6 Ancient Sports Too Awesome For the Modern World While the Ancient Greeks are often credited with inventing Western Civilization, they were also responsible for a brutal sport called Pankration, which was basically the first mixed-martial art and was totally not gay. As you can see, there is absolutely nothing gay about Pankration. The "Game" Pankration was a lot like modern MMA, except there were no rules, no rounds, no rests and--in an interesting twist on Mortal Kombat--killing your opponent resulted in an instant loss. Congratulations on the victory, Jax. How is that "Insane"? The idea was to get as close as you could to killing a guy without actually killing him, using an arsenal of strikes, takedowns, grapples, chokeholds, hyperextensions and movies starring Nia Vardalos. However, if the person you were fighting died, it meant he had bigger balls than you because he refused to quit. "Wait, what are you... The Fisherman's Joust Well, for several reasons... These guys aren't even jousting. Also, there's blood.
Top 10 Most Overlooked Mysteries in History Mysteries Over the last few months we have gone through 30 of the worlds greatest mysteries but what we haven’t covered are ancient mysteries. This list aims to put that right! Here are ten great unsolved mysteries of science. Do you have a theory that might solve one of these mysteries? 10. While many people know of the Moai of Easter Island, not that many people know of the other mystery associated with Easter Island. 9. In the late 2nd century AD, the Greek writer Pausanias wrote an account of how (4-500 years earlier?) 8. This mystery may even be a problem for those legendary investigators from CSI and the like! 7. The Minoans are best known for the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur, but it is in fact the demise of this once-great civilisation that is more interesting. 6. Everyone has heard of Stonehenge, but few know the Carnac Stones. 5. The historical search for the legendary thief Robin Hood has turned up masses of possible names. 4. 3. 2. 1. Jamie Frater
Wari culture Huari earthenware pot with painted design, 650-800 CE (Middle Horizon) Wari Tunic, Peru, 750-950 CE. This tunic is made of 120 separate small pieces of cloth, each individually tie-dyed. Ceramics of the period depict high-status men wearing this style of tunic. Monoliths Wari Wari funeral bundle Pikillaqta administrative center, built by the Wari civilization in Cusco The Wari (Spanish: Huari) were a Middle Horizon civilization that flourished in the south-central Andes and coastal area of modern-day Peru, from about AD 500 to 1000.[1] (The Wari culture is not to be confused with the modern ethnic group and language known as Wari', with which it has no known link.) Wari, as the former capital city was called, is located 11 km (6.8 mi) north-east of the modern city of Ayacucho, Peru. Little is known about the details of the Wari administrative structure, as they did not appear to use a form of written record. See also[edit] References[edit] Additional reading[edit] Collier, Simon et al.
Ancient Sumer with thanks to The History GuideWhat is good in a man's sight is evil for a god, What is evil to a man's mind is good for his god. Who can comprehend the counsel of the gods in heaven? The plan of a god is deep waters, who can fathom of it? Where has befuddled mankind ever learned what is a god's conduct?Before CivilizationBetween 9000 B.C. and the beginning of the Christian era, western civilization came into being in Egypt and in what historians call Ancient Western Asia (modern-day Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, south-western Russia, Iraq and Iran). The city-state was Sumer's most important political entity.
'Lost' Medieval City Discovered Beneath Cambodian Jungle A lost city known only from inscriptions that existed some 1,200 years ago near Angkor in what is now Cambodia has been uncovered using airborne laser scanning. The previously undocumented cityscape, called Mahendraparvata, is hidden beneath a dense forest on the holy mountain Phnom Kulen, which means "Mountain of the Lychees." The cityscape came into clear view, along with a vast expanse of ancient urban spaces that made up Greater Angkor, the large area where one of the largest religious monuments ever constructed — Angkor Wat, meaning "temple city" — was built between A.D. 1113 and 1150. [See Images of Angkor Wat, New Temple City] Aerial view of Angkor Wat, showing the moat and causeway and the central tower surrounded by four smaller towersCredit: Alexey Stiop | Shutterstock.com Traces of temples In a series of archaeological mapping projects, scientists had previously used remote sensing to map subtle traces of Angkor. Lost medieval city Weird landscape
Moche (culture) The Moche civilization (alternatively, the Mochica culture, Early Chimu, Pre-Chimu, Proto-Chimu, etc.) flourished in northern Peru with its capital near present-day Moche and Trujillo,[1] from about 100 AD to 800 AD, during the Regional Development Epoch. While this issue is the subject of some debate, many scholars contend that the Moche were not politically organized as a monolithic empire or state. Rather, they were likely a group of autonomous polities that shared a common elite culture, as seen in the rich iconography and monumental architecture that survive today. Their adobe huacas have been mostly destroyed by looters and natural forces over the last 1300 years. Material culture[edit] Ceramics[edit] Traditional north coast Peruvian ceramic art uses a limited palette, relying primarily on red and white; fineline painting, fully modeled clay, veristic figures, and stirrup spouts. The realistic detail in Moche ceramics may have helped them serve as didactic models. Textiles[edit]
12 of the World’s Most Mysterious Monuments & Ruins 12 of the World’s Most Mysterious Monuments & Ruins Article by Steph, filed under Abandoned Places in the Architecture category. Around the world, in places as diverse as Homestead, Florida and Yonaguni, Japan stand monuments and ruins whose origins are shrouded in mystery. Nobody knows exactly why Stonehenge was built, how a set of manmade ruins came to be submerged deep in the ocean or who commissioned a giant carved granite set of post-apocalyptic instructions for rebuilding society on a remote hill in Georgia. Monumental Instructions for the Post-Apocalypse (images via: Wired) On a barren knoll in northeastern Georgia stands one of the world’s most bizarre and mysterious monuments. Lake Michigan Stonehenge (image via: io9) A group of researchers using sonar to look for shipwrecks at the bottom of Lake Michigan got quite a surprise when they found what appears to be an ancient Stonehenge-like structure 40 feet beneath the surface of the water. Underwater Ruins in Japan (images via: Hottnez)
11 Things You May Not Know About Ancient Egypt — HISTORY Lists Ancient Egypt stood as one of the world’s most advanced civilizations for nearly 3,000 years and created a culture so rich that it has spawned its own field of study. But while Egyptian art, architecture and burial methods have become enduring objects of fascination, there is still a lot you probably don’t know about these famed builders of the pyramids. From the earliest recorded peace treaty to ancient board games, find out 11 surprising facts about the Gift of the Nile. Along with King Tut, perhaps no figure is more famously associated with ancient Egypt than Cleopatra VII. For over two centuries the Egyptians fought against the Hittite Empire for control of lands in modern day Syria. After a long day’s work along the Nile River, Egyptians often relaxed by playing board games. While they may have been publicly and socially viewed as inferior to men, Egyptian women enjoyed a great deal of legal and financial independence.
Sacsayhuamán Sideways view of the walls of Saksaywaman showing the details of the stonework and the angle of the walls. The site, at an altitude of 3,701 m, was added as part of the city of Cusco to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983. Description[edit] Located on a steep hill that overlooks the city, it contains an impressive view of the valley to the southeast. Because of its location high above Cusco and its immense terrace walls, this area of Saksaywaman is frequently referred to as a fortress.[5] The importance of its military functions was highlighted in 1536 when Manco Inca lay siege to Cusco.[6] Much of the fighting occurred in and around Saksaywaman as it was critical for maintaining control over the city. The large plaza area, capable of holding thousands of people, is well designed for ceremonial activities and several of the large structures at the site may also have been used during rituals. On 13 March 2008, archaeologists discovered additional ruins at the periphery of Saksaywaman.
Our animated maps in free access - The map as history The first Christian communities (1st century) This map is part of a series of 17 animated maps showing History of Christianity. 4 are currently available online Independence for India and Pakistan Clement Attlee, the Labour Prime Minister who replaced Winston Churchill in July 1945, soon realised that independence for India was inevitable, but disagreements among the Indian politicians made the negotiations very difficult. This map is part of a series of 14 animated maps showing Decolonization after 1945 The circumference of the Earth and the Route towards the West In the 3rd century BCE, Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth with remarkable precision. In later centuries, other Greek geographers, including the most famous of them all Ptolemy, suggested a much lower figure for the circumference for our planet. This under-estimation was adopted by 15th century map-makers. This map is part of a series of 16 animated maps showing The Age of Discovery (Part I) Europe Plunges into War
Original photographs from the Civil War