Five Ways Pope Francis, Religious Leader Who Pushed to Modernize the Catholic Church, Was a Man of Firsts
The pontiff, who died on Easter Monday at age 88, strived to make the church more inclusive. But critics believed his reforms either went too far or not far enough
Some ‘Hairy’ Medieval Books Were Covered in Sealskin, and Researchers Don’t Know Exactly Why
Historians were surprised when analyses revealed Catholic monks used pinniped hides for the protective outer layer on some manuscripts, rather than skins from the local boars and deer
Clay Artifacts Found in King Tut’s Tomb May Have Been Part of a Ritual Honoring the Egyptian God Osiris
The four clay troughs were initially thought to have served as stands for gold-plated staffs. Now, a researcher has presented a new theory about their purpose
The TikTok-Famous Dubai Chocolate Traces Its Origins to the 13th-Century Middle East
Generation Z is putting its own spin on knafeh, a dish first designed to quash a caliph’s hunger pangs
Archaeologists Uncover Two Nearly Life-Size Statues Carved Into the Wall of a Tomb in Ancient Pompeii
The figures appear to represent a married couple. Experts think the woman, who is holding laurel leaves, may have been a priestess
South Korea’s Worst Ever Wildfires Ravage Ancient Buddhist Temples and Menace Historic Villages
One monk said his old temple was ‘reduced to heaps of ashes,’ as the fires continue to rage across the country
See the Stunning Sapphire Ring Belonging to a Medieval Bishop That Just Sold at Auction
Found by a metal detectorist in England, the item features a sapphire surrounded by two emeralds and two stones that are either garnets or rubies
What Archaeologists Are Uncovering About the Buddha in His Legendary Nepali Hometown
The birthplace of the Buddha beckons worshipers from around the world, as well as researchers hoping to dig up new evidence about the revered spiritual leader
Gutenberg Bible Reunited With Rare 15th-Century Devotional Print Once Tucked Inside Its Pages
Two centuries after they were separated, the print and the Bible are on display together at the Huntington Library in California
Flannery O’Connor Wanted to Shake Her Readers Awake. Her Family Wanted Her to Write the Next ‘Gone With the Wind’
This year marks the writer’s 100th birthday. Through fiction anchored in her Southern background and Catholic faith, O’Connor revealed how candid confrontations with darkness lead to moments of reckoning
Women Played a More Important Role in Producing Medieval Manuscripts Than Previously Thought
New research suggests that women were the scribes of at least 1.1 percent of manuscripts in the Latin West between 400 and 1500 C.E.
Archaeologists Unearth the Torso of a Rare Buddha Statue—Nearly 100 Years After They Found Its Head
The two pieces of the 800-year-old sculpture were discovered roughly 160 feet away from each other at the Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia
See These Newly Restored Massive Paintings Devoted to a Hindu God
The artworks, part of a new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, help shed light on a traditional religious practice
Archaeologists Unearth 1,600-Year-Old Jewish Ritual Bath—the Oldest Ever Found in Europe
Located in Ostia Antica, the mikvah dates to the late fourth or early fifth century C.E. Researchers say it’s the earliest discovery of its kind outside the Middle East
See the Stunning Golden Jewelry, Amulets and Small Statues Unearthed at an Ancient Egyptian Temple
Found at the Karnak Temple complex in Luxor, the 2,600-year-old trove includes a necklace depicting a golden trio of Egyptian deities
See the New Tartan Pattern Created to Honor Women Accused of Witchcraft in Scotland Between 1563 and 1736
The black, red, gray and pink design honors the thousands of individuals—mostly women—who were persecuted under the Scottish Witchcraft Act
Why Oscar Wilde’s Play About a Biblical Temptress Was Banned From the British Stage for Decades
“Salome,” a one-act tragedy by the Irish playwright, terrified the Victorian public with its provocative depiction of a teenage girl whose lust for a man quickly morphs into bloodlust
See the Stunning Frescoes of a Mysterious Dionysian Cult Discovered in Ancient Pompeii
Created more than a century before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E., the wall paintings provide rare insights into secret rituals conducted in the Roman city
Since Ancient Times, Romans Have Gifted These Cream-Filled Treats to Their Sweethearts
Once a part of marriage proposals, maritozzi are making a comeback in Italy and around the world
See Mosul’s Historic Leaning Minaret Tower, Rebuilt After Destruction by ISIS
Eight years after the Iraqi city was left in ruins, Mosul’s rich multicultural heritage is slowly but surely beginning to flower again
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