Empire Fuel The Roman interest in conquering Egypt around two millennia ago was far more than the love interest of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony in Cleopatra VII (Cleopatra). Egypt’s location as the gateway to the Middle East and Asia, together with its extremely productive agricultural sector and educated populace, satisfied some of the most pressing issues facing the Roman Empire in around 30BC. During the resulting 680 years or so of Roman rule before Egyptians once again ruled themselves, the country become predominantly Christian and lose most of its ‘old’ religious temples. It also enjoyed economic growth and played…
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Origin of the Species Ancient Egypt was the first culture to domesticate cats, between 4,000 to 3,500 years ago, and has long been associated with the animal. Some have suggested that cats were introduced to Egypt from Iran. However, archaeologists have found the remains of a cat in a burial mound in Mostagedda (near Asyut) which dates to around 6,000 years ago, so it is much more likely that cats are indigenous to Egypt. Of the two breeds known to have existed – the African wildcat (felis silvestris lybica) and the jungle cat (felis chaus) – it is said that…
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Do certainly take along a large amount of recording equipment. Especially when you’re a large troop – or a very enthusiast couple – visiting Stonehenge, nothing is stopping you from taking along as many different recording devices as the total amount of arms can carry. Where as device Xmight be perfectly fitted for occasion Y, you could prefer device Z for situation N. An example: The Sony HDVcamera (carried by Jon) – Excellent tool if you stumble over pagans & druids with interesting stories. Canon ‘Rebel’ 300D (weapon of choice for Ann) – Nothing wrong with using ancient tools! When…
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Stonehenge, 5:30 am, beginning of the journey on a sping morning. As we have approached the Stonehenge from a hilltop, I could spot the dark silhouttes of the stones from far away at the middle of the vast ground covered with frost. We wanted to catch the first sunlight over the stones. The golden hour is said to be 30 minutes before sunrise. Light is the most important of all photography elements. Many professional photographers believe early dawn or twilight dusk offer the best light for taking landscape pictures. I am not a professional photographer but one starts experimenting somehow…
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As part of National Science and Engineering Week, the British Museum organised a family event, allowing young and old to meet scientists and conservationists to discover how science unlocks secrets behind some of the Museums most iconic objects. Those attending on Saturday the 7th of March were allowed to handle raw materials and to see the latest behind-the-scenes technology in action. ‘Zoom In: a closer look at science’ took place in the Great Court of the British Museum, and although it was no ‘CSI Mummy’ or live version of ‘Bones’ – one should not let it’s expectations be guided by…
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We’re about to leave for a field trip annex teambuilding annex day-away-from-the-computer-screens to Stonehenge – the one with the large rocks mounted somewhere between 2600 and 1600BC, should there be any doubt – and as we are already dragging along quite a few DSLR’s, some laptops, a bag with cookies and walking shoes, but do want to shoot video, we had to find a “light weight” solution that for a not too large amount of money will get us good image quality and not too much backache when dragged carried around without any inconvenience in it’s brand new LowePro bag.The…
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Back in 2000, which was by no means the very start of the ‘Stonehenge Saga‘, the Journal of Architectural Conservation published an article by Elizabeth Young and Wayland Kennet outlining the “national disgrace” that constitutes facilities at Stonehenge. The existing visitor centre was slated for its “grubby car park, tiny shop and loos”, and the authors complained that the stones themselves were fenced off. Additionally, attempts to agree on a plan to upgrade facilities had failed completely, and the situation had escalated into a “smouldering dispute that might, without care, burst into acrimonious flames”. Since the first proposals, in 1991,…
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Modern Discovery of an Ancient Army The enigmatic terracotta warriors were unearthed alongside their emperor in Xi’an, in the central province of Shaanxi, in 1974. They were found accidentally when peasants digging a well broke into a pit containing 6000 life-size terracotta figures. Further excavations revealed the terracotta army – footsoldiers, archers, cavalrymen and officers of all ranks. Current estimates of the three pits containing the Terracotta Army are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses with many still buried in the pits. Discoveries in other pits have continued at the site with horse bones…
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The discovery of the Bosnian Valley of the Pyramids in Visoko (Bosnia-Herzegovina), in 2005, requires the traditional definition of a “pyramid” to be reconsidered and widened. Certain astronomical and mathematical knowledge incorporated in Bosnian pyramids are similar to Egyptian true pyramids, Chinese or Mexican step pyramids. Principle Investigator Semir Sam Osmanagich discovered the pyramids, and led a four-year excavation project to uncover them. The concept of the structures built in the shape of the pyramid with the inner chambers and passageways and the orientation toward the cardinal points had been present worldwide from Central and South America to Africa, Asia…
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Holding the symbols of office, she ascended the throne. Once the place where her husband sat, it was now hers, by a right that she was about to assert… Turning, she chuckled to herself as the long beard attached to her chin brushed her chest. She’d put on all of her dead husband’s regalia, knowing that despite her female form, the symbols would connote their own power. “By order of the god Khnum who made the gods out of clay, and who appeared to me in a dream last night, I was told to assume the rule of Egypt. ‘I…