• As Mongolia Melts, Looters Close In On Priceless Artifacts
Climate change and desperation are putting the country’s unique history at risk
Climate change and desperation are putting the country’s unique history at risk
Archaeologists have discovered the lost city of Mardaman, the remains of which are pictured here. It is located in northern Iraq near a modern-day town called Bassetki. It was inhabited for thousands of years. The remains left by its ancient inhabitants f
Odd circumstancesAbout 1,500 years ago a fortress that is now called "Sandby borg" came under a surprise attack. Archaeologists found that the inhabitants were slaughtered, many of them didn't even have the chance to face their attackers. This p
A cuneiform tablet seized by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from Hobby Lobby.Credit: U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of New YorkHundreds of 4,000 year old tablets that were looted in Iraq and bought by the U.S. company Hobby Lobby
(Christian Eckmann/Copyright: RGZM, DAI Cairo and University of Tübingen)Clockwise from top left: wooden box, embossed gold sheet, and gold fragmentsAlthough the treasureof the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun’s grave, one of the most famous archaeological di
This 1,500-year-old papyrus was found near the pyramid of the Pharaoh Senwosret I.Credit: Rogers Fund, 1934/Public DomainScientists have deciphered what they describe as a 1,500-year-old 'magical papyrus' that was discovered near thepyramidof the Pharaoh
“元太祖荡平西域，尽以诸王，驸马为之君长，易前代国名以蒙古语” 。元朝灭亡后，故元势力仍然对西域有广泛的影响力。为了最后消除故元在西域的势力。限制后来的鞑靼、瓦剌在这一地区的发展，朱元璋父子在努力经营东北的同时，对西域的经营也采取了非常积极的态度。明人称此为“西控西域，南隔羌戎，北遮胡虏”。并将其比作汉武帝的“断匈奴之右臂” 。 马文升(1426年)说：“我太祖高皇帝应天眷命，扫逐胡元，统一寰宇，凡四夷 ...
海上丝绸之路：张骞出使西域后，汉朝的使者、商人接踵西行，西域的使者、商人也纷纷东来。他们把中国的丝和纺织品，从洛阳、长安通过河西走廊、今新疆地区，运往西亚，再转运到欧洲，又把西域各国的奇珍异宝输入中国内地。这条沟通中西交通的陆上要道，就是历史上著名的丝绸之路。汉武帝以后，西汉的商人还常出海贸易，开辟了海上交通要道，这就是历史上著名的海上丝绸之路。 海上丝绸之路，是中国与世界其他地区之间海上交通的 ...
丝绸之路的历史：丝绸之路通常是指欧亚大陆北部的商路，与南方的茶马古道形成对比，西汉汉武帝时张骞首次开拓丝路和东汉时的班超经营西域并再次打通延伸了丝路，以及罗马人征服叙利亚的塞琉西帝国和埃及的托勒密王朝后，罗马人通过安息帝国、贵霜帝国和阿克苏姆帝国取得中国的丝绸。西汉时期由张骞首次打通的的丝路，被称为“凿空之旅”，西汉末年，在匈奴的袭扰下，丝绸之路中断。 公元73年，东汉时的班超又重新打通隔绝58年西 ...
丝绸之路简介：丝绸之路，简称丝路。是指西汉(前202年—8年)时，由张骞出使西域开辟的以长安(今西安)为起点，经甘肃、新疆，到中亚、西亚，并联结地中海各国的陆上通道(这条道路也被称为“西北丝绸之路”以区别日后另外两条冠以“丝绸之路”名称的交通路线)。因为由这条路西运的货物中以丝绸制品的影响最大，故得此名(而且有很多丝绸都是我们中国运的)。其基本走向定于两汉时期，包括南道、中道、北道三条路线。 丝绸之路是历史 ...
From January to April in 2017, Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology with National Center of Underwater Cultural Heritage teamedup to conduct a joint archaeological excavation. The underwater excavation was carried out at the bot
Built between roughly A.D. 1113 and 1150, and encompassing an area of about 500 acres (200 hectares), Angkor Wat is one of the largest religious monuments ever constructed. Its name means "temple city."Originally built as a Hindu temple dedicate
From January to April 2017, the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology has done a thorough archeological exploration on the ancient walls of Linhuan ancient City and has excavated a fractured section of the northeast portion of the
(Mordechai Aviam/Kinneret College on the Sea Galilee/Israel Science Foundation)Donor inscription, Galilee, IsraelWhile excavating threeByzantine churches in Galilee, archaeologists from Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee uncovered seven intact mosaic
Archaeologists in Rome have recently discovered a 1,900-year-old home that would have belonged to a Roman military commander. It is located beside a barracks that housed Roman soldiers. The home has 14 rooms as well as the remains of a courtyard, fountain
Inside the military commander's house, archaeologists found the remains of mosaic floors made with white marble and grey slate. Many of the mosaics were decorated with geometric patterns.Credit: Ministero Dei Beni E Delle Attività Culturali Del TurismoArc
Make traditional treasures come alive, says Palace Museum directorFrom：China DailyWriter：Zhang XingjianDate：2018-03-02The Palace Museum Director Shan Jixiang delivered a cultural heritage speech Feb 27 in Beijing, which was co-organized by the Beijing Dip
Amanyangyun Shanghai features old houses and trees transplanted from Jiangxi province. The hotel has the most expensive rooms in China, ranging from $950 to $12,700 per night. Traditional Chinese homes are quickly vanishing from the landscape as China's d
At least 40 limestone sarcophagi that held mummified burials were discovered in the cemetery. One of them is pictured here.Credit: Egyptian Antiquities MinistryArchaeologists have discovered a 2,300-year-old underground cemetery that holds burials of the
This 2,700-year-old seal impression contains the Hebrew name for "Isaiah" and may refer to the biblical prophet who lived at the same time.Credit: Ouria Tadmor/copyrightEilat MazarSome 2,700 years ago, someone pressed a seal bearing the name Isa
Photo from March 10, 2017, shows severe damage to the Umayyad (Great Mosque) of Aleppo—part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site—caused by fighting during the Syrian Civil War. Photo: Alfred Yaghobzadeh
Scholars have deciphered a Dead Sea Scroll written in a Hebrew code, finding that it contains part of a 364-day calendar of holy days.
Excavations have begun in an area of the Valley of the Kings where the tomb of Tutankhamun's wife may be located, archaeologist Zahi Hawass announced today (Jan. 16). Archaeologists are digging in
Using cosmic particles called muons, and possibly tiny robots, scientists hope to figure out what created two mysterious voids inside the Great Pyramid. Possibilities range from a new burial chambe
Turbulent events surrounding the Rosetta Stone are being revealed by new excavations in the ancient Egyptian city of Thmuis
Shrouded in mystery, the Temple of Garni offers a rare glimpse into pre-Christian CaucasiaByBenjamin Kempersmithsonian.comJanuary 5, 2018"Church fatigue?” my tour guide asked rhetorically, noticing my dragging feet and glazed-over eyes. I’d never hea
第一期中国世界自然遗产能力建设研讨会 于12月13-14日在山东泰安成功举办The First Seminar on China Natural World Heritage Capacity Building successfully held at Tai’an, Shandong Province on 13-14 December2017年12月13-14日，第一期中国世界自然遗产能力建设
The Dead Sea Scrolls on display at Qumran in 2010.Credit: ShutterstockThe burial of a warrior who lived and (literally) died by the sword, a new tomb in the Valley of the Kings and a cave that may have held Dead Sea Scrolls — these are just some of the bi
Soup dishCredit: Photo courtesy Chinese Cultural RelicsA 3,100-year-old tomb filled with bronze food vessels that have incredible designs has been discovered in Baoji City in China. This photo shows a "tureen," a vessel that is often used to ser
The castle found beneath the surface of Lake Van in Turkey may have been built 3,000 years ago by ancient people called the Urartians, but archaeologists can't say for certain.Credit: Photo by Tahsin CeylanLast week, a story about a 3,000-year-old castle
People examine relics on Tuesday that were recovered in a special operation in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The launch of China's national internet platform that provides information about lost or stolen cultural relics will help netizens create even more suc
A digger works at the archaeological site of the three royal baths unearthed in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. Three royal baths have been unearthed among the ruins of an ancient city in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, archaeologists said.They were found in August dur
This statue of a bodhisattva (an individual who seeks enlightenment) is one of over 260 statues that was discovered buried near the cremated remains of what an inscription says is the Gautama Buddha (also known as Siddhārtha Gautama, Sākyamuni Buddha or s
Cremated human remains were found inside this ceramic box. An inscription found nearby says that they were buried Jun. 22, 1013 and belong to the Buddha. It is not certain if the statues were buried along with the remains.Credit: Photo courtesy Chinese Cu
The north entrance of the Palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete.Credit:Andrei Nekrassov|ShutterstockThe Palace of Knossos is located just south of modern-day Heraklion near the north coast of Crete. Built by a civilization that we call theMinoans
A show opening at the Sackler dramatizes the various meanings that the people of Egypt once associated with cats
The hull of the ship was cracked, suggesting it was hit and took on water, leading to it being wrecked some 700 years ago.Credit: Photo courtesy Chinese Cultural RelicsArchaeologists have uncovered a shipwreck buried under silt and mud that dates back aro
This 2,000-year-old wooden chariot was buried alongside the remains of two horses and a dog, as well as the remains of a nobleman from Thrace, in what is now Bulgaria.Credit: UBB/Veselin IgnatovThe photo of an ancient Thracian chariot alongside the bones
Pottery Workshop of the Song Dynasty Found in Nanyao Site, SuzhouFrom：Chinese ArchaeologyWriter：Date：2017-10-20rom June to November in 2016, Suzhou Municipal Institute of Archaeology conducted a salvage excavation to Nanyao site, with an area of about 600
According to the inscription, a kingdom called Mira controlled Troy 3,200 years ago and a prince from Troy, named Muksus, led Mira's forces in a series of military campaigns. (Alex Khripunov/Shutterstock)A 3,200-year-old stone slab with an inscription tha
An Iraqi archaeologist braved ISIS snipers and booby-trapped ruins to rescue cultural treasures in the city and nearby legendary Nineveh and Nimrud
The sub-regional Meeting “Developing Management Strategies for the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors in Central Asia”, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 13-14 September 2017, brought together representatives from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and
Ruins of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece.Credit: Motty Levy/ShutterstockArcheologists and other scientists have long known that intoxicating gases emanating from water flowing from deep within the earth likely produced the visions of the oracle of
A statue of Leonidas was erected in 1968 in Sparta, Greece.Credit:Anastasios71|ShutterstockSparta is a city in Laconia, on the Peloponnese in Greece. In antiquity, it was a powerful city-state with a famous martial tradition. Ancient writers sometimes ref
According to legend, 6th-century Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had a colossal maze of waterfalls and dense vegetation planted across his palace for a wife, who missed her lush homeland. Archaeologists still debate the garden's existence.Credit: Photo Cre
This sculpture of an Egyptian pharaoh was found in the ancient city of Hazor in Israel. It was constructed around 4,300 years ago, at a time when pyramids were being built in Egypt, and was smashed apart when Hazor was destroyed around 3,300 years ago. (G
A series of Egyptian tombs dating back about 2,000 years, to the time when the Romans controlled Egypt, have been discovered at Bir esh-Shaghala in the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt.Credit: Egypt Ministry of AntiquitiesA series of tombs dating back about 2,000 ye
The name Troy refers both to a place in legend and a real-life archaeological site. In legend, Troy is a city that was besieged for 10 years and eventually conquered by a Greek army led by King Agamemnon. The reason for this "Trojan War" was, ac
Lost Biblical city found?Experts believe they have found the lost Roman city of Julias, formerly the village of Bethsaida, which was the home of Jesus' apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip.Last month, archaeologists from the Kinneret Institute for Galilean A
第41届世界遗产委员会会议诞生21项新世界遗产（一）自然遗产介绍Introduction of Natural World Heritage sites2017年7月2日于波兰克拉科夫开幕的第41届世界遗产委员会会议于7月12日落下帷幕。在本次会议上，共有21项新的世界遗产诞生，同时批准了5项遗产的扩展或调整。至此，《世界遗产名录》上的遗产项目已达1073项。安哥拉及厄立特里亚更是首次有遗产入选。此外还有一项遗产被列入《世界濒危遗产名录》，同时有三项遗产不再被列 ...
国际科学会议——“丝绸之路和哈拉和林”原创 BEJ/CLT 联合国教科文组织由联合国教科文组织二类中心国际游牧文明研究所联合蒙古国教科文组织全国委员会，世界遗产鄂尔浑峡谷文化景观管理办公室，和哈拉和林博物馆共同主办，前杭爱省省政府和巴彦戈壁滩旅游基地以及蒙古第一个佛教寺院Erdene Zuu大力支持的国际科学会议——“丝绸之路和哈拉和林”于7月18日在蒙古国古都哈拉和林市举行。On July 18, in the city of Kharakhorum, an ...
八剌沙衮是古代粟特人的城市，这里曾是唐代北庭都护府的管辖范围，后来被回鹘人建立喀喇汗王朝所统，并成为了东喀喇汗的首府，曾向宋朝进贡。接着被契丹人建立的西辽所占据，最后消失于成吉思汉的铁蹄下。十世纪时喀喇汗王朝，因受萨曼王朝影响而改宗回教，成为第一个突厥-伊斯兰王朝。直冲云霄的布拉纳塔，正是这一改宗的见证。而散落在遗址四周的库尔干石人是突厥人改宗前的图腾，曾广泛分布于中亚大草原间，如今却渐渐被人遗忘 ...
AN ANCIENT SITE ROOTED IN THE HEART OF MODERN BEIJING, THE FORBIDDEN CITY IS ONE OF CHINA’S MOST FAMOUS ATTRACTIONS. COMPLETED IN 1420, THE CITY SERVED AS THE PALACE OF MING DYNASTY EMPEROR, YONGLE.
Experts were thrilled to discover the coin on a remote island in the Scottish Orkney archipelago. The coin, which is believed to date from the mid fourth-century A.D., was found during an excavation on the small island of Rousay, which is part of the
On June 29 2014 – nearly three years ago to the day – Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi took the pulpit at the Great Mosque of Al-Nuri in Mosul in northern Iraq.
From prehistory to the 21st century, human sacrifice has been practiced around the world by numerous cultures. Live Science takes a look at 25 cultures that practiced, or still practice, human sacrifice.
Ancient frescoes have been rediscovered inside the 1,600-year-old Domitilla catacombs after Italian art experts used laser technology to remove centuries of grit and grime.
A tomb dating back around 3,400 years has been discovered on Sai Island, on the Nile River in Sudan.
Archaeologists discovered the tomb in 2015, though it wasn't until 2017 that a team with the AcrossBorders archaeological research project fully excavated the site.
Premier Li Keqiang meets representatives of the second overseas Chinese business conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. Li encouraged overseas Chinese to contribute by investing talent and resources. LI XUEREN / XINHUA
The ancient catacombs of St. Domitilla sprawl for more than 10 miles (17 kilometers) in a labyrinth of tunnels beneath Rome and contain numerous tombs, many belonging to the city's elite.
How Genghis Khan's heirs used the principles of tolerance to build the first wave of globalisation
In an effort to share more of our favourite ancient objects from around the world, each month Ancient History Encyclopedia staff are going to take a closer look at some really amazing objects or buildings. Today’s Object in Focus is the Antonine Wall.
The remains of at least four female heads, made out of ceramic, have been discovered at the ancient town of Porphyreon, located in modern-day Jiyeh, Lebanon.