A Kashmir Stone Carving May Preserve the Memory of an Exploding Star
Two radiant shapes above a hunting scene led researchers to connect a Kashmir carving with supernova remnant HB9. The proposed match joins archaeology and astronomy.
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Ancient Civilizations
Discover the world’s most mysterious ancient civilizations, from lost cities and megalithic structures to forgotten knowledge and unsolved archaeological puzzles.
Ankh’s Crumbling Coffin Preserved an Early Egyptian Guide to the Afterlife
Rescued from decaying wood, fragments of Ankh’s coffin preserve an early Book of Two Ways, with routes, spells and a possible connection to rituals for Osiris.
Egypt’s Tiny Cave Handprints May Belong to a Reptile
The smallest stencils at Wadi Sura II have long, pointed fingers. A comparison with newborn hands suggests prehistoric artists may have used an animal’s forefoot.
Abimelech’s Strange Sleep: The Ancient Story of Sixty-Six Missing Years
A basket of fresh figs accompanies Abimelech into a city changed by sixty-six years. The ancient story has more to explore than its extraordinary sleep.
The Kebra Nagast Describes a Caravan That Rose Above the Ground
An airborne vessel and a floating caravan appear in Ethiopia’s Kebra Nagast. Reading the passages reveals how flight carries its story of Solomon, Sheba and the Ark.
Hidden Roads Reveal a Wider Landscape Around Machu Picchu
Drone laser scans traced more than 2.5 kilometres of roads across the forested slopes of Yanantin. Their routes are becoming clearer; their dates are still being investigated.
Abaris and Apollo’s Arrow: Two Ancient Versions of a Remarkable Journey
Abaris carried Apollo’s arrow in Herodotus and rode it in Iamblichus. Comparing the ancient texts reveals different versions of the Hyperborean traveller.
Khonsu’s Travelling Statue and the Princess in the Bentresh Stela
The Bentresh stela tells of Khonsu healing a foreign princess. Its divine journey, uncertain date and museum objects reveal a complex Egyptian religious story.
Gete Okosomin: The Giant Squash Miami Gardeners Kept Alive
Miami gardeners preserved Gete Okosomin through cultivation and controlled pollination. Interviews trace its travels and distinguish it from seeds said to have come from a cave.
Poland’s Winged Hussars Looked Different on Parade and in Battle
Were hussar wings battlefield equipment or parade dress? Polish museum records reveal different attachments, changing fashions and gaps in the evidence.
Egyptian Heart Scarabs Asked the Dead Person’s Heart to Stay Silent
Egyptian heart scarabs carried spells for the final judgment. Four museum objects reveal their inscriptions, personal names and differences from ordinary scarabs.
Caral’s Stone-Filled Fibre Bags Showed a Rolling Effect in Earthquake Tests
Caral’s shicras were stone-filled fibre bags. Explore their construction role, a 2013 shaking-table study and the questions it leaves for archaeology.
Polyphemus Found a Home in Sicily’s Volcanic Landscape
Could volcanoes have shaped Polyphemus’s story? Compare the Odyssey, later Sicilian accounts and the volcanic history of the Cyclops Islands.
Viking Thor’s Hammers Turned Up in Graves, Settlements and Hoards
An inscribed Danish pendant names itself as a hammer. Comparing it with Swedish graves, a settlement ring and a casting mould reveals several uses of Thor’s symbol.
Brigid’s Crosses: From Irish Doorways to the Television Screen
Brigid’s crosses appear in folklore accounts and museum collections. Explore household protection, regional designs and the influence of television.
The Story Behind Shiva’s Dance at CERN
Why is a Shiva statue at CERN? Explore the documented Indian gift, Nataraja’s symbols and Fritjof Capra’s comparison with particle physics.
Yatagarasu: Japan’s Three-Legged Crow Has a History Beyond the Football Badge
Follow Yatagarasu from Japan’s guiding-bird legend to shrine talismans and football, including when the three-legged image entered the tradition.
An Ibis, a Baboon and the Moon: The Two Animal Forms of Thoth
Thoth appeared as an ibis and a baboon. Museum objects reveal their shared roles, lunar attributes and the details that complicate simple explanations.
Inside Osun-Osogbo, the Yoruba Forest of Shrines and Sacred Art
Osun-Osogbo brings Yoruba worship, a protected forest and monumental modern art together. Its makers and conservation records reveal a living sacred place.
Ponce de León’s Fountain of Youth Story Came After His Death
The Fountain of Youth became attached to Ponce de León in accounts printed after his death. Oviedo’s own passages reveal the chronicler’s hostile portrayal.
The Golden Fleece May Preserve a Memory of Gold Gathering in Colchis
Ancient accounts connect the Golden Fleece with gold caught in sheepskins. We examine Strabo, the river-mining mechanism and the original geological study.
The Menehune Fishpond Puts a Hawaiian Legend Into Stone
Alakoko’s wall links a Hawaiian Menehune legend with ingenious aquaculture. Its sediment, sluice gates and restoration reveal how the fishpond works.
Jacques de Molay’s Last Words and the Making of the Templars’ Curse
A near-contemporary chronicle records a warning at the Templar master’s execution. Reading it reveals a story more complicated than the familiar curse.
Why Aristotle Gave the Heavens a Fifth Element
Aristotle’s aether began with a question about motion. Its later history shows how the same name could describe very different ideas about space.