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![The Eleusinian Mysteries: The Rites of Demeter](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/4422.jpg?v=1633524302)
Article
The Eleusinian Mysteries: The Rites of Demeter
The Rites of Eleusis, or the Eleusinian Mysteries, were the secret rituals of the mystery school of Eleusis and were observed regularly from c. 1600 BCE - 392 CE. Exactly what this mystic ritual was no one knows; but why the ancient Greeks...
![Salem Witch Trials](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/13773.jpg?v=1717490891)
Definition
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of legal proceedings in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692-1693 resulting in the deaths of 20 innocent people accused of witchcraft and the vilification of over 200 others based, initially, on the reports of...
![The History of Japanese Green Tea](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/10807.jpg?v=1715624645)
Article
The History of Japanese Green Tea
The history of green tea in Japan goes back to the 8th century when it was a popular stimulant for meditating monks. In this article, we examine tea's origins and cultivation, how it became an integral part of Japanese culture, the symbolism...
![Mithraism](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/2676.jpg?v=1644644704)
Definition
Mithraism
The Mithraic Mysteries, also known as Mithraism, were a mystery cult in the Roman world where followers worshipped the Indo-Iranian deity Mithras (Akkadian for "contract") as the god of friendship, contract and order. The cult first...
![Unsolved Ancient Mysteries](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/4870.png?v=1709536624)
Collection
Unsolved Ancient Mysteries
We know a lot about our past but some things, despite research, archaeology and endless debate, still remain largely unknown. This collection looks at some of the great unsolved mysteries from the ancient world to try and discover the facts...
![Mystery Cults](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/3501.jpg?v=1718149023)
Definition
Mystery Cults
Mystery cults, or mystery religions, were ancient religious associations characterized by secrecy and initiation rites. They typically surrounded one primary deity, but some mystery cults venerated multiple deities in their rites. Members...
![Kykeon](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/1035.jpg?v=1714884126)
Definition
Kykeon
Kykeon (from the Greek “to mix, stir”) was a beverage of water and barley (sometimes flavored with mint or thyme) popular among the working, 'lower' class of ancient Greece. In Homer's Illiad it is described as a mixture of water...
![Eleusis](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/3507.jpg?v=1630445402)
Definition
Eleusis
Eleusis was a deme of Athens and most famous for its annual festival of the Mysteries in honour of Demeter and Persephone. The site was also an important fortress protecting Attica and held several other important festivals, notably the Thesmophoria...
![Witchcraft in Europe: Crash Course](/uploads/kraked/6/6-2433_ci_preview.jpg)
Video
Witchcraft in Europe: Crash Course
During our last several episodes, Europe and the European-controlled world have been in crisis. Wars, disease, climate changes, and shifts in religious and political power threw the European world into turmoil. People were looking for a scapegoat...
![Witchcraft at Salem Village](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/360x202/13775.jpg?v=1717183685)
Image
Witchcraft at Salem Village
An engraving depicting the Salem Witch Trials, the central figure depicted in the engraving is usually identified as Mary Wolcott (1675 – c. 1752 CE). From Pioneers in the settlement of America: from Florida in 1510 to California in 1849...