Ancient history has always been a great inspiration for creation. Hidden things from the past can be a great source of ideas for the future. And if there’s a game series that knows how to take inspiration from anything, it’s Pokemon. Ancient history is no exception.

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There have been many objects from ancient civilizations that have gone onto inspire Pokemon. Pokemon inspired by Ancient history have come from all over the world, from the Pharaohs of Egypt to prehistoric Japan, and all the way to Ancient Peru. These are the top ten Pokemon that were inspired by Ancient History.

10 Wo-Chien

At first glance, Wo-Chien just looks like a snail, right? What’s so historic about a snail? But if you look closer, the historical influence on Wo-Chien unwinds. Wo-Chien is inspired by early writing forms used in Ancient China. Slips of bamboo or wood were used as paper, and they would coil easily, just like the coils that make up Wo-Chien’s shell.

Wo-Chien’s vengeful nature is also possibly a homage to the murder of Duke of Qi. The story goes that another noble desired the Duke’s throne and murdered him. Only through the honesty of the court historians do historians know what happened. This dedication to writing something down, no matter how unpleasant, may be reflected in Wo-Chien’s Scarlet Pokedex Entry: “The grudge of a person punished for writing the king’s evil deeds upon wooden tablets has clad itself in dead leaves to become a Pokémon.”

9 Cofagrigus

The king, or pharaoh, of all ancient-inspired Pokemon is Cofagrigus. It’s hard to miss what time period inspired the Coffin Pokemon. Cofagrigus is inspired by Ancient Egyptian sarcophagi—giant ornate caskets often made from precious materials.

In Cofagrigus’s case, its design is inspired by one specific sarcophagus. King Tutenkhamen’s sarcophagus, discovered in 1922, is one of the best surviving examples of Ancient Egyptian sarcophagi. Egyptian sarcophagi like Cofagrigus would hold mummified remains, which took seventy days to complete. King Tut’s sarcophagus impacted popular culture so much that it was replicated decades later in Pokemon form.

8 Sigilyph

The Pokedex says of Sigilyph: “They never vary the route they fly, because their memories of guarding an ancient city remain steadfast.” Sigilyph is a Pokemon that is open about the ancient influences that went into designing it, which is great because the influence used to create Sigilyph is pretty fascinating.

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Sigilyph is inspired by the Nazca lines, which are mysterious and giant designs cut into the earth in Southern Peru. They’re found in the Nazca desert (just like Sigilyph’s desert home), and nobody is entirely sure why they’re there. It is believed they had a religious meaning to Ancient Peruvians, but nobody is positive what they are. Perhaps someday a real life ancient city will be discovered there?

7 Golett

Archaeology involves many different disciplines, but it needs two things: old things and dirt—ghost and ground, essentially. Golett is a Pokemon with both of those types, and it certainly is inspired by objects from the archaeological record.

The main influence for Golett are golems, clay creatures from Jewish folklore that have many meanings. It is also inspired by the Haniwa, which were terracotta figures used in ancient Japanese funeral rites. Clay and stone was one of the earliest mediums humans had to work in, and clay figures can be found across the archaeological record in many different ancient cultures.

6 Runerigus

Little Yamask just seems to be fodder for ancient-inspired evolutions. Its evolution, the Galar variation of Cofagrigus is Runerigus, and Runerigus is a pretty fascinating Pokemon all on its own. Where Cofagrigus was inspired by sarcophagi, Runerigus is inspired by runestones. Runestones are huge slabs of stone erected by Vikings in honor of great deeds.

Runestones can be found all over the world, but they are especially common in England (which the Galar region was inspired by). They frequently were built as memorials for deceased vikings, and often had elaborate carvings of animals and figures, which is very much like the snake-like carving on Runerigus’s body.

5 Poltchageist

The history of tea dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. That’s like, a really long time ago. Tea consumption in Japan dates back to the 9th century CE, when it was brought from China over to Japan. From there, the tea ceremony developed, and with the invention of the tea ceremony would come the eventual invention of Poltchageist.

Poltchageist resembles tools used in traditional tea ceremonies, which are centuries old. Poltchageist even represents the sketchier side of history, as there is a difference between Artisan Poltchageists and Counterfeit Poltchageist. Counterfeit artifacts are a real problem, so make sure your Poltchageists are ethically sourced!

4 Stonjourner

Here’s a quick look at Stonjourner’s Pokedex: “Once a year, on a specific date and at a specific time, they gather out of nowhere and form up in a circle.” Intriguing. What could it mean? Pokemon scientists don’t seem to be sure, but they believe it is a ritual. This is exactly what could be said about Stonjourner’s ancient inspiration.

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Stonjourner is inspired by Stonehenge, the prehistoric megalith (a bunch of rocks piled on top of each other). The meaning of Stonehenge is uncertain but it is believed to relate to the solar cycle and changing of seasons, exactly like Stonjourner and its yearly meet up.

3 Ampharos

Ampharos’s ancient origin isn’t as clear as, say, Cofagrigus. It isn’t a giant floating Egyptian sarcophagus. But it is inspired by the ancient world, specifically Ancient Egypt. Ampharos has ties to one of the most spectacular buildings in antiquity: the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was built by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. It was built to guide ships into the harbor but became a marvel of ancient engineering. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and became the most famous lighthouse in history. The ‘Pharos’ in ‘Ampharos’ comes from this building. There’s a fun fact to share the next time you're in Johto and there’s medicine that needs to be run to Jasmine.

2 Claydol

Claydol is an interesting looking Pokemon. With its huge eyes and strange patterns, it looks like a sculpture from another time. Because that’s exactly what it is. Claydol was inspired by the Dogū of Ancient Japan. These clay figures have been found all over Eastern Japan, and are believed to be dated between 14,000 and 300 BCE.

The nature of these figures are unknown. Anthropologists believe they may be a depiction of a mother goddess. They come from the Jōmon period of Japanese history, where the Ancient Japanese hunted and gathered to survive. As Jōmon history is uncovered, someday historians may learn the secret behind Claydol’s origins.

1 Garganacl

Garganacl is clearly influenced by stone structures. This rock type from the Paldea region resembles salt crystals. But Garganacl’s shoulders have a bit more structure than is expected. That’s right, folks: there’s more than one homage in Garganacl’s design, and the second is ancient in origin.

Garganacl takes after ziggurats, a kind of pyramid that was common in Ancient Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia is known as the cradle of civilization, as many early societies sprang out of the area. Ziggerauts were used as temples and shrines for many ancient religions and would have been a site of importance for local settlements. Its importance was rock solid, just like Garganacl.

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