Ancient history
A short history of games of chance in the Middle East
From ancient dice and royal game boards to modern digital platforms, the Middle East's long relationship with games of chance reveals a timeless fascination with luck, fate and uncertainty.
Frescos from famed Etruscan tomb go on display in Rome after multi-million euro purchase by Italy
A historical overview of gambling in the Middle East
Turkey places site of Alexander the Great’s first battle with Persians under historic protection
Excavation uncovers 1,300-year-old breads stamped with Christ the Sower
Experts suggest these finds may be 'communion bread' used in early Christian rituals, revealing both ritual customs and the symbolic integration of spirituality into everyday life.
‘Sword Dragon’: 185-million-year-old predator with enormous eyes and blade-like snout identified
Scientists say the nearly complete skeleton, found in 2001 near Golden Cap, is 'a missing piece in the puzzle of ichthyosaur evolution'.
Ancient Roman silver treasure of 450 coins found near Borsum
The hoard ranks among the three biggest finds in Lower Saxony and could shed light on first century AD life and trade.
3,000-year-old New Kingdom stronghold found at Tell al-Kharouba, Northern Sinai
Archaeologists unearthed a 105-meter southern wall with a side entrance, an internal 75-meter zigzag barrier and eleven towers, revealing sophisticated ancient Egyptian border defenses.
The vanished Red Sea and the catastrophic flood that brought it back
Researchers found that 6.2 million years ago, the Red Sea dried completely and was then suddenly reflooded, marking one of Earth's most extreme environmental events.
Archaeologists uncover ancient Greek graffiti in Crimea
The graffiti was discovered under a thick stone slab, suggesting it was deliberately hidden and not a product of chance.
Ancient wonders at risk: Persepolis faces threat of land subsidence
land surrounding Persepolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is sinking, and many of Iran's 28 World Heritage sites, including Pasargadae and Yazd, are located near sinking areas.
Ancient meeting ground: New insights from Czech Celtic coin discovery
The collection holds gold and silver coins, earrings, bracelet fragments, and ingots, suggesting the site may have served as a center for trade and possibly coin minting.
Perfectly preserved dinosaur egg found during live broadcast
A carnivorous dinosaur’s egg was found near General Roca in Argentine Patagonia during an expedition broadcast live on YouTube and Instagram.
4,000-year-old limestone tablet vanishes in Egypt
The tablet has disappeared from the tomb of Khentika in the Saqqara necropolis, an Egyptologist describing the theft as “an archeological tragedy”.
