• lyn

    Top 10 Roman Sites in North Africa

    Ethel Davies, author of Bradt‘s North Africa: The Roman Coast, has travelled the region extensively. It’s a fascinating area, full of well-preserved Roman ruins, as Ethel enthused in her interview with Heritage Key. The Romans signalled their arrival and dominance in North Africa with the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. By the third century AD, there were as many as 600 Roman cities at the northern end of the African continent. Prior to this expansion of the Roman empire, the northern coast had been home to Phoenician, Punic and Greek settlers and traders. Here, she gives us her top…

  • lyn

    Top 10 Ancient Sites in Syria

    Archaeologist and historian Ross Burns knows Syria better than most, having lived there (and in Lebanon) for many years. He is the author of The Monuments of Syria: A Guide and Damascus: A History. Ross, who is currently preparing a doctorate on the archaeology of the Roman provinces of the Eastern Empire, has lectured at a range of institutions in Australia. He also leads study tours to Syria and Jordan for British and Australian travel companies. He explains why narrowing Syria’s ancient treasures down to a top 10 proves such a challenge: It’s not difficult to guess which of the…

  • lyn

    King Arthur’s Real Round Table Revealed

    King Arthurs Round Table wasnt just the romantic meeting place of Arthurs warriors but a massive building on the edge of a huge Roman city. What’s more, it was a powerful symbol of Roman authority that survived for some 600 years after the Romans left Britain. (Skip to the Video) Thats the bold conclusion made by archaeologists in a new documentary that shows how the monumental Roman structure was transformed from an amphitheatre into a fortified stronghold. King Arthurs Round Table Revealed explores this and other mysteries surrounding by the iconic British hero King Arthur. The documentary is an exploration…

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    Woman Filmed Dancing Topless on Uluru Causes Outrage in Australia

    Dancing semi-naked on top of Australia’s most famous ancient site isn’t the best way to ingratiate yourself with the locals, as a 25-year-old ‘exotic dancer’ has found out. French-born Alizee Sery had a friend film her climbing Uluru, stripping off and dancing in bikini bottoms, cowboy boots and a bushman’s hat. The video, which appeared on a Northern Territory news site, has sparked outrage among Australia’s indigenous leaders, who have likened Sery’s actions to someone “defacating on the steps of the Vatican”. Sery was unapologetic, claiming that her performance was a “tribute” to the traditional owners. “My project is a…

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    Lonely Planet Travel Awards: What’s the Best Journey in the World?

    British politicians, ancient Roman rulers, and Art galleries arent the only ones doing battle for your vote during the month of May the ancient world needs your support too as it takes on those pesky modern upstarts in a new worldwide travel poll. Ancient destinations feature prominently on the shortlist for the inaugural Lonely Planet Travel Awards, which seek to find the worlds most popular and interesting travel experiences. Voting is open until May 31, 2010, with the results published online and in Lonely Planet Magazine from August 19, 2010. Everyone who votes has the chance to win a trip…

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    Interview: Esther Jacobson-Tepfer on the Hidden Archaeology of Mongolia’s Altai Mountains

    Archaeology and Landscape in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia is an ambitious project designed to provide the first ever in-depth survey of the cultural landscape of one of the most remote regions of the world. The Altai Mountains are on the western edge of Mongolia, wedged along the borders of China and Russia, and home to archaeological marvels such as engraved standing stones and rock art. We spoke to project leader Esther Jacobson-Tepfer, a Professor of Asian Art at the University of Oregon, whose first visit to the Altai (or Altay) Mountains in 1994 became the catalyst for the project,…

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    Bob Geldof’s Garden Being Searched for Iron Age Treasures

    Anti-poverty campaigner Bob Geldof has done his bit to help preserve the heritage of Kent by allowing local archaeologists to carry out a geophysical survey on his land. The Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group is undertaking the survey and a series of mini digs this year in search of Iron Age and medieval remains thought to have been lost in the 1950s and 1960s when Dark Hill, a road near Geldofs Davington Priory home, was widened. Dig leader Dr Pat Reid told the Kent News the project had already turned up late Iron Age flint-tempered pottery. There is also evidence…

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    London Flights to Iran and Iraq Open up Cradle of Civilization to Tourists

    As volcanic ash from Iceland’s volcano continues to cause chaos, there is news that access to Iran‘s ancient sites could soon become easier. From June to October this year, IranAir plans to operate a weekly non-stop flight from London Heathrow to Shiraz. The Saturday service will operate alongside the airlines existing three-day-a-week London-Tehran service, and see a return Shiraz-London flight offered every Sunday. Internal flights already operate from Tehran to Isafahan, Mashhad and Tabriz, as well as to Shiraz. The news comes at a time when Iraq is also opening up to tourists. When the ash clears, adventurous travellers will…

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    Will Volcanic Ash Delay Start of New Commercial Flights Between London and Iraq?

    This week, the UK skies fell oddly silent due to flight cancellations caused by the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. As business and holiday travellers fret over changed plans and lost vacation, one particularly symbolic flight hangs in the balance. Passengers booked onto the 11am Iraqi Airways flight to Baghdad on Saturday, April 17 are awaiting news of whether their flight will board tomorrow, Sunday or Monday. When it does take off, it will be the first direct commercial service between the British capital and Iraq in almost 20 years, and it represents another small step on Iraq’s long…

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    Did Ryszard Kapuściński Follow Herodotus’ Example and Make Things Up?

    Ryszard Kapuciski, one of journalism’s most feted names, is the subject of controversy following the release in Poland of a new biography of his life. In Kapuscinski: Non-fiction, the Polish journalist Artur Domoslawski alleges that some of Kapuscinski’s acclaimed writings were nothing short of lies. Domoslawski argues that Kapuscinski embellished some of the stories he included in his books and, worse, claimed to be present at historic events when he was elsewhere. He is also accused of never having met famous and influential people such as Che Guevara whom he wrote about befriending. The allegations have been met with outrage…