London, UK – In a significant event for enthusiasts of myth, legend, and ancient traditions, #FolkloreThursday’s celebrated authors, Dee Dee Chainey and Willow Winsham, have announced the pre-order availability of their latest collaborative work, The Treasury of Folklore – Waterlands, Wooded Worlds and Starry Skies. Published by Batsford Book
From Plow to Pantheon: Unearthing the Enduring Legacy of Ninurta, Mesopotamia’s Evolving Hero-God
Baghdad, Iraq – In the annals of ancient Mesopotamia, few deities embody the complex evolution of human civilization as profoundly as Ninurta. Known across Sumerian and Akkadian cultures, this hero-god, identified variously as Ningirsu, Pabilsag, and even the biblical Nimrod, was a potent force associated with war, hunting, and the south wind. Yet,
Unearthing Ancient Wisdom: Amanda Edmiston’s "The Time Traveller’s Herbal" Invites a Journey Through Botanical History
In an age increasingly disconnected from the natural world, a new literary and experiential journey promises to bridge the chasm between past and present, human and plant. Herbal storyteller Amanda Edmiston, through her acclaimed work The Time Traveller’s Herbal, invites readers to embark on a captivating exploration of traditional knowledge,
The Paradox of Ancient Justice: Unearthing the Sumerian ‘Hymn to Nungal,’ Goddess of Prisons and Rehabilitation
UR, Mesopotamia – In the annals of ancient Sumerian literature, few texts offer such a profound and complex glimpse into the concepts of justice, punishment, and redemption as the Hymn to Nungal. Dating primarily to the Old Babylonian period (circa 1894-1595 BCE), this powerful poem venerates Nungal, a deity of formidable yet compassionate characte
Penelope: The Enduring Saga of Loyalty, Cunning, and Resilience in Greek Mythology
ATHENS, GREECE – In the vast tapestry of Greek mythology, few figures resonate with the complexity and enduring strength of Penelope, the revered wife of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and mother of Telemachus. Her narrative, masterfully immortalized in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey (circa 750 BCE), stands as a testament to unwavering fidelity, s
Unrefined: David Singerman’s Deep Dive into Sugar’s Sweet and Bitter Legacy on Capitalism
New York, NY – In an era increasingly scrutinizing the origins and mechanisms of global capitalism, a forthcoming book promises to reshape our understanding of one of its most foundational commodities: sugar. David Singerman, Assistant Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Virginia, is set to release "Unrefined: How Ca
Homer’s Odyssey: An Enduring Epic of Homecoming, Peril, and Human Spirit
By Mark Cartwright Main Facts: The Quintessential Journey Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey, stands as a monumental pillar of Greek literature and a foundational text of Western civilization. Penned in the 8th century BCE, though drawing from a much longer and richer oral tradition, it chronicles a journey of unparalleled scope and profound huma
Unveiling Ancient Egypt’s Dawn: The Enigmatic Predynastic Period
Cairo, Egypt – Before the iconic pyramids pierced the sky and pharaohs ruled a unified kingdom, ancient Egypt underwent a profound transformation, a period stretching millennia from the Stone Age to the cusp of dynastic rule. This era, known as the Predynastic Period (circa 6000 – 3150 BCE), remains largely unwritten, its story pieced together [&he
Pazuzu: The Ancient Mesopotamian Demon Who Became a Modern Icon of Evil
Baghdad, Iraq – In the ancient lands of Mesopotamia, where civilizations rose and fell along the fertile crescent, a pantheon of gods and goddesses dictated the cosmos. Yet, alongside these benevolent and wrathful deities existed a complex array of spirits and demons, none perhaps as paradoxically powerful or enduringly famous as Pazuzu. This Babyl
The Hillsborough Messenger: How a New Jersey Meteorite Is Rewriting the History of the Early Solar System
HILLSBOROUGH, New Jersey — In the quiet suburbs of Somerset County, the mundane reality of residential life was shattered in May 2024 when a celestial visitor crashed through the roof of a local home. While the initial headlines focused on the dramatic property damage and the rarity of a "direct hit," a two-year intensive forensic [&helli
