joanna Gillan

Unlocking the Secrets of Maya Healing

At a time when human beings are suffering from a host of illnesses caused by stress and modern-day living, the need for ancient wisdom has never been more important. In fact, many people have become...
Reconstruction of Ötzi the Iceman, flanked by the tattoo experiment which is believed to replicate how the originals were created. Source: Deter-Wolf et al., Exarc, 2022; Mannivu / CC BY-SA 4.0.
16 March, 2024 - 16:53 Sahir

Does Ötzi the Iceman Have History’s Oldest Hand-Poked Tattoos?

Over five millennia have passed since Ötzi the Iceman was struck down by an arrow from an unknown assailant in the frigid northern regions of the Alps. But still the ancient frozen body has secrets...
15 March, 2024 - 20:00 Robbie Mitchell

How Confucianism Shaped Chinese Culture and Legacy (Video)

Confucianism, originating during the Zhou dynasty , emerged as a philosophy emphasizing moral principles and societal harmony, devoid of the supernatural elements common in many other religious...
Some of the skeletons found in the Black Death Mass Graves in Nuremberg, Germany. Source: In Terra Veritas
12 March, 2024 - 21:40 Gary Manners

Largest Mass Grave in Europe Discovered in Nuremberg, Germany

An unexpected discovery in the heart of Nuremberg has cast new light on the city’s traumatic history. Archaeologists, initially set to inspect an area for new apartment construction in the Franconian...
Lao Phonsavan Plain of Jars. Source: flu4022/Adobe Stock
11 March, 2024 - 19:52 Robbie Mitchell

Five Unique Burial Sites of the Ancient World (Video)

Across the ancient world, a mosaic of burial practices unveils the diversity of human cultures and their beliefs. Chambered cairns , scattered throughout the UK, intrigue scholars with their...
Did drugs fuel Viking social gatherings and make them formidable and fearless warriors? Source: ContentHub / Adobe Stock.
10 March, 2024 - 13:54 Robbie Mitchell

Viking Drug Use: From Riotous Parties to Berserker Fury

The Vikings stand as legendary figures, their exploits on the seas and battlefields shrouded in myth and mystery. Yet beyond their tales of conquest and exploration lies a lesser-known aspect of...
Left; A cacao tree with fruit pods in various stages of ripening. Right; Ripe cacao ready to pick. Source: Left, Public Domain, Right, Pantira/Adobe Stock
9 March, 2024 - 13:54 ashley cowie

Scientists Map the Genetic Evolution of Cacao to Chocolate

Researchers have mapped the ancient dispersal of the cacao or cocoa plant from South America to Central America. Not only did they discover the plant was a central commodity in ancient trading, but...
Women spinning and socializing. From Augustine’s La Cité de Dieu. Source: Museum Meermanno/The Conversation
8 March, 2024 - 16:56 ancient-origins

The Hidden Healers: Women's Secret Medieval Health Networks

Pragya Agarwal /The Conversation In the medieval period, medical science was still dominated by the ancient writings of Hippocrates from the fifth century and Galen of Pergamon from the second...
The fragment of bread retrieved from an oven in Çatalhöyük. Source: Erbakan
6 March, 2024 - 21:48 Nathan Falde

World’s Oldest Fermented Bread, Dated to 6,600 BC, Found at Çatalhöyük

During excavations two years ago at the famous ancient Anatolian city of Çatalhöyük , archaeologists uncovered a large furnace-like structure that would have been used as a communal oven. They also...
Cinnabar powder on human bones and beads in Valencina, site of Copper Age Mercury abuse. Source: Álvaro Fernández Flores/ Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
6 March, 2024 - 13:55 Sahir

Copper Age Settlement Shows Evidence of Accidental Ritual Mercury Abuse

Getting high off toxic solvents and chemicals to induce mind-altering effects is a public health concern today. But dial back 5,000 years, in the Iberian Peninsula, and groups of women adorned in...
Representational image of ancient healing medicinal practice. Source: dimensdesign / Adobe Stock
5 March, 2024 - 16:52 Rita Louise

Ancient Healing Methods Offer an Alternative Paradigm in Health

As long as life has existed on earth, so have issues associated with maintaining health and the remediation of disease. Today, when many of us get sick, our first course of action is to call the...

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