It seems that while thousands of Athenians have lost their homes, and forests in the area have been reduced to ashes, one of Greece’s most famous ancient cities has avoided the flames. Yet as the inferno enveloping Marathon subsides, its mayor claims government authorities did nothing to protect it from the worst wildfires to hit the country in over two years. “(We were) begging the government to send over planes and helicopters,” says mayor Spyros Zagaris. Yet none were forthcoming, and the city narrowly escaped flames which ‘raced’ down a hill to threaten ancient museums and monuments. Marathon‘s close call…
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The city of Cahokia is the latest ancient site to go virtual, thanks to a reconstruction and online map published. Ancient Cahokia was a Mississippian city that flourished between 1000 -1400 AD. At its peak, in the early 13th century, it had a population between 10,000 and 20,000and covered nearly six square miles. This makes it larger than London ca. 1250 AD. It had about 120 mounds during this time, some used for burial, others for religious purposes. It also had palisades, communal plazas, houses and fields full of crops. The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, has an interesting online…
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Like the ancient world? Like early civilization? Like pyramids? I’m guessing if you’re reading this you probably do, so you might enjoy a new documentary series airing on the Discovery Channel next Monday evening. Out of Egypt examines the links between ancient cultures, our modern fascination with them, and the myths and legends which have endured thousands of years. Fronted by glamorous Egyptologist Dr Kara Cooney, the first episode, ‘Relics’, sees the team travelling to Mexico, Vietnam and Sri Lanka to ask just how powerful a part relics have played in the world’s most famous cultures. Dr Cooney explores the…
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Today, Zahi Hawass and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities are celebrating the completion of five major projects in the city of Luxor, which have totalled of 127 million Egyptian Pounds (13.9 million). They include work to restore and develop the famous ancient sites of Luxor Temple and Deir el-BahriTemple of Queen Hatshepsut, as well as the more recent attractions of Abul Hagag El-Loxori Mosque and Howard Carter‘s rest house. The 1286-built Abul Hagag Mosque had been in need of restoration, as its walls and foundations were beginning to crack and take water under the strains of time. Now, after 14…
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I hate going all the way to a heritage site, armed with a camera in one hand and a carrier bag with a day’s supplies, only to find the subject I was hoping to grab the perfect photograph of is now partially hidden behind scaffolding. Restoration works are a vital part of conserving our heritage, but why can it not be done when I’m not trekking along to take a photograph! Well Xavier Fargas bears no such handicaps when it comes to producing a stunning image of a relic being restored. The Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt was his subject,…
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They’re sometimes known as the eighth wonder of the world, and are an immense symbol of China’s national pride and power. But how deep does your knowledge of the incredible Terracotta Warriors actually go? Here are some top facts to get you started. 1. We’ve only uncovered a small fraction of the total ‘army’ of figures: experts currently place the entire number of soldiers at 8,000 – with 130 chariots, 530 horses and 150 cavalry horses helping to ward of any dangers in the afterlife. So far only just over 1,000 soldiers are on display at the emperor’s famous mausoleum,…
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Last year’s excavation already provided clear evidence that Brading was an important Roman site before the villa and its mosaics were built, something that is now – yet again, there was already the sheer size of the North Building – confirmed by the find of a full Roman bath suite – complete with hot baths and a cold plunge pool. The 2009 Big Dig at the Brading Roman Villa on the Isle of Wight – not to be confused with the London Big Dig, which aims at ‘starting archaeologists’ only – started on the 2nd of August, and will last…
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Attribution: Alister Chu Jerusalem (Old City) Israel Key Dates 960 BC. The first archeological survey of the citadel, and excavations, were conducted between 1934 and 1947. Key People Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent King Hezekiah of Judah The citadel of Jerusalem (or Tower of David) is situated on the western side of the Old City, just south of the Jaffa Gate at the highest point of the southwestern hill of Jerusalem. A series of fortifications were built here over the course of more than twenty centuries as protection from the west and to control the city below. Every period has been…
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Attribution: lreed7649 Dumfries and Galloway Scotland Key Dates Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Key People Emperor Hadrian Hadrian Hadrian’s Wall (often referred to as the ‘Roman Wall’) is a military fortification constructed of stone and turf by the Roman Empire, to prevent military raids on Roman Britain by the Pictish tribes (ancient inhabitants of Scotland) in the north, to improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in Britain. The Roman occupation of Britain had began with Julius Caesar’s successful second invasion of the British Isles in 55 BC. 100 years later Emperor…
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A recent interview by Lyn with author of North Africa:The Roman Coast, Ethel Davies, inspired me to take another look at Roman archaeological finds across this somewhat forgotten continent. When most people think of the Roman Empire, they immediately envision the temples, statues and amphitheatres spanning across Europe. But the vast coastal border of North Africa was controlled by the Romans too, and they certainly left their mark! Ethel Davies listed her top ten sites across North Africa, which I’ve compiled into an easy to navigate Google Earth Tour, which will whisk you across the continent in just minutes! It’s…