Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting that is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, begins this Saturday, June 28th. Adult Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and sexual relations during the daylight hours and instead use the time to refocus their minds and spirits on God while practicing self-sacrifice. This is an extremely daunting task for most people, especially in today’s society where instant gratification is ferociously embraced. However, for modern Muslim athletes, Ramadan poses an especially large challenge. With major international sporting events taking place such as the World Cup this year and the Summer Olympics in other years, how do the devout observe the month while maintaining such a high level of physical activity? Continue reading
Ramadan Observance and the World Cup: A Major Decision for Muslim Athletes
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Chocolate and Wattleseed Self-Saucing Pudding
Emu, crocodile, eels and kangaroo! If you’re not from Australia you might think this is a list of animals to see at the zoo rather than an ingredient list. For thousands of years, the native Aborigines of Australia have used the foods provided by the land around them. In the past several years modern Australians have looked to this past and discovered a rich culinary history. One of these delicious native foods is the wattleseed from the acacia tree. Today we’re bringing you a unique and indulgent dessert called Chocolate and Wattleseed Self-Saucing Pudding. And don’t worry if you can’t find wattleseeds at your local grocery store. They can easily be ordered online. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture
Tagged Aborigines, acacia, ancient cuisine, ancient history, ancient recipes, AntiquityNOW, Australia, Bon Appetit Wednesday, wattleseed
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Greek Storytelling: A Modern Twist on Persephone
In week three of our Exploring LegacyQuest 2014 series we’re featuring the festival’s third place winner. This entry from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania takes a fun and original approach to uncovering the ancient Greek practice of storytelling. It was created by middle school students Allison, Saachi, Jattu, Emma and Ivonna with the help of their teacher, Jeannette Keshishian. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Culture, Education, LegacyQuest, Literature, Public Life
Tagged Ancient Greece, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, education, film festival, LegacyQuest, Persephone, storytelling
Girl Be Heard: Across Borders
We want to congratulate our partner, Girl Be Heard, on their Girl Be Heard Across Borders Conference tour taking place June 9th-July 9th. The schedule is packed with performances, workshops, talkbacks, social activities and more, all of which are intended to give a voice to women in conflict. Continue reading
Posted in AntiquityNOW News, Blog, Crime, Culture, Human Rights, Politics, Public Life, War and Violence
Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Girl Be Heard, human rights, violence, women in conflict
The Summer Solstice: From Ancient Celebration to a Modern Day at the Beach
Saturday, June 21st, marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and that means the first day of summer! For many, it’s time for barbecues, pool parties, camping trips and vacations at the beach, but for some, the solstice is a much more spiritual day steeped in ancient traditions. How did our ancestors celebrate this first day of the warm season? Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Celebrate the World Cup With Tasty Vatapá
In honor of the World Cup currently being held in Brazil, we’re bringing you a traditional Brazilian dish as unique as the people that fill this vibrant country. The dish, called vatapá, is from the Bahia state in Brazil, a region on the Atlantic coast where the first European landed in 1500 and claimed Brazil for Portugal. It is a land rich in culture and history and its people are proud not only of their Brazilian nationality, but specifically of their Bahian heritage. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture, Public Life, Sports
Tagged ancient history, ancient recipes, AntiquityNOW, Bahia, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Brazil, Brazilian cuisine, Vatapa, World Cup, Yoruba
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Fashion: A Makeover Show
The second video we’re featuring in our Exploring LegacyQuest 2014 series is the second place winner of the festival. All about fashion in the ancient world, this entry hails from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania. It was created by middle school students Meghan, Julia, Amanda, Frances, Grace and Sasha with the guiding hand of their teacher, Jeannette Keshishian. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Culture, Education
Tagged ancient fashion, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, cultural heritage, education, film festival, Greek mythology, LegacyQuest
KIDS’ BLOG! Ancient Puppy Puts Its “Stamp of Approval” on Roman Tile
Puppy paw print in a Roman tile. Credit: Adam Slater, Wardell Armstrong Archaeology
Recently, archaeologists have discovered strange imprints on a Roman tile uncovered at a construction site in Leicester, England. They decided that the impressions had to be a puppy’s paw prints. Most of us forget that the Romans had pets, too. Apparently, this puppy was so excited about finding out what everyone was working on that it trampled on a newly placed brick before it had hardened, leaving a permanent memory of the dog’s existence. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Cheesy Polenta and Egg Casserole
Many of our modern foods derive from ancient dishes that were created out of the necessity for easily made, easily stored staples and readily available ingredients. Polenta is one such dish. Today we’re bringing you a modern version showing the versatility of this ingredient with a delightful Cheesy Polenta and Egg Casserole. Before we dig in, though, let’s find out how modern polenta made its way onto our plates. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture
Tagged ancient history, ancient recipes, Ancient Rome, AntiquityNOW, Bon Appetit Wednesday, cornmeal, polenta, pulse pottage
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Social Media: Dreaming Through the Ages
Over the next several weeks we’re going to be featuring each of the 2014 LegacyQuest video entries in a blog post exploring the video and its creators. We are so proud of the students and teachers who took part in this year’s inaugural festival and we want to share their work with the world. Continue reading
AntiquityNOW 