Fresh finds from the world we cover: archaeology of religion, folklore, the occult, and the dead. Short, sourced notes on new discoveries, each linked to where it came from.
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La Pobla de Benifassà, País Valencià, SpainA 2026 study in Estudis de Literatura Oral Popular analyzes a Catalan folktale recorded on tape in 1989, identifying three international ATU types and four motifs.
Southwestern United States and MexicoHistorical records reveal that pre-contact Native American alcohol use was highly ritualized, whereas post-contact introduction by Europeans led to widespread social disruption.
Croghan Hill, County Offaly, IrelandWorkmen clearing a drainage ditch near Croghan Hill in Ireland discovered Old Croghan Man, an Iron Age bog body bearing signs of fatal violence.
Glacial Lake Missoula, Montana, United StatesThe Montana Natural History Center details how Glacial Lake Missoula formed about 15,000 years ago, triggering catastrophic floods that sculpted major northwestern landforms.
Cana Brava reserve, Barra do Corda, Maranhão, BrazilA study in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine documented forty-two macrofungi species and traditional fungal knowledge among the Guajajara people in Maranhão, Brazil.
This volume presents five manuscripts from the British Museum, combining ancient magical incantations against serpents with medical text.
Researchers report that stronger functional connectivity between the posterior hippocampus and visual cortex correlates with greater visual detail and emotional intensity in trauma nightmares.
Uchte, Lower Saxony, GermanyResearchers examine the Iron Age remains of Moora, a young female bog body recovered from a peat bog near Uchte, Germany.
Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United StatesA fifth or sixth-century Coptic miniature codex containing 37 oracles provides rare evidence of ancient Christian divinatory practices and bibliomancy.
Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca, MexicoMaría Sabina, a Mazatec wise woman from Oaxaca, used psilocybin mushrooms in healing rituals that gained international attention in the twentieth century.
Neurologylive.com reports that the FDA approved Takeda's Orzeyful (oveporexton) as the first medication addressing the full range of narcolepsy type 1 symptoms in adults.
Researchers report that global sea levels rose sixty meters between 11,650 and 7,000 years ago, impacting climate and driving early human migration.
Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, TurkeyArchaeologists at Ephesus discovered an 8th or 9th century AD grave of infant twins whose birth may have been viewed as an ill omen.
Camarones 9, Northern Chile, ChileResearchers have recovered ancient smallpox DNA from human remains at a northern Chile archaeological site, confirming the virus was introduced from Europe during the colonial period.
Research suggests that ancient Mesopotamian ritual drug use can be identified through reinterpreted visual artworks alongside evidence of cannabis, opium, and blue water lily consumption.
HispaniolaLongreads reports on the historical documentation of psychoactive cohoba snuff among the Taino people on Hispaniola and the 1955 identification of N,N-DMT in seed sources.
A 2026 paper by Hamid Nourbakhshi argues that visual perception can directly represent divine properties, potentially providing epistemic justification for theistic beliefs.
Syedra, Cilicia, TurkeyExcavators at Syedra in Cilicia uncovered a fifth-to-sixth-century bronze apotropaic medallion depicting a nimbed rider spearing a female demon.
Stari Grad Pakrac, Pakrac, CroatiaArchaeologists at the Stari Grad Pakrac site in Croatia have uncovered a medieval skeleton buried face down, a position linked to anti-vampire burial customs.
Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri detailed a case study in Vanguard Allure where sleep paralysis was interpreted as a spiritual attack requiring traditional remedies.
Perperikon, Kardzhali Province, BulgariaArchaeologists in Bulgaria have discovered a late antique mausoleum and two rock-cut graves at Perperikon, possibly linked to a deified Thracian ruler.
A Psychology Today article highlights that out-of-body feelings occur in 10 to 25 percent of the population and are often misunderstood.
Pelplin Abbey, Pelplin, PolandIn 2024, researchers identified two unknown sermons by Augustine of Hippo discussing King Saul and the witch of Endor.
Researchers found that low-oxygen environments combined with beta-sheet-rich protein structures transform destructive decay into long-term molecular stability in preserved brains.
Uruk, IraqResearchers report the discovery of Grave 9 in Uruk, containing a mutilated male skeleton with cut wrists, broken bones, and limestone on his feet.
Strait of GibraltarResearchers report that the Mediterranean Sea, which dried out 5.6 million years ago, was refilled by a massive self-amplifying flood in as little as two years.
Derveni, Thessaloniki, GreeceDiscovered in a Greek necropolis, the Derveni papyrus is recognized by UNESCO as the oldest surviving manuscript in Europe, dating to the reign of Philip II.
Coeby Neolithic cemetery, Trédion, FranceResearchers from La Rochelle University have identified two long barrows containing potential slab-built burial chambers at the Coeby Neolithic cemetery in France.
Site 75, Xieng Khouang Plateau, LaosArchaeologists excavating a giant jar on the Xieng Khouang Plateau in Laos have discovered the secondary interments of at least 37 individuals spanning several centuries.
Researchers analyzed 48 lists of the nights of the moon to reveal how East Polynesian lunar calendars split into two main groups during early population movements.
Emerging research suggests that chronic inflammation may contribute to persistent dissociative states, including out-of-body experiences and feelings that the physical world is unreal.
Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron, GreeceA joint team of British and Greek researchers is investigating the ancient rite of passage known as playing the bear at the Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron.
Researchers report that Mme d'Aulnoy initiated the fairy tale genre and coined the term in her 1690 novel, shaping the history of folklore literature.
Mount Zion, Jerusalem, IsraelArchaeologists have unearthed a fragmentary first-century CE limestone cup bearing a cryptic ten-line inscription near the southern wall of Jerusalem's Old City.
Researchers report that the date_tree_red function in the castor R package rescales the edge lengths of rooted phylogenetic trees to correspond to time intervals.
Dr. M.W. Bychowski developed the Morpheus Database to cross-reference transformation data from over 100 classical, medieval, and early modern tales.
Konya, TürkiyeArchaeologists in Türkiye have uncovered a rare Roman-era Christian gold amulet alongside a 3,500-year-old Luwian stone seal associated with a Hittite deity.
Researchers have identified KYP T-363, a Coptic magical text dating between 551 and 650 CE, as a formulary used for exorcism and protection.
Cognitive archaeologist David Lewis-Williams explores how the natural functioning of the human brain led to the belief in supernatural realms and beings.
Crete, GreeceAn AI engineer announced the potential decipherment of Linear A, focusing on a verb found in ancient prayer texts from five sanctuary sites on Crete.
Experts propose that the amnesic lotus fruit in Homer's Odyssey may be the Mediterranean jujube shrub or an entirely mythological creation.
A new book by Colin Brewer examines how religious rituals and medical practices share placebo responses, even when practitioners lack belief in their own methods.
A recent scoping review highlights how spiritual practices, including ritual and mindfulness, serve as coping resources for emotional regulation and resilience across diverse cultural contexts.
Frascati, ItalyResearchers have dated the undeciphered Voynich manuscript to the early fifteenth century, disproving earlier claims that it was created by the thirteenth-century philosopher Roger Bacon.
Shaanxi, ChinaA 2025 genetic study of 144 genomes from the Neolithic city of Shimao reveals that sacrificial rituals were strictly divided by sex.
Researchers define Folklore Dti as an interdisciplinary field combining anthropology, psychology, and sociology to analyze the hidden structures of traditional tales.
A July 2026 study in the Revista Colombiana de Psicología reports that 62 percent of a 250-person sample hold paranormal beliefs, primarily driven by subjective paranormal experiences.
Khakassia, RussiaResearchers have discovered a unique composite apotropaic ornament, including a gold-wrapped lynx claw, beneath a female skeleton in a Tagar culture burial near Mount Uytag.
Researchers report that a function in the R package castor extracts divergence times by mapping target nodes to a time-calibrated reference tree.
A 2026 study in Science Advances reexamined three Inca Capacocha sacrifice victims, revealing new details about their final journeys and causes of death.
Nong Ratchawat, ThailandResearchers have identified the earliest direct biomolecular proof of betel nut consumption in Southeast Asia within 4,000-year-old dental calculus from a site in central Thailand.
Researchers have mapped the specific brain networks involved in auditory verbal hallucinations by treating three schizophrenia patients with targeted deep brain stimulation.
Griswold, United StatesResearchers have identified a Griswold burial featuring postmortem skeletal rearrangement as John Barber, a man who suffered from a chronic lung infection before his death.
Frankfurt, GermanyArchaeologists excavating a Roman sanctuary in Frankfurt have uncovered ritual deposition shafts and exceptional evidence pointing to human sacrifice in the ancient city of Nida.
A new study published in The Holocene confirms that the mythologized Lake Saveh was a real paleolake in Iran that influenced regional cultural memory and human migration.
The Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects has received its largest update since launch, bringing the total number of manuscript entries to 1172.
Dr. Melissa Maffeo recently discussed her new book on the psychological and physiological factors that shape supernatural experiences on episode 948 of The Paranormal Podcast.
Researchers have utilized a phylogenetic model to trace the origins of magic tales, revealing that the story of Jack and the Beanstalk is over 5,000 years old.
Researchers have introduced MOTIVUM, a non-generative tool that draws magic motifs from Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature to assist in early-stage game design ideation.
Liam Revell has introduced a new generic simmap method to the phytools package, simplifying the workflow for stochastic character mapping in comparative studies.
A newly published article analyzes spirit possession as a culturally constituted language rather than a psychopathology, exploring its therapeutic, political, and gendered dimensions.
Folklorist Adrienne Mayor recently discussed her book Mythopedia, which features 53 essays on how ancient legends preserve memories of natural phenomena like tsunamis and meteor impacts.
In a recently published excerpt, Wendy Doniger argues that myths function as an inherently comparative genre that connects daily reality with broader global politics.
A 2026 study by Aziza Saydullayeva explores the mythopoetic interpretation of hair motifs in Uzbek and Turkish folk fairy tales, linking them to ancient animistic and demonological beliefs.
Nemi, ItalySir James George Frazer argued that ancient religions functioned as fertility cults centered on the ritualistic sacrifice of a sacred king.
Historian Owen Davies has determined that The Grand Grimoire was composed in the early eighteenth century, despite the text claiming much older publication dates.
A new study by Flutura Mehmeti explores how introductory formulas in Albanian fairy tales act as cultural thresholds into the mythical space of collective memory.
A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies reveals that verbal suggestions and conditioning use partially distinct brain mechanisms to induce placebo pain relief.
Vienna, AustriaResearchers have identified a previously unknown Carolingian theological text written for Charlemagne between 801 and 805 by the Anglo-Saxon scholar Candidus Wizo.
Uvdal, NorwayResearchers discovered four naturally mummified individuals from the 14th century buried together beneath a Norwegian stave church, dressed in everyday tunics and red mittens.
Researchers report that Conscious-Connected breathwork consistently triggers non-ordinary states of consciousness and intensifies emotional experiences, leading to improved heart-rate variability after the session.
Researchers have uncovered evidence of continuous magical and healing rituals spanning 25,000 years inside an Australian cave.
Actun Tunichil Muknal, BelizeResearchers suggest that a cave in Belize served as a sacred entrance to the Maya underworld where theatrical re-enactments of the creation myth were performed.
Bogotá, ColombiaA 1619 report detailing the ritual use of peyote by Indigenous people, Spaniards, and Blacks has been discovered, shedding light on early colonial occult history.
Researchers report that participating in healing rites and believing in sacred spaces can improve health by activating the subconscious mind to shape bodily responses.
A February 2026 study reveals that women experiencing mediumistic trances exhibit unique brain connectivity patterns that differ from prayer, sleep, or severe psychiatric conditions.
Researchers have detected volatile organic compounds in archival ancient Egyptian human remains, identifying plant and resin residues despite long-term storage and chemical degradation.
Recent archaeological and geological reviews reveal insufficient evidence for a catastrophic Black Sea flood, challenging a popular hypothesis often linked to ancient deluge myths.
Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon discuss the background of Nora and Andrew Lang and the provenance of tales in The Blue Fairy Book.
Researchers report that ergine, a psychoactive alkaloid related to LSD, is produced by symbiotic fungi in morning glory vines and induces mild psychedelic and sedative effects.
Toronto, CanadaIn 1972, the Toronto Society for Psychical Research successfully generated physical paranormal phenomena by focusing collective belief on a completely fictional character named Philip Aylesford.
A recent article explores how the monsters and magic in Homer's epic may have been inspired by real scientific phenomena, from ancient fossils to medicinal plants.
Researchers can now use the phytools function markChanges to extract the absolute dates of state transitions from stochastic mapping analysis objects.
Great Paxton, United KingdomIn 1808, villagers in Great Paxton accused Ann Izzard of witchcraft using a folk ritual, leading to violent assaults and subsequent trials for her attackers.
A recent study published in Archaeometry concludes that current analytical evidence does not convincingly prove the ancient use of ayahuasca in Andean archaeological findings.
Palma di Montechiaro, ItalyResearchers in Sicily have deciphered a 17th-century letter written by a nun who claimed the devil dictated the text to her.
Lois Sprengnether Keel discovered a dandelion story in a 1910 book while exploring the Yashpeh International Folktales Collection's searchable index of folk literature motifs.
Cerro El Plomo, ChileA July 2026 study reveals that the Inca child known as the Boy of Cerro El Plomo died from a targeted blow to the head.
Northern Laos, LaosArchaeologists have excavated a massive stone jar in northern Laos containing the secondary-interment remains of at least 37 individuals, shedding light on historical mortuary practices.
Researchers have developed a new generative image inpainting method to improve the readability of hidden undertext in palimpsests, overcoming the limitations of standard multispectral imaging.
Lajia, ChinaResearchers have uncovered that embracing skeletons found at the 4,000-year-old Lajia site in China are not a biologically related mother and child as previously believed.
Aegean Sea, GreeceResearchers have identified a massive freshwater outflow from the Black Sea into the Aegean Sea that occurred between 11,000 and 6,000 years ago, drastically altering marine environments.
Venice, ItalyResearchers have concluded that a brick placed in a 16th-century Venetian woman's mouth was an intentional ritual to prevent her from spreading the plague as a vampire.
Toronto, CanadaThe Royal Ontario Museum is hosting an exhibition featuring nearly 90 objects that explore the historical and cultural significance of psychedelics across thousands of years.
Courtney Applewhite leads projects at EPFL examining after death experiences and the sense of a ghostly presence among bereaved individuals using cognitive neuroscience and anthropology.
Dahshur, EgyptA bioarchaeological reassessment of royal remains from Dahshur indicates that five Late Middle Kingdom princesses habitually used weapons previously thought to be purely symbolic or votive.
Researchers have reconstructed the face of a middle-aged man from a Croatian necropolis whose remains showed signs of anti-vampire burial rituals following a life of severe violence.
A recent podcast episode explores the Epic of Atrahasis, examining its account of a divine flood, human creation, and parallels to the biblical story of Noah.
A study published in the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality suggests that believing in hell is associated with more conservative sexual behaviors across different societies.
Researchers found that the physical brain changes and mystical experiences triggered by a single dose of psilocybin depend heavily on the physical environment of the participant.
Cajamarquilla, PeruArchaeologists from San Marcos University have discovered the remains of twenty individuals at the Cajamarquilla complex, identifying them as likely sacrificial victims from centuries ago.
Interdisciplinary researchers have confirmed the existence of the drowned settlement of Rungholt by identifying its main church and infrastructure in the North Frisian Wadden Sea.
London, United KingdomGordon Hall Gerould explored the grateful dead narrative theme in his 1908 book, analyzing over one hundred versions of a ghost assisting a hero after a proper burial.
A researcher argues that Dante's 14th-century Inferno uses intuition to describe Satan's fall as a high-velocity asteroid impact that formed Hell and the mountain of Purgatory.
Paestum, ItalyResearchers at the University of Oxford have identified ancient honey inside 2,500-year-old bronze jars excavated from an underground shrine in Paestum, Italy.
German biologist Michael Nahm coined the term terminal lucidity in 2009 to describe the sudden return of mental clarity in dying people, reviving interest in ancient accounts.
Pskov, RussiaArchaeologists excavating in Pskov, Russia, have uncovered a fragment of an eleventh-century women's amulet known as a lunitsa, featuring a depiction of a mysterious fantastical beast.
Researchers have launched new clinical resources suggesting that hearing voices can function as an adaptive, survival-based response to severe psychological distress.
Milan, ItalyResearchers have identified the first physical evidence of cannabis use in archaeological human remains, discovering cannabinoids in 17th-century bones from a hospital crypt in Milan.
Coastal Australia, AustraliaResearchers have identified Australian Aboriginal oral stories from over 21 locations that accurately recount postglacial sea-level rises from more than 7,000 years ago.
Phetchaburi Province, ThailandArchaeologists in Thailand have discovered a 2,000-year-old gold ring inscribed with a Brahmi message invoking the protection of an ancient Indian lunar constellation.
Sleep paralysis is a harmless phenomenon where a person experiences temporary immobility and intense hallucinations while transitioning between sleep and wakefulness.
A recent blog post highlights shared structural elements in flood myths across global cultures, prompting researchers to examine geological memory, psychological archetypes, and cultural diffusion.
Kathmandu Valley, NepalScientific studies confirm that the Kathmandu Valley was once an ancient lake, aligning with Buddhist mythology about the Bodhisattva Manjushree draining the waters to create habitable land.
Researchers have identified an eighth-century Maya mathematician named Sak Tahn Waax, whose work links the movements of celestial bodies to a 260-day ritual calendar.
County Leitrim, IrelandResearchers have dated human remains from the Sheebeg passage tomb in County Leitrim to between 5,300 and 5,600 years ago, pre-dating major sites like Newgrange.
Luxor, EgyptA Dutch archaeological mission has uncovered a 3,000-year-old tomb belonging to a man named Paser in the Sheikh Abd El-Qurna necropolis on Luxor's West Bank.
Old Dongola, SudanResearchers studying agricultural production at Old Dongola between the 14th and 18th centuries have identified the presence of tobacco, Egyptian henbane, and eggplant.
Sutri, ItalyArchaeological scholarship proposes that the rock-hewn Church of Madonna del Parto in Sutri, carved into tuff, may have originally served as an ancient temple to Mithras.
A recent article emphasizes that the traditional and spiritual contexts of peyote and psilocybin must be respected as these substances enter Western clinical research.
A 2019 study of adults from 35 countries found a significant association between near-death experiences and REM sleep intrusion.
Researchers have published a new preprint examining the spaces encountered during near-death and out-of-body experiences using digital questionnaires and graphic reconstruction tasks.
Researchers have mapped the electrophysiological correlates of out-of-body experiences, revealing significant differences in brainwave frequencies compared to wakefulness and normal sleep states.
Northumberland, United KingdomA sandstone relief depicting a Roman guardian spirit was unearthed beneath a fourth-century military barrack at the Vindolanda fort in Northumberland.
Athens, GreeceArchaeological excavations have identified sections of the Sacred Way, the ancient route used for the annual procession of the Eleusinian Mysteries between Athens and Eleusis.
Chelmsford, United KingdomArchaeologists have uncovered a large cemetery near Chelmsford containing over 100 cremated individuals, revealing high-status burials and early diplomatic ties to the Roman Empire.
South Uist, United KingdomArchaeologists excavating the prehistoric monument known as the Witch's Grave on South Uist have uncovered Neolithic pottery and flint tools.
Researchers analyzing 186 non-industrial societies found a positive link between indigenous alcoholic beverages and political complexity, though religion and agriculture remain stronger evolutionary drivers.
Guanghan, ChinaResearchers have analyzed a bronze kneeling figurine from a sacrificial pit at the Sanxingdui Ruins, revealing that its materials were sourced from multiple regions across China.
Pskov, RussiaArchaeologists have unearthed a crescent-shaped lunitsa pendant at the Olginsky-10 excavation site in Pskov, pending further material analysis.
England, United KingdomA University of Warwick professor argues that symbols on old English buildings, traditionally viewed as protective witches' marks, are actually practical exercises used by trainee stonemasons.
Andes, South AmericaResearchers report that the Tiwanaku and Wari civilizations used visionary plants like vilca during the Middle Horizon era to consolidate social and political power.
Kuélap, PeruResearchers have discovered a U-shaped stone tomb containing the remains of five individuals and ceremonial offerings at the Kuélap Archaeological Complex in northern Peru.
Marina El Alamein, EgyptArchaeologists in Egypt have discovered eighteen tombs containing twenty-four golden tongue amulets intended to help the dead speak to deities in the afterlife.
Pień, PolandA 400-year-old necropolis near Pień, Poland, contains over 100 burials, with at least 30 featuring practices designed to prevent the deceased from returning to life.
Greco-Roman mystery religions required strict secrecy and offered initiates emotionally impressive rituals based on the death and rebirth of a divinity.
Hempfood.com reports that various cultures have utilized hemp for thousands of years in shamanic rituals, divination, and burial ceremonies to mediate between visible and invisible worlds.
Researchers report that kava was domesticated from a wild relative in Melanesia approximately 3,000 years ago, driven by human preference for its specific psychoactive properties.
Edmund Wade Davis is a Canadian ethnobotanist and anthropologist known for his 1985 bestselling book investigating the phenomenon of Haitian zombies.
Bagicz, PolandResearchers have resolved a dating discrepancy for a young woman from the ancient Wielbark culture whose oak log coffin fell from a Polish cliff in 1898.
The Centro Studio Misteri Italiani has published a new operational manual for cataloging and interpreting Italy's magico-religious amulets and folk traditions.
Toledo, USAThe Toledo Museum of Art hosted an exhibition exploring ancient magic practices across Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome from 2000 BCE to 300 CE.
Sozopol, BulgariaArchaeologists near the Bulgarian town of Sozopol have unearthed two medieval skeletons pierced through the chest with iron rods to prevent them from rising as vampires.
Isle of Arran, ScotlandArchaeologists using geophysical survey technology have discovered a hidden ring of pit anomalies beneath the peat at Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran.
Sirolo, ItalyArchaeologists uncovered a 6th-century BC Picene funerary complex near Sirolo, featuring a princely chariot burial and a noblewoman's grave with preserved organic materials.
A 2014 study explores how medieval Icelandic sagas depict corporeal revenants causing a blend of physical and mental illnesses among the living.
Haughey's Fort, United KingdomResearchers have identified a massive enclosure at Haughey's Fort, revealing a ceremonial avenue and ritual pool dating to the Late Bronze Age.
Suizhou, ChinaArchaeologists have discovered a scattered heap of bronze bells in a 2,600-year-old Chinese tomb, suggesting the family deliberately deactivated the ritual objects during burial.
Eleusis, GreeceA February 2026 study reveals that ancient people could have processed toxic ergot into a psychoactive ritual drink using simple lye solutions.
Dijon, FranceExcavations at a Dijon school have revealed Iron Age Gallic burials featuring skeletons arranged in a seated position without grave offerings.
Glenrothes, United KingdomA 1999 re-analysis of organic residues from Neolithic pottery at the Balfarg ceremonial complex found no evidence of black henbane or other poisonous plants.
Colchester, United KingdomThe Colchester Archaeological Trust has excavated the decorated lead coffin of a high-status pagan Roman woman, revealing traces of exotic resins and ritual burial practices.
Bad Dürrenberg, GermanyResearchers have identified skull anomalies in a 9,000-year-old woman from Germany, suggesting physical conditions may have caused behaviors interpreted as spiritual power.
Samothrace, GreeceThe Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace hosted an inclusive mystery cult promising initiates protection at sea, moral improvement, and the hope of immortality.
Veliky Novgorod, RussiaArchaeologists in Veliky Novgorod have discovered a rare metal-mounted boar tusk amulet dating to the twelfth or early thirteenth century.
Tula de Allende, MexicoResearchers in Mexico have uncovered a Toltec-era structure containing carved reliefs of deities, child offerings, and evidence of ritual skinning near the Tula Archaeological Zone.
Casas Grandes, MexicoA 2020 book by Paul E. Minnis and Michael E. Whalen explores how plant use and farming at Paquimé supported complex sociopolitical structures and communal feasting.
Matthew Clark investigates the ancient ritual drinks soma and haoma, proposing they were psychoactive plant mixtures similar to ayahuasca.
Researchers have identified novel malaria strains in the skeletal remains of two Medici family members, providing scientific evidence that counters historical speculation of a poisoning.
A recent study reveals that the Qafzeh-25 individual survived a severe sharp-force injury to the jaw and was later deliberately buried.
Tel Arad, IsraelResearchers have identified residues of cannabis and frankincense on two limestone altars from a Judahite shrine at Tel Arad, revealing ancient ritual practices.
Archaeologists have unearthed the Lokrian Ajax Temple near the coastal boundaries of Lokris, identifying it as a unique hero sanctuary without a traditional Olympian cult statue.
Coatepec, MexicoArchaeologists in Mexico have uncovered a 1,400-year-old monolith depicting a ritual where elite figures receive a fluid from a divine entity.
Amazon, BrazilResearchers have identified four secret Amazonian plant species that produce voacangine, a chemical precursor to ibogaine, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional African harvesting.
Researchers have identified red ocher and stained stone tools near the remains of fifteen early modern humans in Israel, suggesting ritual practices dating back 100,000 years.
Anthropologist Jeremy Narby has authored a new 336-page volume titled The Book of Cannabis: The History and Future of the Plant and the Drug.
Yalvaç, TurkeyResearchers have identified a structure in the Men Sanctuary of Isparta, previously thought to be dedicated to Demeter, as Anatolia's second known temple of Hecate.
A recent podcast episode from History Hit examines naturally mummified bog bodies in northern Europe, exploring their preservation and potential connections to prehistoric ritual sacrifice.
Sandra Lawrence and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have published a new 208-page book detailing the history of mind-altering plants in folklore and superstition.
Valdepeñas, SpainArchaeologists in central Spain have discovered the remains of two violently killed men accompanied by red deer antlers, interpreting the deposit as a "bad death" ritual.
Kyushu, JapanA new study suggests that anthropomorphic figures in Kyushu decorated tombs from the Late Kofun period represented a collective identity rather than individual portraits of the deceased.
Phetchaburi, ThailandArchaeologists in Thailand have uncovered an elite prehistoric burial site featuring nine human skeletons, bronze drums, and unique funerary rituals involving vessels placed over skulls.
Samothrace, GreeceRecent reports clarify that the ancient Kabirian Mysteries involved group nightly rituals and purifications, distinct from the solitary healing incubation practiced at sanctuaries of Asclepius.
Mudukulathur, IndiaVillagers excavating near a temple in the Ramanathapuram district have uncovered three-foot megalithic burial urns containing ritual vessels estimated to be 5,000 years old.
Zerzevan Castle, TürkiyeA newly deciphered Aramaic inscription and a carved cross reveal that early Christians formally sealed a Roman Mithras sanctuary in southeastern Türkiye about 1,700 years ago.
Bolzano, ItalyResearchers at the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman have finally located Ötzi the Iceman's stomach, which had mysteriously shifted under his ribs after death.
Researchers propose that natural hallucinogens like psilocybin and DMT evolved across biological kingdoms as ecological tools for survival and cross-kingdom communication rather than as chemical accidents.
Changsha, ChinaResearchers investigating the mummy of Lady Dai, who died in 168 BCE, found her skin intact and her joints still flexible during excavations in China.
Liguria, ItalyA 2025/2026 study suggests the elaborate 27,500-year-old burial of an Italian teenager was a ritual response to a fatal bear attack.
A proteomic analysis of fossilized teeth from the Rising Star cave site found no male protein markers, raising questions about deliberate mortuary practices among Homo naledi.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have genetically modified a tobacco plant to simultaneously produce five psychedelic substances originally found in plants, fungi, and animals.
Silkeborg, DenmarkOn May 6, 1950, peat cutters in Denmark unearthed a remarkably preserved body that police initially mistook for a recent murder victim.
Kerdugen, RussiaScientists have reconstructed the face and gear of a 4,000-year-old Siberian warrior from the Ymyyakhtakh culture who was buried beneath a protective bone shield.
Eleusis, GreeceResearchers have demonstrated that ancient methods could extract psychoactive compounds from ergot, offering experimental support for theories about the sacred kykeon drink of the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Kamphaeng Phet, ThailandA farmer in Kamphaeng Phet discovered a severely decomposed human skeleton buried with metal artifacts and coins estimated to be at least 500 years old.
Herculaneum, ItalyResearchers virtually unwrapped PHerc. 1667, a Herculaneum scroll carbonized since AD 79, recovering a Stoic text without ever opening it. The Vesuvius Challenge now offers $1 million to whoever reads an entire scroll by 25 June 2027.
Bulford, United KingdomArchaeologists have identified a wooden prototype near Bulford that predates the stone megaliths of Stonehenge by approximately 500 years and aligns with the solstices.
Hadrianopolis, TurkeyArchaeologists in Turkey have uncovered a 1,750-year-old pithos burial containing a human skeleton and various grave goods meant for the afterlife.
Pompeii, ItalyArchaeologists in Pompeii have unearthed a dining room featuring nearly life-size frescoes of female Dionysian initiation rituals dating to between 40 and 30 BC.
Tassili n'Ajjer, AlgeriaCave murals at Tassili n'Ajjer in Algeria dating back 7,000 to 9,000 years may represent the oldest known depictions of psychoactive mushroom use in shamanic rituals.
Microbiologist Frank Maixner and his team are extracting ancient human, plant, and microbial DNA from preserved mummy tissues and coprolites to decode secrets of the past.
According to some conceptions of Orphism, humanity possesses a dual nature consisting of a physical body and a divine soul.
Carrascosa del Campo, SpainResearchers have documented a rare Roman rock-cut shrine dedicated to the goddess Minerva within an ancient sandstone quarry in the Spanish province of Cuenca.
Amazon, South AmericaThe global popularity of ayahuasca is causing scarcity of its core plant ingredients in the Amazon and raising concerns about the commodification of traditional spiritual knowledge.
A 2026 study reveals that the 5,300-year-old mummy Ötzi the Iceman still harbors ancient gut bacteria and cold-adapted yeasts that may be metabolically active today.
Iberian Peninsula, SpainResearchers analyzed ancient grapevine seeds from the Iberian Peninsula and Sardinia, discovering that modern Iberian cultivars descend from Eastern Mediterranean vines introduced by Phoenician settlers.
Palaiochori, GreeceA recent article argues that the Guliaria, a Greek ritual last performed in 1969, preserved elements of ancient Dionysian rites through ecstatic movement and bodily transformation.
Nile Region, EgyptResearchers report that the Blue Lotus, an aquatic lily native to the Nile region, held deep religious significance in ancient Egypt and may possess psychoactive properties.
Paola, MaltaDiscovered accidentally in 1902, the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Paola, Malta, is an underground prehistoric burial complex that once held the remains of approximately 7,000 individuals.
Bengal, IndiaResearchers report that Hindu and Buddhist Tantric rituals in India historically utilized a cannabis beverage called vijaya as a ceremonial sense-heightener and disinhibitor.
Jiahu, ChinaResearchers analyzed ancient Chinese pottery and bronze vessels, discovering evidence of fermented beverages made from rice, honey, and fruit dating back to the seventh millennium B.C.
Ningxia, ChinaResearchers unearthed a sealed bronze bottle containing over three liters of a 2,300-year-old alcoholic beverage from a tomb at the Shanjiabao cemetery in Ningxia, China.
Llullaillaco, ArgentinaA 2026 study suggests the Inca capacocha ritual on the Llullaillaco volcano was driven by political motives to consolidate newly conquered territories.
Gerstewitz, GermanyArchaeologists in Germany have uncovered a 4,000-year-old burial of a young man placed inside a prehistoric kiln pit, prompting questions about potential ritual practices.
Researchers detail how the sacred plants soma and haoma share a common Proto-Indo-Iranian origin, reflecting shared religious traditions before a historical separation.
Huaca de la Luna, PeruResearch on Moche ceramic vessels suggests that ancient Peruvian mountain sacrifices were part of a broader foundational myth involving caves, deities, and blood offerings.
Loch Borralie, ScotlandA June 2026 study in Antiquity details an Iron Age Scottish burial where a woman's brain was removed and her bones were carved into tools before reassembly.
Samiko, GreeceResearchers have identified the long-lost sanctuary of Poseidon at Samikon, an Archaic temple mentioned in ancient geographical texts, following recent geophysical surveys and excavations.
A recent article by Ira Rampil published on June 15, 2026, examines how ancient Egyptian physicians utilized plant-based and mineral remedies for pain relief.
Heerlen, NetherlandsDutch archaeologists have uncovered a second-century lead curse tablet in Heerlen, revealing ancient Greek invocations and Egyptian-style magical symbols in a former Roman military settlement.
Stonehenge, EnglandArchaeologists have uncovered a 5,000-year-old site near Stonehenge featuring wooden posts aligned with the solstices and pits containing ritual feasting debris.
Cambridge, EnglandUniversity of Cambridge students discovered a mass burial containing dismembered remains and an unusually tall individual who underwent ancient cranial surgery, researchers report.
Karahan Tepe, TurkeyResearchers are excavating Karahan Tepe, a Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in Turkey featuring over 250 T-shaped pillars and bedrock ritual chambers similar to Göbekli Tepe.
PolandArchaeologists from the University of Gdańsk have discovered a 14th or 15th century burial in Poland featuring an iron knife placed beneath the deceased's neck.
Bath, EnglandResearchers report that the Romano-British worshiped Sulis Minerva at the thermal spring of Bath as both a life-giving mother goddess and an agent of curses.
Michelham Priory, EnglandA stoneware Bellarmine vessel containing pins and metal fragments was discovered buried beneath a doorway at Michelham Priory, offering evidence of historical protection magic.
Heidelberg, GermanyResearchers have deciphered a second century lead curse tablet found in the Netherlands, revealing ancient Greek inscriptions and Egyptian style magical invocations.
Wawa, Ontario, CanadaResearchers have identified a 19th-century runic carving of the Lord's Prayer near Wawa, Ontario, marking the longest runic inscription discovered in North America.
Termessos, TurkeyResearchers identified ancient inscriptions near a collapsed gate in Termessos, Türkiye, revealing civic declarations and a system of bone divination used for daily guidance.
Vráble, SlovakiaResearchers have uncovered dozens of headless skeletons at a 7,000-year-old settlement in Slovakia, suggesting complex social practices involving skull removal rather than a violent massacre.
Frankfurt, GermanyResearchers have digitally unrolled a 3rd-century silver amulet from a Roman grave in Frankfurt, revealing one of the earliest material testimonies of Christianity north of the Alps.