Ancient History Period.
Folklore around the world is filled with strange creatures, each reflecting the cultural fears, beliefs, and imaginations of the societies that created them. These beings often served as cautionary figures, teaching moral lessons, explaining natural phenomena, or simply embodying the unknown. Below is a collection of ten weird and unsettling creatures from ancient folklore, each representing a different corner of the globe.
Watching Encounters at the End of the World, Werner Herzog's 2007 documentary about scientists living and studying in Antarctica's harsh climate, was one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences I’ve had to date. If I share any trait with arguably one of the greatest film directors, it’s my fascination with unique, offbeat individuals driven by passion and living outside the boundaries of convention.
The roots of Halloween can be found in an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. According to legend, during the three days of Samhain (October 31 to November 2), the Celts would attend great feasts, sit around huge bonfires that lit up the night sky, and perform various rituals designed to salute or placate their gods and the other moody and unpredictable beings that lived alongside them.
In a remarkable fusion of software technologies and human imagination, we are now able to experience disparate worlds simultaneously. Seamlessly intertwined, the past meets the present and cultures collide through immersive and extended reality. The possibilities are endless, as demonstrated by the innovative projects pioneered by OurWorlds.
Popular throughout Central and South America, the tamal is a traditional dish made from ground corn filled with a variety of ingredients, wrapped in leaves, and steamed until cooked.
It isn’t hard to see why the Assyrians considered the massive and monumental Bull of Nimrud sculpture to be a guardian deity. Towering at an awe-inspiring 16 feet tall, this stone carving featured an imposing supernatural creature known as the lamassu. Bearing the face of a man, the body of a bull, and the wings of a bird, scholars argue that these features represented intelligence, strength, and freedom.
When you delve into news related to historic reconstructions, one name consistently emerges: Cícero Moraes. His remarkable talent has brought faces from the distant past back to life, including Mary Magdalene, Saint Anthony of Padua, the Woman of Pumapungo, and even the Renaissance astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
Music was an integral part of daily life in the Nile Valley from the earliest times. It was a rich and important aspect of ancient Egyptian culture, permeating religious ceremonies, popular festivals, and daily activities.
The flute is one of the world's oldest musical instruments and has a rich and diverse history spanning several millennia.