The photos in this video have been digitally manipulated and brought to life using AI technology. Images have been enhanced, colorized and facial motion added (including smiling, ageing etc.), using AI tools. This video is part of a series where historical figures are brought to life using AI technology. Please note, AI generated portraits may not be historically accurate.
Legendary City Sits At The Core Of The Earth
In the following video we will be talking about the legendary city that sits at the core of the Earth. Watch the video to find out more!
Scoreboard from an ancient Maya ball game played in 894 CE found
At the well-known site of Chichén Itzá in southern Mexico, a stone disk depicting an old Maya ball game was discovered. The game, commonly referred to as "pelota" (literally, "ball"), is said to have been extremely important to the social and political life of the Maya Empire, and archaeologists believe that the artifact may be a memorial to a match that took place more than 1,100 years ago.
The artifact is a rare example of a complete Maya text
The engraving on the object, known as the Disk of the Pelota Players, features two figures dressed in traditional pelota attire and is bordered by a band of glyphic writing. Researchers discovered a reference to a Maya calendar date that corresponds to the year 894 CE within the inscription.
The relic, which is 32.5 centimeters (12.8 inches) in diameter and weighs 40 kilograms (88.2 pounds), was discovered inside of a building known as the Casa Colorada (Colorful House). The complex, also known as Chichanchob, was named after its red-painted interiors and had a pelota court.
According to an announcement made by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, archaeologist Francisco Pérez Ruiz, "it's rare to find hieroglyphic writing at this site, and even rarer to find a whole book" (INAH). "Eleven years have passed since that incident."
The disk most likely dates to the Terminal Classic or Early Postclassic Maya era based on the date indicated in the inscription. Pérez Ruiz asserts that the painting likely commemorated a significant pelota contest that was taking place at the Casa Colorada at the time.
The individual on the left is wearing a feathered headdress and a ribbon with a flower-shaped motif, most likely a water lily, according to archaeologist Santiago Alberto Sobrino Fernández who described the etched artwork. A scroll, which could be read as breath or voice, is directly below the face.
"The opposing player is donning a "snake turban," a headpiece that has frequently been seen at Chichén Itzá. To play pelota, the person dons protective clothes.
Although additional analysis of the inscription may shed light on both the nature of the match and the final score, neither the identity of the participants memorialized on the disk nor the result of the game are known.
The Yucatan Peninsula is home to Chichén Itzá, one of the biggest Maya towns. The location has a central pelota court that is considerably larger than that at the Casa Colorada, and it is believed that many matches were played there when it was at its busiest.
Players in pelota often propelled a rubber ball with their hip, elbow, or knee. Experts think the game had symbolic meaning, and earlier research revealed that some pelota balls may have even contained the ashes of deceased Mayan emperors.
Found beneath the House of Lords: a 200-year-old fish
A 200-year-old bone that had been carved into the shape of a fish was found during inspections conducted in advance of the Palace of Westminster's restoration.
Perhaps employed in 18th-century card games, the fish was discovered by Roland Tillyer, a senior geoarchaeologist at the Museum of London Archaeology, while he watched a borehole being dug deep beneath the Royal Court of the House of Lords.
"This carved bone fish is a gaming counter," stated Michael Marshall, the MOLA Finds Team Leader. Such counters were frequently employed as scoring tokens at gaming tables in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Lydia Bennet is depicted as winning and losing fish while playing games of "lottery tickets" in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (first published in 1813), which is considered one of the most famous literary descriptions of this behavior.
Almost 7,500 hours of specialized intrusive and disruptive surveying work have been accomplished since survey work began in July 2022. In addition to the tens of thousands of hours of planning and visual inspection study finished since 2018, this work will help guide decisions on the historic Palace of Westminster's restoration.
In addition, the location of concealed voids that were originally built as ventilation shafts, the state of vital utilities, a sampling of the building materials, and outdated heating, cooling, mechanical, and electrical systems were all discovered during the construction.
The discovery comes after a portion of the original medieval Thames River wall that was thought to extend beneath the length of the Houses of Parliament may have been found in November 2022.
"We'll take the important data from this extensive research to inform our future restoration plans for the building, ensuring that we tackle critical issues and preserve and protect the building and the thousands of staff and visitors who use the building every day," said David Goldstone, CEO of the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority.
An undisturbed tomb in Italy has a 2,500-year-old last meal. Today, people still like it.
According to local media sources, a 2,500-year-old tomb in Italy was recently discovered with a rare last meal remaining within.
A 2,500-year-old Etruscan tomb was recently excavated in Italy, according to local media reports. It contained a rare last meal.
A news release from the Parco di Vulci, an archaeological site, on April 4 stated that the tomb, which was found around 70 miles northwest of Rome, was constructed by the mysterious Etruscan civilisation, which lived on the Italian peninsula before the Romans.
As reported by the Italian news site GreenMe, the necropolis had been unaltered since it was built in the sixth century B.C. and was surrounded by massive stone slabs.
Archaeologists were reportedly speechless when they discovered the centuries-old burial chamber, according to GreenMe.
Upon excavating the ancient tomb, archaeologists found pottery and a brazier.
The existence of a weaving tool and a piece of pottery leads the park to believe that it belonged to a lady.
The remains of a final meal were also discovered within the tomb, which was a rare and extraordinary discovery, according to the Italian news source TGR.
According to TGR, a bronze brazier, or cooking pan, included coals and a spit. The tools would have been utilized to skewer meat.
According to the site, a laboratory will conduct an analysis on the recently discovered artifacts.
Coals in a brazier and a skewer constituted the remains of the last meal, archaeologists said
A 2013 study in the French journal Anthropozoologica suggested that animal remains previously found in an Etruscan tomb might have been part of a ritual offering known as "meal of the dead."
The Smithsonian Magazine claims that the Romans vanquished the clever Etruscans in the third century B.C. They were a people with a mysterious language and a disputed origin. Their culture had a profound impact on Roman and Greek culture.
Outlander's Craigh na Dun was inspired by these 13 enigmatic standing stones and rings in Scotland
Standing stones are ancient buildings claimed to have been built by the country's early settlers thousands of years ago. They may be found all around Scotland, but are particularly prevalent in Orkney and Shetland. Yet, to the ordinary Outlander fan, their purpose is as obvious as day: time travel. Historians and archaeologists continue to argue their significance today and believe they were religious places.
We don't fully understand these standing stones, just like we don't fully understand many other aspects of ancient civilizations like the Picts or Nordic settlers. As a result, we are left to make educated guesses, but what is certain is that they serve as magnificent monuments that are well worth a visit.
Let these 13 standing stones and stone circles in Scotland help you travel through time to a time thousands of years ago.
1. Calanais Standing Stones
The standing stones at Calanais, Scotland's most well-known stone circle, are believed to have been constructed around 4,500 years ago during the late Neolithic period. Thirteen stones make up the circle, and a monolith is located not far from the center.
2. Ring of Brodgar
One of the best stone circles in the UK is Brodgar, which was given UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1999. Its exact age is unknown, although experts estimate it to be at least 4,000 years old.
3. Machrie Moor Standing Stones
Six concentric stone circles make up Machrie Moor, which is located on a moor not far from Arran's west coast. Machrie Moor is estimated to have existed circa 2030 BC based on carbon dating of the site's remaining timber.
4. Clava Cairns
While none are known as Craigh Na Dun, you can discover the site that served as the inspiration for the Outlander setting among the numerous standing stones and circles that are dispersed across Inverness. According to Historic Environment Scotland, the Clava Cairns were constructed to lodge the dead and are located in a wooded area east of Inverness, close to Culloden. For millennia, the cemetery was considered a holy site in the landscape.
5. Standing Stones of Stenness
Stenness, which lies less than a mile southeast of the Ring of Brodgar, is considered to be the UK's oldest henge site. Pottery found there connects it to the prehistoric community at Skara Brae. The Stones of Stenness, which were constructed about 5,400 years ago, may be the earliest henge monument in the British Isles, according to Historic Environment Scotland.
6. Balfarg Henge
Balfarg is made up of two standing stones that were once a component of an inner circle inside the henge. It was discovered in the late 1970s during the construction of a new housing complex. At the site, archaeologists found ceramic fragments that date back about 5000 years. Nonetheless, according to certain estimates, some of the construction is closer to 6000 years old.
7. Aberlemno Pictish Stones
Four stones in the settlement of Aberlemno have Pictish sculptures that date from between AD 500 and 800. The Picts were prehistoric Celts who inhabited what is now known as eastern and northeastern Scotland. The better of the three roadside stones in Aberlemno has fine snake, double-disc and z-rod, mirror, and comb symbols, according to the Aberlemno Organization. The third stone is a Pictish cross slab that features an excellent hunting scene on the back and a ring cross on the front.
8. Tomnaverie Stone Circle
The unique type of recumbent stone circle found alone in north-east Scotland is Tomnaverie. It is located in Aberdeenshire, about a mile from Tarland village, on a hilltop. According to experts, a 4,500-year-old burial cairn is encircled by the stone circle.
9. Temple Wood Stone Circle
One of the stone circles in Kilmartin Glen that is thought to be in the best condition is located in this lovely area. The stone circle is thought to have been in use beginning from 3000 BC and continuing up until 1000 BC.
10. Laggangairn Standing Stones
It is said that these two stones are the last two remains of a monument that formerly had 14 stones (in 1873 you could still find seven standing). They have allegedly been present in the New Luce region for up to 4,000 years. Christian crosses with symbolism assumed to date from 600 to 800 AD are etched on the stones.
11. Achavanich Standing Stones
In Caithness, close to Loch Stemster, are the Achavanich stones. Although the bulk of the stones are very modest, it is believed that they weren't always like way. The tallest stone is about 2 meters tall. Their size has degraded due to weathering over time. Furthermore, even though there are only 36 stones left today, there may have once been 54.
12. Tuilyies Standing Stones
The word "Tuilyies," which refers to a fight in Scots, was used to describe the standing stones. Three more sizable stones are located close to Dunfermline, but the most notable stone is an oddly shaped megalith. The "Tuilyies Stane" is the name of the megalith or major stone.
13. Cullerlie Stone Circle
Due to their close vicinity to the village of the same name, Cullerlie is also known as the Standing Stone of Echt. It is made up of eight uneven but beautifully aligned red granite stones surrounded by an equal number of tiny cairns. According to Historic Environment Scotland, the building is 4000 years old.
Istanbul finds underground passageway dating back 1,500 years
During the ongoing excavations under the ruins of Saint Polyeuktos Church in Istanbul's Saraçhane neighborhood, which was destroyed during the Latin invasion, a 1,500-year-old underground passage has been discovered.
On June 8 2022, the teams from Istanbul Municipality's Cultural Heritage Department began digging in the vicinity of the church.
The excavation teams discovered a subterranean passageway during ongoing construction that is 1,500 years old. The building stones of the hallway were formed from marble and decorated with reliefs.
According to Mahir Polat, deputy secretary general of the municipality, the building is a model for staying strong and undamaged despite the tremors that Istanbul experienced throughout the years.
What is one of the most significant elements of this 1,500-year-old passage's discovery? In these 1,500 years, Istanbul, which is currently at risk for earthquakes, has experienced dozens of shocks. This building has been able to withstand all of these earthquakes. Türkiye should understand this and discover the secret, according to Polat.
Polat noted that scientific consultants and civil engineers with expertise in earthquakes had also helped with the municipality's excavation projects and that the experts will also release a report outlining the earthquakes the region had previously experienced.
According to Polat, the location of the church from 524 is crucial for urban archaeology since ongoing excavations may uncover previously undiscovered historical information about the city.
"We just finished a project that will turn it from a run-down location where homeless people stay and where all types of criminality occur into a tourism place within 10 months," Polat added.
After the site is opened to visitors, archaeological excavations will still be taking place, giving locals in Istanbul the chance to learn more about archaeology, according to Polat.
We'll conduct simultaneous excavations while visitors are there. Also, we will be able to use that to demonstrate the significance of the historical structure, he added.
A statue that is believed to date back to the Roman era and is almost 1,900 years old was recently found in the same location by a team from the municipality.
In addition to the statue, the excavation workers in the region also discovered 681 bronze coins, stamped bricks, marble fragments, ceramics, oil lamps, glass, and metal objects.
Becoming a Member of Parliament in Ancient Athens: Criteria and Qualifications
Ancient Athens is often regarded as the cradle of democracy, with its unique political system paving the way for modern democratic practices. The city-state's governing body was the Ekklesia (Assembly), which comprised adult male citizens who participated in decision-making processes. However, to become a member of the Boule (Council), which functioned as a sort of parliament, certain criteria and qualifications had to be met. This article delves into the requirements for an Athenian to become a member of this prestigious institution.
Citizenship
The first and foremost requirement to become a member of the Boule in ancient Athens was citizenship. Only Athenian citizens enjoyed political rights, which allowed them to participate in the Assembly and be eligible for the Council. Citizenship was typically inherited, and an individual had to be born to Athenian parents to claim this status. Citizenship could also be granted as an honor to foreigners for exceptional service to Athens, but this was a rare occurrence.
Age
To become a member of the Boule, an Athenian had to be at least 30 years old. This age requirement was in place to ensure that only mature and experienced individuals would serve in such an important role. In addition, Athenians believed that individuals who had reached the age of 30 would have more wisdom and better judgment than their younger counterparts.
Property and economic status
Though ancient Athens was a democracy, not everyone enjoyed equal access to political power. To be eligible for the Boule, an individual had to possess a certain amount of wealth or property. This requirement ensured that council members were financially stable and capable of supporting themselves during their time in office. However, it also served to maintain the influence of the wealthier classes in Athenian politics.
Lottery system
Unlike modern political systems where candidates are elected based on merit or popularity, members of the Boule in ancient Athens were chosen by a lottery system. This process was designed to ensure that the council's composition was representative of the entire Athenian citizen population. Every year, 500 members were selected from the ten tribes of Athens, with 50 members representing each tribe.
Morality and integrity
A prospective member of the Boule was expected to possess good moral character and integrity. Before being allowed to serve on the council, a candidate had to undergo a process called "dokimasia," which was a thorough examination of their background and character. This procedure aimed to ensure that only individuals with good reputations and no criminal history could serve in such a prominent position.
Becoming a member of the Boule in ancient Athens required an individual to meet specific criteria and qualifications, including citizenship, age, property ownership, and moral integrity. The lottery system ensured a level of diversity and representation within the council, which was essential for the functioning of Athenian democracy. Although ancient Athenian democracy had its limitations, its emphasis on the inclusion of citizens in the decision-making process remains a cornerstone of modern democratic systems.
Minyans: The enigmatic prehistoric Greek tribe
BY THE ARCHAEOLOGIST EDITOR GROUP
Despite the fact that we know very little about them, the Minyans have left us with a priceless legacy that includes many of their accomplishments. But since the beginning of time, no one has been able to definitively respond to queries regarding their beginnings and original cradle. The ancient historians Herodotus, Pausanias, and Diodorus regarded the region between the Boeotian Orchomenos and the southern slopes of the Thessalian plain—an area at least largely associated with the Homeric Greece, or Phthia—as the birthplace of the Minyas.
The Boeotian Orchomenos is a reference in Homer's epics that suggests the Minya existed before the Trojans. Yet, Boeotian Orchomenos' archaeological investigations turned up Neolithic artifacts that were comparable to those from Sesklos and Dimini. Archaeological research suggests that Orchomenos was continually populated without any intervals or interruptions from the Neolithic until the present. After the "War of the Descendants" and Boeotia's incorporation into the Mycenaean polity, Orchomenos too became a part of the Mycenaean geopolitical structure. Because of this, its 30 ship participation in the Trojan War is noted in relation to the "Boeotian Commonwealth," which encompassed all Boeotian cities other than Thebes.
However, the history of the Minyas genus is lost in the depths of time and is initially associated with the Thessalian Neolithic culture rather than the Boeotian one. This is quite normal, considering that Thessaly was the cradle, the first cultural beacon of all Greeks. From Orchomenos, Strabo says that Minyas reached the Pagasitic Gulf and founded Iolkos, which, however, according to the latest archaeological research, is identified with Dimini. So, since we know approximately when the city of Dimini was founded, we also know when the first dispersal of the Minyas took place.
In the middle or even at the end of the 5th millennium BC, the Minyas of Orchomenus, who did not have a good harbor in Boeotia, settled in Magnesia, on the edge of the great Thessalian plain. The reasons for this resettlement were purely economic and had to do with both securing a safe harbor and exploiting the Thessalian plain. As fate would have it, the Minyas of Dimini came into conflict with the inhabitants of Sesklos over control of the plain.
This also explains the destruction of Sesklos by another civil war - a common phenomenon to ancient Greece - rather than by the invasion of the Indo-European peoples. It is precisely this domination of the Minyas in the Thessalian plain that will give them immense riches, so much so that centuries later they will make Achilles speak about it to Agamemnon (Iliad, I 379-382). Such was the fame of the city of Minyas for its wealth. However, the great Homer at this point, perhaps not accidentally, compares Orchomenos with Thebes in Egypt.
The ancient historians consider the Minyas to be an Aeolian people (i.e., a mixture of Pelasgians and Achaians), since they were descended from Aeolus, son of Hellen and grandson of Deucalion. The Minyas were therefore a Greek race descended from Hellen himself, the progenitor of Greek race. Mistakenly, the Minyas are attributed to Egyptian origins. The Minyas were not Egyptian settlers in Greece. Probably the opposite.
Very early the burial scheme of the Minyas was connected with that of the Thessalians, of the generation of Pinios. Minyas himself, the eponymous hero of the Minyan people, was a grandson of Poseidon. The daughters of Minyas, Perilkymene, Alcimide and Phygomachi, married the Thessalian heroes Pheris, Aesona and Pelias and ruled with them in the cities of Ferres, Aesoniada and Iolkos, respectively. So we have a complete identification of the mythological and philological sources, confirmed by the archaeological findings, through which the connection between Minyas and Thessaly is documented.
And not only that. Finds of the so-called Minyan pottery were made in northern Greece, but also in Asia Minor Greece and especially in the area around Troy. Assuming from the ancient writers that Lemnos was also Minyan, we have no difficulty in recognising the identity of the Greek Trojans.
For a long time Orchomenos, the capital of the Minyan state, and its great colony of Iolkos were the dominant cities of mainland Greece. The decline came gradually due to the incessant wars of the Minyas against the rising power of the Boeotian Empire, Thebes. The legends about Heracles are quite revealing on this point, about the rise of the Minyas, who had taxed the city of Thebes, and about the beginning of their decline after their defeat by Heracles.
This defeat led to the independence of Thebes, which became the first power in Boeotia. The tide turns in favor of the Minyans after Thebes submits to the Mycenaean army of the Epigones - a generation before the Trojans. For this reason, in the Iliad, Orchomenos participates in the Panhellenic campaign with 30 ships and puts the neighboring city of Asplidon under its command. However, Orchomenos and the Minyas by no means regained their former glory. After the Trojans, when the Mycenaean power was on the verge of collapse, Thebes was "revived" and Orchomenos fell into the shadow of the great rival city.
As we have seen, the Minyas were an Aeolian people. According to the "established" view, the Minyas lived in Thessaly, which they had to leave under the pressure of the Thessalians coming from the north. However, this view does not agree with the testimony of Strabo, who refers to northern Boeotia as their cradle, from where the Minyas moved to and settled in Thessalian Magnesia. All ancient writers refer to the inhabitants of Pagasitikos as Minyas and distinguish them from the rest of the Thessalians. Of course, the dating of all these events could not be made with certainty.
Only indirectly, always on the basis of the ancient sources, but also of the archeological findings, we can assume that the Minyan people began to develop a culture from about the middle of the 5th millennium. The region of Orchomenos became fertile and fortified by the waters of the river Kifissos, but also by Lake Kopaida. On the northeastern shore of the lake, the Minyas - at the level of today's Larymna - founded the city of Kopai, from which the lake also takes its name, formerly called Kifisis.
The city of Kopai had a double harbor, a lake and a sea. From this it can be concluded that the Minyas were a seafaring people. It is no coincidence that Minyas himself was considered a descendant of Poseidon. Strabo also mentions that Orchomenos was a member of the oldest maritime amphictyony, which also included Athens, Prasiai, Aegina, Epidaurus and Hermion (Strabo VIII 6,11). And the state of the Minyas in its heyday extended over the whole of northern Boeotia, the present Fthiotida and the present Magnesia.
The cities of Koroneia, Chaeronea, Aliartos, Livadia, Larymna, Anthidona, Kopes, Asplidona, Iolkos, Ferres and Aesoniada were all under the scepter of the king of Orchomenos. However, the strengthening and development of the kingdom did not happen overnight. We can identify two milestones in the development of the Minyan Kingdom. The first is undoubtedly the founding of the colony of Iolkos, which is directly related to the Argonautic expedition. The second, however, concerns the drying up of Lake Kopaida and the agricultural use of the new lands. Until recently, scholars spoke of a single operation to drain the lake in early Mycenaean times - around the middle of the 2nd millennium BC.
Professor T. Spyropoulos concluded that the lake was drained for the first time in the Proto-Helladic period (end of the 4th beginning of the 3rd millennium, about 3100-2800 BC). This amazing work of draining the lake in such an early period was done by the Minyas with excellent technique. Even today, visitors cannot see their remains in the large sinkhole of Kopaida, between Larymna and Gla. However, the Minyas are considered pioneers in the construction of technical works not only in their country, but also in the Peloponnese.
One of their prestigious works in the Argolis region seems to be the famous pyramid of Ellinikos, but also the great tunnel in the river Erasinos, in the present village of Kefalari Argos, 3 kilometers from the pyramid. At the same time Egypt is going through its pre-dynastic phase, and the great Cycladic and Minoan civilization has not yet reached the peak of its splendor. However, in the northern Aegean, as in Thessaly, cities have already been founded, and Poliochni on Lemnos became a center of metallurgy in the region due to the research of the Italian Archeological School. Its flourishing is such that settlers founded Troy from here around 3200-3000.
On the island of Hephaestus - Lemnos was dedicated to the god of metals, not by chance - the processing of metals arriving from the Black Sea via the trade routes opened by the Minyan Argonauts takes place. But if Lemnos, for which all ancient authors mention that it was colonized during the Argonautic campaign of Minyas, had already become a metallurgical center at the beginning of the 3rd millennium, when did this specific campaign take place? And what is the truth of the myth of Phrixus, Helle and the Golden Fleece? Perhaps the first attempt of the Minyan Greeks to explore the unknown seas of Pontus and the Baltic Sea, without success?
It is generally accepted that the Minyas, like all Greeks, were excellent seafarers. Besides the philological sources, the above conclusion is also confirmed by the archeological excavations. However, in the period between 4000-3500 BC we have no evidence of the existence of state structures in the island, unlike the mainland, where the state of the Minyas ruled. After all, a great civilization had already developed in Thessaly from the 6th millennium BC, the foundation of which was the first city in Europe, Sesklos.
This civilization developed, and its product, according to Strabo, was Dimini, which today is identified with the Minyan city of Iolkos. We can therefore speak with certainty of the formation of a kind of state entity, with a structured framework of social relations, with a specific politico-religious authority and a specific network of services. It is logical that a consolidated state-kingdom has a greater potential for development than a single town or tribe. A kingdom also has different needs and is naturally obliged to invest in both defense and trade.
The already established kingdom of Minyan Orchomenos sought to open trade routes through the northern Aegean and Black Sea. Having firmly established themselves on the straits of the Hellespont and fully controlled the trade routes by land and sea (as evidenced by the participation of named Thracian heroes in the Argonautic campaign), the Minyas established a Greek trading empire whose sphere of influence extended from northern Boeotia to northwestern Asia Minor. In this way, the framework was set for the later explosion of the Trojan War, when the colony of Troy took control of the empire and, because of its location, undermined the metropolises of Orchomenos and Iolkos.
The data confirm the original theory that the Minyas were once linked to the Minoans, but the converse may have actually been true. The British archeologist Parson, for example, believes that the Minyas and Minoans were the same people who progressively migrated from mainland Greece to Crete, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, the home of the Sumerians. However, other academics, like Parson, also make this assumption. This viewpoint is in line with Evans', who dates the pre-palatial Minoan civilization before 3200 BC, the time frame we are focusing on.
They could employ the matching land routes that they had independently found as they were not limited to the marine trade routes. One started at Troy and went to Syria, Egypt, or Mesopotamia either by traveling along the coast or across the Anatolian plateau. The other led to Egypt and Mesopotamia and began in Miletus (one of the Argonauts, Erginos, was from Miletus according to the Orphics and Apollo the Rhodian, indicating that the city of Miletus was formed long ago).
The Meanings And Symbolism Behind Viking Tattoos
Both history and conventional wisdom hold that Scandinavians and their descendants adorned their bodies with symbols, sigils, and staves - all with specific meanings and importance. Runes were also used to convey information. The characters of the Younger Futhark system were prominent during the 9th, 10th, and 11th centuries and are most closely connected with the so-called Viking Age. They have their origins in the aptly named Elder Futhark and gave way to derivatives like Anglo-Saxon runes.
But what did these sigils and runes look like? And what did they mean?
The Most Horrific Execution In Scottish History
In History, there have been some barbaric and brutal execution methods which saw a condemned prisoner killed in terrifying ways. Henry VIII even boiled alive a man who was accused of poisoning, and the Romans would throw condemned victims to animals and lions. But there was one execution in Scotland which was worse, and it was carried out upon a royal Prince, and a man who had successfully plotted to kill the Scottish King. Walter Stewart was the uncle of the King James I, and he then plotted to kill him and along with dozens of conspirators they broke into the King's residence. James I was then slaughtered in a monastery, but for his actions as the mastermind of the murder, Walter Steward the Earl of Atholl was sentenced to death.
But his execution was a 3 day ordeal which saw him being hoisted up on a crane and then dropped many times to begin with. He was then dragged through Edinburgh and maimed with hot pincers on the second day before on the third day he was drawn, quartered and beheaded. His ordeal was prolonged and his suffering would have been immense.
Join us today as we look at the most horrific execution in Scottish History.
How You Could Have Survived the Black Plague
The Black Death is a plague that changed the world. As the most profound epidemic in human history, the plague claimed the lives of millions, with nearly half of Europe's population perishing from the disease. Some feared they were living through the apocalypse amidst the chaotic upheaval, while others turned to sinful pleasure during the plague to distract from the horror. And as for what happened to victims of the plague, well, it wasn't opportune.
Surviving the Black Death wasn't easy. How did someone protect themselves from it and who did they blame when they got sick? What happened to their body as the infection spread? The only certainty was demise; after all, bubonic plague in the Middle Ages didn't spare anyone: monks and nuns perished alongside mothers and their children, rich men, and even royalty.
Here's how plague victims lived day-to-day.
Characters From Ancient Mythology That Might Have Actually Existed
Did you ever wonder if the great stories of ancient mythology, tales of the men behind the Egyptian pyramids and the rulers of the fabled cities of ancient Anatolia, were real? Well, if that's the case, then you're in luck - there are indeed some notable true stories behind myths. For example, the Great Pyramid was partially built by the architect Imhotep, who was then turned into a god. Started from the bottom of the pyramid, now we here!
Anne Boleyn's Re-constructed Face Revealed, with History
What did Anne Boleyn really look like? After Anne Boleyn’s death, her image was essentially erased from England. The palace walls which once held the initials, H and A, are struck. Her portraits are painted over or destroyed. What we have left of her image is through posthumous portraits - potential copies of copies of a lost original.
We do have one agreed-upon contemporary image, and that is a portrait medal, referred to as the “Moost Happi” medal, that was struck during her lifetime, probably to celebrate her second pregnancy and the upcoming birth of a son. We’ll compare each postulated portrait of Anne to the coin throughout the video to see which match the best.
Anne Boleyn’s body has never been officially exhumed. It was hastily buried at the chapel of St. Peter Ad Vincula, adjacent to the tower, in an old Elm box. Her exact burial spot, under the tiles of the chapel, is unknown. The bones were then examined by a Dr. Mouat. He confirmed that the skeleton was that of a woman between 25 and thirty, with a delicate frame. She was of slender proportions, with a small lower jaw. She also had particularly small vertebrae - Lending credence to the story that she had a “little Neck”, and small, tapered hands and feet. She was between five feet and five foot three. All of these findings match up with the physical descriptions we have of Anne, but there is a possibility the bones are not Anne’s but rather Lady Rochfords or Queen Catherine Howard’s, who were also buried hastily near the same spot.
We’ve created two brand new portraits - one from the proposed Holbein Sketch, and another from her National Portrait Gallery image, which is thought by many to be potentially the most accurate.
The Truth About Christianity's Origins In Europe | Secrets Of Christianity
History tells us that the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in the 4th century. But did Christianity conquer Rome or did pagan Rome conquer Christianity? Did Christianity also secretly thrive within the Roman army? And could the eruption of Vesuvius have actually spurred on the spread of Christianity? Join Simcha Jacobovici on this remarkable journey into the true origins of Christianity, challenging everything we thought we knew.
Unbelievable Ancient Sea Monsters of The Mesozoic Era: Dinosaur Documentary
Take a plunge into the deep blue depths of any of the world's oceans today and you would be lucky to encounter a reptile. Out in the open waters, your best bet would be to catch a glimpse of a sea turtle - perhaps a hawksbill, or a giant leatherback. Closer to the shore, sea snakes, and occasionally lizards and crocodilians venture out into the waters, but, in the twenty first century, a truly marine reptile is a rare occurance. In the Mesozoic Era - the time when dinosaurs had the run of the land - the oceans were, in fact, teeming with marine reptiles, unlike anything else that exists today.
Popular media is filled with depictions of these reptiles - from the long necked plesiosaurs, to the fish like ichthyosaurs, these creatures take their place proudly next to the pterosaurs as some of the most famed organisms of times gone by. The truth is, these reptiles were not only commonplace in the seas of the Mesozoic, but were extremely diverse. Turtles and crocodilians existed, just as they do in the modern day - but some of them would be near unrecogniseable to an uninformed time traveller. The plesiosaurs in particular were one of the most diverse groups of Mesozoic marine reptiles - ranging hugely in size and form from the long necked titans we're familiar with, to short necked varieties who, during the latter half of the Mesozoic, took the throne next to the mighty mosasaurs as the apex predators of the turbulent, unforgiving waves. All of this can be said without even touching on the oddities of the Triassic Period's waters - a time when weird reptiles were present in every cove, bay, sea and coastline in the world's waters. Here, groups of reptiles utterly unfamiliar to modern zoology thrived in huge numbers, blossoming into a seemingly infinite range of forms and niches.
Today, we will be taking a tour through time - a whistle stop journey through the oceans of our prehistoric world, where we will meet some of the major groups of marine reptiles that thrived from the start of the Triassic period, to the end of the Cretaceous, right up to the cataclysmic KPg extinction event. Hold your breath - it's going to be a dangerous dive indeed...
Animals You'll Be Happy Are Extinct
In the video below we will be talking about animals that we’re all happy are now extinct. Watch the video to find out more!
History's Greatest Mysteries | What happened to the tomb of Jesus Christ
In the following video we will be explaining what really happened to the tomb of Jesus Christ. Enjoy!
800-year-old brick tomb unearthed in China. Look at the elegant burial for three!
Buried under the soil of central China, an elegant brick tomb lay forgotten. Dust collected on the ornate carving as decades stretched into centuries. Then a construction project came along.
While doing construction on a pipeline in Yuanqu County of Shanxi province, workers stumbled upon a tomb, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology said in a joint release with an archaeology blogger shared on Weibo.
Archaeologists were brought in to rescue the site and uncovered a stunning tomb from the Jin Dynasty, the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said in a March 15 news release via China News Network.
The 800-year-old tomb was crafted entirely out of carved bricks, and no paint was used. The grave had a stepped passageway leading through a corridor and into the main burial chamber, archaeologists said in the joint release.
An ancient structure of unknown purpose discovered in Italy
A mysterious structure of unknown purpose has been unearthed in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy.
The discovery was made during excavations for the fiber optic installation in the town of Torreano, near Udine.
The ancient structure is made of heavy stone slabs that form a rectangle — two long walls and a short back topped by a roof. Archaeologists initially thought it was a burial cist, but an excavation of the structure revealed no evidence of human remains. It only has silty, muddy soil typical of waterways.
The discovery was publicly reported by Ivano Dorbolo’, a scholar of history and archeology, and administrator of the group Valli del Natisone – Ricerche ed indagini archeologiche.
