– On the paths of cultures –
Discovering Indagini e Misteri
Indagini e Misteri is a travel and culture blog, a diary for sharing our studies on history, art and past civilizations. Every investigation begins with mystery, with the desire to reveal what is still unknown. The study of symbols, rituals and myths, of the artifacts that have come down to us opens the doors of knowledge, allows us to discover thoughts and cultural frames of people before us, tells about places and events, invites us to look beyond the boundary. We hope to convey the spirit of discovery that leads our steps!
Samuele and Daniela
Latest articles
-
The Giants of Mont’e Prama, guardians of the Nuragic civilisation
in CulturesThe mistral sweeps relentlessly across the barren hill of Mont’e Prama. A gentle slope descends into the valley, while the lagoon of Cabras shimmers in the distance. The landscape is dotted with dwarf palms, which…
-
Madinat al-Zahra, the legendary shining city of Islam in Al-Andalus
in CulturesLike a tale whispered by the wind or a fleeting dream upon waking, the beauty of Madinat al-Zahra, the legendary “shining city” of Islam in Andalusia, was ethereal. Later generations of poets remembered this magnificent…
-
The indecipherable Voynich manuscript
in ArtImagine a small volume of just over two hundred pages, modest in size, entirely covered with enigmatic drawings and a script that no one has ever managed to decipher. Among its illustrations, at times grotesque,…
-
Ajloun Castle in Jordan, a Saladin’s fortress
in HistoryIn northwestern Jordan, between Lake Tiberias and the Dead Sea, stands the imposing medieval castle of Ajloun, perched on a hill more than a thousand metres above sea level. The fortress was built at the…
Blog categories
-
The Giants of Mont’e Prama, guardians of the Nuragic civilisation
The mistral sweeps relentlessly across the barren hill of Mont’e Prama. A gentle slope descends into the valley, while the lagoon of Cabras shimmers in…
-
Madinat al-Zahra, the legendary shining city of Islam in Al-Andalus
Like a tale whispered by the wind or a fleeting dream upon waking, the beauty of Madinat al-Zahra, the legendary “shining city” of Islam in…
-
Gadara, a wonderful Hellenistic city in the Middle East
Northern Jordan is a rugged land, dominated by barren hills, marked by blackish soil and the hardness of volcanic basalt. It is a frontier place…
-
The mysteries of Campiglia Marittima, the secret language of stone
Mystery pervades the streets of Campiglia Marittima’s historic centre, creeping like a light breeze between the medieval walls and permeating the atmosphere of this charming Tuscan village. Its ancient buildings conceal many enigmas: engravings, sculpted…
-
The labyrinth of Reims Cathedral
Once, in the nave of Reims Cathedral, at the foot of soaring pillars, between Gothic arches and majestic polychrome stained glass windows, was a labyrinth. This intricate drawing, composed of eleven geometric coils, lay beneath…
-
The Ark of the Covenant, historical truths and legends
Within the collective imaginary of humanity, the Ark of the Covenant is the ultimate sacred object. It is the mystical artefact that has elicited the…
-
The Holy Face of Lucca, between history and science
During the Middle Ages, one of the most important and revered relics in Europe was located in Lucca. Kept in the Cathedral of San Martino, the Holy Face was more…
-
The search for the Holy Grail, the chalice of Christ
Sacred vessel, mystical object of faith, but also magic stone, treasure of knowledge, heart of man: what the Holy Grail is, no one can know. It eludes the intellect, as…
-
The transcendent silence of Fossanova Abbey
Except for the soft echo of footsteps walking among the pews and kneelers, nothing else can be heard between the aisles of Fossanova Abbey. There is a powerful, mystical atmosphere in this place. It permeates every essence, a transcendent hierophany that is beyond the limits of human comprehension. There is no word, no gesture that…
-
The sense of mystery
How many times have we been enraptured by the unfathomable beauty of a work of art, the magnificence of a painting or the graceful form of a sculpture? And how many times have we paused to observe a fascinating gaze that has stirred something deep within us? I vividly remember the unmistakable sounds of the…
-
Ajloun Castle in Jordan, a Saladin’s fortress
In northwestern Jordan, between Lake Tiberias and the Dead Sea, stands the imposing medieval castle of Ajloun, perched on a hill more than a thousand metres above sea level. The…
-
The History of the First Crusade, from Clermont to Jerusalem
On 27 November 1095, at the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II urged the European princes to organise the First Crusade to liberate Jerusalem and defend the Holy Sepulchre of…
-
The Templars: monks and soldiers, pilgrims and knights
The capture of Jerusalem at the end of the First Crusade marked a decisive turning point in the history of medieval Europe. The Holy City…
-
The indecipherable Voynich manuscript
Imagine a small volume of just over two hundred pages, modest in size, entirely covered with enigmatic drawings and a script that no one has ever managed to decipher. Among its illustrations, at times grotesque,…
The authors
Samuele
Samuele is the founder of Indagini e Misteri, a blog on anthropology, history and art. He has a degree in forensic biology and works for the Ministry of Culture. For pleasure he studies unusual and ancient things, such as unclear symbols or enigmatic apotropaic rituals. He pursues the mystery through adventure but inexplicably it is is always one step further.
Daniela
Daniela is a coauthor in writing articles for Indagini e Misteri. Passionate about traditions and cultures, she has a PhD in development economics and has worked for FAO dealing with sub-Saharan African countries. She is a tough cookie and gets excited about new adventures or at the sight of ancient architecture.
Thematic paths
On the trail of Frederick II
Who was Frederick II of Swabia? Was he the saint believed by his supporters or the antichrist, as Gregory IX called him on the bull of excommunication?
