Youssef Kanjou
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Fasting in ancient cultures—a journey back in time to its origins
Fasting is a very ancient phenomenon that was known in numerous civilisations as a religious and social ritual. The motives…
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How violence developed in prehistoric times in the Near East
It is not known exactly when the first signs of violence appeared in human history. Nor can it be scientifically…
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Two unique turtle-like creatures connect Syria and Tübingen
By Youssef Kanjou and Michael SeifertAn international team of palaeontologists from Syria, Brazil and the University of Tübingen has discovered…
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Worldwide: New Year Celebrations from Antiquity to the Present
Since antiquity, New Year celebrations have been closely linked to the religious, social, political, and astronomical contexts of human societies.…
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Neanderthals and us: a story of extinction and survival
Neanderthals are the human species closest to our own, Homo sapiens, or “modern humans” as anthropologists call us. They lived…
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The art of Afghanistan’s last glassblowers
Afghanistan’s last glassblowers work in a narrow alleyway in the old town of Herat. It is nothing short of a…
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The origins of glass
By Youssef Kanjou and Abdul Baset KannawiGlass has always fascinated people. Its manufacture was probably discovered by chance. The Middle…