The Hurrians establish the Kingdom of Urkesh c. 4000 BCE, with the creator God Kumarbi as patron deity. Their greatest power arises...

Kushuh (Kušuḫ) is the oracular moon god of the Hurrians. He's among the most popular gods of the pantheon, with worship centers in...

With spiritual meaning as well as dusky allure, powdered black kohl (kajal, kajol, or tiro) is one of the oldest widespread types of...

Myrrh ( Commiphora sp) has a history older than humankind. Deeply connected to death, healing and the divine, myrrh is a smoky, strongly...

Puduḫepa ( Puduḫepa, Pudu-Kheb ) is one of the greatest women of the ancient world. In the 13th century BCE she rules beside her...

With the favored practice of naming early civilizations after their grave types, here is the Catacomb culture. The progressive and...

The ancient town of Kültepe (Kultepe, Kanesh, Kaneš), where the earliest writing originates, rises to a prosperous trade city and kārum ...

Liber is an ancient Roman wine god whose feast Liberalia is celebrated March 17. He predates Bacchus; early historians see Liber as a...

Under Alaric in 410 AD, the Visigoths invade Italy and attack Rome, the nerve center of the civilized world. Before that, with Visigoths...

Copper (Cu) is one of the original seven metals of antiquity and has been used for thousands of years. This metal is found in the ground...

Tannenbaum is often equated with Christmas tree. Fir is best for the holidays. Its branches have flat soft foliage, it's easy to hang...

Inspired by Persian Mithra, Romans recreate ancient cult rituals and religious mysteries in the worship of Mithras, based on the older...

Käthe Kollwitz (1867 - 1945) is a stellar German artist. A doctor's wife among the less privileged of society, she works with her husband...

In the nineteenth century , Victorians are outdoors more than ever before as health spas flourish, fresh air vacations came into vogue...

Sugar from sugar beets, Altbier or Old Beer from the Rhineland and world's first newspaper are among the German inventions. Today, sugar...

Human taxidermy and death photography are ways to keep the loved one close. Science, nature and the occult are at the forefront of...

Anna Connelly saves countless lives when she invents and patents the first modern fire escape in 1877. After the Civil War, Americans...

Coffee filters, gummi bears, guide dog school and refrigeration are among the German inventions of the 19th and early 20th centuries,...

The home gym, antiseptic, bicycles and Bunsen burners all emerge in the 19th century . European engineers, scientists, physicians and...

Among the most endearing attractions of Heidelberg is the Bronze Monkey or Bridge Monkey . Much of the action in Death Cruise , the...