Month: February 2012

ABC News is reporting that a joint team of Japanese and Egyptians scientists is in the process of restoring a 4.000 year old boat, which originally belonged to the famous Pharaoh Kufu. Khufu–also known as “Cheops”–ordered the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Egyptologists and scientists have already restored another similar boat with much…

The Walters Museum, in Baltimore, MD USA, is the current venue of a fantastic exhibition not to be missed: Exploring Art of the Ancient Americas: The John Bourne Collection will be on view until May 20, 2012. Featuring over 135 exquisite objects from South and Central America, this exhibition covers nearly 3,000 years of art…

Last week, we mentioned the opening of an exciting new exhibit of ancient Egyptian objects and artifacts in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BBC has just covered the opening of this exhibition with a news report that can be viewed by clicking here.

In the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, Dr. James Romm of Bard University has written an excellent review for “A Culture of Freedom,” by Christian Meier. Just published, this work focuses on Hellenism and its impact in the Near East as well as in Europe and North Africa. Please click here to read…

Fascinating Mummies opens today at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. On show until May 27, 2012, this exhibition presents a special collection of objects and treasures from the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, based in Leiden, Netherlands. Highlights include detailed cat scans of various mummies, from all over Egypt, as well as rare sarcophagi. Please…

In this fun and engaging article, freelance writer Elisabeth Eaves journeys into the Yucatan peninsula’s remotest region in order to visit the mysterious Mayan city of Calakmul. Flourishing around the year c. 600 CE, Calakmul was a wealthy and influential city, rivaling the fêted city of Tikal for power and prestige. Three times as large as…

While our readers and visitors from Europe have been suffering through frigid weather for the past week or so, winter’s wrath has proven itself as a blessing in at least one part of the old continent. An ancient building from Roman times, as well as pottery shards and the foundation of an ancient sewer system,…

Two archeologists from Belgium, Fabienne Pigière and Denis Henrotay, make a very interesting argument in the latest edition of the Journal of Archaeological Science: the bedrock of Roman power depended upon the camel. They posit that camels connected the various parts of the empire and were the favored animals for long distance trade. Furthermore, they…

2012 is likely to be a year of great political importance for the United States and for the European Union, if not for the entire world. Recently on NPR (National Public Radio), Professor Philip Freeman of Luther University spoke about his new book, “How to Win an Election: An Ancient Guide for Modern Politicians.” Freeman’s…

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…