711 Items Tagged

Ancient

Seoul, South Korea

Son Kee Chung’s Greek Helmet

This ancient Corinthian helmet is South Korea’s only national treasure of Western origin.

A damaged sarcophagus sits in a stone-walled burial chamber

Puig des Molins Necropolis

The largest and best preserved necropolis in the Western Mediterranean.

Monasterio de San Pedro de Rocas

An abandoned 6th-century monastery features a medieval map of the known world.

The azimuth theodolite.

9 Observatories Where Ancient Humans Looked to the Stars

The mysteries of the night sky have captivated our species for millennia.

Diana Hubbell May 25, 2023

The massive complex of Monte d'Accoddi on the island of Sardinia is nearly 6,000 years old.

This Mysterious Ziggurat Was an Ancient European Pilgrimage Site

Sardinia's 'mountain of stones,' Monte d'Accoddi, is nearly 6,000 years old.

Jeffrey Biggers May 24, 2023

This ancient dodecahedron found in Avenches, Switzerland, once the Roman city of Aventicum.

objects of intrigue

The Mysterious Dodecahedrons of the Roman Empire

The first of many of these puzzling objects was unearthed almost three centuries ago, and we still don't know what they were for.

Frank Jacobs May 12, 2023

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.

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.

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

The river bed of Eridanos at Monastiraki train station on November 7, 2019

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.

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

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.

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.

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.