For thousands of years humans have had a complex relationship with animals. Food, protection, companionship–animals have been an inextricable component of society from its earliest formations.
We’ve been celebrating AntiquityNOW Month in May. But we are proud to share this special time with National Pet Month. What better way to celebrate how antiquity lives today than to show the importance of our animal companions through time?
Posted in Art, Blog, Culture, Holidays, Public Life, Recreation, Sports
Tagged ancient animals, ancient history, ancient pets, AntiquityNOW, Argos, Caspian horse, falconry, mummified animals, National Pet Month, Pekingnese, Shih Tzu
This week we’re bringing you a sweet, exotic treat from India. Kheer is a rice pudding made in several variations across South Asia and of course, it has a history! Also called payasam, this ancient dessert comes from the Hindi culture and is most often seen at ceremonies, feasts and celebrations, although it can easily be enjoyed any time of year. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture, Public Life, Religion
Tagged ancient history, ancient recipes, AntiquityNOW, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Hindu, kheer, Lord Krishna, payasam, rice pudding
In honor of AntiquityNOW Month, our Artist-in-Residence Dan Fenelon has created a paint by number activity using one of his paintings inspired by the Minoan “Fresco of the Dolphins” on the island of Knossos. The fresco is from the Palace of Knossos located just south of modern-day Heraklion near the north coast of Crete. The palace was built by the Minoans around 1950 BCE, but was damaged by an earthquake in 1700 BCE and had to be rebuilt.[1] Commissioned by King Minos, the palace was the creation of the ancient architect Dedalos and was said to have been so complex in its design that no one placed inside its walls could ever find its exit.[2] The second palace built on the remains of the first continued this labyrinthine structure, but included several changes. In his book “Architecture of Minoan Crete”, John McEnroe writes,
In the second Palace, much of the monumental bulk of the earlier building would be lightened through structural innovations and intricate details, and the taste for colored stone would be partly replaced by representational wall paintings.[3] Continue reading
Posted in Art, Blog, Culture, Education, Kids Blog, Kids: Art, Kids: Culture, Public Life
Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, AntiquityNOW month, art history, Crete, Dan Fenelon, Dedalos, Knossos, Minoans
AntiquityNOW and Archaeology Legacy Institute are proud to announce the winners of the 2014 LegacyQuest International Children’s Film and Video Festival. This was LegacyQuest’s inaugural year and we were delighted with the high quality of the entries and all the hard work of the students and teachers who participated. We were selective as to the criteria for the competition, wanting children to have as professional an experience as possible. The entrants certainly lived up to the high standards that were set for them. We look forward to many more successful festivals in the future!
The winners were announced at The Archaeology Channel (TAC) International Film and Video Festival in Eugene Oregon on May 11, 2014. TAC is a program of Archaeological Legacy Institute.
It’s not too soon to think about next year’s LegacyQuest International Children’s Film and Video Festival. Click here for details on the 2015 competition.
And the winners are…
Morganton Day School, Morganton, NC.
Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
(in alphabetical order by title and school)
Architecture 1. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Architecture 2. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Architecture 3. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Fashion 1. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Fashion 3. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Sports 1. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Storytelling 3. Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA.
Dancing Through the Ages. Morganton Day School, Morganton, NC.
This is our second blog with our educational partner Ancient Origins for our Science Fiction section. Yes, we’re using science fiction rather broadly in this case, but in this offering by Ancient Origins you’ll see how the unknown conjures up theories of acoustical mind control that are fascinating for the fact that they could very possibly be true. Archaeoacoustics is the study of sound in ancient space, and in this blog about the underground prehistoric temple of Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni you’ll find mind-boggling examples of auditory ingenuity. So let’s go spelunking and hear the captivating sounds of ancient lives. Continue reading
Variations of mustard.
Equally as comfortable on a hotdog at the ballpark as it is on the tables of the finest French restaurants, mustard is a true renaissance condiment. Today we’re bringing you the ancient history of mustard and a delectable modern recipe that’s perfect for the summer. The unusual pairing of stone crab claws with a spicy mustard sauce will surprise your dinner guests and delight your palate. And while you dine you can dazzle with fun facts about the ancient roots of mustard. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture
Tagged Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, ancient history, ancient recipes, Ancient Rome, AntiquityNOW, crab, Dijon France, mustard
What would it be like to travel back in time? To travel forward in time? Remember H. G. Wells’ science fiction novella,The Time Machine,published in 1895? The book has been quite popular for more than a century and has even been made into movies. But as you will see, there are many stories across cultures of time travelers. What is so fascinating about this concept? Continue reading
The crystal skull. Collection of the British Museum in London. Image courtesy of Rafał Chałgasiewicz
Another entry in AntiquityNOW’s new Science Fiction section is a story that has bedeviled skeptics and believers alike. The origins and purpose of the crystal skulls have been debated for years, but Eric Vassalo, who submitted portions from his blog post on the subject to AntiquityNOW, is a cynic regarding traditional inquiry. He wanted to analyze for himself what these crystal skulls were all about. As part of a group exploring sites containing these artifacts in Mexico, he mused:
Like a group of mutant X-men we all shared our fascinating and surreal stories of how we came to be in this place doing what so few dare to do, challenge our spoon-fed history and attempt to get at the truth.
Here’s a recipe just suited to commemorate AntiquityNOW Month in May.
Weightless pillows of sweet perfection, light as air and oh so heavenly. Drop them in a steaming cup of chocolate, use them to bind cereal into gooey deliciousness or simply pop one in your mouth and let it dissolve into pure sugary delight. The marshmallow with its mass-marketed, brightly colored, supermarket incarnations may seem like a truly modern candy, but in reality, like so many things, it was born in our shared ancient history. Let’s take a look at its past before we share with you a recipe from its present, a decadent S’more Pie. Continue reading
This month we are premiering AntiquityNOW’s Science Fiction section. The horror story is a close relative of science fiction with today’s audiences, whether those tales of horror take place in outer space or a country churchyard. With a nod to the enduring appeal of both genres, this tale by Paul Hodge conjures up ancient folklore (going back to Mesopotamia and ancient Greece and Rome) and a sense that death is sometimes not all that it appears to be.
Paul (P.J.) Hodge
Paul Hodge left London and came to reside in Hampshire armed with the collected works of MR James, Kate Bush and Nigel Kneale. He now trawls the dusky corners of the country seeking stories to entertain (and scare). These form part of his own collected works and blog, Freaky Folk Tales. Hodge will also be contributing his imaginative stories to Today’s Muse, AntiquityNOW’s creative section.
Enjoy his tale The Churchyard Horror below. Continue reading
AntiquityNOW 