The remains of 14 women believed to be of high status and importance have been found at Stonehenge, the iconic prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. The discovery, along with other finds, supports the theory that Stonehenge functioned, at least for… Continue Reading
Analysis of ancient Babylonian tablets reveals that, to calculate the position of Jupiter, the tablets’ makers used geometry, a technique scientists previously believed humans had not developed until at least 1,400 years later, in 14th century Europe. These tablets are… Continue Reading
Diminutive humans that died out on an Indonesian island some 15,000 years ago were not Homo sapiens but a different species, according to a study published Monday that dives into a fierce anthropological debate. Fossils of Homo floresiensis—dubbed “the hobbits”… Continue Reading
Some of Europe’s earliest inhabitants mysteriously vanished toward the end of the last ice age and were largely replaced by others, a new genetic analysis finds. The finds come from an analysis of dozens of ancient fossil remains collected across… Continue Reading
A Timna excavation team from Tel Aviv University has uncovered an extensive fabric collection. This is the first discovery of textiles dating from the era of David and Solomon, and sheds new light on the historical fashions of the Holy… Continue Reading
Lexicographer Jonathon Green’s comprehensive historical dictionary of slang, Green’s Dictionary of Slang, covers hundreds of years of jargon, cant, and naughty talk. He has created a series of online timelines (here and here) where the words too impolite, indecent, or… Continue Reading
Here’s a very lively an colorful account posted by the BBC of one tourist’s account of fraternizing with Hindu Saddhus during festive proceedings surround Shiva’s Night – proceedings which includes veneration of images of the Divine Phallus. I’m thinking that… Continue Reading
Wooden carvings of male genitals found in the hands of female mummies discovered in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region were part of an ancient ritual, not sex toys, according to a new study by Chinese scientists. The phallic carvings… Continue Reading
The goddess of love, the Minoan Astarte, is the key figure that unlocks the mystery of the Phaistos Disk, according to linguist, archaeologist and coordinator of the program Erasmus of Crete Technological Institute; Gareth Owens. See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/12/16/archaeologist-claims-to-have-unlocked-phaistos-disk-mystery/#sthash.H6TRfMQJ.dpuf
A newly translated 19th-century book, written by samurai, describes martial arts techniques designed to help police officers of the time. The highly guarded practices included how to tie suspects up using paper string and fighting techniques that allowed officers to… Continue Reading