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History

From the powerful civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley, to the fearsome yet sophisticated society of the Vikings, the ancient world was a surprising and challenging place. Here we feature some of the most seminal and influential events and people throughout history, that have helped shape the world we know today.

Relic of St. Valentine in the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome, Italy.
17 October, 2024 - 12:30 mrreese

The Dark Origins of Valentine’s Day

On February 14, couples from around the world recognize Valentine’s Day. For most, Valentine’s Day is a day of love, a day to shower a beloved with gifts and tokens of appreciation, to enjoy a...
AI image of ancient Egyptian sorceress.
15 October, 2024 - 12:30 Alicia McDermott

Think Egypt Think Magic: The Power of Heka

The lives of ancient Egyptians were inextricably intertwined with magic. It was present in everything from religion to politics, and from birth to death. Magic was such a prevalent force that in the...
Shiva carrying Sati on his trident. (1800s).
14 October, 2024 - 22:43 Gisele Santos

Manikarnika Ghat: The Heart of Cremation in Indian Funerary Traditions

India is renowned for having distinctive religious practices that coexist with one another. The numerous shrines and monuments allow one to contemplate the importance of faith for many. One of the...
AI artwork of the philosopher, Confucius.
14 October, 2024 - 12:30 Aleksa Vučković

The Philosophies of Confucius and Their Influence on Chinese Society

Confucius, a name synonymous with ancient Chinese philosophy, remains one of the most influential thinkers not only in China but also throughout the world. Born in 551 BC during a time of social and...
Naumberg Cathedral
13 October, 2024 - 22:55 Walker Ramspott

From Pagan Roots to Protestant Reforms: A Religious History of Germany

As of today, Christianity is the most dominant religion in Germany, with a high rate of atheism in the East. This, however, has not always been the case, as there have been notably other religions...
Physician treating patient
13 October, 2024 - 14:58 Aleksa Vučković

Ancient Medicine: How Did Ancient Civilizations Heal Themselves?

Life was never a guarantee in the distant past. Before the advent of modern medicine, people had to rely on a variety of healing methods, hoping to come out on top in the struggle against deadly...
Tomb of Christopher Columbus in Seville Cathedral.
12 October, 2024 - 14:55 Sahir

New Clues Finally Unravel Mysteries Surrounding Christopher Columbus’ Origins and Remains

One of history’s most controversial, reviled, and yet important figures, the first conquistador, Christopher Columbus, is the subject of a new scientific breakthrough, that could finally resolve two...
History Fuzz Logo
11 October, 2024 - 12:30 ashley cowie

Podcast: History Fuzz: Episode 04: Dr. Kenneth Brophy. Scotland Pt 1. Neolithic astronomy and Glasgow's lost alignments

In this engaging episode, we delve into the world of Neolithic and early Bronze Age Scotland through the insights of Dr. Kenneth Brophy, a distinguished senior lecturer in the Department of...
AI image of an ancient Egyptian Queen.
10 October, 2024 - 12:30 Alicia McDermott

The Majesty of Ancient Egyptian Queens

Although many people today refer to the wives of ancient Egyptian kings and female Egyptian pharaohs as queens, in ancient Egypt all the people surrounding the king (pharaoh) were referred to by...
An edition of the Kangyur text.
9 October, 2024 - 23:20 dhwty

The Kangyur: Written with 9 Precious Stones

Buddhism was founded over two and a half millennia ago in India by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha (Sanskrit for ‘awakened one’). Like the practitioners of Hinduism, Buddhists believe in the concept...
First published in 1487, the Malleus Maleficarum — or Hammer of Witches book title page.
9 October, 2024 - 19:06 ancient origins

How a Witch-hunting Manual & Social Networks Ignited Europe’s Witch Craze

The sudden emergence of witch trials in early modern Europe may have been fueled by one of humanity's most significant intellectual milestones: the invention of the printing press in 1450. A new...
Overview of the site Tunnug 1, Tuva, Siberia
8 October, 2024 - 14:10 Nathan Falde

Funerary Practices from 800 BC Show Eastern Origins of Nomadic Scythians

Archaeologists studying a ninth-century BC burial mound in the Siberian Republic of Tuva unearthed evidence of sacrificial rituals involving horses that have been linked to the horse-riding Scythian...
‘King Arthur’ (1903) by Charles Ernest Butler.
8 October, 2024 - 12:30 Meagan Dickerson

King Arthur: A Very British Messiah?

King Arthur is undoubtedly one of the most enduringly popular heroes to come out of the medieval era, and he has meant many things to many people for hundreds of years. Over time, the mythology of...
Setting Off for Market painting by Edward Bird, 1808
7 October, 2024 - 20:46 ancient origins

The Curious Origins of Four English Expressions, Including ‘Will-o'-the-Wisp’ and ‘So Long’

By Francesco Perono Cacciafoco /The Conversation The origins of English expressions are often obscure and require deep linguistic and documentary research to be explained. Being phrases, not single...
An AI image of Anne Boleyn, Queen of England.
7 October, 2024 - 12:30 Sylvia Barbara ...

“Lady Bergavenny”: Joanna Neville, Anne Boleyn or Eleanor Stafford? Decoding the Mystery

On 10th April 2016 the article published in the Sunday Time s and Mail Online claimed that a nineteenth-century engraving of a lost portrait of Anne Boleyn had been found on eBay by the best-selling...
Viking Kings of England and their Struggles For Power (video)
6 October, 2024 - 22:50 ancient origins

Viking Kings of England and their Struggles For Power (video)

The land of what is now England experienced profound transformations over the centuries, and one of the most significant was brought about by the arrival of the Vikings, particularly after the...
Chief Little Turtle & The Battle of Kekionga (Video)
6 October, 2024 - 00:32 ancient origins

Chief Little Turtle & The Battle of Kekionga (Video)

In October 1790, a significant event unfolded near what we now call the Lakeside neighborhoods of Fort Wayne—the Battle of Kekionga. At the heart of this clash was Chief Little Turtle of the Miami...
Natural amber. A piece of yellow transparent natural amber on large piece of dark stoned wood.
4 October, 2024 - 21:00 Nathan Falde

Ancient Mycenaeans Wore Amber Jewelry to Symbolize Their Elite Status

In a new study carried out by the Director of the Polish Archaeological Institute of Athens, it has been revealed that the earliest Greeks carried amber to symbolize their connection to the Sun and...
An illustration of K'awiil, the Maya god of storm, on pottery.
4 October, 2024 - 14:29 ancient origins

Maya Storm God Huracán Taught That When We Damage Nature, We Damage Ourselves

By James L. Fitzsimmons /The Conversation The ancient Maya believed that everything in the universe, from the natural world to everyday experiences, was part of a single, powerful spiritual force ...
Silhouettes of African aborigines at sunset.
4 October, 2024 - 12:30 Jessica Nadeau

Ancient Historians and Their Tales of Bizarre Tribes

Ancient Greek and Roman historians captivated their audiences with accounts of bizarre tribes dwelling on the periphery of the known world. Their customs were odd and their appearances even more...
: 'Lady in Muslin', painted by Francesco Renaldi, Dhaka, 1789.
3 October, 2024 - 22:11 ancient origins

The Lost Art of Dhaka Muslin: A Story of Beauty and Exploitation (Video)

Over two centuries ago, Dhaka muslin was the most coveted and expensive fabric in the world, gracing the wardrobes of royalty and the elite. Made in Bengal, now part of Bangladesh, this fabric was...
Part of ‘The Baptism of Ixtlilxóchitl of Texcoco,’ painted by José Vivar y Valderrama in the 18th century.
3 October, 2024 - 14:55 ancient origins

Accept Our King, Our God − Or Else: Spanish Colonizers ‘Legal Requirement’ in the Americas

By Diego Javier Luis /The Conversation Across the United States, the second Monday of October is increasingly becoming known as Indigenous Peoples Day. In the push to rename Columbus Day ,...
Representation of a haunted castle.
3 October, 2024 - 12:30 ancient origins

Haunted Castles and Their Ghostly Residents

Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? Travel to any city in the world and you’re likely to find haunted landmarks and the ghost tours to go with them. Whether or not you’re a believer, the history...
Depiction of Pharaohs and Egyptian gods.
2 October, 2024 - 12:30 Jason Jarrell

Egyptian Elysium: Connecting the Realms of the Living and the Dead in the Greco-Roman Period

The long history of Egyptian afterlife writings began during the 3rd millennium BC, when the body of compositions known as the Pyramid Texts were carved onto the walls and coffins of the pyramids of...

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