Hades' Hidden Havens

08/14/2024

The Sphinx of Memphis partially excavated in c. 1913, and now in the open-air museum in Memphis, near Cairo, Egypt. Click for full image.
In c. 1912, someone from the British School of Archaeology in Egypt noticed something sticking out of the ground. Flinders Petrie subsequently excavated the object, which turned out to be this beautiful alabaster sphinx. The object that had been protruding from the ground was in fact its tail.
The statue was carved from a single block of alabaster sometime in the 2nd millennium BC, possibly between 1700 and 1400 BC. No one knows for certain which pharaoh the face of the sphinx represents, but it might be Hatshepsut or Amenhotep II.
It once stood near the Great Ptah Temple. When the temples of Memphis were pillaged, the sphinx was probably toppled and subsequently covered in rubble and sand. And there it remained until its discovery in the early 20th century.
Although considerably smaller than the Great Sphinx of Giza, at eight metres (26 feet) in length, over four metres (14 feet) high, and weighing an estimated 90 tons, it is one of the largest sphinxes in Egypt. . .
Photo: © Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. Archive number PMAN2418

08/14/2024

The Rassam Cylinder, also known as the ten-sided clay prism, stands as a significant historical artifact dating back to 643 BC, during the reign of King Ashurbanipal of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (669-631 BC). Discovered in the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, near present-day Mosul, Iraq, it was unearthed by the archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in 1854.
Comprising over 1,300 lines of cuneiform text, the cylinder provides a detailed account of nine military campaigns led by Ashurbanipal. These campaigns encompass his conflicts with Egypt, Elam, and his own brother, Shamash-shum-ukin. Additionally, the cylinder documents Ashurbanipal"s ascension to the throne and his efforts in restoring the Palace of Sennacherib. As such, it serves as the most comprehensive chronicle available on the life and reign of Ashurbanipal, offering invaluable insights into the political and military landscape of the Neo-Assyrian Empire during this period.

08/14/2024

One of the three Roman pools of Gafsa, in Tunisia, two of which are open. Built in the 2nd century BCE, they are about five meters deep and are fed by hot water springs

08/13/2024

Hatshepsut Temple

08/13/2024

Henry VIII’s insanely vast hammerbeam ceiling for his Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace. Built from 1532 onward using the skills of his shipbuilders. A work of the highest craftsmanship and engineering genius.

08/13/2024

Macedonian tomb with two chambers and a Doric facade, 2nd c. BC
Ptolemaïs, Macedonia/Greece.

08/13/2024

Workers on the "Silent Highway."
This photo was taken in c. 1877 by John Thomson. It shows two men aboard a barge on the River Thames in London, England.
"Though so much has been said of late concerning our canal population, and the evils attendant on their mode of life, the men who have the more difficult task of conducting clumsy barges down the swift ebb and flow of the Thames, have been comparatively neglected. A long list of grievances may nevertheless be drawn up concerning this class. They have their faults and their hardships to expiate and to endure. Their former prestige has disappeared. The silent highway they navigate is no longer the main thoroughfare of London life and commerce. The smooth pavements of the streets have successfully competed with the placid current of the Thames; the "Merry Waterman"s" mission is exhausted, he is superseded by the trains, cabs, omnibuses, and penny steamers of modern London. He is compelled to abandon the pleasant occupation of rowing passengers to and fro, and must now devote himself solely to manoeuvring huge barges."
Extract from Street Life in London, by Adolphe Smith and John Thomson, 1877.

08/12/2024

08/12/2024

HIDDEN FOR 2000 YEARS... The Corlea Trackway is an Iron Age trackway, near the village of Keenagh, in Ireland. It was constructed from oak planks in 148–147 BC.

08/12/2024

Thought to be around 1,200 years old, the Marton Oak is believed to be in the advanced stages of its life cycle, with most of its heartwood having succumbed to decay. Despite having divided into sections several centuries ago, these segments remain connected by the same root system. Regrettably, the original appearance of the tree prior to its division is not known.

08/12/2024

Early humans used sophisticated woodworking techniques to hunt animals, study shows
A new study, detailed in the journal PNAS, has uncovered the intricate crafting techniques employed by pre-Homo sapiens humans in crafting hunting weapons and tools.
Archaeologists, utilizing cutting-edge imaging techniques including 3D microscopy and micro-CT scanning, meticulously analyzed artifacts discovered at the Schöningen site in Germany, dating back an astonishing 300,000 years. Among the remarkable findings were over twenty spears and throwing sticks, each revealing a sophisticated understanding of woodworking techniques...
More information: News

08/11/2024

Natural?