Sometimes getting lost in the museum is the most interesting way to find something. Notwithstanding the Louvre in Paris being an expansive, vast area, wandering the rooms in search of a specific place you may not find (read more about the long walk here) is a good way to discover…
- Part 71
Sandro Vannini’s Photography – The Cartouche Cosmetic Box
The Cartouche Cosmetic Box is one of numerous artefacts found inside the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62) by famous Egyptologist Howard Carter. The discovery was made in the sarcophagus itself according to Carter, although it’s possible that the artefact was actually found in between the two outer shrines, as other…
The Anthropology Song – A little bit Anthropologist
While most people are still able to (albeit it probably a bit incorrectly) answer what an archaeologist does, anthropologists are a species less known to the general public and media. Derived from the Greek ‘anthropos’ (human), anthropology means, ‘the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human…
Dogs and Men Went Mouth-to-Mouth in Old Kingdom Egypt
Beverley Miles, a doctoral candidate at MacQuarie University in Australia, has been researching the relationship that dogs and humans had during the time that the pyramids were built. She presented her results at an Egyptology symposium in Toronto a week ago – and they are not for those of a…
What went down the Roman Baths’ Great Drain?
Parts of an ancient underground drain that takes Bath’s famous hot spring water from the Roman Baths to the River Avon are to be explored for the first time in a project to survey parts of the Great Roman Drain, a scheduled ancient monument and fundamental part of the Roman…
Love and Sex in Ancient Egypt: Racy Poems From the Amarna Era
One of the most unusual presentations on Egyptology that Ive seen in awhile took place at the Egypt symposium in Toronto recently. Professor Emeritus Vincent Tobin, of St. Marys University, has been translating and analyzing Late Egyptian love poems, and finds that they reveal a rather risqu side to Egyptian…
Google Earth Tour: Pyramids of the World
Following on from the amazing high resolution satellite images of the Pyramids of Giza, it’s worth noting that the Pyramid is a structure that is seen across the world. The pyramid form was a popular one in ancient times – when you mention the Pyramids, people will instantly think of…
Lost in the Museum — Oolala Louvre
I had a great break last weekend and made a one-day shot London/Paris/London via the Eurostar (which is best way to travel this itinerary) to join some family for a special celebration. After lunch we also had (not enough) time to make a quick visit to the Louvre Museum. Given…
Lord Norwich and History’s Greatest Cities
We’ve already heard Lord Norwich‘s warnings about the perilous future of his beloved Venice (watch this video). But throughout human history, what have been the planet’s greatest cities – and how did they come to be? Lord Norwich’s latest book, The Great Cities in History (see more info here) attempts…
Take Only Photos (But Ask First!): World Monuments Fund Guidelines
Having been a tour leader for an adventure travel company, I was interested to read the recently published World Monuments Fund (WMF) guidelines for sustainable tourism, all of which have been inadvertently followed for years by conscientious tourists and tour companies. Getting the Messages Across But what is blindingly obvious…