News just emerged (to me via Janet E Davis’ tweets) that the Staffordshire County Council applied for a trademark for ‘Staffordshire Hoard’ and ‘The Staffordshire Hoard’ in January 2010. The trademark is still being examined by the UK’s Intellectual Property Office. The 350 + legal counsel application is not just…
- Part 35
Flat Earth Theory: Ancient Greeks Debunk the Modern Myth
During a recent lecture I attended by astronomer Paul Murdin, which was hosted by Heritage Key, I learnt something which fascinated me. One of the commonly held beliefs has been that ancient societies before the Age of Discovery believed that the world was flat, but when I raised this during…
Mafia Nuclear Waste Scandal Leads to Roman Amphorae Discovery in Italy
An underwater probe searching for evidence of vessels blown up by the Mafia to dispose of radioactive waste in the Mediterranean has found evidence of a shipwreck of a different kind containing several hundred Roman amphorae. The large clay ‘pots’ used to contain Roman foodstuffs (olive oil, wine, grain or…
Massive Third Church Discovered at Bawit Depicts Local Hermit Saint Apollo
A large new church, monastic burials and a vaulted room filled with Coptic wall paintings – new excavation work at the Monastery of Saint Apollo at Bawit is yielding a wealth of remarkable finds. One of the team members, Dr. Ramez Boutros of the University of Toronto, discussed some of…
Museum of London Docklands scraps Entry Fee for Free Admission
The Museum of London Docklands (MoLD) is free to visit today, after its admission was dropped to bring it in line with London’s many free museums. The museum, which covers 2000 years of London’s port history, had charged 5 for adults and 3 concessions, but hopes to increase visitor numbers…
The Spartacus Effect: Why we all Want to be Sexy, Blood-thirsty Romans
So despite objections from campaign groups such as MediaWatch UK, it now looks as though British viewers will be able to watch the new TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sandafter all. Pay-TV channel Bravo, owned by Virgin Media, has bought the rights to the first two series and is planning…
Switzerland returns Pharaoh Akhenaton’s toe to Egypt
Switzerland today signed an agreement for the repatriation of all illegally-obtained antiquities of Egyptian origin currently within their borders, according to a press release circulated by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). It represents a major victory for Egypt in its battle against global artefact theft, since many stolen…
Tomb of Ken-Amun is First Ramesside Tomb Discovered in Lower Egypt
The first ever Ramesside period tomb has been found in Lower Egypt. The 3300-year-old tomb – belonging to Ken-Amun, a government official – has been discovered by an SCAmission at Tell el-Maskhuta. The excavations have also revealed 35 Roman tombs. Click the images for a larger version. In a statement…
Mummy Frenzy with Joyce Filer – Forensic Aspects of Ancient Egypt… and King Tut!
Great news for anybody* who missed out on the previous ‘Mummy CSI’ study days with Joyce Filer, as there is another one coming up. A bonus – on top of the normal forensic aspects of ancient Egypt schedule – is an entire day dedicated to the remains of King Tut…
Blogger Challenge Comes to an End: Sex Guns and Education… So Who Wins?
How do we create virtual entertainment that’s meaningful, yet still fun enough without guns or sex? Is it possible? This is the question we asked three weeks ago, when we invited many game designers, education specialists and anyone interested in the future of our young generations to share their thoughts….