The 12 Labours of Hercules/Heracles

he Twelve Labours of Heracles or Hercules are a series of episodes concerning a penance carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, whose name was later romanised as Hercules. They were accomplished over 12 years at the service of King Eurystheus. The episodes were later connected by a continuous narrative. The establishment of a fixed cycle of twelve labours was attributed by the Greeks to an epic poem, now lost, written by Peisander, dated about 600 BC. After Hercules killed his wife and children, he went to the oracle at Delphi. He prayed to the god Apollo for guidance. Hercules was told to serve the king of Mycenae, Eurystheus, for 12 years. During these 12 years, Hercules is sent to perform twelve difficult feats, called labours.

Iran: History, Geography, Economy & Culture

This is the story of Iran, once known as Persia. In this video we will explore the long history of Iran through to the controversial present, the diverse geography of Iran of deserts and mountains, the surprisingly complex Iranian Economy and the remarkably rich Iranian culture that has influenced the world in so many ways.

A history as old and rich as any, it has endured the battering of invasions and competing influences over millennia, to survive until the present day. This is the country that spawned the world’s first great empire, the Achaemenid Empire, and despite defeat at the hands of the Macedonian Greeks under Alexander, rose again under the Parthian Empire and Sassanid Empire. It was conquered by Muslim Arabs in the 7th Century AD, and over the next 200 years the original population that practiced the home-grown religion of Zoroastrianism was converted to Islam.

During the Golden Age of Islam it became a hotbed of artistic and scientific genius, and the Iranian language, Farsi, was beautiful written down by such poets as Ferdowsi in the epic piece of Persian Poetry, the Shahnameh (Book of Kings). In later centuries, Iran struggled on, maintaining its independence under the Safavids and The Qajar Dynasty, before coming under the influence of Russia and Great Britain in the Great Game of the 19th Century.

The discovery of Iranian Oil marked further influence by Western Powers, who later installed Shah Mohammed Reza ("The Shah"), whose rule turned corrupt and autocratic. He was finally deposed in the 1979 Iranian Revolution by Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic Republic of Iran was born. But this further continued troubles for the country, as it became internationally isolated over the Iran Nuclear Program and Iran's promise to destroy the State of Israel.

The geography of Iran comprises mostly mountains and deserts, and yet nonetheless houses a surprisingly large population of 80 million, who are mostly ethnic Persians with Azeris making up the largest minority.

Iranian culture has influenced the world with many words from the Persian language, Farsi, finding their way into English and other European languages. The games of chess and backgammon either emerged from, or were heavily shaped by Persia. And Persian carpets are regarded as the finest in the world, in a tradition that goes back millenia.

The History of Hell

Hell is well-known in popular culture and is a widespread belief among Christian communities today. But where did this doctrine come from? Jewish apocalyptic literature from the 2nd Temple period reveals the idea was evolving even before the rise of Christianity.

Thapsus 46 BC - Caesar's Most Complicated Campaign

In this video we will be talking about the aftermath of the battle of Ruspina as Caesar continues fighting against the optimate forces led by Labienus, Cato, and Scipio and king of Numidia Juba in Africa, leading to the battle of Thapsus and the most complicated campaign in Caesar's career.

Was There Really a Female Pope?

In the video below we will investigate whether there was really a female pope. Watch the video to find out more!

Hinduism Explained

What is Hinduism?

Hinduism, the religion of over a billion people, is the world’s oldest religion and the most confusing one to non-Hindus. It makes billions of people around the world ask, What is Hinduism? Some say it isn’t even a religion, more a way of life. Hindus themselves call it Sanātana Dharma, the eternal tradition. So what is Hinduism, does YOLO apply to them, and who is that elephant god?

Hinduism is the world's oldest active religion. It's the result of the merging of the ancient Indus Valley civilisation and nomads that came into India around 1500BC. Some scholars say it could even go back many more thousands of years.

Hinduism has a long long history. But today we'll be focusing just on the core beliefs of Hindus because I don't have the willpower to animate a 3-hour video.

Hinduism is so diverse, so deep, and means so many different things to different people. Learning even the basics of this fascinating and ancient religion gives us an insight into the worldview of over a billion people.

According to a recent study, the mysterious boats painted in an Australian cave may be records of "battle ships" from modern-day Indonesia

Two bizarre artworks were discovered within a cave in northern Australia some 50 years ago. They represent a pair of boats with strange qualities that have perplexed scholars ever since their discovery, and they are probably hundreds of years old.

Researchers may have now discovered the images in a study that was just published in the journal Historical Archaeology, shedding light on Indigenous stories that have been long-erased.

Even while neighboring drawings of Indonesian fishing boats and later European ships have been discovered, the two mystery vessels are distinct: The vessels, according to the experts, are "combat ships" from the Moluccas, a collection of Indonesian islands situated immediately to the north of Australia.

According to a statement from Flinders University in Australia, the study's lead author, Mick de Ruyter, a maritime archaeologist, these motifs "support existing ideas that sporadic or accidental voyages from Indonesia to the Australian coastline took place before or alongside regular trepang [Indonesian for "sea cucumber"] fishing visits."

Uncertainty exists over the specific circumstances in which Aboriginal populations came into contact with Moluccan boats. The researchers note that the existence of fighting craft nevertheless suggests instances of physical violence or at the very least a projecting of authority. It's possible that the two groups got into a fight over commerce, headhunting, or slavery.

An other hypothesis put forth by Sue O'Connor, an archaeologist at Australian National University who was not involved in the study, is that Aboriginal groups may have traveled to the Moluccas. This either shows that such crafts have traveled to the coastlines of Arnhem Land [a region in northern Australia] or Arnhem Land residents have traveled to the Moluccan region, seen those crafts there, and returned to paint them.

The level of detail portrayed in the paintings astounded the researchers as well. Such accuracy suggests that the Indigenous artists spent more time with these ships than they did merely glimpsing them from the shore. The paddles, prowl boards, pennants, and other decorative elements of the ship have all been accurately depicted.

Based on certain features, such as the oars and pennants, researchers concluded that these boats likely weren't fishing vessels.  Darrell Lewis / Flinders University

According to the university's statement, reports from Dutch colonists show that during the 17th century, groups from the Moluccas were sailing "frequently" to Australia.

The study was not conducted by Australian archaeologist Paul Tacon of Griffith University; nevertheless, he is collaborating with Wesley and a wider group to investigate how Aboriginal people documented their contacts with outsiders. He tells Live Science's Jennifer Nalewicki that the new study gives encouraging new information.

This thorough investigation demonstrates persuasively that there was communication between Moluccan islanders and Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land, Australia, hundreds of years ago.

Creepy Things That Were Normal for Vikings!

From their pillaging of distant lands to their fierce battles, Vikings were a force to be reckoned with. But what you may not know is that they had some strange and creepy customs too! From sacrificing animals to the gods, to believing in a mysterious "death tree," this video will uncover these dark secrets and more. Prepare to be spooked by the mysterious and often-forgotten customs of the ancient Norsemen.

300,000-Year-Old Artefacts Discovered in Britain! 800 in Total

Researchers from UCL Archaeology South-East have found some of the largest early prehistoric stone tools ever discovered in Britain, including enormous foot-long hand axes.

In total 800 stone artefacts have been uncovered from the dig in Kent. The objects were buried in material that filled a sinkhole and an ancient river channel and they are more than 300,000 years old.

The area under excavation in Kent is a hillside above Medway Valley, which is made up of deep ice age sediments. Watch the video to learn more about this exciting discovery!

16,000 year-old Ice Age Horse Found During Utah Family’s Backyard Renovation

Paleontologists have determined that a skeleton discovered during a landscaping project belonged to a horse from the Pleistocene Era.

The horse had arthritis when it died. It is possible, too, that it had bone cancer in one ankle.

That can happen to any horse once it gets to be a certain age. This one is nearly 16,000 years old.

In 2018 paleontologists identified the skeleton of a horse from the ice age in Lehi, Utah — a particularly unusual discovery given that much of the western part of the state was underwater until about 14,000 years ago. Buried for thousands of years beneath seven feet of sandy clay, the remains were discovered only when the Hill family began moving dirt around their backyard to build a retaining wall and plant some grass.

Laura Hill said she and her husband, Bridger, uncovered the skeleton on September 2017, but didn’t think much of it at first. They wondered if it was a cow; Lehi is about 15 miles from Provo and was once mostly farmland that hugged the edges of nearby Utah Lake. She consulted a neighbor, a geology professor at Brigham Young University, who examined the bones, and guessed they were from a horse from the Pleistocene Era.

“I was shocked,” Ms. Hill said. “This is something we did not expect.”

Utah is home to several fossil sites where dinosaurs and other ice age animals, including mammoths, mastodons and saber-toothed tigers, have been discovered. Horses have roamed North America for 50 million years, said Ross MacPhee, a curator in the department of mammalogy at the American Museum of Natural History. During the Pleistocene Era, the continent was dominated by two kinds of horses, he said, adding that he believes today’s domesticated horses are linked to one of those breeds. Despite harsh conditions, Mr. MacPhee said, “those horses could live anywhere.”

Rick Hunter, a paleontologist at the Museum of Ancient Life, a short drive from the Hill home, said Ms. Hill approached him last month to investigate the family’s discovery.

“She came in and said, “I found a skeleton in the backyard and I don’t know what to do,’” Mr. Hunter recalled. “I replied, ‘I do.’” Last week he and a team from the museum’s lab, where they study dinosaur fossils, went to her home.

The skeleton was missing its head, but was otherwise intact. Mr. Hunter estimated the horse to be the size of a Shetland pony; it was found lying on its left side, with all four legs tucked near its torso. Parts of the skeleton were damaged from exposure to weather. Curious onlookers had picked at the ribs and other bones.

Mr. Hunter did not know how the animal died, but he has a theory. Utah was covered during the last ice age by Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric lake. (The Great Salt Lake as it currently exists is a remnant of Lake Bonneville.)

Perhaps the horse was trying to escape from a predator and ran into the lake, Mr. Hunter surmised. “Horses can swim,” he said. “Maybe it got trapped out there, drowned and sank to the bottom.”

Mr. Hunter said he and his team visited the site at the Hill home for two days last week to excavate the remains. The bones were uncovered in a sandbank seven feet below the surface. “This is not uncommon,” the paleontologist said. Still, there was the question of what happened to the head.

He broadened the search to 50 feet beyond the original site. In the expanded area the group found bone fragments, molars and small pieces of the skull. Mystery solved: The skull had been shattered and moved when the landscaper cleared the land.

The skeleton was taken back to the museum, where it was cataloged, preserved and repaired. Unlike with dinosaurs, the horse’s bones were dehydrated and not yet fossils. Fossilized minerals in bone turn to stone, but the horse was not old enough for that to have happened. That posed a problem for Mr. Hunter’s team. “If they dry too quickly, they will crack,” he said. “You have to cure them slowly.”

Mr. Hunter also hopes to pin down the horse’s age with greater precision. The current estimate of 14,000 to 16,000 years is the team’s best guess until it can be studied further. Once the skeleton is reassembled, Mr. Hunter said, he would like it to become a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Ancient Life. Mr. MacPhee of the American Museum of Natural History concurred.

“It’s important that it ends up in an institution somewhere,” he said.

Ms. Hill said she and her husband were not sure what they were going to do yet. She said neighbors had flocked to the backyard to see the oddity before it was removed, and family members were advising the couple to have the skeleton appraised. (They are hoping to get a tax deduction if they donate it.) “It would be nice to have it here at the museum,” Ms. Hill said. “Mr. Hunter does want us to donate it.”

When Mr. Hunter visited last week he brought a volunteer who talked to the neighborhood children about Lake Bonneville, ancient animals and, of course, the horse in the backyard. Mr. Hunter said he would name it “Hill Horse” in honor of the family that found it.

Ms. Hill was pleased. “Now all these little kids want to be paleontologists,” she said with a laugh.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/science...

12 Most Amazing Recent Archaeological Finds

There's rarely anything more fascinating in the field of archaeology than that which has been discovered recently. Artefacts that were found years ago have been extensively studied and discussed by now, and much of their mystery has been lost. With things that have been found more recently, the mystery still exists! It's clear from these recent discoveries that we still have much to learn about our ancient ancestors, so let's start learning now.

The RISE and FALL of the Roman Empire

What was the Roman Empire? Many empires have established world order in the past. However, only a handful of them has managed to become eternal. But, even among these, there is only one winner. An empire to whose superiority no other empires come on par with. Do you know which realm we are referring to? It is no other than the Roman Empire.

11 Secrets of the Mysterious City of Machu Picchu

In 1911, Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham and a small team of seven set out in Peru to uncover the lost city of Vilcabamba but were quickly led to one of the world's most fascinating sites. The expedition team met Melchor Arteaga, a local farmer, on their trip from Zuzco, who told tales of the "old mountain" ruins known as Machu Picchu - this would eventually prove to be the "Lost City of the Incas." It dates back to at least the 14th century and is today regarded as a Modern World Wonder. Even with cutting-edge technology, scientists need clarification on how the Incas created their city without using steel, masonry, or wheels.