There are literally thousands of different goddesses in world mythology, but perhaps the oldest is the fertility goddess. Hundreds of female effigies (known as the Venus figurines) can be found scattered around Europe and parts of Asia, dating from 35,000 BCE to 16,000 BCE (see images 1 – 7). But with no written text to explain what they were used for, what chance do we have of deciphering their role in prehistory? Has their ritual significance been lost to the annals of time? Perhaps not. Some scholars believe it is possible to gain an understanding of their function by examining…
Author: Ancient Code Team
Around the world there exist a number of undeciphered texts that date back as far as the Neolithic (8000 BCE). These ancient writing systems must be viewed with an open mind as they may have been composed with artistic intent, but its most likely they represent the origins of abstract thought and writing. Many scholars have tried to decode these prehistoric ciphers, but so far, no one has cracked their arcane secrets. The knowledge they have could be mind-blowing, perhaps offering a glimpse into the rituals and myths of the ancient world – or they may be as mundane as…
Mythological weapons One of the most well-known stories in Greek Mythology is the legend of Prometheus. This powerful Titan ruled over the realm of fire, and in a defiant act passed his sacred knowledge onto humanity (despite Zeus’s orders to keep this knowledge forbidden). This combustible tool allowed our ancestors to survive the cold, bake clay vessels, and clear forests for planting. It literally helped humanity ascend from the stone age to a world of culture and technology. But according to Hindu Mythology, this blazing gift went way beyond the primitive use of smelting metal and cooking meat. In the…
The Nebra sky disk, first thought to be a forgery, is now considered as one of the most important archaeological findings in the 20th century. This object is a bronze disk of around 30 cm diameter and a weight of 2.2 kg, with a blue-green patina and inlaid with gold symbols. The images on the disc are interpreted generally as a sun or full moon, a lunar crescent, and stars, specifically the Pleiades. But what makes this disk very unique is the fact that this disk is unlike any known artistic style from the period. The Nebra Sky Disc features the oldest concrete depiction of…
The Slavs worshiped a wide range of deities, from the shores of the Baltic to the shores of the White Sea. Slavic folklore is cultic in nature, where the same god can be found worshiped in various guises from tribe to tribe. It has been possible in the last two centuries to reconstruct their ancient myths by studying the roots of Slavic languages, folktales, and traditions, from which has been determined a ‘Proto-Slavic culture’. These studies have led to the re-establishment of the original Slavic gods (much like the Olympians of ancient Greece, or the Aesir of Norse mythology). Dažbog…
Modern witchcraft has drawn much of its ideology from ancient religions and esoteric schools. It can be argued that the roots of this revived faith go back as far as the Stone Age, when humans began to conceive their world as a spiritual construct. 1. Shamanism appeared some time during the upper Paleolithic (50,000 – 10,000 years ago). The shaman would often enter trance states to follow the migration of herds (ensuring a successful hunt), heal people from illness, and protect their tribe from evil spirits. Many cave paintings depict shaman dancing in animal costumes, as though taking on the…
Trees have been revered as sacred monuments since the prehistoric era. Our ancestors may well have been inspired by their annual cycle of decay in the autumn followed by a luscious rebirth in the spring. To the primitive mind, these trees became symbols of life, death, and rebirth. There was one tree in particular which achieved mythical status throughout all world cultures. It is known today as the ‘World Tree’ and according to our ancestors, it was truly epic in scale. Its branches were said to reach as high as the heavens, while its roots plunged deep into the abyss…
The once standing stone of Er-Grah is one of the unsung wonders of the ancient world. It was the biggest megalith ever erected in history and was raised in France (Brittany) during the Neolithic, 4700 BCE. It is believed to have stood for 700 years before breaking into four pieces at around 4000 BCE. The impressive dimensions of this menhir still divide specialists about the techniques used for transport and erection. This great megalith weighed 280 tonnes, which even the machines of today would find challenging to move and erect. The fact that this was achieved during the Neolithic makes…
Sumer, known as the “land of the kings”, was founded in southern Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) between 4500 and 4000 BCE. It became one of the first civilizations ever established in history, where its people drained the marshes for agriculture, developed trade, and established industries such as weaving, metallurgy, and pottery. Each city was protected by a particular god or goddess, with large temples built in the city center for them to reside in. The Gods of Mesopotamia still possessed the vestigial remnants of their earlier, elemental roles, such as air, fire, and thunder. • Anu (God of heaven) was…
Monoliths (aka menhirs or obelisks) are upright stones that have been used to create impressive structures around the world. These great monuments can appear on their own, or as part of a group (e.g. stone circles, temples, tombs etc). The erection of these monoliths mainly took place in the Neolithic, later continuing into the Bronze Age. They were typically hewn from the land and raised on sacred sites that our ancestors deemed worthy of honoring. Their size varied considerably, but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top. A number of ancient Egyptian obelisks are known…
