The Fabulous Fashion of the Minoan Civilization

In today’s video we will explore the strange and bizarre world of ancient fashion by examining the archaeological research related to the mysterious lost civilization of antiquity: The Minoans of Bronze Age Crete! We will talk about everything from social norms and cultural relativism to Minotaurs.

Ancient Torture Devices That was worst Than Death

From the gruesome Iron Maiden to the brutal Pear of Anguish, we delve into the horrific tools used by our ancestors to extract confessions and punish wrongdoers. In this video, we'll take you on a journey through time, uncovering the origins and uses of some of the most infamous torture devices throughout history. We'll explore the psychological effects of torture on both victims and perpetrators, and examine how these devices were used to control and intimidate populations.

12 Most Amazing Archaeological Finds

There are countless incredible archaeological discoveries being unearthed across the globe every day. With so many stories to keep up with, it can be nearly impossible to stay informed - unless, that is, you subscribe to our channel! We meticulously track and gather each fascinating find, packaging them into videos like this one for your viewing pleasure. So, without further ado, let's dive in and explore these remarkable discoveries together!

This Creature Is Capable Of Killing Even Megalodon

Megalodon is these days renowned throughout the world for being the scariest beast that has ever existed on our planet. This absolute monster shark shows you how scary the world really was back in those days. But was it really the ultimate warrior when it comes to ferocious predators? We’re here to find out. From the biggest fish ever found to the reptile that made the seas into a no go zone, here’s 20 Sea Monsters That Are Scarier Than Megalodon

The Most Isolated Place on the Planet, Which Is Impossible to Reach

Have you ever wondered about the most remote and inaccessible locations on our planet? Well, Greenland, Iceland, or Antarctica are probably the first places that come to your mind. However, some places on earth are even more challenging to reach. These places typically hold a certain allure and fascination for many adventurous souls. In today's video, we will visit 15 hard-to-reach places on Earth. Before we go on, do like and subscribe to this channel. Also, ensure you turn on your notifications to know when we drop new videos. Let's go!

Possibly written in bone is a prehistoric style of clothing fitting

An animal bone fragment covered with human-made pits provides a possible example of how early humans in Western Europe may have fashioned clothes.

A nearly 40,000-year-old punctured animal bone fragment (shown) found in Spain was a leatherwork punch board bearing holes from piercing animal hide, a new study suggests.

According to research published in Science Advances on April 12, the almost 40,000-year-old relic most likely served as a punch board for leatherwork. They think that the bone piece was positioned beneath the animal skin as the fabric was being pierced, possibly for seams. If true, it predates eyed needles in the area by almost 15,000 years and is the oldest tool of its sort known to exist.

The about 11-centimeter-long bone fragment, which was discovered at an ancient site south of Barcelona, has 28 punctures dispersed on one flat surface, with 10 of them aligned and rather equally spaced.

Given that some holes are difficult to discern and the bone piece wasn't differently shaped, the marks don't appear to have been a notation system or adornment, according to archaeologist Luc Doyon of the University of Bordeaux in France. He believed the marks might have been created by leatherwork. But the theory wasn't confirmed, directing Doyon's subsequent actions, until he went to a cobbler's shop and observed one of the craftsman's tools.

He and his colleagues used weapons like pointed flint, horns, and antlers to pierce cattle rib bones in an effort to replicate the holes in the artifact. Pits resembling those on the bone fragment were made by piercing leather over bone with a burin, a pointed stone chisel, by hammering it with a hammer-like implement.

Additional research indicated that the artifact's 10 neat punctures were created with the same instrument, and they were all aligned and spaced equally. This suggests that holes were made in the leather and a threading instrument was used to sew a seam.

Long before the earliest known eyed needles, scientists were aware that humans wore garments (SN: 4/20/10). "What [the new discovery] tells us is that the technology for making fitted clothing was in the toolkit of the first modern humans who lived in Europe," adds Doyon.

Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/prehis...

Dinosaurs of the Mountains

Mountain fauna is something, unfortunately, left out of most of the fossil record. Due to the limits of the fossilization process, it is rare to find the prehistoric past of mountains. But there are a few examples, which are being uncovered more day by day about those creatures which lived in the mountains.

What Hygiene Was Like Throughout History

In today’s video we will dive into the clean and nasty of hygiene throughout history. Discussing the civilizations with the best and the worst sanitation habits. Enjoy!

Experts Uncovered The Sinister Truth About Why So Many Egyptian Statues Don’t Have Noses Anymore

Where did Egyptian statues' broken noses go? Why are all the statues missing noses?

Walking into the Egyptian art galleries at the Brooklyn Museum is an opportunity to view objects and artifacts that are thousands of years old. Among them are ancient sculptures with an unmistakable style. On closer inspection, however, you may realize there’s something strange about these statues. Many of them have at some point lost their noses.

The 5 Greatest Roman Buildings Demolished during the Renaissance

A fountain 100 feet tall. A temple with columns the size of redwoods. The greatest early Christian church. This video explores some of the masterpieces of Roman architecture that were demolished for building materials during the Renaissance.

12 Most incredible Ancient Artifacts Finds

The discoveries you're about to see provide insight into how past civilisations lived, what they believed in, and how they interacted with each other. From ancient weapons and tools to elaborate tombs and artwork, each artefact comes with a unique story that can teach us about our shared human history. By studying these discoveries, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the complexity of the past and better understand how it shaped the world we live in today.

Mysterious Ancient Places

From the Library of Celsius to Fatehpur Sikri, in the following video we will be exploring mysterious ancient places. Enjoy!

The True Origins of Giza: Cover-up or Complacency?

The 2018 AERA publications imply that the material inside the Kromer Dump is all 4th dynasty in origin - but is this really the case? Kromer certainly didn't think so, and Maira Torcia Rigillo, a scholar who specialises in ancient clay sealings, also believed the Kromer Dump shows evidence of a Giza settlement with a long history, existing way before the Great Pyramid was built. Watch this video to learn more.

To irrigate Granada, archaeologists find old Moorish rivers

800 years ago, the Moors who ruled Spain had a system of canals that transported water from the Sierra Nevada into towns and fields. Today's archaeologists are working to find those canals so they may apply the old irrigation knowledge to modern irrigation practices.

The Acequia de Los Hechos, just south of Granada, Spain, keeps the entire mountainside moist, allowing for farming at just about any altitude.

Jesus Salvador recalls a location above the city of Granada in southern Spain where a canal with running water and a waterfall formerly existed.

"The waterfall would freeze if the winter was cold," he remarked. "In warmer weather, a mist came off this canal, and these hillsides were covered with green moss."

Archaeologists and hundreds of volunteers spent months cleaning out and sometimes entirely redigging the acequia de Aynadamar, just above Granada, Spain. It had been abandoned for nearly half a century.

He said that down the bottom, at the very end, was a wonderful swimming hole known as the "Pool of the Moors."

The now-abandoned canal, or acequia as they are known in Spanish, was constructed during the 800 years that the Moors occupied the region. A sophisticated network of 1,800 miles worth of canals extends from the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountains to the plains.

Master water engineers, the Moors. They created a network of rivers throughout the area, but much of their expertise has since been lost. Archaeologists are currently working to recover them despite the drought and water restrictions.

Elena Correa, an archaeologist at the University of Granada, inspects part of the acequia de Aynamadar before its reopening.

Over the course of the previous year, this acequia was restored and cleaned by archaeologist Elena Correa from the University of Granada and her team, in addition to numerous volunteers. She claimed that because it originally supplied the Albaicn, the center of Moorish sovereignty in Granada, with all of its drinking water, it has unparalleled historical significance.

With the Alhambra fortress looming directly in front, the Albaicn is a hillside labyrinth of cobbled pathways and whitewashed buildings with a mix of Moorish and Spanish architecture. It attracts a lot of tourists.

Modern machinery is being used to pump water into the numerous fountains throughout the Albaicin. However, a millennia ago, people just used gravity.

All of Granada's water used to flow naturally from a spring that was located about 10 miles into the mountains. Because of the tear-drop shape its designers gave it, it is known as the Well of Tears.

Newly released water from the acequia de Aynadamar, which once fed the ancient Moorish quarter of Granada, Spain, called the Albaicín, soaks into the earth a mile short of its destination. Because water levels are low due to drought.

The sluice was opened when Correa and her colleagues climbed up the canal. It started out as a gush of water but quickly became a trickle. It completely vanished, blending into the dirt canal at a distance of about half a mile from the city. It is intended to get to the University of Granada so that it can be utilized to irrigate the grounds there. But, as Correa noted, this is just the beginning.

Luis Miguel Ortega, the chairman of the irrigation authority for the area, stated, "We inherited this from the Arab farmers. "The knowledge most likely originated in ancient Syria, Jordan, and Persia."

A few nearby hamlets still receive water from The Well of Tears, which is still in operation. Despite being low due to a lack of rainfall, the water is beautifully pure.

The Well of Tears, some 10 miles up the mountain from Granada, Spain, is the source of water for the newly restored canal.

Ortega clarified what he claims to be the true genius of the acequias. He claimed that there are channels higher up in the Sierra Nevada mountains that are not intended for directly watering crops. They continue to move horizontally over the range until the earth simply absorbs all of their water.

Although it may seem unnecessary, the water is actually trickling down the mountainside. Because of this, crops and fruit trees that ordinarily wouldn't thrive at such high and dry altitudes can be found deep below the canals, the man explained.

You must travel several hours up a dirt switchback to a height of around 7,000 feet above sea level in order to access the tallest of these waterways. The Acequia de Los Hechos runs here, above the treeline. It is intended to supply aquifers below and is around three miles long.

The Well of Tears, some 10 miles up the mountain from Granada, Spain, is the source of water for the newly restored acequia.

On his ranch, farmer Alejandro Molina takes care of his chestnut trees and potatoes.

All the crops you can see below receive water from this canal, according to Molin. "This area would turn into a desert if the acequia were cut off."

Source: https://theworld.org/stories/2023-04-20/ar...

Ancient necropolis beneath a busy Paris train station has tombs dating back 2,000 years

Scientists have discovered 50 graves in an ancient necropolis just a few meters from a busy railway station in the center of Paris, providing a rare look at life in Lutetia, the city that predated Paris by over 2,000 years.

Despite numerous road construction projects over the years and the 1970s construction of the Port-Royal station on the historic Left Bank, the underground necropolis was somehow never discovered.

One of the skeletons unearthed in an ancient necropolis found meters from a busy Paris train station.

However, the National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) of France has been excavating for around 200 square meters as a result of plans for a new railway station exit. According to a news release from the research center, the excavation turned up burials that date to the second century and are thought to be a part of the Saint Jacques necropolis.

At a press briefing, INRAP anthropologist Camille Colonna stated that there were "strong suspicions" the site was near to the southern necropolis of Lutetia.

Previously, in the 1800s, a portion of the Saint Jacques necropolis, the greatest burial site in the Gallo-Roman town of Lutetia, was unearthed.

However, the numerous skeletons, burial offerings, and other relics were left in the tombs, and only items deemed valuable were removed.

After then, the necropolis was covered up and once more forgotten by time.

One part that had never been dug was found by the INRAP crew.

"No one has seen it since antiquity," claimed Dominique Garcia, president of INRAP.

Colonna added that the team was "very happy" to have discovered a skeleton with a coin in its mouth that helped date the burial to the second century A.D.

50 tombs have been discovered as a result of the dig, which started in March. All of the sites were used for burial rather than cremation, which was also typical at the time.

Hades' Ferryman

The men, women, and kids are thought to be Parisii, a Gallic people who resided in Lutetia at the time that the town on the Seine River's banks was governed by the Roman Empire.

The wooden coffins the bones were placed in can now only be recognized by their nails.

During the current dig, around half of the bones were discovered buried with offerings, including porcelain jugs, goblets, dishes, and glassware.

It was customary practice at the time to place a coin in the coffin or even in the mouth of the deceased; this practice was known as "Charon's obol." The coin was used as a bribe by Charon, the ferryman of Hades in Greek mythology, to ferry the souls of the deceased across the Styx River.

Inside the graves, the archaeologists also discovered shoe remnants. They were recognized based on fragments of tiny nails that had likely been utilized in the soles. According to INRAP, some of the deceased appeared to have had shoes placed on their feet in the grave, while others appeared to have had shoes placed on either side of the body.

The shoes, according to Colonna, were "either laid at the feet of the dead or next to them, like an offering."

Along with the burials, jewelry, belts, and hairpins were also found, and in a hole where it was believed that animals had been sacrificed to the gods, the full skeletons of a pig and another small animal were found.

This time, as opposed to the excavation in the 1800s, the crew intends to take everything out of the necropolis for analysis.

"This will allow us to understand the life of the Parisii through their funeral rites, as well as their health by studying their DNA," Colonna stated.

According to Garcia, the early history of Paris is "generally not well known," and the recently discovered burials provide "a window into the world of Paris during antiquity."

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ancient-necro...

Large burial site connected to a Mayan deity is discovered, with some headless corpses

In the historic Mayan city of Moral-Reforma, archaeologists recently discovered a sizable burial site concealed beneath a colossal temple-pyramid.

The temple-pyramid is in Moral-Reforma, an ancient Mayan settlement, according to experts.

The 20 human burials, the majority of which were young adult males, were discovered in two groupings that corresponded to several eras, according to a report released on April 19 by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

The earlier set of remains is believed to date from between 300 B.C. and 250 A.D., while the more recent group is believed to date from between 600 A.D. and 900 A.D.

Some skulls had signs of purposeful deformities that indicated elevated social status, experts said.

Experts noted that the deformational characteristics of the skulls in each group were consistent with higher social standing. Jade inlays could be seen in the dental remnants of two of the skulls from the second group of remains.

Archaeologists have concluded that the burials were probably offerings connected to a Mayan deity as a way of consecrating the temple based on the depth and style of burial, according to the institute. A few of the burials were mutilated or beheaded.

Two of the unearthed skulls had jade inlays in their teeth, archaeologists said.

According to the researchers, some of the bodies were interred upright or seated, while others had already been interred and relocated to the temple's burial ground.

A Mayan Enclave for Moral Reformation

The Mayan enclave of Moral-Reforma, which historically served as a hub for cultural interchange along the banks of the San Pedro Mártir River, was the location of the burial site, according to the institute.

The remains of two adult males that were unearthed at the site.

Experts estimate that the city prospered for centuries after its establishment in 300 B.C. until about 1000 A.D.

According to the organization, the Moral-Reforma Archaeological Project is a continuing effort to explore and comprehend the city and its past. After discovering what they did in the temple, the project's archaeologists started working on another structure.

Source: https://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-wor...

10 Unusual (and occasionally disgusting) New Facts about Ancient Cults

When you hear the word "cult," you might picture a group of individuals sequestered in a compound and persuaded that the end of the world is near. Cults, however, were treated more seriously and frequently included entire populations in ancient times. This list focuses on findings that were previously unknown and that furthered the mystery or gore of what was already known. Here are some interesting facts about ancient cults that you probably didn't know, like how to boil a head properly and a sinister tale penned by a priest.

10 A Rare True Cross Scroll

The practices and ideologies that surround the True Cross (the cross on which Jesus died) are referred to as the "Cult of the Cross." An incredibly rare relic was found in 2021. Sadly, it was a parchment that was intimately associated with this period in Christian history rather than a splinter from the True Cross.

The 500-year-old scroll has been known to researchers for a long time. It could never be examined, though, as it kept vanishing into the hands of private collectors. The item, which was just found, included a feast of stunning pictures that added to our understanding of the Cult of the Cross. However, two additional facts shocked the researchers.

First of all, very few of these prayer scrolls from daily worshipers' unfurling, touching, and kissing still exist today. The fact that one of them is still standing after 500 years is impressive in and of itself. Then there is the close connection to the True Cross mythology. The Norfolk monastery Bromholm Priory is where the prayer list was probably made. Because it was believed that the priory's own cross held a piece of the True Cross, this location previously drew pilgrims. The cross, known as the Rood of Bromholm, is no longer there but is shown as a crucifixion artwork in the scroll.

9 A Cult Buried with Their Pharaoh

Archaeologists discovered a temple in 2021 while they were excavating at Saqqara, an ancient Egyptian burial site. Three warehouses were arranged in a row on one side of the stone temple. Items found in these neighboring shafts and mud-brick storage spaces shed light on a cult that revered a royal couple.

The temple was a monument erected in Queen Nearit's honor. The structure was situated next to the pyramid of her husband, Pharaoh Teti, who ruled Egypt from approximately 2323 BC to 2291 BC. The bodies of people who belonged to the cult were in the shafts, which were also close to the pyramid. They seemed to want to remain close to the pharaoh even after his death.

The cult appeared to have thrived for more than a thousand years. A few of the things discovered inside the burial tunnels offered hints as to what was important to them. A remarkable papyrus that was 4 meters (13 feet) long and contained a chapter from the "Book of the Dead," a map of the afterlife, was discovered. Other items demonstrated that people revered the gods Osiris and Anubis and called their children after members of the royal family.

8 A Religion Older Than the Incas

The intricate culture known as the Incas, which governed the pre-Columbian Americas from Chile to Columbia, is still a mystery to us. However, a culture that was even more enigmatic and complex existed long before the Incas. Little is known about the Tiwanaku state, which was this empire.

Khoa Reef in Bolivia's Lake Titicaca was investigated by researchers in 2013. The Island of the Sun, where the Incas built ceremonial structures and offerings as well as a pilgrimage destination, is close to the reef. But when Inca-era artifacts were discovered close to the reef, it helped restore a significant portion of Tiwanaku culture. In other words, they had a mysterious religion that was 500 years older than that of the Incas.

The Tiwanaku people not only arrived at the lake before the Incas did, but they also constructed their offerings such that they would float in the lake. Anchors discovered close to the goods provided this hint. Pumas-shaped incense burners, gold decorations, shell and stone trinkets, and juvenile llama carcasses were among the offerings. All of this suggested that the Puma and the god Viracocha (discovered on gold medallions) were also significant religious symbols to the Tiwanaku and that they performed complex ceremonies from boats.

7 Ramses II Had a Ram Cult

A terrible scene was recently discovered during excavations at the ancient Egyptian city of Abydos. In honor of Pharaoh Ramses the Great, 1,200 rams were slain in a single ritual in the distant past, and their heads were left behind.

It goes without saying that the discovery of the ram heads in a storage room is an extremely exceptional one. One animal still had a bell around its neck, and several of the skulls were still covered in linen. Unable to hold back, someone jostled the object, and miraculously, after being silent for 2,000 years, it rang. The uncommon object's decoration with god-related symbols suggests that it may have been made expressly for the rite.

But in the end, the discovery suggests that Ramses II was the center of an Aries or ram religion. One that might have continued to worship the beloved king for a thousand years after his passing. In 1279 BC, Ramses II ascended to the throne and ruled for nearly 70 years. He was so well-known for his many accomplishments that nine other pharaohs also decided to use the name Ramses.

6 A Mysterious Skull Cult

Turkey's Göbekli Tepe is a well-known ancient site. The construction was completed around 11,000 years ago, and the builders were renowned for their elaborate carvings, massive pillars, and huge stone rings. But they also left some unsolved questions behind. Despite the fact that the location resembles a town, there are no graves or other signs that humans even lived there.

It doesn't follow that no human remains were discovered. 691 pieces of human bone have come to light over the years. However, seven bits of skull from three people left specialists baffled. They were initially discovered in a backfill mixture inside a stone building. The reason the skull bones ended up there is unknown. On the fragments, there were deliberate carvings and drill marks that suggested a skull cult existed at Göbekli Tepe, but these markings provided little information about the significance of the cult.

The strangest thing, though, is this. The inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe produced magnificent buildings and artwork. The heads, in contrast, were poorly sculpted. Perhaps the deep grooves made it possible to add ornaments, or the skulls were purposefully deformed to exact revenge on the deceased.

5 The Temple That Became a Tomb

The Carmona Necropolis in Spain is crammed with burials dating from the first to second centuries AD. The Elephant's Tomb—one of its most well-known buildings—contains an elephant statue that was discovered inside. When archaeologists first examined the site, it was evident that this wasn't your typical six-foot-under burial. Instead, the building's intricate construction suggested that it served a role other than that of a tomb. Eventually, Spanish archaeologists found solid proof that a cult had formerly occupied the building. The "tomb" did, in fact, resemble a Mithraeum, a temple honoring the Roman god Mithras.

For instance, during the spring and fall equinoxes, sunlight would have entered the window, filling the chamber's center with brightness and perhaps illuminating a god statue that is no longer there. Scorpio and Taurus, two of the most significant constellations in the cult, were likewise in line with the structure. It also had a fountain and a room divided into three portions in common with other Mithraeums.

According to experts, the devotees' enthusiasm in the temple began to wane at some time. The Mithraeum was transformed into a tomb after the cult abandoned it.

4 Inca Worshipers Weren’t Equal

The Inca created a complex solar cult around the beginning of the 15th century to worship the Sun. However, in the late 1990s, researchers discovered something that had never been documented before—something that wasn't very flattering. Many of their rituals and beliefs have reappeared recently. In other words, not all members of the cult were treated equally when they worshipped.

The finding of substantial stone pillars was the catalyst. Due to records stating that they previously stood in the Inca capital of Cusco, archaeologists have known that the Inca had such ritual pillars for centuries. The solstices in June and December, which were significant days on the cult's calendar, were noted on these pillars as the Sun's position near the horizon.

Researchers discovered the first set of these solar pillars while exploring the Island of the Sun, a popular Inca ritual site in Lake Titicaca. They also found an adjacent platform. According to all available research, both qualities were intended to distinguish the upper and lower groups during rites. The remainder gathered on the platform to witness the spellbinding spectacle of the Sun setting directly over their rulers and the pillars as the king and other high-ranking people worshiped inside the sanctuary. The elite's dominance would have been further solidified by such a spectacle.

3 A Naughty Story

A mysterious old papyrus was decoded in 2012 by experts. The poem wasn't your normal tale that glorified a king or a god; instead, it was written in an ancient language of Egyptian called Demotic. Nope. It was a sexually explicit tale. The author may possibly have been a priest, according to researchers. It was not a case of a perverse priest penning erotica in his free time, though. The papyrus may have instead fulfilled a very significant purpose.

There is singing, feasting, drinking, and ritual sex in the made-up tale. These are all acts of worship, not revelry, being performed in the name of the Egyptian goddess Mut. The story wasn't intended to be entertaining, in other words. The discovery instead shows that such "cult fiction" was present to let priests talk more easily about taboo subjects like sex rites.

2 A Cult the Size of Poland

A survey crew discovered a few rectangular stone buildings in northwest Saudi Arabia in the 1960s. Nobody understood the size and cult-related significance of the structures at the time; they were later given the name "mustalil." It wasn't until lately that intriguing details about the ruins started to come to light.

Over 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles), approximately 1,600 mustalil were discovered. Some of them had more stones than the Eiffel Tower, making them heavier. Some of them were as large as two football fields and as long as four. The ancient monuments were all 7,000 years old, making them older than Stonehenge and the Giza pyramids.

Their construction revealed the builders' familiarity with local resources and engineering as well as their general belief in the necessity of making sacrifices. Numerous animal skulls were crammed inside the mustalil's tiny chambers. This indicated that the sacrifices took place somewhere else because no other body pieces were discovered. The discovery of ritual objects at the location adds credence to the theory that this enigmatic cult once covered a territory the size of Poland.

1 How to Boil a Head

Archaeologists were conducting field research along the Red Sea's coast in 2019. The team came across the temple ruins while excavating Berenike, an ancient Egyptian port. The two-room shrine was decorated and designed in an Egyptian style, however the previous worshippers were not Egyptians. They belonged to the enigmatic Blemmyes, a semi-nomadic tribe.

It was intriguing to notice that the temple suggested that the Blemmyes had embraced Egyptian ideas since nothing is known about them. In this instance, the structure was used to worship the falcon-headed Egyptian deity Khonsu. The discovery also exposed the cult's head-boiling protocol.

It is improper to boil a head in here, according to an inscription that was discovered inside the temple. Since numerous falcon skeletons that had been severed from their heads were discovered inside, it is safe to believe that the cult did not cut off the heads of people but rather of birds. The commandment also suggested that before sacrificing falcons to Khonsu, devotees had to boil them. It's possible that the heads were also cooked, but only outside the temple's holy boundaries.

Source: https://listverse.com/2022/12/06/10-myster...