Ancient Venetian Merchants Were Always Prepared For The Worst
Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com – Beautiful Venice in Italy is today recognized as one of the most charming cities in the world, and its ancient history is just as fascinating as this magnificent place’s unique atmosphere. J.M.W. Turner – Venice, The Dogana and San Giorgio Maggiore, 1834 – Credit: Public Domain “In 1581, Francesco Sansovino, […]
Echidna – Mother Of All Monsters – A Cave-Dwelling Female Hybrid Creature In Greek Mythology
A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – In Graeco-Roman tradition, Echidna is a hybrid creature, a gigantic half-woman, and half snake. As a tall, full of charm, and beautiful woman from the waist below, she was a hideous serpent. Echidna. Parco dei Mostri – Bomarzo, Italy. Image credit: Daderot – Public Domain In other words – Echidna […]
Spir Mountain Cairns: Prehistoric Ancient Monuments To The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ In Northern Sweden
Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com – In Northern Sweden, there are many fascinating and mysterious ancient sites and places. Unfortunately, several of these historical sites have not been properly investigated because they are very difficult to access. Due to their remote location, they are also little known to their outside world. Left: Location of Örnsköldsvik Municipality in […]
Ruins Of Xunantunich – Mayan City That Once Flourished
A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – Xunantunich, a major ceremonial center of the Maya Civilization, is an ancient Maya archaeological site atop a ridge above the Mopan River, about 80 miles (130 km) west of Belize City, Cayo District, in western Belize. “El Castillo” at Xunantunich. PH๏τo credits: Denis Barthel – CC BY-SA 4.0 It comprises six […]
Vai Script – Rare African Manuscript Offers Clues Into How Writing Evolved
Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – The evolution of writing is a complex issue, but the Vai script, a rare manuscript may offer clues into this important question scientists have long tried to solve. The world’s very first invention of writing took place over 5000 years ago in the Middle East, before it was reinvented in […]
Medieval Warhorses Were Pony-Sized And Much Smaller Than Previously Thought
Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Medieval warhorses are often depicted as mᴀssive and powerful beasts, but in reality many were no more than pony-sized by modern standards, a new study shows. Horses during the period were often below 14.2 hands high, but size was clearly not everything, as historical records indicate huge sums were spent […]
Scientists Found A Link Between Ancient Human Teeth And An Extinct Reptile
Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – A new extinct reptile species has shed light on how our earliest ancestors became top predators by modifying their teeth in response to environmental instability around 300 million years ago. In findings published in Royal Society Open Science, researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered that this evolutionary adaptation laid […]
Strange Tales Of Loughareema – The Vanishing Lake Where People Are Lost
Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com – If you travel to the Glens of Antrim, a few miles from the seaside town of Ballycastle, in Northern Ireland, you may or may not see Loughareema. Whether you can spot the lake depends on whether the water is blocked. Known as the Vanishing Lake, it has been a source […]
DNA Reveals Participants In California’s Gold Rush Dined On Salted Atlantic Cod
Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – It turns out San Francisco has been a destination for lovers of imported delicacies since its earliest Gold Rush days. According to results published recently in the peer-reviewed Journal of Anthropological Research, an excavation at Thompson’s Cove in San Francisco has shown “Atlantic cod were imported during the 1850s, likely […]
Jason And The Argonauts – Hate, Sorcery, Love And Jealousy Reign In This Famous Greek Story
A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – The fascinating ancient Greek legend about Jason and his Argonauts pursuing the Golden Fleece is widely featured in Greek literature. It is a remarkable ancient story that scientists have now confirmed based on actual events! Jason and Medea. Painting by John William Waterhouse 1917. Credit: Public Domain Jason – married […]