Luxury glamping in Abu Dhabi
Luxury tenting, known as glamping, in Jebel Hafit, UAE
Ancient
Lebanon’s abandoned Ottoman-era mansions
It’s not unusual for an intrepid foreign explorer to uncover hidden gems in Lebanon.
Earliest evidence of opium use found in Israel
Found at Tel Yehud, it is the oldest source of hallucinogen use in history to date.
Locals learn to restore mosaics from Bible times
Locals learn to preserve mosaics in the Middle East.
Ancient mosque found in the Holy Land
A luxurious estate and a rare rural mosque – among the earliest known worldwide (over 1200 years old) - was recently discovered outside the Bedouin city of Rahat in the Negev Desert, Israel.
Hemp solar house highlights vernacular building potential in Morocco
The Sunimplant team developed a concept for the preservation of the environment and cultural heritage in the rural region of the High Rif in north of Morocco.
Ancient aqueduct of Jerusalem uncovered
Learn from the Holy Land how ancient people engineered water.
Qanat, an eco-hotel in Iran’s desert, makes ancient tech new
When you go deep into a desert, whether it's Iran or Sinai, it has a similar effect of being in a forest. The stark nature of the planet holds you. Deserts may offer less distractions in your peripheral vision but the clouds and sand come to life as you feel yourself expanding within the expanse.
The plants our ancient ancestors ate
Finding bones at an archeology site reveals the kind of animals our human ancestors would eat. But plants? Remains in the kitchens and pots of our ancients and their plant matter is much more elusive because plant remains disintegrate over time.
Copy wedding rings of the ancients
Most eco-conscious women and men know that diamonds and luxury goods are passe. They waste resources, cost money and create heartache for those that don't have. Make a ring that will create a lifetime of sustainable joy.
Chinless, missing “source” between humans and Neandrethals found in Israel
The Nesher Ramla Homo type was an ancestor of both the Neanderthals in Europe and the archaic Homo populations of Asia
Real life genie lamp found in Jerusalem
Disney makes genies sound like fun and games but genies, or jinns, in the Middle East are serious business. Especially if one has moved into your house and won't leave the couch.
King David’s Purple Cloth Unearthed
“The color immediately attracted our attention, but we found it hard to believe," one of the archeologists said.
Meet the face of Pharaoh Thutmoses IV
The reconstructed face of Pharaoh Thutmose IV is startlingly life-like, and makes you wonder what secrets the ancient king still hides.
This ancient Arab irrigation system invented before Rome’s aqueduct
An ancient water management system engineered 3000 years ago is still keeping farms and oases green in the UAE and Oman.
Ancient Date Palm That Lived 2000 Years Ago Bears Fruit Again
Date pits from 2000 years ago have born viable fruit in Israel.
Ancient olive oil soap factory unearthed in Bedouin city
Israel’s most ancient soap making workshop - a soapery - has been exposed in recent weeks at an excavation site run by the Israel Antiquities Authority and young Bedouin participants and volunteers.
Ancient Roman Facial Cream Found In London Excavation
Excavations in London turned up a pot of ancient Roman facial cream.
Maraya the biggest mirrored building in the world
Maraya contains a total of 9740 square metres of mirrors reflecting the vast and stunning desert surroundings of AlUla. The building set a Guinness World Record for being the largest mirrored building in the world in 2019 with its 26-metre-high theatre.
A holy high? Ancient cannabis traces found at Jewish shrine
Holy high? For the first time archeologists reveal that psychoactive cannabis was part of ancient worship rituals in the Holy Land.
What’s Smudging, And Why Is Everyone Doing it?
Burning medicinal herbs may clear your mind and heart - and drive bad vibes away.
If you think the Middle East is dramatic now, 2000 years ago it was a telenovela
The relations between the Herodian Kingdom and the Nabatean Kingdom were very complex and involved political, economic and marriage ties. Through the institution of marriage with local dynasties, Herodians consolidated power in the southern Levant and later became Rome’s client state. Intermarriage between religious groups was not uncommon, people were open-minded, until they were not. Here’s […]
King David tolerated cults in Jerusalem? Archeology reveals religious diversity
Cult worship was largely practiced and even sanctioned in the Holy Land while Jerusalem's Temple stood.
These dinosaurs were warm blooded
How Did Dinosaur Parents Know When Their Kids Had a Fever? Prehistoric egg shells provide clues to dinosaurs’ evolution from cold- to warm-blooded creatures.
Learning the art of ancient irrigation the Nabatean way
The Nabateans were like the Mayans of the Middle East. The ancient people were developed in agriculture, spirituality and architecture. Archaeologists dig into how they dealt with drought in Jordan, one of the driest countries on earth.