Welcome to Forgotten Footprints: Discover the Untold Histories of Humanity
Forgotten Footprints brings you tales from lesser-known civilizations and cultures from the Upper Paleolithic era to the collapse of the Mongol Empire. Let's rediscover our past, one theme, one culture, one breakthrough at a time.
I aim to offer a different historical perspective that popular discussions and textbooks ignore. Many exciting stories from civilizations are lost or have not been written, and they deserve to be told.
In a world dominated by celebrity news and politics, it’s easy to miss fascinating discoveries made by archaeologists and historians. Forgotten Footprints keeps you updated, along with deep dives from the past.
You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.
Forgotten Footprints is divided into three categories.
The primary newsletter focuses on stories from the lesser-known chapters of history. I’ve compiled a handy guide to help you get started.
Archaeo Jarlig brings you curated lists of the latest archaeological and historical discoveries.
Grubstoria covers the history of food and how it shaped our present-day cultures.
Who Is This For?
History Buffs: Discover new cultures and conduct in-depth analyses of the past, which popular books and documentaries overlook.
Educators & Students: Reliable, engaging material for classroom discussions and staying updated with the latest historical developments.
Curious Minds: Fascinating stories tailored for the intellectually inquisitive.
Why Go Paid?
I started Forgotten Footprints with a mission to highlight underappreciated stories from the past. Opting for paid content helps me focus on researching, buying books, and learning about the history of people who didn’t leave behind written records. Your support helps me devote more time to making Forgotten Footprints an authoritative guide to the past.
So, if you can afford it, please consider a paid membership.
You’ll gain access to tons of members-only content, such as:
Exclusive full-length posts.
The entire archive of amazing stories from the Ice Age to the Fall of the Mongol Empire, the hottest archaeological finds, and the appetizing history of food.
Early access to special editions.
Join the discussions in members-only posts and subscriber chats.
Here are some of the most popular exclusive stories:
The Mystery of Cahokia’s Mounds: America’s Lost Ancient City
Welcome to a special edition of Forgotten Footprints!
When Did Horses Revolutionize the Way We Moved?
What if everything we thought we knew about the origins of horseback riding was wrong?
The Ice Age Mammoth Hunters Who Invented Ceramics
Some 28,000 years ago, a little girl and her family sat around a fire by a stream in Moravia, Czechia, as the winds howled. Gathered around the warmth, they braved icy temperatures to make clay figurines of the creatures they encountered. The sculptures were mostly of megafauna, such as woolly rhinoceros, cave lions, bears, and mammoths. They also featured foxes, owls, and horses.
Free subscribers will get:
Access to the special editions of the newsletter.
Occasional free posts.
Selected archived posts.
Join limited subscriber chats and engage in discussions.
Here are some of the most popular paywall-free posts:
The Mystery of the Siberian Ice Maiden
On September 27, 2003, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Altai region. Three hundred houses were damaged, and three lost their lives.
Who Were the White Huns?
In the mid-4th century AD, a storm from the Eurasian Steppes disrupted the tranquility of ancient civilizations. Ruthless warriors emerged from endless pastures and wreaked havoc on the proud empires of India and Persia.
Did Steppe Empires Leave Behind Written Records?
History remembers the Steppe nomads as masters of the bow and the saddle but not the pen. What if I told you that this narrative is a myth? From the giant steeles in the Orkhon Valley to the ambitious universalism of Kublai Khan’s Phags-Pa script, the nomadic empires of the Eurasian Steppe didn’t just ride across history—they wrote it.
Invest in your love for history and help keep these stories alive!
Here’s what readers are saying about the newsletter:
Love this Substack - always interesting (and looking into many forgotten corners of the past!)- Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at Oxford and bestselling author of the Silk Roads.
I am happy to support your work with Forgotten Footprints. You publish interesting articles on a wide variety of topics, some well known and some more obscure and all are enlightening and entertaining. Well done- Jon Hunner, retd Professor of History, New Mexico State University, and the author of Inventing Los Alamos, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the Cold War and the Atomic West.
Prateek puts his heart and soul into his research and storytelling. I don’t remember where I first found him. Was it Medium or Twitter? Anyway, I’ve officially given Twitter (X) the cold shoulder, but found Prateek’s newsletter on this platform, and was pleasantly surprised. Wishing Prateek all the very best in bringing us his interpretations of the wonders of the ancient and prehistoric world-Lalipa Hongladarom Nilubol
"Even though I am an Economist by training, I have always been fascinated by Anthropology, especially cultures of the Silk Road. I have been greatly enjoying your free posts, and want to support your work. I look forward to reading more of your excellent summaries of current finds and your explanations of ancient cultures."- Karen L. Randall
"I support your work because you make the history of the Silk Road accessible "- David Livingston
"I appreciate the author's interest in non-European ancient history. Always readable and informative.” - Ockey.
" I like the rhythm of your writing Your understanding what is written to you seems clear Your respond reasonably, addressing the intent of questions Your topics have an interesting amount of depth, without getting too tangled up in academic detail I enjoy understanding why things are how they are… Observing Reverberations of history in present day time… Enjoy that sense of "time depth" still affect.”—Frank Frick
Join the crew
Be part of a community of people who share your interests. Please consider subscribing to the newsletter, and if you can, opt for the paid membership to gain complete access to the archives and exclusive posts.
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