religion

What Is Voodoo — And Why Is This Religion So Misunderstood?

Originating from enslaved West Africans taken to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, Voodoo is one of the world's most misinterpreted religions.

By Austin Harvey • Oct 28, 2024

What Is Voodoo — And Why Is This Religion So Misunderstood?

Originating from enslaved West Africans taken to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, Voodoo is one of the world's most misinterpreted religions.

By Austin Harvey • October 28, 2024

Inside The History Of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s Tomb — And Why It’s Constantly Vandalized

Since Marie Laveau, the famed Voodoo priestess of 19th-century New Orleans, died in 1881, visitors have flocked to her tomb to honor her legacy in the historic city.

By Amber Morgan • Oct 22, 2024

Inside The History Of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s Tomb — And Why It’s Constantly Vandalized

Since Marie Laveau, the famed Voodoo priestess of 19th-century New Orleans, died in 1881, visitors have flocked to her tomb to honor her legacy in the historic city.

By Amber Morgan • October 22, 2024

The Fascinating History Of Papa Legba, The Gatekeeper Of The Vodou Spirit World

One of the most important lwa spirits in Vodou, Papa Legba is believed to be an intermediary that allows humankind to communicate with the spirits.

By Aimee Lamoureux • Oct 20, 2024

The Fascinating History Of Papa Legba, The Gatekeeper Of The Vodou Spirit World

One of the most important lwa spirits in Vodou, Papa Legba is believed to be an intermediary that allows humankind to communicate with the spirits.

By Aimee Lamoureux • October 20, 2024

The Story Of Samhain, The Ancient Celtic Festival Of The Dead That Helps Explain The Origins Of Halloween

Celebrated between October 31 and November 1, Samhain is a pagan harvest festival during which the spirits of the dead are said to walk among the living — and it inspired many of the Halloween traditions we practice today.

By Amber Morgan • Oct 19, 2024

The Story Of Samhain, The Ancient Celtic Festival Of The Dead That Helps Explain The Origins Of Halloween

Celebrated between October 31 and November 1, Samhain is a pagan harvest festival during which the spirits of the dead are said to walk among the living — and it inspired many of the Halloween traditions we practice today.

By Amber Morgan • October 19, 2024

Inside The Roman Catacombs, 400 Miles Of Tunnels Filled With The Dead That Sit Right Beneath The City

The Roman catacombs were initially constructed in the first century C.E. by Jewish and early Christian communities who were forbidden from burying their dead in the city center.

By Kaleena Fraga • Oct 17, 2024

Inside The Roman Catacombs, 400 Miles Of Tunnels Filled With The Dead That Sit Right Beneath The City

The Roman catacombs were initially constructed in the first century C.E. by Jewish and early Christian communities who were forbidden from burying their dead in the city center.

By Kaleena Fraga • October 17, 2024

Scientists Grow A ‘Lost Tree’ Described In The Bible From A Mysterious Ancient Seed Found In The Judean Desert

For the past 14 years, scientists have been growing a tree named "Sheba" from a 1,000-year-old seed that was found in a cave near Jerusalem, and now researchers believe it may be a lost species that was mentioned in the Bible.

By Amber Morgan • Sep 26, 2024

News

Scientists Grow A ‘Lost Tree’ Described In The Bible From A Mysterious Ancient Seed Found In The Judean Desert

For the past 14 years, scientists have been growing a tree named "Sheba" from a 1,000-year-old seed that was found in a cave near Jerusalem, and now researchers believe it may be a lost species that was mentioned in the Bible.

By Amber Morgan • September 26, 2024

44 Images From Bestiaries That Show Just How Strange These Medieval Animal Encyclopedias Were

A medieval bestiary is a vibrantly illustrated compendium of both real and mythical animals — and the comically bizarre way scholars drew these beasts has baffled historians for centuries.

By Amber Morgan • Sep 18, 2024

44 Images From Bestiaries That Show Just How Strange These Medieval Animal Encyclopedias Were

A medieval bestiary is a vibrantly illustrated compendium of both real and mythical animals — and the comically bizarre way scholars drew these beasts has baffled historians for centuries.

By Amber Morgan • September 18, 2024

44 Yōkai Images That Illustrate The Weird, Wonderful, And Sometimes Wacky World Of Japanese Folklore

Yōkai are supernatural beings like kappas, demons, and even haunted household objects that have appeared in Japanese art and folklore for centuries.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 16, 2024

44 Yōkai Images That Illustrate The Weird, Wonderful, And Sometimes Wacky World Of Japanese Folklore

Yōkai are supernatural beings like kappas, demons, and even haunted household objects that have appeared in Japanese art and folklore for centuries.

By Austin Harvey • September 16, 2024

Life-Sized Statue Of A Temple Guardian From The 13th Century Found At Cambodia’s Banteay Prei Temple

While clearing rubble from a collapsed gate at the Banteay Prei Temple within Cambodia's historic Angkor Wat Archaeological Park, workers stumbled upon a life-sized statue of a temple guardian dating back 700 years.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 16, 2024

News

Life-Sized Statue Of A Temple Guardian From The 13th Century Found At Cambodia’s Banteay Prei Temple

While clearing rubble from a collapsed gate at the Banteay Prei Temple within Cambodia's historic Angkor Wat Archaeological Park, workers stumbled upon a life-sized statue of a temple guardian dating back 700 years.

By Austin Harvey • September 16, 2024

The Butchered Remains Of A Medieval ‘Vampire’ Child Were Just Found In The Garden Of A Former Bishop’s Palace In Poland

In a grisly burial dating back to the 13th century, the child was decapitated and weighed down with rocks on their torso to prevent them from climbing out of the grave.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 13, 2024

News

The Butchered Remains Of A Medieval ‘Vampire’ Child Were Just Found In The Garden Of A Former Bishop’s Palace In Poland

In a grisly burial dating back to the 13th century, the child was decapitated and weighed down with rocks on their torso to prevent them from climbing out of the grave.

By Austin Harvey • September 13, 2024