Ancient - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

734 Items Tagged

Ancient

Share Tweet
Yoichi, Japan

Fugoppe Cave Petroglyphs

One of the only two archaeological sites in Japan to feature petroglyphs, which some believe to be a long-lost writing system of the gods.
An ancient wall with a path running through it under a metal roof
Yulin, China

Shimao Relics

A massive ancient Chinese city with stone walls and evidence of human sacrifices.
Bessans, France

Mont Cenis

From Carthage's Hannibal to riders of the Tour de France, many have crossed this scenic route through the Alps.
Tangier, Morocco

Roman Punic Necropolis

Ancient Phoenician and Roman tombs carved into the rock overlook the Moroccan coastline.
ancient

Podcast: The Complaint Tablet of Ea-Nasir

Turns out, beefing about bad service really is as old as time.
The Podcast Team July 12, 2023
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
Ibiza, Spain

Puig des Molins Necropolis

The largest and best preserved necropolis in the Western Mediterranean.
Esgos, Spain

Monasterio de San Pedro de Rocas

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

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.
architecture

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.
music

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.
ancient

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
Athens, Greece

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.
astronomy

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
architecture

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.
Athens, Greece

Panathenaic Stadium Passage

Gladiators once walked this ancient, subterranean passage.