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Year-end ritual at Nachi Falls

NACHIKATSUURA, Japan, Dec. 27 Kyodo - Priests from Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine replace a giant sacred "shimenawa" rope with a new one above Nachi Falls during a year-end ritual in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo)

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Year-end ritual at Nachi Falls

Priests from Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine replace a giant sacred "shimenawa" rope with a new one above Nachi Falls during a year-end ritual in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on Dec. 27, 2025.

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Karbala Rituals - Iraq

Mourning of Bani Assad on the 13th of Muharram in Karbala, Iraq. On July 9, 2025, Shiite Muslim mourners participate in the traditional commemoration known as the Mourning of Bani Assad, which takes place annually on the 13th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. The ritual honors the women of the Bani Assad tribe who, according to tradition, buried the unrecognized bodies of Imam Hussein and his companions after the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Dressed in black, participants gather near the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, chanting elegies and performing mourning processions to express grief and solidarity. This deeply symbolic event reflects the enduring historical and spiritual significance of Karbala for Shiite communities across the world, especially during the sacred month of Muharram, which marks the martyrdom of one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Karbala Rituals - Iraq

Mourning of Bani Assad on the 13th of Muharram in Karbala, Iraq. On July 9, 2025, Shiite Muslim mourners participate in the traditional commemoration known as the Mourning of Bani Assad, which takes place annually on the 13th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. The ritual honors the women of the Bani Assad tribe who, according to tradition, buried the unrecognized bodies of Imam Hussein and his companions after the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Dressed in black, participants gather near the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, chanting elegies and performing mourning processions to express grief and solidarity. This deeply symbolic event reflects the enduring historical and spiritual significance of Karbala for Shiite communities across the world, especially during the sacred month of Muharram, which marks the martyrdom of one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Karbala Rituals - Iraq

Mourning of Bani Assad on the 13th of Muharram in Karbala, Iraq. On July 9, 2025, Shiite Muslim mourners participate in the traditional commemoration known as the Mourning of Bani Assad, which takes place annually on the 13th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. The ritual honors the women of the Bani Assad tribe who, according to tradition, buried the unrecognized bodies of Imam Hussein and his companions after the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Dressed in black, participants gather near the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, chanting elegies and performing mourning processions to express grief and solidarity. This deeply symbolic event reflects the enduring historical and spiritual significance of Karbala for Shiite communities across the world, especially during the sacred month of Muharram, which marks the martyrdom of one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Karbala Rituals - Iraq

Mourning of Bani Assad on the 13th of Muharram in Karbala, Iraq. On July 9, 2025, Shiite Muslim mourners participate in the traditional commemoration known as the Mourning of Bani Assad, which takes place annually on the 13th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. The ritual honors the women of the Bani Assad tribe who, according to tradition, buried the unrecognized bodies of Imam Hussein and his companions after the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Dressed in black, participants gather near the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, chanting elegies and performing mourning processions to express grief and solidarity. This deeply symbolic event reflects the enduring historical and spiritual significance of Karbala for Shiite communities across the world, especially during the sacred month of Muharram, which marks the martyrdom of one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Karbala Rituals - Iraq

Mourning of Bani Assad on the 13th of Muharram in Karbala, Iraq. On July 9, 2025, Shiite Muslim mourners participate in the traditional commemoration known as the Mourning of Bani Assad, which takes place annually on the 13th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. The ritual honors the women of the Bani Assad tribe who, according to tradition, buried the unrecognized bodies of Imam Hussein and his companions after the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Dressed in black, participants gather near the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, chanting elegies and performing mourning processions to express grief and solidarity. This deeply symbolic event reflects the enduring historical and spiritual significance of Karbala for Shiite communities across the world, especially during the sacred month of Muharram, which marks the martyrdom of one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Pilgrims Begin Forty Day Trek to Karbala - Iraq

An elderly Iraqi woman known as Hajiya Umm Hussein stands with her young daughter along a roadside in Basrah, Iraq, on July 22, 2025, offering water to pilgrims en route to Karbala. She performs this humble act of hospitality as part of a long-standing Shiite tradition during religious pilgrimages. The route to Karbala is a sacred journey for millions of Shiite Muslims, and local families like Umm Hussein’s take pride in serving the faithful along the way. Her gesture not only reflects religious devotion but also symbolizes resilience and generosity amid the economic hardship faced by many Iraqi families. Despite the challenges, she continues to honor this ritual of service, teaching her daughter the values of faith, compassion, and community. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Pilgrims Begin Forty Day Trek to Karbala - Iraq

An elderly Iraqi woman known as Hajiya Umm Hussein stands with her young daughter along a roadside in Basrah, Iraq, on July 22, 2025, offering water to pilgrims en route to Karbala. She performs this humble act of hospitality as part of a long-standing Shiite tradition during religious pilgrimages. The route to Karbala is a sacred journey for millions of Shiite Muslims, and local families like Umm Hussein’s take pride in serving the faithful along the way. Her gesture not only reflects religious devotion but also symbolizes resilience and generosity amid the economic hardship faced by many Iraqi families. Despite the challenges, she continues to honor this ritual of service, teaching her daughter the values of faith, compassion, and community. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Pilgrims Begin Forty Day Trek to Karbala - Iraq

An elderly Iraqi woman known as Hajiya Umm Hussein stands with her young daughter along a roadside in Basrah, Iraq, on July 22, 2025, offering water to pilgrims en route to Karbala. She performs this humble act of hospitality as part of a long-standing Shiite tradition during religious pilgrimages. The route to Karbala is a sacred journey for millions of Shiite Muslims, and local families like Umm Hussein’s take pride in serving the faithful along the way. Her gesture not only reflects religious devotion but also symbolizes resilience and generosity amid the economic hardship faced by many Iraqi families. Despite the challenges, she continues to honor this ritual of service, teaching her daughter the values of faith, compassion, and community. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Pilgrims Begin Forty Day Trek to Karbala - Iraq

An elderly Iraqi woman known as Hajiya Umm Hussein stands with her young daughter along a roadside in Basrah, Iraq, on July 22, 2025, offering water to pilgrims en route to Karbala. She performs this humble act of hospitality as part of a long-standing Shiite tradition during religious pilgrimages. The route to Karbala is a sacred journey for millions of Shiite Muslims, and local families like Umm Hussein’s take pride in serving the faithful along the way. Her gesture not only reflects religious devotion but also symbolizes resilience and generosity amid the economic hardship faced by many Iraqi families. Despite the challenges, she continues to honor this ritual of service, teaching her daughter the values of faith, compassion, and community. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Pilgrims Begin Forty Day Trek to Karbala - Iraq

An elderly Iraqi woman known as Hajiya Umm Hussein stands with her young daughter along a roadside in Basrah, Iraq, on July 22, 2025, offering water to pilgrims en route to Karbala. She performs this humble act of hospitality as part of a long-standing Shiite tradition during religious pilgrimages. The route to Karbala is a sacred journey for millions of Shiite Muslims, and local families like Umm Hussein’s take pride in serving the faithful along the way. Her gesture not only reflects religious devotion but also symbolizes resilience and generosity amid the economic hardship faced by many Iraqi families. Despite the challenges, she continues to honor this ritual of service, teaching her daughter the values of faith, compassion, and community. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Pilgrims Begin Forty Day Trek to Karbala - Iraq

An elderly Iraqi woman known as Hajiya Umm Hussein stands with her young daughter along a roadside in Basrah, Iraq, on July 22, 2025, offering water to pilgrims en route to Karbala. She performs this humble act of hospitality as part of a long-standing Shiite tradition during religious pilgrimages. The route to Karbala is a sacred journey for millions of Shiite Muslims, and local families like Umm Hussein’s take pride in serving the faithful along the way. Her gesture not only reflects religious devotion but also symbolizes resilience and generosity amid the economic hardship faced by many Iraqi families. Despite the challenges, she continues to honor this ritual of service, teaching her daughter the values of faith, compassion, and community. Photo by Samer Al Husseini/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Baikho Festival - India

A Rabha tribal girl in traditional attire, her face smeared with rice flour, pours rice beer as a sacred offering to a priest after his fire-walking ritual during Baikho festival celebrations in Pantan village, Kamrup, in India's northeastern state of Assam on June 11, 2025. The annual ceremony honors their wealth deity while seeking abundant rains and bountiful harvests for the agricultural community. Photo by Hafiz Ahmed/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Baikho Festival - India

A Rabha tribal girl in traditional attire, her face smeared with rice flour, pours rice beer as a sacred offering to a priest after his fire-walking ritual during Baikho festival celebrations in Pantan village, Kamrup, in India's northeastern state of Assam on June 11, 2025. The annual ceremony honors their wealth deity while seeking abundant rains and bountiful harvests for the agricultural community. Photo by Hafiz Ahmed/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Baikho Festival - India

An Indian Rabha tribal priest carries a sacred tree root for a ritual tug-of-war competition during Baikho festival celebrations in Pantan village, Kamrup, in India's northeastern state of Assam on June 11, 2025. The annual festival honors their wealth deity through these symbolic contests, which seek to ensure abundant rains and a prosperous harvest for the community. Photo by Hafiz Ahmed/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Baikho Festival - India

An Indian Rabha tribal priest carries a sacred tree root for a ritual tug-of-war competition during Baikho festival celebrations in Pantan village, Kamrup, in India's northeastern state of Assam on June 11, 2025. The annual festival honors their wealth deity through these symbolic contests, which seek to ensure abundant rains and a prosperous harvest for the community. Photo by Hafiz Ahmed/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Baikho Festival - India

An Indian Rabha tribal priest conducts a sacred ritual during Baikho festival celebrations in Pantan village, Kamrup, in India’s northeastern state of Assam on June 11, 2025. The annual ceremony venerates their wealth deity while petitioning for prosperous rains and bountiful harvests in the coming agricultural season. Photo by Hafiz Ahmed/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 - India

Hindu pilgrims carrying their belongings walk over floating pontoon bridges to go to Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers, on a foggy winter evening to take part in the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on January 12, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opens January 13, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. . Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Maha Kumbh Celebration - India

Hindu sadhus walk past mural paintings in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu riding a camel, during a religious procession in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

Hindu pilgrims take a selfie picture with a man dressed as Lord Krishna, a Hindu god, during a religious procession in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu dances during a religious procession in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu riding a camel, during a religious procession in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu meditates in a camp in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu sits in front of a tractor, during a religious procession in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu reacts in a camp in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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First day of Maha Kumbh Mela - India

A Hindu sadhu blesses a devotee, in a camp in Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January, 2025. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing that opened on January 13, 2025, is held at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet, bringing millions to celebrate spiritual rebirth and enlightenment. Photo by Indranil Aditya/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Rope ritual at Japan shrine

KUMANO, Japan, Oct. 4 Kyodo - People carry a 170-meter-long sacred rope that hangs from a giant rock during the Otsunakake Shinji ritual at Hananoiwaya shrine in Kumano, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Oct. 2, 2023. (Kyodo)

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Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

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Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

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Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

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Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

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Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

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Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A pile of already worn oyster shells was found in the new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy which emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as ind

E

Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

E

Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

E

Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

E

Rare Blue Room Discovered In Pompeii - Italy

A new room in the central area of the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy emerged during excavations on May 2024. The room, which measures about 8 square meters, is painted blue and interpretable as a sacrarium, or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the storage of sacred objects. The light blue color found here was rarely witnessed in Pompeian frescoes and was generally found in highly decorative settings. Fifteen transport amphorae and a bronze set consisting of two jugs and two oil lamps were found in the room. Also present were accumulations of building materials, ready to be used in the renovations. A pile of already worn oyster shells was found on the threshold of the entrance, which were probably added to plaster and mortar mixes once they had been ground up. The figures found in the Blue Room flank niches in the center and depict the four seasons in the side niches. On the central wall are allegories of Agriculture and cattle breeding, as indicated by the attributes of a plow and a short stick used

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INDONESIA-BALI-LUKAT GENI RITUAL

(240311) -- BALI, March 11, 2024 (Xinhua) -- A Balinese man performs Lukat Geni ritual, or the sacred battle of fire, to welcome the upcoming Nyepi Day, or Bali's Day of Silence, in Paksebali village, Bali, Indonesia, March 10, 2024. (Photo by Dicky Bisinglasi/Xinhua)

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INDONESIA-BALI-LUKAT GENI RITUAL

(240311) -- BALI, March 11, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Balinese people perform Lukat Geni ritual, or the sacred battle of fire, to welcome the upcoming Nyepi Day, or Bali's Day of Silence, in Paksebali village, Bali, Indonesia, March 10, 2024. (Photo by Dicky Bisinglasi/Xinhua)

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Rope ritual at Japan shrine

People carry a 170-meter-long sacred rope that hangs from a giant rock during the Otsunakake Shinji ritual at Hananoiwaya shrine in Kumano, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Oct. 2, 2023.

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Rope ritual at Japan shrine

People carry a 170-meter-long sacred rope that hangs from a giant rock during the Otsunakake Shinji ritual at Hananoiwaya shrine in Kumano, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on Oct. 2, 2023.

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : A Hindu woman threads Rakhi on the wrist of her brother during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : People queue up to enter the Shankaracharya Temple during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : A Hindu woman rings a traditional bell during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : A Hindu woman perform rituals during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : People queue up to enter the Shankaracharya Temple during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : A man prostrates past People queue up to enter the Shankaracharya Temple during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. (Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group

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Raksha Bandhan Festival - Kashmir

August 30,2023, Srinagar Kashmir, India : A man prays outside the Shankaracharya Temple during the Raksha Bandhan festival in Srinagar. Raksha Bandhan means "a bond of protection" where sisters tie sacred threads onto their brothers' wrist for their well being in return for their vows to protect them. The ritual is observed during the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravan. On August 30,2023 in Srinagar Kashmir, India. Photo By Firdous Nazir/Eyepix Group/ABACAPRESS.COM