• sean-williams

    Museum of London Docklands scraps Entry Fee for Free Admission

    The Museum of London Docklands (MoLD) is free to visit today, after its admission was dropped to bring it in line with London’s many free museums. The museum, which covers 2000 years of London’s port history, had charged 5 for adults and 3 concessions, but hopes to increase visitor numbers after today’s news. The MoLD will now join the pantheon of London museums with no entry charge, that includes the British Museum, Petrie Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Entry to national museums in Britain was made free in 2001, a move which instantly bumped attendance figures up by…

  • bija-knowles

    The Spartacus Effect: Why we all Want to be Sexy, Blood-thirsty Romans

    So despite objections from campaign groups such as MediaWatch UK, it now looks as though British viewers will be able to watch the new TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sandafter all. Pay-TV channel Bravo, owned by Virgin Media, has bought the rights to the first two series and is planning to air the 13-part series this summer the dates are still to be confirmed. The show, which was broadcast by Starz Network in the US, has raised a few eyebrows with its graphic violence, scenes of orgies and ‘full-frontal’ nudity. So British viewers are certainly in for an eye-full this…

  • malcolmj

    Switzerland returns Pharaoh Akhenaton’s toe to Egypt

    Switzerland today signed an agreement for the repatriation of all illegally-obtained antiquities of Egyptian origin currently within their borders, according to a press release circulated by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). It represents a major victory for Egypt in its battle against global artefact theft, since many stolen treasures from Egypt are smuggled via Switzerland. The agreement is the latest of 16 such treaties Egypt has reached with foreign nations since 2002. The SCA press release adds that Secretary General of the SCA Zahi Hawass is currently in the process now of forming agreements with other countries. The…

  • Ann

    Tomb of Ken-Amun is First Ramesside Tomb Discovered in Lower Egypt

    The first ever Ramesside period tomb has been found in Lower Egypt. The 3300-year-old tomb – belonging to Ken-Amun, a government official – has been discovered by an SCAmission at Tell el-Maskhuta. The excavations have also revealed 35 Roman tombs. Click the images for a larger version. In a statement released by the antiquities council, Dr Zahi Hawass reported that the tomb is of very high quality, and beautifully decorated and inscribed with scenes known from the Ramesside Period. It dates to the 19th Dynasty (1315-1201 BC) and is constructed of mud brick and consists of a rectangular room with…

  • Ann

    Mummy Frenzy with Joyce Filer – Forensic Aspects of Ancient Egypt… and King Tut!

    Great news for anybody* who missed out on the previous ‘Mummy CSI’ study days with Joyce Filer, as there is another one coming up. A bonus – on top of the normal forensic aspects of ancient Egypt schedule – is an entire day dedicated to the remains of King Tut and the results of the recently published Tutankhamun DNAstudy. The findings from the King Tut study have been widely covered and debated since they were published (some interesting responses on the lineage results on Kate Phizackerley’s and Dylan Bickerstaffe’s blogs, and discussion of Tut’s foot on Em Hotep!) but if…

  • meral-crifasi

    Blogger Challenge Comes to an End: Sex Guns and Education… So Who Wins?

    How do we create virtual entertainment that’s meaningful, yet still fun enough without guns or sex? Is it possible? This is the question we asked three weeks ago, when we invited many game designers, education specialists and anyone interested in the future of our young generations to share their thoughts. We received a very balanced variety of thoughts on the subject. Here, I will outline some of the thoughts that were presented, and, of course, announce the winner of this particular Bloggers Challenge, before letting you know about the next theme. I follow Rik’s blog Betterverse: Nonprofits in the Virtual…

  • sean-williams

    AWiL Video Series – The History of Astronomy & the Secrets of Stonehenge

    Astronomy rarely leaves today’s headlines, be it the latest shuttle exploring the limits of our galaxy, or feverish paranoia over the Maya Doomsday Prophecy. Man has always been obsessed by the stars, and since our humble beginnings we’ve always gazed up at night, asking the same questions those tens of thousands of years ago have. We caught up with famed astronomer Paul Murdin at a special Ancient World in London event a month back, as he gave a talk about his book Secrets of the Universe. And as Paul describes, astronomical observations have been made for longer than we may…

  • wadders

    Love and War in Ancient Lycia – Antony and Cleopatra’s Romantic Turkish Getaway

    Maybe its because Antony and Cleopatra did much of their romancing there, or perhaps its the azure sea, sandy beaches, traditional villages and lazy pace of life which make the Lycian coast in south west Turkey the ideal place for a romantic holiday – an experience that you can win in our Ancient World in London competition. But the history of the Lycian Way is peppered as much with war as it is with romance, and its tumultous history helps make Lycia a fascinating area of Turkey to visit. The mountainous, rugged territory behind the idyllic coastal scenery isolated Lycia…

  • images

    Sandro Vannini’s Photography – Wall Paintings of the Tomb of Montuemhat (TT34)

    The original excavation of TT34 – The Tomb of Montuemhat – was carried out by archaeologist Zakaria Gomein, upon the pressure unfortunately got the better of him and resulted in suidcide in a fascinating tale recounted by Dr Zahi Hawass (Watch the video).The project lead is now Dr Farouk Gomaa who is searching TT34 for the burial chamber of the diplomat Montuemhat, and explains his progress in a Heritage Key video (Watch the video). Egyptology photographer has been busy across Thebes, and TT34 has been just one of many of the tombs in the area where he has taken his…

  • meral-crifasi

    Tweet to Win a Holiday in Turkey: Bonus Points up For Grabs This Week Only!

    The grand finale of the Ancient World in London series is approaching and one lucky explorer will be walking away with the grand prize – a holiday in Fethiye, Ovacik, Turkey, courtesy of HolidayMate. To be in with a chance, you will need 1066 points. To thank all you AWiL participants for your tireless explorations, we’re offering special bonus points this week to increase your chance of scooping this amazing holiday. The prize is a breathtaking holiday for 2 people for 7 nights on the sunny shores of Ovacik, Turkey. The lucky winners will be treated to 4 star bed…