Iran’s ancient engineering marvel
Source: BBC News By Joobin Bekhrad 20 June 2018 What on Earth are those? I thought to myself shortly before landing in the Iranian city of Esfahan one summer. From the […]
Manuscript Review: The Catalogue (Al Fihrist), by Al-Nadim
By: N.A. Baloch AL-FIHRIST is to be regarded the first standard subject-wise ‘catalogue’ covering all areas of knowledge… Figure 1. Ibn al-Nadim ابن النديم الفهرست Muslim Masterminds (Source) *** Editor’s Note: The […]
When Did Humans Discover Fire? The Answer Depends on What You Mean By ‘Discover’
Source: Time By ANDREW C. SCOTT June 1, 2018 Fire is one of the most important forces on Earth. The use of fire by humans has long been considered as a […]
The Egyptian boat buried for 5,000 years
Source: BBC News Found in a pit next to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the ancient vessel was buried to transport Pharaoh Khufu’s spirit to the heavens. Original Source
The Many Criticisms of Rama and the ‘Anger’ of the Hindu Right
The Wire In: Several days ago, I pointed out on Twitter that Valmiki’s Ramayana contains episodes where Sita criticises Rama, whereas representing Sita as chiding Rama today – as did a recent cartoon – often leads to extreme controversy. I soon found out that many now find intolerable even criticisms preserved within […]
Arab Slave Trade
Slavery December 10, 2016 Alik Shahadah The History of Arab Slavery in Africa Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those […]
Google’s 3D scans aim to preserve historical sites
Source: BBC News High resolution 3D scans of more than 25 historical sites from around the world are being released. CyArk used cutting edge digital archaeology techniques including laser scanning and drones to capture the images which have been released by the Google Arts and Culture project. The project coincides […]
Why remembering matters for healing
Source: The Conversation April 12 marks Holocaust Remembrance Day. Each year communities and schools plan various events such as reading the names of Holocaust victims and survivors, forums of Holocaust survivor […]
Europe’s last pagan nation
Source: BBC News By Will Mawhood 20 March 2018 In mid-January, the snow made the little coastal town of Šventoji in north-west Lithuania feel like a film set. Restaurants, shops […]
Who Owns the Vikings? Pagans, Neo-Nazis and Advertisers Tussle Over Symbols
Source: The New York Times By RICHARD MARTYN-HEMPHILL and HENRIK PRYSER LIBELL Photo A worshiper holding Thor’s hammer at a pagan ceremony in Sweden conducted by the Nordic Asa Community. CreditJasper Juinen for The […]
Lost tablet of Seljuk Sultan Kayqubad I found in Turkey’s Antalya
DAILY SABAH ISTANBUL The lost tablet of Seljuk Sultan Kayqubad I found in Turkey’s Antalya province (AA Photo) Related Articles Feature 13th century complex offers a glimpse of Seljuk […]
Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History
Premieres Sunday, March 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT in CNN Go inside the Vatican to reveal how popes have used their power to shape the course of world history. The […]
The Last Nizam of Hyderabad, From Untold Riches to Total Obscurity
By John Zubrzycki on 04/04/2017 The massive fortune of India’s richest royal family just dissipated because of indifference and ineptitude. File picture of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mukarram Jah, […]
The ‘real’ St. Valentine was no patron of love
Source: The Conversation On Feb. 14, sweethearts of all ages will exchange cards, flowers, candy, and more lavish gifts in the name of St. Valentine. But as a historian of Christianity, […]
Why the Arabic World Turned Away from Science
On the lost Golden Age and the rejection of reason Hillel Ofek Contemporary Islam is not known for its engagement in the modern scientific project. But it is heir to a legendary “Golden Age” of Arabic science frequently invoked by commentators hoping to make Muslims and Westerners more respectful and […]
Book Review: Ibn Khaldun – An Intellectual History
Source: Princeton University Press By Robert Irwin, who is a senior research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and a former lecturer at the University […]
Islam’s Historical Contribution to Commerce and Finance
By: John M. Hobson Under the reign of Eurocentrism, the Western mind imagines that even if Islam came up with all manner of new ideas and technologies – ideas in […]
They spoke out against immigrants. So she unearthed their own immigrant ancestors
Source: CNN By AJ Willingham, CNN (CNN)If you think the ongoing immigration debates don’t apply to you, Jennifer Mendelsohnhas some news: They probably do. Mendelsohn, a journalist, author and passionate genealogist, has […]
The timeless allure of ruins
Source: BBC News By Paul Cooper Mankind has always lived among its own ruins. Since our earliest history, we have explored ruined places, feared them and drawn inspiration from them, […]
Why Genghis Khan’s tomb can’t be found
Source: BBC News By Erin Craig 19 July 2017 This is an outsized land for outsized legends. No roads, no permanent buildings; just unfurling sky, tufted dry grass and streaming […]