Many believe Saturnalia was a major influence on customs associated with later celebrations in western Europe, especially Christmas. Let’s look at the origins of this pagan holiday and similarities with today’s festivities.
Like many other pagan festivities, Yule was Christianised and transformed into Christmastide. Despite this, Yule is still commonly used in carols and in connection with Christmas, such as the Yule log. How was this ancient festival celebrated, what was its meaning and how does it infuence Christmas celebrations today?
In the Twilight saga. Jacob Black lives on a Reservation in La Push, Washington. He states his family, the Quileute’s have descended from wolves. The Quileute Tribe, though, is an actual Native American tribe. So what is the truth behind the fiction of the Quileute Tribe?
The earliest writings about the Celts dates from around 2500 years ago. These sources are non Celtic, though, mainly Greek and Roman. Archaeological evidence, however, indicates that the Celtic culture started to evolve circa 1200 B.C. Julius Caesar later referred to them Celts as “Galli,” which had come to mean barbarians (although it originally referred to the Phrygian priestly class of Eunuchs devoted to Cybele). However, where the Celts actually barbarians? And does anything remains of Celtic culture today?
Long before the Samurai, Japanese fighters were highly skilled in the use of a sword and spear. Some communities, though, lacked male fighters. The led to the emergence of the Omna-bugeisha. Who were the Omna-bugeisha, what were their skills and how important were they in Japanese history?
Halloween has been observed by many Christians since c.610 CE, and is a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve (Hallow meaning holy ones, or saints). This was followed by All Saints Day on 1 November and All Souls’ Day on 2 November. The three days are collectively known as Allhallowtide. They are a time for honouring the saints and praying for recently departed souls who have yet to reach heaven. Despite this though, Halloween has much older origins and many of the customs today, go back much farther into history.
In 1897 at Coligny, near Lyon, a lunisolar calendar used by the Gauls (the name given by Caesar to continental Celts) was discovered. What were the features of this calendar, when was it made and how important was this calendar to the Gauls?
The Knights Templar had many symbols that represented and inspired them throughout their history and they have been preserved through the passage of time. What are some of these symbols and what was their meaning?
The Kimono is a traditional Japanese garment, the word literally meaning “wearing (Ki) and thing (mono)”. What is the history behind these garments and how has their use developed in the modern world.
The Autumnal Equinox 2019 (Spring Equinox in Southern hemisphere) has taken place at 8:50 am on Monday, 23 September in the UK (GMT+1). On the tropical (seasonal) zodiac the Sun enters the sign of Libra. Those born under the cardinal sign of Libra ♎ are good at resolving conflict and preserving peace, harmony and equilibrium.
The most ancient form of known footwear were discovered in Fort Rock Cave in Oregon, constructed from sagebrush bark and have been radiocarbon dated to over 10,000 years ago. They were sandals. Sandals are still in common usage as a comfortable form of footwear in warmer climates today. How common were sandals among the ancients, how were they constructed and when did they first become factory produced?
The most ancient form of known footwear were discovered in Fort Rock Cave in Oregon, constructed from sagebrush bark and have been radiocarbon dated to over 10,000 years ago. They were sandals. Sandals are still in common usage as a comfortable form of footwear in warmer climates today. How common were sandals among the ancients, how were they constructed and when did they first become factory produced?
