The Past Macabre

Join Egyptologist Stephanie Rice as she delves into topics such as the elaborate tombs built to immortalize the dead, ancient guardians of the afterlife, and the tales of heroes who defied and often triumphed over deities of death. The Past Macabre explores the diverse ways in which cultures throughout history have sought to understand, confront, and transcend death.

Sunken Cities Part 2: The Ancient Mysteries of Canopus - Ep 23
Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Sunken Cities Part 2: The Ancient Mysteries of Canopus - Ep 23

There’s so much info to share about Canopus that it needed a second episode!

In this episode, we take a look at some of the myths and deities associated with Canopus as well as earlier finds that have provided us with important details about the city.

According to myth, the city began a the site where a Homeric hero met a gruesome end. It grew to become the main trade hub connecting Mediterranean routes to the Nile, a sacred city of several deities, and an internationally famous center of healing.

Under the Ptolemies, Canopus became the site of the Mysteries of Osiris, blending Greek and Egyptian rituals of death and rebirth in order to gain sacred knowledge. We’ll explore all we know about this mysterious annual ritual and others that were held here.

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Sunken Cities Part 1: New Discoveries from the Ancient Egyptian Port, Canopus - Ep 22
Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Sunken Cities Part 1: New Discoveries from the Ancient Egyptian Port, Canopus - Ep 22

At the end of August, archaeologists announced extraordinary new finds from the sunken city of Canopus, located off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. For the first time in 25 years, artifacts were raised from the seabed, including a sphinx inscribed with Ramses II’s name, statues from the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, and shipwreck remains.

In this episode, we'll explore both these latest underwater discoveries and geological surveys that are helping researchers understand what caused Canopus to sink, because understanding how people of the past adapted to disasters could help us find solutions for today’s climate-threatened coastal cities.

Listen now to learn about the artifacts, myths, and history of Canopus.

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The Hungry Ghost Festival: From Ancient China to Modern Celebrations Around the World - TPM 21
Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

The Hungry Ghost Festival: From Ancient China to Modern Celebrations Around the World - TPM 21

Many different cultures from China and Southeast Asia honor the dead on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month during the Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as Zhongyuan in Daoism and Yulanpen or Ullambana in Mahayana Buddhism. In this episode, we’ll trace the origins of ancestor worship to ancient Shang Dynasty Oracle Bones, or “Dragon Bones,” which were used to inscribe petitions to ancestral spirits and hold the earliest evidence of Chinese writing.

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Welcome to The Past Macabre! Where we dive into humanity’s enduring obsession with death—and what lies beyond it!