AntiquityNOW

Calling All Teachers! Showcase Your Best Ideas With AntiquityNOW!

Posted on November 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

Author: Shirley K. Gazsi, President of AntiquityNOW

As we all know, teachers are some of the hardest working, most dedicated
professionals around. In the last few days I saw firsthand the caliber and quality of this field at the National Council for the Social Studies conference.

St. Louis Gateway Arch

AntiquityNOW was selected from more than 90 proposals to give a poster session on our organization and our prototype Yesterday’s Child, which is a comprehensive, culturally immersive curricular series about ancient cultures and their legacies today. I also attended the conference to understand the prevailing issues in teaching social studies today and to gain an appreciation of how AntiquityNOW can serve as a resource to the educational community. At our poster session and the many gatherings I attended, I discussed collaborative opportunities with teachers as well as other folks from nonprofit organizations representing a broad array of interests. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Education, LegacyQuest, Public Life

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, cultural preservation, education, history, National Council for the Social Studies, social studies, St. Louis, Yesterday's Child

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In Remembrance

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Posted on November 22, 2013 in Blog, Celebrities, Public Life

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, assassination, civil rights, John F. Kennedy, U.S. President

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Ancient Greek Baklava

Posted on November 20, 2013 | 1 comment

The holiday season is upon us and sweets are everywhere. Whether it’s cookies, cupcakes or candy, everyone enjoys indulging his or her sweet tooth. This season, celebrate the past and stand out from the crowd with a delicious ancient recipe.

Baklava is a popular dish originally made in the former Ottoman Empire that can also be found in Central and Southwest Asia. While you may have enjoyed a slice of this sweet, rich pastry in a local Greek or Turkish restaurant, you probably haven’t tasted baklava made the ancient Greek way. This recipe is a version of baklava called gastrin, or γάστριν in Greek. It contains the mix of ingredients that distinguishes its layered flavor. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture, Holidays, Public Life, Religion

Tagged ancient history, ancient recipes, AntiquityNOW, baklava, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Gastrin, Greek, Ottoman Empire, petimezi

Terrorism in the Ancient World: Part 2

Posted on November 19, 2013 | 3 comments

In the modern age, terrorism dominates the news headlines more frequently than we would like, and yet the term and its use are often relatively employed and dependent upon the parties involved. This is, in part, due to the fact that the term terrorism is politically and emotionally charged, “a word with intrinsically negative connotations that is generally applied to one’s enemies and opponents.”[1] For this article, terrorism will be defined as the “political violence in an asymmetrical conflict that is designed to induce terror and psychic fear (sometimes indiscriminate) through the violent victimisation and destruction of non-combatant targets (sometimes iconic symbols).”[2] Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Culture, Human Rights, Politics, Public Life, Religion, War and Violence

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Great Fire of Rome, Hashashin, Iceni, Jewish-Roman Wars, Nero, Queen Boudica, Sicarii, terrorism

Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World

Posted on November 14, 2013 | 5 comments

*This post was originally published on October 1, 2013. Don’t miss a new article about ancient warfare coming next Tuesday, November 19th. The new post will focus on terrorism throughout antiquity.

Soldiers drill in their gas masks during WWI.

Chemical warfare has been a hot topic recently due to the ongoing crisis in Syria. This is just the latest of numerous modern-day examples when nations have implemented chemical weapons to further their own agendas. The most memorable examples are World War I, World War II and the Iran-Iraq War. Unfortunately, the use of chemical weapons dates back a lot earlier than the beginning of the 20^th century–namely 10,000 BCE. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Culture, Human Rights, Science and Technology, War and Violence

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, chemical warfare, gas, Greeks, poison, San, Syria, toxikon

Coming Soon! Bon Appetit Wednesday! You’ll Love Our “Recipes With a Past”

Posted on November 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

Is cinnamon your secret ingredient? Made from bark stripped from the laurel tree, it has been in the pantries, larders and spice racks of cooks from China to Rome to Sri Lanka for nearly 5,000 years. Are you a cheesecake aficionado? Your love carries back to the first Olympics in ancient Greece where the Olympian superstars were served a winner’s portion of the delight.

AntiquityNOW is pleased to announce Bon Appetit Wednesday! Each Wednesday we’ll post a new “recipe with a past” that has tickled taste buds for thousands of years. Give your weekend parties a distinctive flair with a repast that has a story to tell. Dazzle at potluck dinners with a chocolate concoction courtesy of the Maya. Connect to our ancient ancestors through dishes that can still nurture and satisfy today. By the way, send us your own recipes. We’ll research the origins and give you a shout out in our blog. And just to remind you of how ancient tastes and ingenuity have created today’s culinary fare, here’s a list of some recipes we’ve posted about in the past!

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Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture

Tagged ancient food, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Bon Appetit Wednesday, cheesecake, cinnamon, culinary, Greece, recipes

Cultural Racketeering and Why it Matters: Robbing the World of History

Posted on November 7, 2013 | 2 comments

*Below is a Huffington Post article by Deborah Lehr, Chair of the Capitol Archaeological Institute. AntiquityNOW is an affiliate of the Institute. The article raises critical points elucidating the nexus of cultural heritage, economic viability and criminal racketeering—issues reflecting a sad and ancient saga of looted treasures and lost inheritance.

Many of us are familiar with crimes committed by organized gangs, from drug running, the weapons trade, to the sex trade. However, there is one kind of crime, the looting and trade of antiquities that is on par with these abhorrent black market businesses, yet seldom discussed. The illegal trade in art and antiquities or cultural racketeering is one of the top five most profitable illegal global businesses. It ravages cultural icons and deprives local communities of their heritage. If we don’t take a stand, we are not just allowing these criminals to steal our common history, but also the future economic potential of these communities. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Crime, Culture, Human Rights, Public Life, War and Violence

Tagged ancient history, antiquities, AntiquityNOW, Black market, Capitol Archaeological Institute, cultural preservation, cultural racketeering, George Washington University, looting

KIDS’ BLOG! Diwali, the Festival of Lights

Posted on November 5, 2013 | 5 comments

For five days this week, starting on Sunday, November 3, Hindus around the world will celebrate Diwali, or Deepavali, the Festival of Lights. Diwali marks the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil. Lamps are lit, colored lights dance against dark skies and fireworks explode in fiery celebration. People exchange gifts, often of gold, dress up in new clothes, prepare special dishes and sweets, and with this celebration acknowledge the gods for giving humans health, wealth, peace and prosperity. Continue reading →

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Posted in Culture, Holidays, Kids Blog, Kids: Culture, Kids: Holidays, Kids: Public Life, Kids: Religion, Religion

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, black hole, Diwali, good and evil, Hinduism, holidays, light and dark, religion

Guardians of the “Gate to Hell” Discovered Just in Time for Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2013 | Leave a comment

Image courtesy of Jim Pennucci

During the coming weeks, people around the world will celebrate the supernatural and pay respects to the spirit world on holidays such as Halloween, El Dia de los Muertos, the Obon Festival and the Teng Chieh festival. While holidays arose for different reasons, they each have a connection to the “other side” where the spirits of those who have gone before still dwell. And now, almost as if on cue, a group of Italian archaeologists has announced an exciting discovery at the ancient “Gate to Hell,” reminding us that our fascination with the afterlife is nothing new. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Holidays, Public Life, Religion

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Cerberus, Gate to Hell, Greek, Halloween, Hierapolis, Phrygia, Pluto's Gate, Roman, Turkey

Immersion in Ancient Times: Yesterday’s Child Series Brings the Past to Life

Posted on October 29, 2013 | Leave a comment

It was a wonderful time with social studies teachers and administrators at the New Jersey Council for the Social Studies annual conference last Wednesday, October 23. AntiquityNOW had an exhibit and welcomed much interest in our programs. Next month AntiquityNOW will be a poster at the National Council for the Social Studies annual conference on November 22 in St. Louis, Missouri. Continue reading →