• veigapaula

    Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous… Egyptians

    The rich and famous people of ancient Egypt lived a decadent lifestyle with fine wine, sex, high fashion, and plenty of partying. How do they compare with their equivalents today – the modern western celebrity set? The main differences might be regarding who were the richest people then, and who are the richest people now. In ancient Egypt the pharaoh was at the top of the pyramid and his family, noble people who owned land, and the priests came after. Scribes, architects and doctors were well off, and skilled craftsmen also had many privileges. Peasants and unskilled workers were low…

  • site

    Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III

    Attribution: Masterplaan Thebes Egypt Key Dates The temple was built in the reign of Amenhotep III, which lasted from around 1391 to 1353 BC. Since 1998, it has been on the World Monument Fund’s list of the planet’s 100 most endangered monuments. Excavation at the site began in 2004, and is expected to be ongoing until around 2027. Key People The temple was built as a funerary monument for Amenhotep III, the most powerful, rich and influential pharaoh in Egyptian history. Research at the site is being headed by German-Armenian Egyptologist Dr Hourig Sourouzian. Dr Hourig Sourouzian Amenhotep III The…

  • prad

    Daily Flickr Finds: ktildsley’s Great Hypostyle Hall, Karnak

    Karnak is home to several temples and ruined chapels, and is the largest ancient site in the world. Within the site is the Great Hypostyle Hall, Karnak, which is a popular tourism hotspot. Located in the Precinct of Amun-Re, the hall covers an area of 5 square kilometres, and is composed of 134 columns divided within 16 rows. The composition and angle of this fantastic photograph by ktildsley inside the Great Hypostyle Hall is captivating, giving a sense of how high up the roof would have been. The tall columns appear almost intimidating, closing in the shot tightly and the…

  • prad

    Daily Flickr Finds: Vit Hassan’s Meroe

    Photography is often a case of having to wait for that perfect shot, as Vit Hassan discovered when visiting Meroe. The golden sands of the desert against the ancient Nubian pyramids gave the perfect backdrop, and after taking his photograph, Vit Hassan took the one Heritage Key features ten minutes later as the shadows set into the landscape, and the scenery became more defined. The Sahara desert covers the length of Egypt, down to the site of the city ofMeroe, near the modern day border with Sudan aside the River Nile. Meroe intrigues many archaeologists for the sense of mystery…

  • images

    Satellite Image: Bergama (Pergamon), Turkey

    Bergama, Turkey is a city in the west of the country, located near the Bakray river and is home to the ruins of the Roman city of Pergamon (or Pergamum), which lie to the north and west of the modern day site. The ancient city is believed to have had a population of around 150,000 people at its peak in the First Century AD. Thanks to GeoEye who have provided a high resolution satellite image of the region, we can see the relationship between the modern city and its ancient past. Of all the amazing sites in the area surrounding…

  • prad

    Daily Flickr Finds: Dmitriy Moiseyev’s Colosseum

    The home to some of the greatest shows on Earth, Rome’s Colosseum had a capacity of 50,000 making it the largest built by the Romans. Where gladiators would have battled and public shows would be held, this amazing monument is captured beautifully by Dmitriy Moiseyev in this photograph. Taken at dusk, the interior lights can be seen glowing from within the structure, emanating a glow about this ancient relic. Rome’s Colosseum differs from many of the Greek amphitheatres preceding it, as it is a freestanding structure as opposed to being built into a hillside. With such a high capacity, the…

  • owenjarus

    Tombs of the Pyramid Builders Discovered in Giza, Egypt

    There is exciting news breaking right now in Egypt. An archaeological team led by Dr. Zahi Hawass has discovered several new tombs that belong to the workers who built the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre. This is the first time to uncover tombs like the ones that were found during the 1990s, which belong to the late 4th and 5th Dynasties (2649-2374 BC), said Dr. Hawass in the press release. When we think of Giza we tend to think of the Giza Pyramids. However, while the pyramids were under construction, there was an extensive city to the south that supported…

  • prad

    Daily Flickr Finds: Amanda Slater’s Great Court of the British Museum

    The British Museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of artefacts and treasures. With such beauties as the Elgin Marbles (Which the Greeks want back, by the way) and the Rosetta Stone (Which Dr Hawass wants to see given back to Egypt) and is currently housing the newly discovered Staffordshire Hoard. Amanda Slater’s lovely shot inside the Great Court inside the British Museum shows nicely the way the light coming in from the modern glass roof shines down inside the historic interior. The roof of the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, designed by prominent British architect Sir…

  • prad

    Daily Flickr Finds: Brian H’s Dover Castle

    Black and White photography is an artform in itself – it’s so much more than simply clicking the “greyscale” option in Photoshop. It’s about adjusting the contrast, lighting and many other factors to achieve that perfect composition! Just ask Brian H who achieved a powerful and stunning effect in his photograph of Dover Castle. The castle, which contains a Roman lighthouse (Pharos) within its grounds, is one of Britains most iconic defensive strongholds, and recently underwent a 2 million renovation of its Great Tower. The photograph, although taken at some distance, brings the details of the stonework together with the…

  • garry-shaw

    Medieval Fustat – Solitude in the City

    A cat wanders by, leading to myself, the guard, my two friends, and the cat being the only occupants of the ruined city of Fustat on this particular day; it was originally home to roughly 200,000 people. This is an unexpected experience for Cairo solitude in the city. The Medieval Capital Fustat, the medieval capital of Egypt founded in 642 AD by General Amr Ibn el-As, was burnt to the ground (according to Arab tradition) roughly five hundred years later by order of the Vizier Shawar. Frankish crusaders were on their way, and he decided that it was better to…