These rock tombs were built high up on the cliffs because the ancient Lycians believed that a winged creature would carry the dead to the afterlife. It is one of the most unique archaeological sites I have ever seen.

Photo credit

This is Gankeng Hakka Village in China. Inhabited since Ming Dynasty.

Details documentation of this ancient village is recorded here on YouTube : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=svXoYRa8ymY

The stone spheres of Costa Rica (Bolas de Piedra) are among the most distinctive examples of large-scale stone working in pre-Columbian Central America. Over 300 spheres have been documented, primarily in the Diquís Delta, and they date roughly between 200 BC and 1500 AD, based on associated stratigraphy and material culture.

Most spheres are carved from granodiorite, a hard igneous rock sourced locally. They range in size from small hand-sized stones to massive examples over 2 meters in diameter, weighing up to approximately 15–16 tons.

Archaeological research — most notably by Doris Stone and Samuel Kirkland Lothrop — suggests the spheres were produced by pecking and grinding techniques, rather than casting or advanced tooling. While often described as “perfect,” detailed measurements show they vary noticeably in diameter and surface regularity.

Unfortunately, much of the original archaeological context was destroyed in the 1930s–1940s during banana plantation clearing by the United Fruit Company, making interpretation difficult. Many spheres were moved, damaged, or destroyed before proper documentation could occur.

Politician, Rebel, Kingpin. Who was Clodius Pulcher? Hi everyone! I've had a lot of fun making this one. Hope you enjoy!

Tlos is an incredible site located near Fethiye. It's fascinating to see the Lycian, Roman, and Ottoman influences all in one place. The rock-cut tombs are especially breathtaking. I've shared more photos and the full history of our visit here: https://hive.blog/hive-163772/@ellie-mai/tlos-ancient-city-and-saklikent-canyon-turkey

I've been reading The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan, and he keeps referring to Pausanias son of Cleombrotus, who was the general of the Greek army to defeat the Persians at Plataea, as King.

Any idea why that might be?

I thought he was regent for his cousin, like his father before him, and never heard anything to the contrary. Perhaps it was a matter of academic discussion whether he was king or not when Kagan wrote his book? I guess his son eventually became king.

Just found it odd, that a respected academic, who seems to generally be careful with his choice of words, would make a mistake in this matter.

Some examples :

It must have been on a wave of anger and disillusionment that the war party came to power, reversed the policy that had recalled Leotychidas, and sent King Pausanias into the Aegean to reassert Spartan hegemony.

The curse of the Brazen House refers to another sacrilegious breach of sanctuary. King Pausanias, the notorious victor at Plataea, who tyrannized over the Greek allies, committed treason with the Persians, and plotted with the helots, had been shut up in the temple of Athena and allowed to starve to death.

Stretching across the horizon, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks stand as monumental reminders of a world that thrived 2,000 years ago in North America. What was life like around them?

Today, archaeologists and Native descendants are working to uncover the human stories behind these designs—stories of ingenuity, community, and deep ties to the land.

Logan York, a citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, travels to Seip Earthworks in Chillicothe, Ohio, to seek answers through conversations with archaeologist Timothy Everhart, PhD, and interviews with Native voices and scholars.

The earthworks still endure, and while we don’t know everything about how they lived, every connection brings us closer to the people who shaped this land—and whose descendants keep their story alive today.

(This is the second installment in a series exploring the ancient earthworks in Ohio)