What became of one of the most holy relics of Christ - the veil with the imprint of his face, the Mandylion?
Mandylion: What became of the God-Created Image of Jesus Christ?
Sacred deformations: Caesar’s human-footed horse and the six-fingered saints
Sometimes nature plays strange tricks on its creations. Mutations, deformations, peculiarities are the material of which evolution is made. Often, however, the human being has attributed miraculous powers to these deformations. For instance, horses with cloven hooves were placed close to unicorns, and six-fingered humans had the makings of saints. The god Wotan even rode... Continue Reading →
Amazing Discoveries: A couloured image of antiquity?
"Noble simplicity and quiet grandeur" were the ideals proclaimed by J. J. Winkelmann 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 first supposed. Sculptures were... Continue Reading →
Naples – Bizarre traditions venerating skulls
To this day thousands of years old rites and cults characterize Naples. They are of Greek, Roman and Christian origin, mixed with traditions and legends. One particularly bizarre ritual is that of venerating the souls in purgatory by tending to skulls - the cult of the Anime Pezentelle.While there has always been veneration of the... Continue Reading →
A sacrifice of Kings in Ancient Ireland?
In many ancient peoples 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 objects and even human beings have been found. Especially in bogs, the low-oxygen environment and the... Continue Reading →
The Great Antrum: A mysterious tunnel in the crater wall – path to Hades or heating of the emperors?
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 →
Why is Castel del Monte octagonal?
Have you ever wondered why the famous Castel del Monte has eight corners? here is why.
The begin of our globalized world
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?
Survival of the fittest at sea
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.
What if, for once, a pandemic would make us happier?
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 haunted lion of Venice
The story of a mysterious haunted lion statue in Venice leads to the traces of a peculiar theft of art.
They cooked the emperor (really!)
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.
Ritual Cannibalism in Europe – A female goddess of death might hide in German fairy tales
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....
Luring you into the swamps – Strange musical instruments found in the North
Bizarre giant musical instruments were found in Denmark's swamps.
Who invented the glass?
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 →
How did the Romans go to the toilet?
Researching how ancient Romans went to the toilet, one may come over a lot of surprises...
Did Women warriors exist in Viking society?
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.
Go to Hell!- But how?
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?
The past was yesterday, how about the future? (or ‘will our world collapse?’)
Many great civilizations have collapsed. The Mongol Empire, the Roman Empire, Incas, Pharaohs and Sumerians - they all did not survive the times. The question therefore arises - what about us? Will Western civilization collapse as well and fall into oblivion and decorate museums? Recently there has been more and more written about this question.... Continue Reading →
The first Computer Programme of the world?
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 blue of its mighty windows. Inside the colossal church, numerous secrets can be discovered that attract esoteric and believing Christians... Continue Reading →
Please change those museums!
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.
The most puzzling church in the world – Hagia Sophia (Turkey)
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.
The matter of Harry Potter, Dumbledore and the Elder Wand
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 →
Is the Cradle of Civilization hidden under water?
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 →
Mysterious Circular Structures and a Vanished Culture in the middle of Europe
Here comes some news of a mysterious culture that lived in the middle of Europe in 5500 BC and that has vanished in leaving only little traces. Indeed four circular trenches of two meters depth and 20 to 130 meters in diameter have been found near the city of Dresden, Germany, in the small suburb... Continue Reading →
The oldest Computer of the World
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 