Last week, we noted the opening of “Roads of Arabia” at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, Germany. Now, you can access several pictures and a brief review of the exhibition from Der Spiegel, by clicking here. This is the first time that such rare and exquisite artifacts have been displayed in Germany. The exhibition has already won rave reviews from museum-goers in Barcelona, Paris, and St. Petersburg. Don’t pass on an opportunity to see this show!
Although it is only February, museums and galleries across the world are preparing to showcase ancient treasures and objects to the delight of museum-goers. Be sure to check out some of these exhibitions this coming spring season! Byzantium and ancient Egypt seem to be en vogue this season: Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures From the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has traversed across Europe and is now at the Pergamon Museum, in Berlin, Germany, from January 26 through April 29, 2012. The exhibition is themed as a journey through Pre-Islamic Arabia along famed trade routes and sites of veneration. With more than 300 objects on display–everything from ancient Roman frescoes to spectacular Arabian jewelry–it is no surprise that this exhibit has proven extremely popular with the casual visitor and the astute scholar alike. Considerable attention is also given to findings from recent excavations. Picturing the Past: Imaging and Imagining the Ancient Middle East is the current exhibition at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, in Chicago, Illinois USA, from February 6 through September 2, …
The Wall Street Journal Magazine has a very timely article on the conversation of historical sites across war-torn Afghanistan. A new sense of urgency has arisen as operations commence in valuable copper mines around the country. Please click here to read this article.
Swissinfo–a branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation–published this curious article about ancient lake settlements in November 2011. It was in 1854 when the first Swiss “lake-dweller” village was discovered outside Zurich, and since then over fifty more have been uncovered. Dating from roughly 5.000 to 500 BCE, these villages provide archaeologists a glimpse into the lives of prehistoric peoples during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Please click here to read more about these unique settlements.
Many of readers might be aware that Turkey has suffered a devastating drought this year. Turkey’s bad weather has, however, made an archaeologist’s dream. Recently, a long forgotten sea wall has been revealed just outside of Istanbul, in Bathonea. Once a port, complimenting the great nexus of Constantinople, Bathonea’s treasures are quickly being uncovered, surprising even the most learned of historians. Please access this article from the New York Times by clicking here.
France24 has recently reported that the Greek government has decided to allow many of its famed archaeological sites–like the Parthenon–to be made available for “commercial” use by companies, private institutions, and other organizations. The decision, made by the Greek Ministry of Cultural Affairs, has been met with disgust and confusion by scholars and archaeologists. Please read this article by clicking here.
In the February 2012 edition of Smithsonian Magazine, there is an excellent article on the beautiful “Fayum portraits,” dating from the Greco-Roman period of Egyptian history (c. 332 BCE–642 CE). Discovered between 1887 and 1889 CE, by the British archaeologist W. M. Flinders Petrie, these portraits are arguably some of the most exquisite portraits in the history of art. To read more about these portraits, please click here to read and access this article. Be sure to follow the links to view the gallery of accompanying images!
While corn was first domesticated in the valleys of central Mexico thousands of years ago, scientists and archaeologists now believe that popcorn originated from ancient Peru. According to a recent report from National Geographic, popcorn is over two thousand years old! Please click here to read the article in full.
Our history books inform us that the ancient Sumerians from the Fertile Crescent were the first to brew alcoholic beverages. Is this true though? Or did the Sumerians merely brew a very “low-alcoholic” drink? The writers at Deutsche Welle review the evidence and make a judgment. Please click here to read this report.
Analyzing Caesar’s Motivations and Emotions on the Banks the Rubicon By Michael Sweet Published Online, 2006 Introduction:Â Gaius Julius Caesar is among the most famous men in human history. His cognomen… [continue reading]
