Tag Archives: ancient history

Ancient Volcanic Eruptions Lead to Modern Predictions

Posted on August 27, 2013 | 1 comment

Computer generated imagery of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius as seen from Pompeii in 79 AD.

This past Saturday, August 24^th, marked the generally accepted anniversary of the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Italy. It has been centuries since the famous volcano erupted and destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, burying them under a pyroclastic flow and preserving them in stunning and tragic detail. An estimated 16,000 people lost their lives in the days that followed. Today, 2,000 years later, scientists are using data gained from such ancient eruptions to ensure that fewer lives are lost when volcanoes erupt. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Meteorology, Natural Disasters, Public Life, Science and Technology

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, volcanoes, weather

KIDS’ BLOG! Heirloom Seeds From Our Great-Great-Great-Great-Great (and many more!) Grandparents

Posted on August 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

Have you ever planted a seed and watched it grow into a plant? It’s an incredible feeling to see a tiny little seed turn into a fruit or a vegetable. Did you know that some of the seeds we use to grow our food today come from seeds harvested by cultures that existed thousands of years ago? These ancient seeds are called heirloom seeds and they’ve been passed down from generation to generation. They produce some of the most delicious fresh fruits and vegetables of all varieties. Continue reading →

KIDS’ BLOG! The Invention of the Wheel: How the Ancient Sumerians Got Humanity Rollin’!

Posted on August 20, 2013 | 13 comments

“Wooden Cartwheel” Image courtesy of Stoonn/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When we think about the invention of the wheel, the picture that jumps into our minds is the wheel from a car or maybe an ancient Roman chariot. The earliest wheels, however, were much different than 21^st century wheels or even those used in first century battles.

The wheel was invented by the ancient Sumerians. They lived in the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East. Much, much later this land became part of the country we call Iraq. The Sumerians were the first people to develop a written language. Extensive studies of their writings have led archaeologists and historians to also credit them with the invention of the wheel. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Engineering, Kids Blog, Kids: Engineering, Kids: Science and Tech, Science and Technology

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Mesopotamia, Sumeria, wheel

The History in our Language: Idioms from Ancient Times, Part 2

Posted on August 15, 2013 | 2 comments

“Belshazzar’s Feast”, Rembrandt Van Rijn

Some of our common English sayings have a very ancient past. As a follow-up to The History in our Language: Idioms from Ancient Times, Part 1, here is Part 2 of idioms with ancient roots. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Communications, Culture, Public Life

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Babylon, Belshazzar, Daniel, idioms, language, Pandora, Zeus

The History in our Language: Idioms from Ancient Times, Part 1

Posted on August 13, 2013 | 5 comments

*Originally published on February 7, 2013, this is the first post in our Ancient Idioms series. Don’t miss Part 2 on Thursday!
It’s no secret that English is heavily influenced by Latin and Ancient Greek – especially if you’ve ever had to study vocab for the SATs – but it might surprise you to know that many of our current idioms have been around since ancient times. Idioms usually form based around the culture that speaks the language, yet the English language has several idioms that come from antiquity. They are a testament to how relevant history is to our lives today, and how we’re not so dissimilar to our ancient ancestors. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Culture, Public Life

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, history, language

Ramadan Ends With Dishes That Celebrate the Heart of Palestinian Cuisine

Posted on August 8, 2013 | 2 comments

Children perform in Jerusalem’s Old City during celebrations to mark the breaking of the fast on the seventh day of the holy month of Ramadan, on July 26, 2012. (Photo credit: AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/GettyImages)

As Ramadan comes to a close, Muslims around the world are breaking their fasts and marking celebrations with family and friends. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, although the dates change each year because the lunar and solar calendars are not exactly the same. The end of Ramadan occurs either 29 or 30 days from the beginning of the month, and is celebrated by the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, where after morning prayers people exchange gifts, put up lights and decorations and feast on their favorite foods. The word Ramadan means scorching in Arabic and was designated as a Holy Month in honor of the Quran being revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 CE. During Ramadan Muslims seek to purify themselves by forgoing material needs and focusing on spiritual devotion. They pray, read the Quran and carry out works of charity. Their self-denial of food and water helps them empathize with the less fortunate. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Culinary, Culture, Public Life, Religion

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Islam, Palestine, Ramadan

KIDS’ BLOG! Hot Fudge Sundae: A Dessert 5,000 Years in the Making

Posted on August 1, 2013 | 4 comments

So how much do you like ice cream? Ice cream with hot fudge…ice cream with sprinkles…ice cream with gumdrops…there really are many varieties and toppings. Let’s see how these ice cream treats were invented, beginning 5,000 years ago in China! Continue reading →

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Posted in Culinary, Culture, Kids Blog, Kids: Culinary, Kids: Culture

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, candy China, gumdrops, hot fudge, ice cream, sprinkles, whipped cream

Heirloom Seeds: Growing a Piece of Ancient History

Posted on July 30, 2013 | 1 comment

Ever been shopping in the produce section and seen a flashy display for “HEIRLOOM TOMATOES!” Wonder what’s so special about these tomatoes? The answer might surprise you. Heirloom fruits and vegetables are grown from seeds that reach all the way back to ancient times. Over the millennia, these seeds have taken on enormous value. Continue reading →

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Posted in Blog, Culinary, Culture, Public Life, Recreation

Tagged agriculture, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, domestication, gardening, heirloom seeds, Mesopotamia, Neolithic Revolution

Hot Fudge Sundae: A Dessert 5,000 Years in the Making

Posted on July 25, 2013 | 7 comments

It’s July and the temperatures have been rising…and rising…and rising. How about forgetting the heat with a scrumptious hot fudge sundae? But before you dig in, let’s take a moment to appreciate the human ingenuity over five millenia that brought you the cooling cream and rich chocolate sauce of this very ancient confection. Continue reading →

7 Comments

Posted in Blog, Culinary, Culture

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Aztecs, chocolate, ice cream, Mayas, Mesoamerica, sundae, whipped cream

Ancient Graffiti: From Pompeii to Smyrna

Posted on July 16, 2013 | 6 comments

Image courtesy of DHA

We’ve talked a lot about ancient graffiti in our blog posts and it has always been about the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. In “Wall Posts: Putting Pompeii’s Political Graffiti in a Modern Context” we discussed how politicians campaigned using graffiti on the walls of wealthy homeowners and in “Super Bowl XLVII and the Superstars of Ancient Rome” we explained how people could find a favorite gladiator advertising olive oil or his latest fight on the walls of the city. Recently, an archaeological dig unearthed a collection of graffiti that may be even richer than that of Pompeii. Archaeologists working in the agora (ancient marketplace) of Izmir -or Greek Smyrna- found the “richest Greek graffiti collection in the world” dating back to the 2^nd and 4^th centuries A.D. Continue reading →

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Posted in Art, Blog, Communications, Culture, Public Life

Tagged agora, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, graffiti, Greek, Izmir, Pompeii, Smyrna