Tag Archives: AntiquityNOW

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 →

5 Comments

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!

Leave a comment

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 →

2 Comments

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 →

5 Comments

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 →

Leave a comment

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 →

Leave a comment

Posted in Blog, Education, Public Life

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, china, education, Qin Shi Huang

Download Our Printable Bookmarks and Support the Importance of Cultural Preservation

Posted on October 24, 2013 | Leave a comment

The mission of AntiquityNOW is to raise awareness of the importance of preserving our cultural heritage by demonstrating how antiquity’s legacy influences and shapes our lives today and for generations to come. Our goal is to illustrate that humankind’s commonalities are stronger than its differences, and to share this knowledge to promote mutual understanding, tolerance and peaceful co-existence among our global family.

You can help support this message by downloading, printing and sharing our high-resolution, printable bookmarks. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in Blog, Education

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, bookmark, cultural preservation, LegacyQuest

Ancient History Inspires Modern Creativity for International Archaeology Day

Posted on October 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

This Saturday, October 19th, is International Archaeology Day and organizations around the world will be commemorating the event. Visit the Archaeological Institute of America’s website for information on happenings across the United States and abroad. There’s something for everyone! Continue reading →

Leave a comment

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

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Archaeological Institute of America, archaeology, creative writing, Egypt, International Archaeology Day, Today's Muse

Download AntiquityNOW’s Timeline Bookmark and Become the Talk of the Ages

Posted on October 15, 2013 | Leave a comment

How long does it usually take chewing gum to lose its flavor? Bet you can’t beat 5,000 years. Remember your first computer and how amazing new technology seemed? What about the world’s first computer from 100 BCE that tracked astronomical patterns? Are you a sports fan? Tell me who loved baseball better than the Mesoamericans in 1,400 BCE? Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in Blog, Education, Kids: Education, Public Life

Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, bookmark, inventions, timeline

AntiquityNOW Celebrates International Day of the Girl

Posted on October 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

This year’s theme for the International Day of the Girl is “Innovating for Girls’ Education.” Today we honor women throughout history who paved the way for girls and women to become forces for change in their communities and around the globe. Each of these women, through their refusal to be marginalized, and their tenacity and curiosity, fought for their rights as human beings. They confronted many challenges during times when because of their sex they had little or no rights. Through their steadfast contributions, these women continue to be examples for girls today of how to stand strong and make a difference in their worlds.