, Director General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), recently attended ceremonies marking the reopening, after major restoration work, of a number of Islamic monuments in Cairo. It follows his appearance at similar ceremonies recently marking the completion of a number of big-budget developments in and around the area of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. Islamic Monuments The restored Islamic monuments all in the Al-Darb Al-Ahmar area of Cairo include The Al-Imam mosque, the Al-Layth mosque, the Al-Set Meska mosque, the Ali Labib house and the well zone of Youssef, at the Salah El-Din Citadel. The…
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Ancient Egyptians may be best known for building pyramids, but internationally renowned maritime archaeologist Cheryl Ward wants the world to know that they were pretty good sailors, too. Ward and an international team of archaeologists, shipwrights and sailors recently built a full-scale replica of a 3,800-year-old ship and sailed it on the Red Sea to re-create the voyage Egyptian female pharaoh Hatshepsut took to a place the ancient Egyptians called God’s Land, or Punt. A 2006 discovery of the oldest remains of seafaring ships in the world in manmade caves at Wadi Gawasis, on the edge of the Egyptian desert…
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We know lots about the Great Pyramid of Giza – it’s age (about 4,569 years), who it was built for (the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian King Khufu), who designed it (Khufu’s brother, the architect Hemienu) and even who rolled up their sleeves and did the work (tens of thousands of skilled labourers from across the kingdom, as opposed to slaves as was once believed). But ask a room full of experts how it was built, and you can expect a whole lot of head-scratching and beard-stroking, followed by heated argument and possibly some light fisticuffs. The main bone of contention is:…
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On the banks of the Nile, some 200km north-east from Khartoum is the ancient city of Meroe – the southern capital of the Kushite empire, which spanned across Sudan and part of Ethiopia. Nearby are a group of villages called Bajrawia which is where today’s Flickr photograph was taken byVit Hassan, who captured this stunning sandstorm engulfing the area. The city of Meroe is flanked by over 200 Nubian pyramids, many of which lie in ruins as is evident in Vit Hassan’s fantastic capture of the site. Although once a flourishing city of great importance in its time, much about…
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Egypt’s oldest church will finally reopen its doors this December, after Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass announced that a project to save it from harmful air is coming to an end. The 3rd century AD Hanging Church has been decaying sharply over the past few hundred years, with much of its ornate imagery and wooden iconography in danger of disappearing forever. The plan first involved installing security and fire alarms, and redecorating much of the famous building’s exterior. An Italian team has since been drafted in to relieve the church from the pressures of hot air with precise cooling equipment. The…
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Easily the most recognisable heritage site in Greece, the Acropolis spans 3 hectares on a site which sits 150 metres above sea level. Much of this fascinating site remains today, albeit a little bit spread out! Roy Filou’s fantastic capture of this stunning site at dusk creates a shadowy and relaxed feel which portrays a warm feel. The Older Parthenon was originally pillaged and burnt to the ground in 480BC after a Persian atatck on Athens. In the aftermath, the whole site was rebuilt during the Golden Age of Athens, overseen by Emperor Pericles and two prominent architects – Ictinus…
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Anyone looking for a holiday that gets much closer to the cultural core of a historic destination than the average tourist experience would do well to check out the Global Explorer Series a partnership between Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and the National Geographic Society. Theyre inviting intrepid travellers to do better than peer at their attractions of choice from behind a cordon while leafing though a guidebook, but better still engage with them in top destinations from Kenya to Cairo, Monaco and St Andrews up-close and in context together with a leading expert. The latest package offered is the Wonder…
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Having a bit of a soft spot for HDRphotography, this gorgeous photograph by rinogas of the Church of St. Simeon Stylites near Aleppo, Syria immediately caught my eye. The subtle and soft glow on the remains of the structure, combined with the wispy white clouds and contrasting greys of the sky creates a perfect picture of this well preserved heritage site. Built in honour of St. Simeon Stylites, a secluded monk, the Church was consecrated in 475AD covering a staggering 5,000 square metre of floor space, almost matching that of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.Located over 60 kilometres away from…
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A recent article here on Heritage Key by Bija Knowles looked at Roman sites across the South East of France. There are many sites across the area which remain today as relics to the Roman past, the empire having controlled the area as early as 125BC. The map shows the triangle area between the towns of Nimes, Arles and Orange where many of the heritage sites reside, but also includes Lyon which also has many notable Roman settlement relics. Using this interactive map, you can see the exact locations of these sites, and easily plan your (real or fantasy) trip…
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A pioneering Scots team could be the answers to saving some of the world’s greatest historical monuments. The six-strong group from Historic Scotland and the Glasgow School of Art are making waves across the world, as they use cutting-edge laser technology to map world heritage sites across the globe. First up on the team’s list will be Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota, USA. And the group are confident they can use their American-made CyArk 500 scanner to model the carved faces of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln to within 3mm. The subsequent models could…