What it is: Also known as the 11th tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh, this fragment of a baked clay tablet contains cuneiform inscriptions describing an epic flood that swept through Babylon. It is considered one of the oldest pieces of literature in the world. Where it was found: Nineveh (also known as Kouyunjik), an … Read more
Satan is often shown in popular depictions with horns on its head, furry legs and cloven hooves of a goat. But just why is the devil depicted with horns and hooves? It turns out that historians don’t agree on when this depiction of the devil became popular and where it came from. The devil’s appearance … Read more
Last week, one auction-goer went home well-prepared to face an encounter with the undead after buying a “vampire-slayer kit” dating back to the late 19th century. The kit sold for nearly $15,600 (£13,000) — six times its estimated price, after bids came from around the world. The U.K. buyer brought home a heavy wooden box … Read more
The Ark of the Covenant is a chest that is supposed to have held tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments, engraved by God for Moses on Mount Sinai, according to the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and Christian Old Testament. According to the Hebrew Bible, the Ark was constructed by the Israelites while they were camping out … Read more
