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Ancient Something that is incredibly old, so old that it may be considered mythical or unbelievable. ■ "I heard this rumor about the lost city of Atlantis being ancient. But honestly, I think it's just a myth.
Archeology The study of ancient cultures and civilizations, often involving the excavation of artifacts and ruins. ■ "I'm an archeologist, but my true passion is uncovering the secrets of the past. That's why I spend all day digging up old pottery and deciphering ancient hieroglyphics." "I heard she discovered a new archeology technique that uses a combination of GPS, laser, and drone technology to map out the location of buried artifacts. It's amazing what we can uncover when we use modern technology to explore our past!"
History The record of past events, typically concerning a particular country or subject. ■ Did you know that the ancient Greeks used to bury their dead with a pot of history? Now, when people say "That's ancient history," they actually mean it's really old and boring!
Ago A term used to express the past, particularly the distant or ancient past. ■ "The Egyptians built the pyramids ago.", "I remember when telephones had cords and people actually talked on them."
auld adjective very old, ancient ■The auld man had lived through the Industrial Revolution., noun a gathering of old friends ■We had an auld time at the reunion.
Auto An ancient type of vehicle with two wheels, propelled by an internal combustion engine. ■ "I can't believe you still drive an auto. It's so old-fashioned!"
caverns A large, dark and foreboding underground area with hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. ■ "I heard there are ancient treasure in the depths of the caverns."
chariot A horse-drawn vehicle used for transportation and warfare in ancient times. Also known as a "carriage" or "wagon." ■ "When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he did so on a chariot, not a Ferrari.
cuneiform A writing system used by the ancient Sumerians, characterized by the use of wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. ■ "I can't read cuneiform, but I love the way it looks like a bunch of wiggly lines."
Deciphering The act of figuring out a code or message that has been written in a language other than one's own. ■ "I can't believe I wasted two hours trying to decipher the hieroglyphics on the ancient Egyptian tomb!"
Decoder A device or machine that can decode a message, code or signal. ■ The secret society of cryptographers had to use their decoder to unlock the hidden message in the ancient Mayan hieroglyphs.
digger A person or thing that digs, often in search of something valuable. ■ "I'm a digger," said the archaeologist as she brushed away layers of dirt to reveal an ancient artifact.
fossil An ancient organism preserved in petrified form, often found in rock layers. ■ I once went to a museum that had a giant fossil of a dinosaur. It was so old, it even had feathers still attached!
Gods Being with great power and authority, often associated with religious beliefs. ■ "The gods of the ancient Greeks were known for their capricious nature, and it was said that even the bravest hero could anger them at any moment."
hallowed Extremely sacred or venerable, often because of its association with a deity or religious figure. ■ "The hallowed ground of the ancient temple was off-limits to all but the most devout pilgrims."
Hieroglyphs Pictures made by ancient Egyptians that looked like a bunch of squiggly lines. ■ "I don't understand hieroglyphs, they're just a bunch of random symbols to me."
oldest The most ancient and venerable thing, person, or institution in existence. ■ "I heard the oldest joke ever told at my grandma's house when I was six. It still makes me laugh every time I think about it."
oracle An ancient person who was believed to have supernatural powers and could predict the future. ■ Why did the oracle cross the road? To get to the other side!
paleontologist A person who studies ancient creatures, but has never seen one alive. ■ "I'm not sure why the paleontologist is so excited about this new fossil. It's just a pile of bones."
paleontology The study of ancient organisms, specifically those that lived more than 100 million years ago. ■ "I can't believe I'm studying paleontology instead of becoming a rock star."
Pharaoh A very funny and humorous ruler of ancient Egypt. ■ "He was the pharaoh of laughter, always cracking jokes to keep his subjects entertained."
Pharaohs Ancient Egyptian rulers who were considered to be divine and had the power to control the Nile River. ■ "The pharaohs were not afraid to use their powers to keep the river flowing and maintain their empire."
Pyramids An ancient Egyptian structure made of rectangular blocks and often used as tombs for pharaohs. They are known for their triangular shape and impressive size. ■ "I can't believe you actually ate all those pyramid-shaped sandwiches!
pyre A large bonfire, typically used for burning offerings or sacrifices to a deity. ■ The ancient Greeks were known for their elaborate pyres, which often included the burning of animals, incense, and even entire buildings.
runes A set of mysterious symbols used by ancient Germanic tribes, often associated with magic and witchcraft. ■ "I accidentally left my rune book on the subway. Now all my friends think I'm a practicing witch."
Sarcophagus A large, ornate box used to hold the remains of a deceased person. ■ "The ancient Egyptians were quite fond of their sarcophagi, adorning them with hieroglyphics and gold."
sutra A text written in ancient India that contains religious teachings and practices. ■ When the monk accidentally dropped his sutra, he had to chant for hours to get it back.
Telly A device used for receiving and displaying television broadcasts. ■ When my grandma asks me to turn off the telly, I tell her that I'm watching a really important program about ancient civilizations and I can't miss it.
Timeless An adjective used to describe something that is so funny, it seems to exist outside of time and space. ■ "That joke was so timeless, I'm pretty sure it was written in ancient Sumerian script."
unlocking The act of revealing a secret or hidden truth by cracking a code or solving a riddle. ■ "I unlocked the mystery of the missing treasure by deciphering the ancient map's cryptic symbols."
urns An ancient Roman container used for holding the ashes of the dead. ■ "I need to buy an urn for my grandma's remains."
zlotys2 A rare and valuable currency made from pure gold, used by alchemists in ancient times. ■ "I have a stash of zlotys hidden away in my secret underground lair."
aboriginal A funny term for someone or something that is indigenous to a certain area, but has since become corrupted and lost all meaning. ■ "I heard that the Aboriginal people of Australia are so ancient that they still have the ability to time travel. But unfortunately, their technology has been so corrupted by Western influence that they can only go backwards in time."
Artifacts Noun: The remains or relics of an ancient civilization, often containing valuable objects and information about the people who created them. ■ "I can't believe I found a 2000-year-old Egyptian artifact in my backyard! It must have been left over from one of their wild parties."
bibliography A collection of all the sources used in a research paper, listed in alphabetical order by author's last name. ■ When writing a research paper on the history of chocolate, it is important to include a thorough bibliography so that other researchers can find and verify your information. For example: "According to Smith (2018), chocolate has been enjoyed for thousands of years by ancient civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs. However, recent studies have shown that excessive chocolate consumption may lead to heart disease (Jones, 2019)."
boilers An ancient device that used water heated by a fire to create steam, which was then used to power machinery or heat homes and buildings. ■ "My grandpa still has a boiler from the 1800s. It's like a relic from another era!
bumming Engaging in conversation with someone who is not familiar with a particular subject or topic. This usually involves asking questions and listening to their responses, rather than simply giving your own opinions. ■ "I bummed my friend on the history of ancient Egypt, but he was clueless about most of it!"
Carburetor An ancient device used to power vehicles by mixing fuel and air, but is now considered obsolete in favor of modern fuel injection systems. ■ "I can't believe we still have a carburetor in this car. It's like we're living in the stone age!
castle A large and imposing structure, often with a tall tower or turrets. ■ The king lived in a grand castle with a moat surrounding it, where he could keep all his enemies at bay.; A large and imposing structure, often with a tall tower or turrets. Also used to describe a luxurious hotel or resort. ■ "I can't believe you expect me to pay $500 a night for a room at this castle-themed hotel!; A large and imposing structure, often with a tall tower or turrets. Also used to describe an imaginary or symbolic fortress. ■ "In his quest for power, the ambitious prince decided to conquer the castle of his enemies and claim it as his own."; A large and imposing structure, often with a tall tower or turrets. Also used to describe a mythical creature's home. ■ "The dragon guarded its castle fiercely, breathing fire at any intruders."; A large and imposing structure, often with a tall tower or turrets. Also used to describe a place of worship. ■ "The pope resided in the grand castle of Vatican City, where he conducted his religious duties."; A large and imposing structure, often with a tall tower or turrets. Also used to describe an ancient fortress. ■ "The castle of Neuschwanstein was built in the 19th century by King Ludwig II of Bavaria as a homage to composer Richard Wagner."
Chronology The study of dates and events in a specific order, typically used to tell stories or explain historical developments. ■ Did you know that the ancient Greeks had their own unique system of chronology? They called it "Greekonomy" - a hilarious play on words because they believed that everything in life was related to numbers. So, for example, they would use the number seven to represent love, and nine for wisdom.
civilizations A group of highly advanced, intelligent beings who live in a specific geographic location and have developed complex systems of government, art, literature, technology, religion, and other aspects of human life. ■ "The ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome are still studied and admired for their contributions to human civilization.
Constellation A group of stars that are visible in the night sky and have been given names by ancient astronomers. ■ "I told my friend I was going to stargaze tonight, but he said he'd rather watch TV. I asked him if he knew the constellation Orion? He said no, but he did know who Oprah was."
Cypher A person who uses a cipher to decrypt secret messages. ■ The cypher was able to crack the code of the secret society and reveal all their plans. A person who is very intelligent or knowledgeable about a certain subject or area of study. ■ "I'm just a cypher when it comes to history, but I can tell you that the ancient Egyptians were really into math."
earliest The most ancient, earliest time or thing. ■ When I was a kid, I used to believe that the earliest form of life on Earth was dinosaurs. But then I learned about bacteria and realized they were actually the true pioneers of our planet.
ectoplasm A mysterious, glowing substance that appears to be emitted from the body during spiritual séances or other mystical practices. ■ "During her latest séance, Madame Zara claimed to have produced a stunning amount of ectoplasm, which she used to write messages in ancient tongues on a slate.
heresy A doctrine or principle that is fundamentally at odds with the established and orthodox beliefs of a particular religion or group. ■ "I believe in heresy, and I think the only true way to worship is by dancing around a bonfire while chanting ancient spells."
iliad A long, epic poem written in ancient Greece about the Trojan War. It is considered one of the greatest works of literature. ■ "I don't know why they call it the Iliad, it's just a bunch of Greeks fighting over a stupid trophy," said John, clearly unimpressed by the epic poem.
medieval A time period characterized by the rise of feudalism and the decline of ancient Roman and Greek civilization. ■ "I can't believe I have to wear this awkward outfit to the medieval festival. It's like stepping back in time, except instead of having fun, I feel like a living relic."
mound A large, conical pile of earth or other material., A person's chest, often referred to as the "heart" or "mammary gland." ■ After hours of digging, the archaeologists finally uncovered the ancient pyramid-shaped mound that was believed to hold the lost city., "I think I've had enough of these mounds today, let's go get some ice cream!"
Mummies Old, shriveled-up humans who were preserved in ancient Egypt by being covered in mud and left to dry out for thousands of years. They are often depicted with bandages covering their faces and holding sarcophagi. ■ "I had a nightmare last night about being buried alive like a mummy. It was so frightening!"