Fiona, 8th Countess of Carnarvon, takes us into the recreated tomb of King Tutankhamun at Highclere Castle, and explains what some of the wall paintings inside KV62 mean, and their significance in ancient Egyptian beliefs. She talks about the various Gods portrayed in the King Tut's path to the afterlife, and how building the tomb out of stone preserved the knowledge of this amazing past for us to understand today.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Wed, 12/23/2009 - 09:20
"In most Egyptian tombs you've either got the wall paintings or the coffin." Fiona, 8th Countess of Carnarvon says, stressing the uniqueness of Tutankhamun's tomb, the greatest discovery in history.
Jean-François Dumon and Alamanga have developed 'Aaou', an application for iPhone and iPodTouch which allows a quick translation of hieroglyphs. The iPhone app over 10,000 words or symbols to - depending on your iPhone settings - French or English. the translation in French / English of more than 10200 words and symbols and offers the possiblity of transliteration. 'Aaou' also allows you access through an index, to the uni/bi/triliterals as well as to an aide memory on the common hieroglyphs. The Aaou Hieroglyph Dictionary is priced at 4.99 euro and - of course - available via the iTunes app store.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 12:04
The lost Inca civilization of the Andes developed a seven-bit binary code using knotted string called Khipu, a leading American anthropologist argues. If true, the relics would have invented binary language around 500 years before the invention of the computer. The coloured textiles could have provided thousands of language permutations; around the same as the Sumerian cuneiform of 1,500 to 1,000 BC, according to Harvard University professor Gary Urton.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 12:10
It was the first of its kind; writing which sparked a cultural revolution, the tremors of which can still be felt today. But how did cuneiform script evolve, what languages did it influence and for what reason was it first used? The history of this fascinating paradigm takes us all over the ancient world, beginning in the fertile fields of the Mesopotamian plains.
Origins
To understand cuneiform, you must first delve into its birthplace. Fourth millennium BC Mesopotamia was a land full of opportunity, where the smallest tribe could lay claim to an entire continent. By that time the city-states of Sumer had begun to stamp their authority on the region, pioneering skills such as irrigation and social structuring. The sodden reaches stemming from the Persian Gulf were perfect at times for the growing of foods like barley, onions, grapes and apples.
Schools out for summer - it's playtime now. And while there are plenty of computer games to whet your appetite for the ancient world, there's also still a lot of fun out there to be had with a bit of glue and some decent instructions. From projects for big kids to those with slightly less nimble fingers, there's something it seems in the ancient world for everyone. Build Your Own Stonehenge from Running Press may not come with the more than 150 rocks that feature in the life-size version, but it does come with a good two dozen that you can arrange at your own leisure. Imitate the original or create a new and improved version for your home. The DIY Stonehenge is the brainchild of Morgan Beard, a journalist and author who is also a practicing pagan.
Jean-François Dumon and Alamanga have developed 'Aaou', an application for iPhone and iPodTouch which allows a quick translation of hieroglyphs. The iPhone app over 10,000 words or symbols to - depending on your iPhone settings - French or English. the translation in French / English of more than 10200 words and symbols and offers the possiblity of transliteration. 'Aaou' also allows you access through an index, to the uni/bi/triliterals as well as to an aide memory on the common hieroglyphs. The Aaou Hieroglyph Dictionary is priced at 4.99 euro and - of course - available via the iTunes app store.
To understand cuneiform, you must first delve into its birthplace. Fourth millennium BC Mesopotamia was a land full of opportunity, where the smallest tribe could lay claim to an entire continent. By that time the city-states of 
Schools out for summer - it's playtime now. And while there are plenty of computer games to whet your appetite for the ancient world, there's also still a lot of fun out there to be had with a bit of glue and some decent instructions. From projects for big kids to those with slightly less nimble fingers, there's something it seems in the ancient world for everyone. 
