The query for the whereabouts of the Philosopher's Stone might strike one as sensationalist. Yet, the question leads the author of a new book "The Proof of God" (U.C. Ringuer) to a profoundly real answer.
In human history, it is rather unusual for significant changes to be driven not by warfare but by enthusiasm. A notable exception to this is the discovery made by the Italian farmer Ambrogio Nocerino, [i] who, while digging a well in his garden in the sleepy coastal town of Resina[ii] at the foot of Mount... Continue Reading →
The majestic horses in the paintings of Johann Georg de Hamilton are a Baroque marvel. With graceful movements, robust hindquarters, and High School postures, they embody the strength and elegance of the breeds of that time. The depiction of intricately adorned and braided manes, muscular bodies, and expressive features gives these 18th-century portraits a unique,... Continue Reading →
This question arose during a discussion with Giuseppe Maresca, the revitalizer of the nearly extinct Neapolitan horse breed. For decades, Maresca has been searching not only for surviving Neapolitan horses but also for the oldest existing riding hall. It is undisputed that in the 15th/16th century, Italians laid the foundation for modern riding. Men like... Continue Reading →
The Big Bang theory is widely accepted among scientists and describes the origin and evolution of the universe. We know that the universe began as an infinitely small point that was hot and dense and has been expanding ever since. However, the Big Bang theory only explains what happened after the initial expansion of the... Continue Reading →
In recent years, the discoveries at the Suburban Villa of Civita Giuliana, known as Domus del Sauro Bardato (the House of the Saddled Horse), have captured the world's attention. This luxurious property from the time of Emperor Augustus is located just a few steps from the walls of ancient Pompeii, and 9 km away from... Continue Reading →
It seems, when a gladiator died, there were certain persons to profit... selling his blood.
The art of Ogham created a fascinating medieval alphabet system primarily used to transcribe early Irish and later Old Irish languages. This early form of communication has been discovered on roughly 400 surviving orthodox inscriptions, mostly in southern Munster, throughout Ireland and western Britain.
In traditional Christian belief, God is referred to as "He" or "Father," which gives the impression that God is male. While most Christian theologians would try to argue that God is beyond human gender and is not limited by our categories of male and female, we still pray to ‘God father in heaven’. How much clearer can it get? Yet, once tehre was a female...
There have already been instances in history when technological and societal changes totally transformed our society. The breakdown of the Roman Empire and the Industrial Revolution cost millions of lives. The same will happen wih AI.
Originally carrots were not orange, as they are today. The coulour was chosen by breeders for a special reason. And its not because of the vitamines...
AI, such as ChatGPT, reproduces and multiplies in a quite dreadful manner inaccuracies and biases. This may soonaffect the public's knowledge of history.
The ancient Romans did not use toilet paper as we know it today. Instead, it was for a long time supposed that they used a sponge on a stick called a "tersorium" or a “xylospongium”, provided to clean themselves after using the toilet. But that may not be true.
If you were to travel back in time, you would see that already ancient Romans had a quite well functioning postal service.
Ancient populations venerated the Mother Goddess, as they realized that only reproduction ensures survival. Has our today's society something to learn from the past? And are we about to loose in the game of evolution?
While most people will be uncomfortable with the idea of being castrated, a new trend has emerged where individuals voluntarily choose to nullify their gender. Although this may seem like a recent development driven by modern social trends, the practice of castration has been around for centuries and has been used for various reasons. It... Continue Reading →
As is well known, Cleopatra VII was the Queen of Egypt and the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Even today, the public is impressed by the story of how she used her charm and intelligence to seduce powerful men and secure her throne as pharaoh, especially Julius Caesar and, after him, Mark Antony. However,... Continue Reading →
Ascets have gone to extremes in history. But was tehre indeed some benefit in ascetism?
Over the course of history strange events happened and they also included some persons to begin to eat glas and metal and to bend to inimaginable snake forms.
Humans have transformed their bodies in many strange ways throughout history. From body modifications such as tattoos, piercings, and scarification, to extreme bodybuilding, plastic surgery, and even the use of prosthetics, humans have found ways to alter their appearance and function in unique and sometimes unusual ways. While not everyone went as far as to remove the bridge of his nose, as Federico Montefeltro, many people modify their bodies for cultural or religious reasons, while others do it for personal expression or as a form of rebellion. here the most extreme...
There is ongoing debate on which date exactly the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD happened. Here are the pro and the con.
Six questions remain open about what happened when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. One of them is, if Pliny ever managed to safe some of the people from the coast. A shipwreck might give answers.
Ludwig Bechstein was a German writer, well-known for his collection of tales in the German Saga Book. It was first published in 1853 and contains over 500 German folk tales, legends, and sagas that Bechstein collected from various sources. Many of them have a verifiable background. Two of the most well-known tales in the collection... Continue Reading →
What became of one of the most holy relics of Christ - the veil with the imprint of his face, the Mandylion?
Sometimes nature plays strange tricks on its creations. Mutations, deformations, and peculiarities are the raw materials of which evolution is made. However, humans have often attributed miraculous powers to these deformations. For example, horses with cloven hooves were placed close to unicorns, and six-fingered humans were deemed as having the makings of saints. Even the... Continue Reading →
"Noble simplicity and quiet grandeur" were the ideals proclaimed by J. J. Winckelmann as the beauty gospel of Greek art in his first publication on the subject in 1755. Today, however, it is generally accepted that sculpture in ancient Greece, and even in ancient Rome, was not quite as "simple" as previously supposed. Sculptures were... Continue Reading →
To this day, Naples is characterized by thousands of years old rites and cults of Greek, Roman, and Christian origin mixed with traditions and legends. One particularly bizarre ritual is the cult of the Anime Pezzentelle, which involves venerating the souls in purgatory by tending to skulls. While the region has always had a tradition... Continue Reading →
In many ancient cultures, it was customary to make sacrifices to the earth or the gods. Today, we know that the ancient Germanic peoples offered sacrifices, especially in lakes, crevices in the earth, and bogs. Broken weapons, valuable musical instruments, and even human beings have been found. The low-oxygen environment and the presence of tannic... Continue Reading →
If you drive along the coast in the north of Naples, you will see it dominated by factories, sunny beaches and crowded streets. In between, however, there are ancient brick walls, you see grottos in the tuff on the beach and the outlines of sunken structures appear in the azure water. Involuntarily, you ask yourself:... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered why the famous Castel del Monte has eight corners? here is why.
Increasingly globalized and interconnected world, it is interesting to ask the question - when did all this actually start? When did humanity first produce standardized consumer goods, created with standardized materials, ... When did we set out on the road to modernity?
The history of the world is often based on coincidences, but sometimes human beings have a hand in them, and this is specifically true at sea.
The Corona pandemic might not have only negative effects. It taught us to better telework, and might improve our lifebalance and the wellbeing of our world.
The story of a mysterious haunted lion statue in Venice leads to the traces of a peculiar theft of art.
In times of the crusade the dead kings that died in the Holy Land where often cooked, in order to be able to bring their bones back home.
Fascinating finds were made in a mysterious cave on Kyffhäuser Mountain in Germany. They seem to contain sacrificial human offerings, victims of cannibalism, which were offered to an ancient goddess. Perhaps they are the starting point of the legend of someone lying asleep in the mountain and of today’s famous fairy-tales....
Bizarre giant musical instruments were found in Denmark's swamps.
Most of us have certainly never thought about who invented his window glass. It is just there and from time to time we have to clean it. But glass is much more fascinating than you might think. So what is it all about, with this strangely durable but completely transparent material that protects us from... Continue Reading →
Researching how ancient Romans went to the toilet, one may come over a lot of surprises...
Die germanischen Legenden sind reich an Erzählungen von weiblichen Kriegerinnen, Walküren und Schildmädchen. Aber gab es sie wirklich? Eine vor kurzem gemachte Entdeckung ist spektakulär.
You sometimes hear the curse, "Then go to hell!" But if you wanted to comply with the request, you would have trouble doing so. Where is hell actually?
Many great civilizations throughout history have met their demise, including the Mongol Empire, the Roman Empire, the Incas, the Pharaohs, and the Sumerians. The question then arises: What about our own civilization? Will Western civilization also collapse and fade into oblivion, becoming mere artifacts displayed in museums? In recent times, there has been an increasing... Continue Reading →
Few buildings are as rich in history and beauty as the ancient cathedral of Chartres in France. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the Paris region and is famous for the bright coulours of its mighty windows. Inside the colossal church, numerous secrets can be discovered that attract esoteric and believing Christians... Continue Reading →
Archaeology has evolved. Museums mostly have not. It is time to change our museums and bring their context to the artefacts. A museum should not be an antiquity shop.
There are places that do not form part of everyday life. Places where something higher reigns and the breath of history sweeps the air. One such place is the Hagia Sophia. This despite the fact that after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks it was consecrated as a mosque - or perhaps just because of it.
Have you ever wondered why the most powerful wand in the world is carved from elderwood? Elder branches are hollow inside and easy to break. Elder is also not a particularly beautiful wood. So why should the strongest of all wands be carved from this light, fragile material, and why did not Dumbledore, Harry Potter's... Continue Reading →
Since primeval times, humankind has lived near coasts and rivers in order to survive. Since the first day it has also experienced the change of climate very closely. And this change was often impressive. During the ice age the sea level was relatively low and during a time span, which covers about 90% of the... Continue Reading →
Exciting news has emerged about a mysterious civilization that once inhabited central Europe in 5500 BC, leaving little trace of their existence. Recent archaeological findings near Dresden, Germany, have shed light on this ancient high culture that lived in the humid valleys near the Elbe River. Archaeologists discovered at least four independent circular "places" around... Continue Reading →
Twenty-one centuries ago, a mechanism of incredible ingenuity was created in Greece. The story of its rediscovery begins, when a mysterious relic was found on the seabed on a shipwreck, broken into pieces and covered with rust. The story of this discovery dates back to the year 1900, when a Greek sponge-diver spoted “naked men... Continue Reading →
Archaeology Mysteries 