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15 “Ancient Traditions” That Were Actually Invented Recently

Shannon Quinn July 2, 2025 8 min
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12. Burning Man Festival

12. Burning Man Festival
A vibrant crowd gathers around a towering wooden sculpture as the sun sets over the Nevada desert at Burning Man. | Photo by Following NYC on Pexels

Although some frame Burning Man as part of a lineage of ancient rituals, its origins are unmistakably modern. The festival began in 1986 on a San Francisco beach and moved to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in 1990. Its founders freely borrowed imagery and mythology from diverse sources, creating a unique blend of art, community, and spectacle. Burning Man’s “ancient” aura is an inventive, contemporary construct. NPR

Written by
Shannon Quinn

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