It’s the end of the Ancient World in London video series! We’ve travelled up and down the country getting the inside line on London’s impressive history, and we’ve seen no small number of ancient wonders along the way. So here’s a video of our best bits and what we thought of them – from the rebellion of Boudicca to the fearsome Maunsell Sea Forts.
During the video series we’ve been digging up London’s history, and found there’s an entire world beneath our feet (or above if you’re on the tube). Take our trip round Roman London with Ian Smith, for example, when we learnt how amazing ancient artefacts like the Battersea Shield are being found on the banks of the Thames all the time – or that there’s a layer of burnt earth up to a metre thick, left by Boudicca and her bloodthirsty hoards almost two thousand years ago.
Fast forward almost four thousand years and we were sent into the heart of the Second World War effort at some of London’s strangest landmarks: the Maunsell Sea Forts: six spidery towers sticking out of the Thames Estuary like rusty Triffids. The water may have been choppy but Jamie was in his element, and saw how the city has relied on the river since time began.
It may be the end of our video series, but don’t forget we’ve got a whole host of other videos, from King Tut’s treasures to the landscape of Stonehenge, on our dedicated video page. What did you think of the Ancient World in London? To let us know, and to have your say on the world’s hottest heritage topics, or email us direct. You can also follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and iTunes. Heritage Key – Unlock the Wonders.
Exciting new web event and content series the Ancient World in London comes to an end very soon. Started at February 2010, the project is sponsored exclusively by Addison Lee, London’s largest minicab service. During the three months we hope we have inspired people to set out for adventures and make their own great historical discoveries either live in London or online.
Ancient World in London featured a variety of events, and a fabulous series of videos. It all started when we searched for the face of Heritage Key and were overwhelmed by the responses we received from keen explorers.
Since then, our Heritage Key presenters and video crew have trawled all over London and further to give site users a different perspective of the ancient roots of our modern city. In addition, the site has been bulging with blogposts, competitions, and live events, with the added thrill of the promise of the grand prize.
Here are some of our best bits…
Virtual Experience
What we were looking for were images that captured the way in which the ancient world is revealed in the modern day
Heritage Key’s Virtual Experience brought an extra dimension to our package of web content. Heritage Key Grid – running on OpenSim with some extra magic added to it – shows ancient Egypt, the Valley of the Kings, the treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb and, most recently added, Stonehenge. It is easy to REGISTERand have a look at what we have created.
Users are able to interact in an immersive space and share their experiences with your friends and other like-minded people. Throughout the series we had daily live tours and quests in Virtual Stonehenge, plus our own book discussions.
We also brought to you some live musicians who performed live from different parts of the world to the Heritage Key Audience. One of these live music events was particularly special as it was for a good cause – to raise funds to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Singer and songwriter Kirsty Hawkshaw performed a live concert to raise money in aid of the crisis in Haiti on Saturday 27th March. Heritage Key streamed the concert at Stonehenge Virtual where the online audience could listen and donate to the cause online (Watch the Promo video). It was a fantastic night which raised over 700 for the Foundry/Haiti fund. Donations were made both at the venue and online from people who listened to the concert from around the world in Heritage Key Virtual.
Our photography competition for photos taken in Heritage Key Virtual was a very popular challenge. With stunning landscapes, awesome costumes and plenty of wildlife, HKVirtual is an area well worth ‘snapshotting’. We had some amazing shots taken by some incredibly talented photographers. Check out our Heritage Key Virtual Flickr group to have sense of what you can achieve also in the virtual environment.
Online
Creative and Fun
We had some really fun contests along the way. Our Valentine’s Day special was my favourite one: we asked our audience to be original as well as historical and create an ancient-style personal ad. Some very clever ads were submitted, but the winner was Loki Popinjay with his ever-so-funny entry ‘Young man, well connected, in possession of fig leave and spare rib is looking for young lady with an apple and a hunger for knowledge to get humanity started. Pets no objection’. Loki won a romantic meal for two in Stonehenge Virtual, with live music thrown in.
Quizzes
We also had some brain teasers. Users could test their knowledge, and win points, with our popular online London quizzes.Ancient World in London quizzes help you test all that you’ve learned throughout the series, and turbo boost you right up the points leaderboard. We had Prehistoric London Quiz, Roman London Quiz and many more. They’re still available, so why not take the test and find out how much you really know about ancient London?
Photography Challenges:
One popular competition which rolled out online and on the ground was the photography contest series. The competition series started with Ancient World in London Spotted. We asked our readers to simply snap photos of the ancient sights that they had spotted in and around London. We weren’t looking for high-res professionalism – iPhone quality was fine – which made it so easy to participate. What we were looking for were images that captured the way in which the ancient world is revealed in the modern day. Our first winner was Daveograve with his fantastic take on the Egyptian Sphinx at Embankment (see the image above). We had many more photography competitions with fun themes around London such as Boudicca Spotted in London, and Spot the City of London Griffins. Visit our Ancient World inLondon Flickr photo pool to see more excellent entries, or check some of the images below.
We had some very interesting responses to the bloggers challenges, which opened us up to many expert bloggers’ ideas and insights. We believe that these community challenges bring the best out of the web community in many ways, and will definitely keep the series running.
In London
Lectures
Heritage Key hosted an amazing lecture by Professor Paul Murdin live in London. Professor Murdin is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, former President of the European Astronomical Society and Visiting Professor at John Moores University, Liverpool, and he currently works at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. The talk, entitled ‘Unlocking the Wonders of Astronomy’, showed how man’s obsession with the heavens has endured for thousands of years, from the first cities of Sumer to the technological breakthroughs of today’s most powerful nations. The presentation was held at Cicada, a hip restaurant in the heart of the City of London. Watch the video that covers the interview with Paul Murdin here, or click the image on the right.
First ever interview with the London Stone:
Ever felt like you’ve been speaking to a brick wall? Well, we really have been! We hooked up with the London Stone on Twitter and asked it all we wanted to know so that our followers on twitter could experience it live. And though you can get a huge dose of the stone’s history in our inaugural Ancient World in London video, this was a web event not to be missed.
We have been to the London Stone many times as we were filming some of the videos there, so we have been introduced before. Learn more about the interview that took place live on twitter here.
Pub Quiz
We organised a pub Quiz on April Fool’s day with the Heritage Key Crew at the Red Lion – one of the oldest pubs in the city. It was a fun gathering where people could learn some interesting and important facts about London, win some great prizes, or just simply learn a bit more and have a couple pints with the Heritage Key Crew.
So, I think the above covers only some of the events that we have run during the exciting three months of the Ancient World in London series. As we come to an end we are getting very close to revealing the winner of the Grand prize, sponsored by Turkey holiday specialist HolidayMate – a week’s holiday for two in Turkey.
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 and breakfast accommodation at Green Anatolia Hotel, Fethiye – Ovacik. All flights from the UK to Dalaman are included, along with airport transfers. Your stay will also cover a two day tour of ancient Lycian sites around Dalyan. The flights are out of the UK airports only but if you are living outside of the UK don’t worry – you can either travel to London or give the holiday prize to a friend to enjoy who is actually living in the UK.
Take a photo of Heritage Key Virtual or Ancient World in London group.Upload it to our Flickr Groupor to Ancient World In London Flickr group and you can earn 100 points for each photo uploaded (click here for more details of this competition)
Tell us in 140 characters why you would like to win our holiday in Turkey and tweet your reason using the hashtag #awil – we will grant you 250 points just for tweeting, and the most creative tweet of the lot will earn a whopping 500 points!
There are the other ways to earn extra points this week. In fact, all the usual ways in which you can earn points have been given a boost, making this the best time ever to participate in Heritage Key.
How to Earn Bonus Points This Week:
Registering on Heritage Key. Do you know what year London was founded? That is the number of points you’ll get just for registering. Start here.
Asking your friends to join us. Share your favourite locations with them and see who can make it to 1066 first. You get10 points for each friend you invite, and a dashing 100 points when they sign up. There is a limit to the number of friends you can invite to the site, so we suggest you choose the 20 most fun ones.
Sharing your opinion.Some people are shy about commenting on history. To help you overcome your fear of commenting, we’ll grant you 10 points for each comment. Have you seen a good film (Avatar comes to mind) or read a good book?Your opinion and rating on a publication gets you 20 points.
Correcting us. We admit we sometimes make mistakes. Point out an obvious flaw – one that cannot be debated – in an article or blogpost, and be rewarded with our eternal gratitude and 50 points.
Not abandoning us!Once a week, for logging in to Heritage Key, we will reward you with 10 users points.
You have until midnight on 30th April to take advantage of this points giveaway.
Check out our things to do page regularly to follow what we are doing and what’s planned.
Safari operators in Africa realised several years ago that there were people who wanted to see the wildlife, but not shake dirt out of a sleeping bag and take a shovel to dig a loo at the end of the day. Now London-based Ancient World Tours, who specialise in ancient sites, is amongst a growing number of companies capitalising on this growing market, and offering camping holidays with a twist of glamour: glamping. I spoke to Managing Director Peter Allingham about the changing face of cultural tourism.
Although the name sounds like something a dodgy pop star would do, glamping(glamour camping)is giving some tour operators the edge in a competitive market. Having gained popularity in parts of Europe, America and Australia, glamping is rapidly becoming a part of a tours itinerary in countries such as Egypt and Jordan.
Innovative operators are actively promoting tours where you can be Indiana Jones during the day, then enjoy a sheiks lifestyle at night. Tours take you to the main sites such as Luxor, but after a day in the desert, hot running water, sit-down flushing toilets, four-poster beds and your own private terrace to watch the sunset are just some of the luxuries on offer when camping in Egypt with London-based Ancient World Tours.
A Big Dose of Arabian Chic
If youre visiting Jordan, Ancient World Tours not only take you to Petra and Jerash, but also offer you a glamp in Wadi Rum. Other tour operators, such as Abercrombie & Kent, claim to make the journey as comfortable as it is enlightening sticking to certain Jordanian traditions like travelling in camel caravans and bedding down in resilient, hand-made Bedouin tents, while making sure guests are taken care of with prepared meals, private toilets, and an inviting atmosphere of Arabian rugs, pillows, and candles.
Luxury travelling in ancient lands isnt exactly a modern phenomenon the pharaohs and high-ranking officials enjoyed a certain amount of opulence as they journeyed around Egypt or indeed, when they were sent off to the afterlife (see some of treats that King Tut had stocked up for the afterlife in this video).
Travel Like a Pharaoh
The difference now is that this style of travel isnt totally elitist. According to Peter Allingham, Managing Director of Ancient World tours, the types of people booking his tours are educated 35 60 year olds with an interest in seeing the country in comfort. “Plus theres modern technology to back you up in the unlikely event of things going wrong; satellite phones, spare tyres and engine parts are now included on the packing list, as well as a few modern health and safety accessories, such as safety belts in vehicles” he adds.
Ancient World Tour glamps in Wadi Rum include proper mattresses, pillows and sufficient space to stand up and store your luggage. “There is a large common tent in Bedouin style with comfortable bolsters and cushions to relax on,” explains Allingham. “In Egypt’s White Desert, we are starting to use our partner’s deluxe camp where there are full-sized beds under larger tents with furniture too”.
Having been a tour leader at the opposite end of the adventure travel scale, a bit of luxury to round off a dusty, tiring day seems very appealing to me. Crawling into a sleeping bag while still encrusted with desert sand or hovering over a hastily-dug hole, acutely aware that sound travels far in the desert night, are not some of the fonder memories of my tour leading days.
An Artificial Experience?
To some hardened explorers, the idea of glamping in places such as Wadi Rum is appalling. Wheres the holistic desert experience, or living like the ancients, when youve got a flush toilet and hot shower? Furthermore, are you really off the beaten track if youve got modern-day luxuries?
There really is something quite magical about escaping modern trappings and getting down to basics. There are no cyberspace viruses or dulcet mobile phone rings to interrupt your thoughts as you contemplate the ancient wonders youve seen that day. The credit crunch suddenly seems insignificant when youve got a full belly and the stillness of the desert gently envelops you with a mantle of unforgiving vastness.
But basics isnt for everyone and off-the-beaten-track places are not as exclusive as they used to be. The adventure travel operators introduced holiday experiences beyond the basic package over 20 years ago, leading tour operators to look for other unique experiences to offer their clients.
VIPTomb Access
Not only do Ancient World Tours offer a degree of luxury and less hardship in down time, but, because of their relationship with the SCA in Egypt,they also give their clients the opportunity of entry to officially closed sites. “Our passengers know that if they want to stand between the paws of theSphinx; enter the tombsof KV5, Amenhotep II & III, Seti or spectacular Nefertari that there are veryfew companies worldwide who can get them there. Our most recent trip included no fewer than 15 special entry permits,” says Allingham. At a time when tombs are being closed to the common tourist over preservation fears, tours like these may be the only chance for travellers to see the incredible tombs of King Tut and the pharaohs.
Ultimately, to survive, tour operators have to look at untapped markets and add new dimensions to classic tour itineraries. The perceived exclusivity and perhaps snobbery of glamping aside, for the paying public, time off is precious and is to be enjoyed. If wearing the little black dress for sunset cocktails on the veranda after a day of learning something new and scrambling round dusty ruins is the preferred choice of holiday, theres now a tour operator offering that exclusive dream getaway.
Of course, the ultimate way to explore ancient Egypt without getting dust in your lens cap or hassled by mosquitos is Heritage Key’s own King Tut Virtual. We don’t offer candles, cushions or a private veranda, but we can certainly offer the thrill of the ancient world, and an excellent chance to dress up.
We have partnered with Turkey holiday specialist HolidayMate to offer you a grand prize – a week’s holiday for two in Turkey. One lucky competition participant will win the prize at the end of our 12 week Ancient World in London series. For those of you suffering the grey London weather, here are some details to mull over:
The prize is a breathtaking holiday for 2 people for 7 nights on the sunny shores of Dalaman, Turkey. The lucky winners will be treated to 4 star bed and breakfast accommodation at Green Anatolia Hotel, Fethiye – Ovacik. All flights from the UK to Dalaman are included, along with airport transfers. Your stay will also cover a two day tour of Lycian sites around Dalyan.
Dalyan is a small historical fishing village, and a treasure trove for ancient world explorers.Lycian rock tombs, carved over 2000 years ago, overlook the village. If you follow the steep slope just opposite the town of Dalyan, you can reach these incredible tombs, which are the best examples of such tombs on the Lycian coast. The Kaunos Rock Tombs are the resting place of the kings of Kaunos. The incredible ruins of the city of Kaunos (or Caunos) – the site of a recent archeaological project – are only one kilometre away from Dalyan, and well worth the trip. Ancient Lycia was the playground of Antony and Cleopatra, making it a fascinating and romantic location for a holiday.
I Want That Prize! How do I Win?
The winner will be announced at a special grand finale event which will take place in London on 24th April (more details to be confirmed). To be in with a chance of winning this prize, you need to get yourself along to this great event.
Only those of you with 1066 or more Ancient World in London points will be on the guest list for this prize-busting party, so if you want to be in with a chance we invite you to start earning points now! Join in the action by taking part in our Ancient World in London contests and quests, suggesting sites and artefacts for our directory, and taking part in our challenges. Read our tips for ramping up your points here.
This amazing holiday isn’t the only prize up for grabs. There are plenty of opportunities to win books, glory and serious web-cred throughout our Ancient World inLondon series. Heritage Key presents the Ancient World in London as a full-on mash-up of web, video and virtual content. Join in the action in real-time or at your convenience. Along with all the rich media content you would expect these days online, we also have some new things like our virtual experiences in Stonehenge and King Tut’s tomb to make this unique. So make your own 3D, online avatar and get into the action.
Before you launch yourself headlong into your quest for 1066 points, make sure you’ve read our competition rules.
Safari operators in Africa realised several years ago that there were people who wanted to see the wildlife, but not shake dirt out of a sleeping bag and take a shovel to dig a loo at the end of the day. Now London-based 
If youre visiting Jordan, Ancient World Tours not only take you to 
There really is something quite magical about escaping modern trappings and getting down to basics. There are no cyberspace viruses or dulcet mobile phone rings to interrupt your thoughts as you contemplate the ancient wonders youve seen that day. The credit crunch suddenly seems insignificant when youve got a full belly and the stillness of the desert gently envelops you with a mantle of unforgiving vastness.
We have partnered with Turkey holiday specialist 