Feeling claustrophobic? Why not move to one of these remote locations! For this list, we’ll be looking at remote locations around Earth that have seen very few or no human visitors. Our countdown includes Cape Melville, Northeast Greenland National Park, Surtsey Island, Amazon Rainforest, Devon Island, and more!
Muslim Schism: How Islam Split into the Sunni and Shia Branches
In today’s video we will discuss the events that led to the schism within the Muslim community, as Islam split into two branches - Sunni and Shia Islam. This happened in the latter stages of the Early Muslim Expansion, as the Rashidun caliphs - Umar, Uthman and Ali were assassinated, which led to the war of succession, killing of Ali's son Husayn in Karbala, and the creation of the Umayyad dynasty under Muawiyah I.
The Real Reason Why the Sphinx of Giza was Built!
Located on the Giza plateau, on the western bank of Egypt’s Nile River, the Great Sphinx stands guard. Carved out of a large block of limestone, the impressive monumental sculpture is often regarded as one of the largest and oldest monuments in the world and is perhaps as impressive as the pyramids of Egypt. Despite being older than old, and although experts have studied and surveyed it for more than 200 years, we have still not solved the riddle of the Sphinx. The monolithic monument refuses to give up its secrets. We’ve still not been able to firmly conclude when the statue was carved, who it was commissioned by, and its original purpose.
Historian Reacts to Evidence for Ancient High Technology in Egypt
Many ancient cultures are known for their fabulous megalithic structures and impressive artifacts. Some have wondered whether some of these magnificent structures were made by a lost civilization from the far distant past, one with technology more advanced than perhaps even our own.
The complex evolution of homo sapiens - 1,000,000 to 30,000 years ago
In the following video we willl be exploring our evolution from 1,000,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago. Enjoy!
How was England conquered? Battles of William the Conqueror
William's story is truly a remarkable one. He endured a childhood in which others battled to seize his title and lands and had fought wars against his neighbours in France. But William the Conqueror is best known for his invasion of England in 1066. In the years that followed he conquered England, made agreements in Wales and turned the Scottish King into a vassal.
The Most Important Hindu Gods: Shiva - Vishnu - Brahma - Hanuman - Ganesha
In the video below we will be exploring the most important Hindu gods (Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Hanuman, Ganesha). Watch the video to find out more!
400-year-old shark is still going strong
Greenland sharks are now the longest-living vertebrates known on Earth, scientists say.
Researchers used radiocarbon dating to determine the ages of 28 of the animals, and estimated that one female was about 400 years old.
The team found that the sharks grow at just 1cm a year, and reach sexual maturity at about the age of 150.
The research is published in the journal Science.
Lead author Julius Nielsen, a marine biologist from the University of Copenhagen, said: "We had our expectations that we were dealing with an unusual animal, but I think everyone doing this research was very surprised to learn the sharks were as old as they were."
The former vertebrate record-holder was a bowhead whale estimated to be 211 years old.
But if invertebrates are brought into the longevity competition, a 507-year-old clam called Ming holds the title of most aged animal.
Slow swimmers
Greenland sharks are huge beasts, that can grow up to 5m in length.
They can be found, swimming slowly, throughout the cold, deep waters of the North Atlantic.
With this leisurely pace of life and sluggish growth rate, the sharks were thought to live for a long time. But until now, determining any ages was difficult.
For some fish, scientists are able to examine ear bones called otoliths, which when sectioned, show a pattern of concentric rings that scientists can count as they would the rings in a tree.
Sharks are harder, but some species, such as the Great White, have calcified tissue that grows in layers on their back bones, that can also be used to age the animals.
"But the Greenland shark is a very, very soft shark - it has no hard body parts where growth layers are deposited. So it was believed that the age could not be investigated," Mr Nielsen told the BBC.
However the team found a clever way of working out the age.
"The Greenland shark's eye lens is composed of a specialised material - and it contains proteins that are metabolically inert," explained Mr Neilson.
"Which means after the proteins have been synthesised in the body, they are not renewed any more. So we can isolate the tissue that formed when the shark was a pup, and do radiocarbon dating."
The team looked at 28 sharks, most of which had died after being caught in fishing nets as by-catch.
Using this technique, they established that the largest shark - a 5m-long female - was extremely ancient.
Because radiocarbon dating does not produce exact dates, they believe that she could have been as "young" as 272 or as old as 512. But she was most likely somewhere in the middle, so about 400 years old.
It means she was born between the years of 1501 and 1744, but her most likely date of birth was in the 17th century.
"Even with the lowest part of this uncertainty, 272 years, even if that is the maximum age, it should still be considered the longest-living vertebrate," said Mr Nielsen.
Conversely, if her age is at the upper end of the scale, she will have out-lived Ming the clam - although her age has a greater probability of lying in the middle.
Conservation lessons
The team believes the animals only reach sexual maturity when they are 4m-long. And with this new, very lengthy age-range, it suggests this does not occur until the animals are about 150 years old.
The researchers say this has consequences for future conservation of the animals.
Because of their extreme longevity, Greenland sharks may still be recovering from being over-fished before WW2.
The sharks' livers were once used for machine oil, and they were killed in great numbers before a synthetic alternative was found and the demand fell.
"When you evaluate the size distribution all over the North Atlantic, it is quite rare that you see sexually mature females, and quite rare that you find newborn pups or juveniles," Mr Nielsen explained.
"It seems most are sub-adults. That makes sense: if you have had this very high fishing pressure, all the old animals - they are not there any more. And there are not that many to give birth to new ones.
"There is, though, still a very large amount of 'teenagers', but it will take another 100 years for them to become sexually active."
Another author of the study, Prof Christopher Ramsey, director of Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit at the University of Oxford, said that radiocarbon dating could be used to determine the ages of other animals, but was not likely to be chosen as the primary method.
"For many animals we have other methods to determine age," he said.
"Also, the radiocarbon method is not very precise, and so is only really relevant for very long-lived species."
He added that the statistical method used to determine the sharks' ages was Bayesian statistics.
"Bayesian statistics were first worked out by the Rev Bayes in the 18th Century. This means he will have been working on this when some of these oldest sharks were young."
Who were the Druids and where did they come from?
In this video we dive into the accounts of the Druids of Gaul and Britain, and try to see if there is any archaeological evidence for their existence. Enjoy!
Decoding the Cat: Mythology, Legend and Folklore
Cats have captured the imaginations of people for thousands of years, and have established themselves as a very important animal in human culture. But why are they not as well known in mythology as they are in folklore? In this video, we will delve into the rise of the cat in mythology and explore some of the myths and tales surrounding these mysterious creatures. From Viking Scandinavia to ancient Egypt, and into modern day Japan, cats have a rich history in folklore. But to understand the full story, we must first understand how cats became domesticated, especially considering that humans have spent a majority of the last 100,000 years avoiding them as natural predators. Join us as we uncover the fascinating history of cats, from their domestication around 15,000 years ago, to their current role in human culture.
Units of History - The Praetorian Guard (Documentary)
In this history documentary we explore the legendary Praetorian Guard of the Roman Army. We begin with their origins which had its start in a tradition of bodyguard troops dating back to the Roman monarchy.
In these early years, chieftains would have their elite retinue by their side both in peace and in war. During the early Republic, it became practice for allied latin units to be selected as a part of the Extraordinarii which were to camp besides a Roman general in camp and be at his direct disposal. In later years, powerful Roman generals would begin forming their own bodyguard troops such as Caesar's Germanic cavalry which accompanied him throughout the Gallic Wars. At the end of the Republic, so called Cohors Praetoriae would be used by both Augustus and Mark Antony in their civil war.
In the aftermath Augustus would merge these units and institutionalize them as an important part of his new regime. From then on, the Praetorian Guard would play a key part in the history of the Roman Empire, especially when they became involved with politics in Rome and in the transitions of power therein.
A Mysterious Grove of 400 Oddly Bent Pine Trees in Poland
This stand of bent pine trees known as the Crooked Forest is easily one of the strangest places in Central Europe. Located outside of Nowe Czarnowo, West Pomerania, Poland, the nearly 400 trees are widely agreed to have been shaped by human hands sometime in the 1930s, but for what purposes is still up for debate.
Each tree is bent near the base at 90 degrees, a form that could possibly be helpful in boat or furniture making. Strangely enough, every tree is bent in exactly the same direction: due North. A quick search online reveals a host of conspiracy theories ranging from witchcraft to energy fields.
Whatever the reason, we’re glad photographer Kilian Schönberger (previously) stopped by to capture these photos. You can see more from the series on Behance.
People Can’t Get Enough Of The Armadillo Lizard As It Looks Like A Tiny Dragon
If you are a big fan of reptiles, especially lizards, we are sure that you have heard about armadillo lizards. This is a unique heavily-armored reptile native to South Africa. With its thorny exterior and unique defenses, the armadillo lizard might be both adorable and terrifying at the same time. Because of their sharp armors along their bodies, they look like a medieval fairytale dragon.
Armadillo lizards have a variety of coloring, which varies from light to dark brown with a yellow underbelly with a black pattern. Their backside is completely covered in spikey armor, so when they feel threatened, they curl up and bite their tails to protect the soft belly. They can stay in a curled position for up to an hour. This defense mechanism keeps them safe from predators like snakes, big birds, and mongoose. It also allows them to spend most of their time sunbathing in the warmth of the sun.
These species live on a carnivorous diet, and insects are one of their foods. They tend to live in large family groups and hide under rock crevices in South Africa’s desert to shield themselves against the harsh environment and predators.
They can live up to a little over a decade and are one of the few reptile species that do not reproduce by laying eggs. These dragon-like creatures are usually three to four inches long, but some may grow as long as eight.
The eye-catching looks of the armadillo lizard attracts a lot of poachers. They are somewhat easy to catch, so the creature faces a threat to its population. So please share this post with your friends to raise awareness of protecting animals.
Enigmatic Ancient Wheel: The 300-Million-Year-Old Wheel and Anomalous Ancient Tracks Across the World
In 2008, an intriguing discovery was made in a coal mine in Donetsk, Ukraine. Due to the fragile nature of the sandstone surrounding it, a mysterious object resembling an ancient wheel could not be safely removed and remains in place within the mine. This account is taken from J.P. Robinson's The Myth of Man.
While drilling the J3 'Sukhodolsky' coal coking stratum at a depth of 900 meters (about 2953 feet), workers were astonished to find what seemed to be a wheel-like imprint in the sandstone ceiling of the tunnel they had just excavated.
Deputy Chief V.V. Kruzhilin captured photos of the strange imprint and shared them with mine foreman S. Kasatkin, who helped bring the discovery to public attention. Although the site could not be closely examined, the photos and the testimony of the Ukrainian miners serve as the only evidence of this enigmatic find, which included more than one imprint.
Discovering the Wheel
Without the ability to precisely date the layer of rock where the fossilized wheel imprint was found, it has been observed that the Rostov region around Donetsk sits on Carboniferous rock, estimated to be between 360 and 300 million years old. The widely distributed coking coals in the area originated from the middle to late Carboniferous period, implying the imprint could be around 300 million years old. This suggests that a wheel may have become embedded millions of years ago and eventually dissolved through a process called diagenesis, where sediments harden into sedimentary rock, much like fossil remains typically do.
The following is an excerpt from a letter by S. Kasatkin (translated from Ukrainian), providing his account as a witness to the unusual wheel imprint discovered by his mining team in 2008:
‘This finding is not a PR action. In due time (2008), we as a team of engineers and workers asked the mine director to invite scientists for detailed examination of the object, but the director, following the instructions of the then owner of the mine, prohibited such talks and instead only ordered to accelerate work on passing through this section of lava and on fast ‘charging’ of the section with mining equipment.
Owing to that, this artifact and the smaller one found during further work came to be in a tunnel blockage and could not be taken out and studied. It is good that there were people, who in spite of the director’s prohibition, photographed this artifact.
I have connections with the people who first discovered these imprints and also with those who photographed them. We have more than a dozen witnesses. As you understand, the admission in the mine is strictly limited (it is dangerous on sudden emissions) and to obtain such permit is rather difficult.
The ‘wheel’ was printed on sandstone of the roof. Guys (drifters) tried to ‘cut away’ the find with pick hammers and to take it out to the surface, but sandstone was so strong (firm) that, having been afraid to damage a print, they have left it in place. At present the mine is closed (officially since 2009) and access to the ‘object’ is impossible - the equipment is dismantled and the given layers are already flooded.’
With only the written testimony of S. Kasatkin and his fellow witnesses, the photographs serve as the sole evidence of this unusual imprint. Despite challenges in verifying the details beyond what has been presented, the anomaly warrants attention. If the photographic evidence is authentic, it raises the question of how a man-made wheel could become embedded in ancient strata—long before humans, according to conventional scientific understanding, had even evolved.
Ancient Tracks
Evidence of wheeled vehicles in antiquity has surfaced elsewhere in the world. Petrified ancient tracks have been found in France, Spain, Italy, Malta, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and even North America. One such prehistoric site is Misrah Ghar il-Kbir—meaning "Great Cave" in Maltese—commonly referred to as Clapham Junction. Located near the Dingli Cliffs in Siggiewi, Malta, this site is renowned for its mysterious "cart ruts" carved into the limestone, which have puzzled all who visit.
Similarly, strange tracks in stone can be seen in Sicily at the Great Theater of Syracuse, a Greek amphitheater. Many archaeologists believe the Maltese tracks were likely made by Sicilian settlers around 2000 BC, during the early Bronze Age.
Additional tracks are found in Turkey, including Sofca, where they cover an area approximately 45 by 10 miles (72 by 16 km), and Cappadocia, home to several clusters of tracks. The discovery of these ruts around the world has sparked debate regarding their purpose, age, and origins. In Malta, especially due to the proximity of the tracks to megalithic structures and the fact that some are now submerged beneath the sea, many researchers suggest these fossilized lines indicate significant antiquity.
Interestingly, in light of the anomalous wheel imprint found in Ukraine, the medieval city-fortress of Chufut-Kale, located in the Crimean Mountains, also contains stone cart ruts similar to those found at the nearby site of Eski-Kermen. Despite the ruins of Chufut-Kale, these mysterious tracks remain visible, drawing attention for their resemblance to other ancient ruts across the world.
Dr. Alexander Koltypin, a geologist and the director of the Natural Science Research Center at Moscow’s International Independent University of Ecology and Politology, has devoted significant time to studying these sites. He has examined and compared them, seeking similarities and patterns that might help explain the origins and purpose of these unusual formations.
“I first saw tracks in stone - fossilized car or terrain vehicle traces (usually called cart ruts) on Neogen plantation surface (peneplene in Phrygian) plain in May 2014 (Central Anatolia Turkey). They were situated in the field of development of Middle and Late Miocene tuffs and tuffites and according to age analysis of nearby volcanic rocks, had middle Miocene age of 12-14 million years,” wrote Koltypin.
The region that Dr. Koltypin has studied is relatively obscure, with guidebooks offering little to no information about it. While mainstream researchers argue that the tracks are merely petrified remnants of old cart ruts left by wheeled vehicles pulled by donkeys or camels, Koltypin holds a different perspective. Rejecting these conventional explanations, he stated firmly, “I will never accept it. I will always remember... many other inhabitants of our planet wiped from our history.” His research suggests a deeper, perhaps forgotten, history of Earth and its past civilizations.
After measuring the width and length of the tracks at the Phrygian Valley site, Dr. Koltypin concluded that they were made by vehicles comparable in length to modern cars, but with tires around 9 inches (22.86 cm) wide. The depth of the impressions in stone, far greater than what one would expect from small carts, led him to believe that the vehicles responsible were much heavier.
Koltypin theorizes that the civilization responsible for driving these heavy vehicles likely built the numerous identical roads, ruts, and underground complexes scattered across the Mediterranean region more than 12 million years ago. He acknowledges that petrification can occur relatively quickly, but points to the heavy mineral deposits on the tracks and signs of erosion as evidence of a much older timeline. He also connects these tracks to surrounding underground cities, irrigation systems, and wells, which he believes are millions of years old.
On his website, Koltypin wrote, "We are dealing with extremely tough lithified (petrified) sediments, covered with a thick layer of weathering, that takes millions of years to develop, full of multiple cracks with newly developed minerals in them, which could only emerge in periods of high tectonic activity."
Clearly, further research is needed to determine the true age and origins of these tracks, which have been discovered at various locations around the world. While it may be easy to attribute them to old carts, Koltypin's findings suggest that the explanation may be far more complex—possibly pointing to a lost ancient civilization with advanced technology.
The presence of the fossilized wheel in Ukraine strengthens the possibility that ancient peoples may have had access to technology and knowledge far beyond what is currently accepted.
New find shows animal life may have existed millions of years before previously thought
Simple animal life may have existed in Earth’s oceans 890 million years ago, according to new research.
Recently discovered fossils belonging to ancient sponges might be the earliest known remnants of an animal body and pre-date other sponge fossils by 350 million years.
Elizabeth Turner, a professor of paleontology and sedimentary geology at Laurentian University in Ontario, discovered what she believes are possibly the fossilized structures of sponges that once existed in reefs millions of years ago. They were found in rock samples in northwestern Canada.
A study on Turner’s findings published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Little is known about the earliest days of animal life’s emergence on Earth because the fossil record is sparse. While scientists have used genetic evidence to suggest that sponges first appeared between 541 million and 1,000 million years ago during the early Neoproterozoic era, the lack of fossilized sponges has created a knowledge gap. Turner’s discovery may help fill that gap and provide a glimpse into the earliest marine animal life on Earth.
“I serendipitously came across a few very rare examples of the material during my unrelated PhD research, long ago, on fossil microbial reefs,” Turner said. “When I became a professor and had my own grants, I was able to return to the field sites and collect more material so that I had a more robust collection to work from.”
What she found in the ancient rock samples were fossilized structures that resembled the skeletons like those that exist within horny sponges – the kind you use for a bath sponge. Horny sponges, also called modern keratose demosponges, have a skeleton with three dimensional branching made of a tough organic substance called spongin.
The branched networks of tube-shaped structures were covered by mineral calcite crystal. These also appeared similar to structures found in calcium carbonate rocks that were likely created when horny sponge bodies decayed.
“This organic skeleton is very characteristic and there are not known comparable structures,” said Joachim Reitner, a professor in the University of Goettingen’s department of geobiology who reviewed Turner’s study ahead of publication.
Life as an ancient sponge
The ancient sponges lived in “shadowy nooks and crannies” on and below large reefs made from water-dwelling bacteria that were photosynthesising, or converting light energy into chemical energy.
“They may well have hunkered down and lived a sweet life without having to evolve much for a few hundred million years,” Turner said.
The “oxygen oasis” and potential food sources produced by the bacteria would have been a Goldilocks spot for the sponges.
These sponges appeared 90 million years before events thought necessary to support the appearance and diversification of animal life.
About 800 million years ago, Earth’s oxygen levels increased during what scientists refer to as the Neoproterozoic oxygenation event, when there was a substantial boost in the amount of oxygen in the oceans and atmosphere.
The sponges may have been tolerant of low oxygen levels, so what was provided by the bacteria could have been enough.
Then, there were also the Cryogenian glacial episodes, during which much of Earth likely experienced severe ice ages between 635 million and 720 million years ago. The sponges weren’t likely affected by this either.
The finding in Turner’s paper “is a milestone in the understanding” of the animal family tree and reveals that the origin of it was much earlier than previously thought, Reitner said.
The animal life timeline
Many fossils can be dated back to the Cambrian explosion, a period 540 million years ago when diverse animal life flourished on the planet, according to David Bottjer, professor of Earth sciences, biological sciences and environmental studies at the University of Southern California. Bottjer was not involved in this study.
“The fossil record of animal life is something that many people are interested in and in particular, when animals first evolved on Earth,” he said. “The big discussion has been, was there animal life in a significant way in the pre-Cambrian before the Cambrian explosion or not.”
Researchers use two data sources to address these, he said. One is the fossil record. Then, there are molecular clocks, which are used to help scientists estimate how evolution has occurred in different organisms over time. The idea is that DNA evolves at a constant rate within organisms and genetic evidence can fill the gaps where the fossil record is sparse or entirely bare.
“This molecular clock approach says that animals were on Earth a good deal earlier than the Cambrian,” Bottjer said.
Previously, many scientists believed spicules – the mineralized skeletal structure of sponges – were needed to show the existence of sponges. But some sponges don’t have mineralized skeletons.
If complexly structured and diverse fossils are appearing in the rock record during and before the Cambrian period, it suggests that animals had to evolve ahead of that, Turner said.
This also suggests a time when animals existed, but were not well preserved or preserved at all – prior to skeletons, shells and exoskeletons, Turner said. She understands that the earlier timeline suggested by her research “may be a little alarming for some researchers.”
Bottjer thinks Turner has authored “a very well-founded paper.” He also acknowledges that her findings will certainly ignite discussion among researchers.
“I tell my students that all pre-Cambrian fossils are disputed by somebody because it’s very early in evolution,” Bottjer said. “These animals commonly don’t have all the features that they evolve later on so it can be a little tricky. I look forward to seeing what the response is, but it’s I think it’s a very strong case.”
What isn’t surprising is that the earliest evolutionary animals were probably sponge-like, Turner said. Sponges are simple, basic animals with a long history in the fossil record, and prior research suggests they likely appeared around this time.
Investigating the distant past
Now, Turner wants to investigate when sponges actually emerged if they were already present 890 million years ago.
“The early evolution of animals remains murky, regardless of what I have to offer in this paper,” she said. “What is needed is a lot of really focused work on very thoughtfully chosen rocks of the same age, as well as younger and older rocks, to look for other possible physical evidence of early animals – sponge-like and possibly other more complex types of animals.”
She also suggests keeping an open mind during the search. When it comes to early animal life, researchers really have no idea what they will find.
Turner also said the current academic standard and research grant system is less supportive of the type of time-consuming work, often resulting in unpublishable findings, that will be required to thoroughly understand and investigate the rock record of early animal evolution.
“If we find ourselves looking for something that looks familiarly animal-ish, we will fail, because the familiar is too complex for the earliest animals,” she said. “We need to do some real soul-searching about what early animal preservation might have been like.”
This research could even help in the search for life beyond our planet. While the Perseverance rover searches for evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars in an ancient lake bed, the ancient rock record on Earth could help scientists spot intriguing targets.
“If we’re going to find things on other planets, it’s probably going to be more like the pre-Cambrian stuff than something that is a million years old and has mammoth bones in it,” Bottjer said.
Preserved synthrona of early Christian churches reminiscent of ancient Greek theaters
The ancient Greek theater, before it developed into a Hellenistic entertainment event and then into a Roman arena with beast battles, duels and bloody killings of innocent people to the delight of the enraged citizens of the Roman decadence, had a ritualistic and educational character.
Aeschylus gave to theater its character with the scenery, dialogues and extras and later, after Aristophanes it was desanctified. However, it still had a didactic character.
The early Christian churches on the contrary, the Churches with synthrona clearly had influences from the ancient theater and the Ecclesia of Demos. But it is also possible that its ritual, by Greek scholars and Greek-studied Christian philosophers, may have direct influences from ancient rituals.
These are some photos of preserved synthrona of early Christian churches:
Agios Nikolaos, Demre, modern Turkey.
Agia Irini, Constantinople, modern Turkey
Hagia Sophia, Nice, modern Turkey
Amoria, modern Turkey
Thessaloniki, Greece: The oldest mosaic floor with a representation of a palm tree in Europe will be located at the metro station Sidrivani
A richly decorated vine branch with grapes, in between sparrows eating the fruit or playing with the leaves, and in the center the mythical phoenix bird with halo and 13 rays on its head. This representation adorns the mosaic floor of a one-room cemetery church from the 5th AD Century, so far the oldest in Thessaloniki and the only one in Europe with a representation of a palm tree on the floor.
The mosaic floor was located under the sanctuary of the small church from the beginning of the 5th century AD, on which was built around the middle of the same century the three-nave basilica found during the excavations at the Sidrivani metro station in front of the building of the Theological School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The excavator of the basilica, professor of Byzantine archeology and art at AUTH, Melina Paisidou, says that "the palm tree as a central and dominant theme within a tendril surrounded by animals has no other equivalent on a mosaic floor in the European area".
Ms. Paisidou's many years of research have shown that floor mosaics with a palm tree are found in the Temple of the Holy Martyrs in Hama, Syria (442 AD), in the Temple of Umm Jerar in Gaza (6th cent. Century AD) in the Justinian Basilica of Savatra in Tripolitida (Libya), while corresponding mosaics have been found in the Arch of St. Peter in the Vatican and in sarcophagi from the 3rd and especially the end of the 4th century AD from the Vatican necropolis.
A representation of a palm tree is also found in the dome of the Rotunda in Thessaloniki, in the glorification of Christ, in a composition with concentric circles filled with plants and fruits, a rainbow and a starry sky surrounding the figure of Christ as an allegory of paradise. Of the depiction in the Rotunda, only the head of the phoenix with the nine-rayed halo and the beginning of its neck have survived. This has been called the only known representation of a palm tree in the Greek area. But the idea of the mosaic on the floor of the three-aisled basilica at the metro station Sidrivani, changes the facts.
"The palm tree, symbolizing immortality, incorruption and rebirth, with the halo on its head symbolizes Christ and is combined in the mosaic floor with the soteriological and Eucharistic content of the vine, which acts as a condition of immortality through the Holy Eucharist. Paradise is represented by the depiction of birds among the leaves, while the pecking of the grapes represents a participation in the Holy Eucharist," says Ms. Paisidou. According to her, 7 sparrows were found, but she estimates that there were 12 in total, as many as the Apostles.
Moreover, according to Ms. Paisidou, "the regenerative power of the phoenix, which is reborn from its ashes, and the uniqueness of its status led it to become a symbol of the eternal power of the Roman emperors. That is why the phoenix is depicted on Roman coins, namely on earlier coins from the Antonine era, but also on coins of the first Byzantine emperors of the 4th century, such as Constantine, Constantius II, Valentinian II and Theodosius I."
The myth of the palm tree contains common elements with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, while the bird's last appearance on earth, as noted in a Coptic text from the first half of the 6th century, coincides with the time of Christ's birth. The phoenix with its radiant halo, depicted on tombs of the first Christian centuries, symbolizes the victory of life over death and the bliss of heavenly life.
The sword of the Gothic warrior
The mosaic floor was found in the sanctuary of the one-room church of the cemetery, where seven tombs were excavated, including that of the Gothic warrior, who was buried with all his weapons, as part of the shield, the spearhead and his sword were found folded in half, as he would no longer use them. The custom of the folded (not broken) sword is known in Western Europe, but was found for the first time in Thessaloniki and in Macedonia in general, according to Ms. Paisidou and her partner, Errikos Maniotis.
As to the question of what a Gothic warrior was doing in Thessaloniki, the sources provide an answer: by the time of Theodosius II, in the middle of the 5th century - exactly as the tomb was chronologically placed, between 430 and 450 AD - Gothic mercenaries had settled in Thessaloniki and the wider Balkan region to protect the borders of the empire from enemy raids. In fact, especially in Thessaloniki, the Goths are associated with the bloodshed and the great massacre of 7,000 Christians in the Hippodrome in 390 AD.
In the bowels of the metro the three-aisled basilica
The one-room cemetery church from the beginning of the 5th century was destroyed and on its foundations, in the middle of the same century, the three-aisled basilica was built, with a visible length of 13.50 meters and a total width of 16 meters, belonging to the small basilicas. The impressive mosaic was kept at the base of the sanctuary, as it was considered a great work of art. Over the years, the temple was renovated twice, while in the 7th century it was destroyed either by Arab-Slavic raids or - most likely - by an earthquake, and finally, sometime in the 8th-9th century, it was abandoned.
"The location of the church, its early age, its duration and its repeated renovations make it one of the most important ecclesiastical institutions of Thessaloniki in the first millennium. It is possible that its construction is related to one of the famous Thessalonian martyrs of the persecution under Maximian and Diocletian. The gradual development of the building and the large adjoining rooms could also indicate a monastic institution of early Byzantine Thessaloniki," says Ms. Paisidou.
To whom was this temple dedicated? Research has not yet yielded any results on this question. The testimony of the French traveler Paul Lucas is considered quite serious, when in 1714, while walking in front of the Kassandreotiki Gate(or else Gate of Rome or Kalamaria Gate) and among the monuments, he saw the site of the once beautiful church of Agios Georgios, of which only 10 or 12 columns remain. In today's archaeological excavation, only the bases of the columns were uncovered, and according to Ms. Paisidou, this is "a charming hypothesis".
The archaeologists excavated, photographed and recorded the three-aisled basilica, for which the Central Archaeological Council had originally decided to move it to the AUTH campus, but a later decision gave it the green light to bury both the church and the seven tombs.
However, all the movable finds have been excavated, preserved and are on display in one of the museums being built for the metro's antiquities. Among them is the mosaic floor with the unique representation of the palm tree, which will be brought back to life.
This is the Trophy of the battle of Marathon
It is dated to 470-460 BC.
In September 490 BC, on the plain of Marathon, 10,000 Athenians and 1,000 of their allies from the Boeotian city-state of Plataea, under the command of General Miltiades, fought and defeated the army of the powerful Persian Empire. The battle led to the ignominious end of the first Persian attempt to subjugate Greece under the rule of Darius I.
On the column was probably placed the statue of Victory, in bigger size than natural and with lively movement.
According to ancient custom, the Athenians erected a wooden trophy on the battlefield, from which they hung the Persians' spoils of arms.
A few years later it was replaced by a monumental trophy made of white marble to commemorate the great victory over the Persians. On the column was probably placed the statue of Victory, in bigger size than natural and with lively movement.
Part of the Trophy is now exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Marathon, while a copy of it is placed near its original location in Panagia Mesosporitissa.
The Trophy was restored in 2004, preserving parts of the column and the capital. In 2016, the capital was completed by Professor Manolis Korre with two parts of the suffix.
You could visit the permanent exhibition of the Archaeological Museum of Marathon, where the history of the region from prehistoric to Roman times is presented through finds from the prehistoric cemeteries of Vrana and Tsepi, the burial mounds of the Athenians and Plataeans who fought against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC).
Why Alexander the Great Abandoned the Proposal to Plan a City on Mount Athos?
The Vision Unfulfilled: Alexander the Great and the Unbuilt City on Mount Athos
In the annals of history, few figures loom as large as Alexander the Great, whose conquests reshaped the ancient world. Equally ambitious were his architectural and urban projects, which aimed to immortalize his legacy in stone and mortar. Among the most intriguing of these was a proposal to construct a city on Mount Athos in Greece (now an important center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism). The story of why this project was abandoned offers a fascinating glimpse into the practical considerations that underpinned even the grandest visions of antiquity.
Deinokrates the Rhodian, a renowned architect of the 4th century BC and a technical advisor to Alexander, is known for his significant contributions to ancient architecture. His works include the planning of Alexandria, the funeral pyre of Hephaestion, and the reconstruction of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. However, his proposal for a city on Mount Athos stands out for its audacity and the rationale behind its rejection.
The Proposal
When Alexander sought a location for a new city that would bear his name and reflect his greatness, Deinokrates proposed Mount Athos, a site known for its majestic natural beauty and strategic location. The plan was not merely to build a city but to carve Alexander's effigy into the mountain, creating a monument of unparalleled scale. This effigy would depict Alexander holding a city in one hand and pouring water from a bottle with the other, symbolizing his dominion over both land and sea.
In the only surviving architectural treatise from antiquity, Vitruvius mentions Deinokrates for conceptualizing the carving of one side of Mount Athos with the colossal effigy of Alexander the Great embracing a small town (10,000 residents) with one hand, holding a bottle with the other, and pouring water into a river while touching the sea with his feet.
"I," he said, "have thought, O King, to entrust the image of your body to an incorruptible and living substance, which has eternal foundations and an immovable and unshakable weight. This is Mount Athos in Thrace, where it has its greatest volume and rises most prominently and has a symmetrical height and width and rocky areas and intervals of some form. Athos is strong in the art of processing and transformation, it shall be called Alexander's statue and be his true statue, which will touch the sea with his feet, embrace and support with one hand a city that can hold 10,000 inhabitants. With his right hand holding a bottle, he shall pour libations over the entire river that flows ceaselessly and pours into the sea in honor of the gods. Let’s abandon the idea of the gold and the copper and the ivory and the wooden and colored works, which are easily stolen."
The Rejection
Alexander's decision to abandon this grandiose plan was rooted in practicality. Deinokrates, for all his architectural genius, had overlooked the essential needs of the city's future inhabitants. The rugged terrain of Mount Athos was unsuitable for agriculture, making it impossible to grow grain or sustain a population. All necessities would have to be transported by sea, a logistical challenge that would undermine the city's viability. In contrast, the site chosen for Alexandria in Egypt offered fertile land, access to the Mediterranean, and the potential for a thriving urban center.
The Legacy of Deinokrates
Despite the non-realization of the Athos project, Deinokrates's legacy is cemented through his other works. Alexandria, in particular, stands as a testament to his vision, with its innovative grid layout, sophisticated water supply, and drainage systems. These contributions exemplify the blend of artistic vision and engineering prowess that characterized Hellenistic urban planning.
Deinocrates, in collaboration with Paionius and Demetrius, rebuilt the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which had been destroyed by Herostratus on July 21, 356 BC, the day on which, it is said, Alexander the Great was born.
Reflections
The tale of the unfinished city on Mount Athos serves as a reminder that even in antiquity, practical considerations limited the most ambitious plans. Alexander's empire was built on the twin pillars of visionary ambition and pragmatic governance. The decision to prioritize the needs of his people over architectural marvels reflects a leader who understood the importance of sustainable development.
Moreover, Deinokrates's proposal, though never realized, speaks to the human desire to leave a lasting mark on the world. The project envisioned for Mount Athos was not just an architectural endeavor but a symbol of the intersection between nature, divinity, and human achievement. It encapsulates a moment when ambition brushed against the limits of feasibility, leaving behind a tale that continues to inspire and caution future generations.
In September 2015, after the presentation of the results of the excavation team of the Kasta Tomb based on the research carried out from 2012 to 2014, it was announced that the monument was built by order of Alexander the Great, and the builder was Deinokratis.
In sum, the unbuilt city on Mount Athos serves as a poignant narrative of ambition, practicality, and the enduring quest for immortality through architecture. It reminds us that history is not just a record of what was built but also of what could have been, offering lessons that resonate far beyond the ancient world.
Plato's cave, one of the most pictorial metaphors of all times
Here is a view of the human condition.
People sit in a dark cave, watching the shadows that fall on the walls, and believe they are seeing reality.
If you take one of these people and lead him outside in broad daylight, he will be temporarily blinded by the light and see nothing. But then he will look around, see the real world, and even see the source of the light: the sun.
But when this man returns to the cave and tries to explain the truth to the inhabitants, they will not only laugh at him, they will kill him.
This is Plato's cave, one of the most dramatic and remarkable metaphors of all time. It is not so difficult to decipher it.
The inhabitants of the cave are the uneducated masses, the shadows are concrete material, temporal objects and not the eternal, universal values.
The one who steps out of the cave is the philosopher, the sun is good, the source of all truth, and the death at the end is an allusion to the execution of Socrates, whom Plato describes as the narrator of the allegory, thus foreshadowing his death.
The moral lesson is that the reward of philosophy is not fame, honor, and fortune.
Do not be comforted by the thought that the cavemen of today are only those who sit absorbed in front of the television.
It is not easy to escape from Plato's cave. Not only artists, but also natural scientists, in Plato's opinion, do not concern themselves with the really great things. This brings us to the following question: if Plato's truth lies outside the material world, does it exist?
If you live in a cave, think again before you come out. You will never be able to go back.
