Youssef Kanjou
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Skull worship and ancestor veneration in the Middle East and other cultures
Traces of religious beliefs can already be found in the oldest archaeological finds from prehistoric times, particularly in those relating…
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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…