How We Decoded The Hieroglyphs Of Ancient Egypt

Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton explores the story of how Ancient Egypt was rediscovered, and how its incredible sites and treasures were gradually decoded. Starting with the earliest travellers who ventured inside the pyramids, Chris traces how this curiosity exploded into Egyptomania in the 18th and 19th centuries. Beginning with the French invasion under Napoleon, we discover how Egypt was explored, plundered and eventually deciphered as increasingly scientific approaches were taken. Highlights include the audacious treasure hunting by Belzoni, the painstaking decoding of hieroglyphs and Flinders Petrie's introduction of modern methodology - all leading to Howard Carter's opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

100 Most Dangerous Ocean Creatures In The World

Our oceans are filled with a wide array of incredible marine creatures, many are worth admiring, but some should be avoided at all costs. On this list, readers will find ten of the most dangerous ocean creatures. From the cone snail to the stonefish, each creature listed below is capable of inflicting an incredibly painful sting.

How They Moved the 60-Ton Granite Blocks into the Great Pyramid

There are a number of theories in existence regarding how the Great Pyramid of Egypt was built, but how the Egyptians got the largest stones, those being 60-ton blocks of solid Aswan granite, high into the structure is a mystery all on its own.

Some hypotheses include internal lifts or elevators that operated through hydraulics, others say these blocks were dragged up a long ramp that extended across the Giza Plateau to the top of the pyramid, whilst others say that a ramp spiralled around the structure.

In this video I explore the work of Jean Pierre Houdin, who believes that the Khafre causeway was in fact a construction ramp for the Great Pyramid, connecting the building site to the harbour in the east.

The implications of this is that the Great Pyramid must therefore be older than The Great Sphinx, and we'll explain why in this video.

A world art thriller finally solved: How the painting "Prometheus Lyomenos" was found in Tatoi, Greece

In 1932, "Prometheus Lyomenos" by Danish painter Carl Bloch was in Tatoi in Athens among the artworks of the former royal family. The Danish Art Gallery will exhibit it starting on February 11.

Created in 1864 by the painter Carl Bloch, the painting "Prometheus Lyomenos"(meaning unbound in Greek) is beautiful, majestic and captivating. Its dimensions exceed four meters in height and three meters in width. It depicts the moment of redemption: Prometheus finally bursts his bonds, Hercules has just freed him. The eagle, which has been eating Prometheus' gut every day, collapses on the rock.

This work, painted by Bloch during his stay in Rome, was one of the first commissions - perhaps even the first - received by the Danish-born King George I after his accession to the throne of Greece. With this painting alone, Bloch managed to achieve fame since in 1865 it became a symbol of the liberation of Denmark, after the traumatic experience with the Prussians a year earlier.

Before being taken to Athens, it was briefly exhibited at Charlottenborg Palace and then moved to Athens, where it was reportedly hung on a wall in the main staircase of the palace. In 1932, it traveled again to Copenhagen, again for an exhibition at Charlottenborg. At the time, Bloch's works were not considered exciting, they were considered old-fashioned, and it took until the 1980s for them to regain fame.

"The painting was exhibited at Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen in 1932, with the inscription that it belonged to Prince George of Greece and Denmark. Prince George lived in Greece and Denmark for many years and owned the manor house of Gurrehus in North Zealand, Denmark. As far as I know, the painting stayed in Copenhagen for a few years after 1932 and was hung in Christiansborg Castle," says the curator of the exhibition at the Danish National Gallery, Peter Nørgaard Larsen.

"Then in 1956 it was mentioned in Erik Zahle's book on art in Denmark, with Christiansborg Castle given as the location of the painting. Most likely, "Prometheus Lyomenos" returned to Athens after the death of Prince George in 1957, but we have no information about where it was kept. We suspect that it was in Tatoi, where it was found by the Greek Ministry of Culture in 2012" adds Peter Nørgaard Larsen. Experts, art historians and even detectives searched for it in vain. No one was able to locate it. All traces of the painting were lost forever. Until one morning in the spring of 2022.

When the Danish National Gallery was preparing for the major Carl Bloch exhibition, it turned to the Ribe Art Museum to borrow two sketches of "Prometheus Lyomenos". There, while searching the archives, a staff member discovered a letter from 2006 from an employee of the National Gallery of Athens. A letter that, for some reason, no one had read before. It said that the original painting had been identified on the list of items that the former Greek royal family wanted to take to London in 1991.

The shock and excitement at the National Gallery of Denmark was unprecedented and at last it was found. It had been in Greece all along, in the possession of the Ministry of Culture. According to the National Gallery of Denmark, the painting was for decades rolled up among the other items that the former royal family had left behind in Tatoi.

Tatoi Royal Palace

The painting, which was accompanied by an official from the Ministry of Culture, has traveled to Copenhagen for being displayed as part of the exhibition "Seduced" featuring works by Carl Bloch, which opened on Saturday, February 11, and runs until mid-May. It will be presented to the public for the first time in 90 years.

"Prometheus Lyomenos" is a masterpiece by Carl Bloch. It is the painting that brought him great fame and respect throughout his life and made him the most important artist in Denmark," explains Peter Nørgaard Larsen.

It is significant that at the same time as the painting is presented, a documentary film is shown about its value, its path, its technique and the thriller that for decades was associated with his name.

"Although Bloch revived the history of painting in Denmark and created many important works, ‘Prometheus Lyomenos’ remains his greatest work. One realizes that its 90-year disappearance was a great loss for Danish art history, critics, historians and, of course, for the public, who could not enjoy this masterpiece and re-evaluate its importance. The discovery by the Greek Ministry of Culture secured great exclusivity for our exhibition.

The Danish media have reported extensively on this discovery and we expect a large number of visitors who will see this monument of Danish art history with their own eyes.

One of the greatest myths and mysteries of Danish art, the disappearance of "Prometheus Lyomenos", has been solved, and this undoubtedly increases the curiosity and excitement of the public."

He concludes by saying: "I hope that it will soon be exhibited in Greece as well. To celebrate the day and as a symbol of the struggle for Greek independence."

According to the plans of the Ministry of Culture, the painting will be exhibited in Tatoi when the restoration works and the transformation of the building into a museum will be completed, around 2025.

Alexander the Great: The Siege and Conquest of the Rock of Sogdiana - The first campaign to conquer a fortress using mountaineering methods in world history

by the archaeologist editor group

The siege of the Rock of Sogdiana by Alexander the Great in 327 BC was an insignificant military event but of enormous strategic importance. It was a mountain fortress and the fate of the Sogdians depended on its liberty since they were once again ready for revolution. Oxyartis had organized the defense in this shelter and many revolutionary Sogdians and their families had gathered there. The steep cliffs and the thick snow that covered everything made the fortress inaccessible. The Sogdians had enough supplies to withstand the siege and also secured plenty of water from the snow. When Alexander the Great suggested that they surrender, they defiantly replied that he would have to find "winged soldiers" to take the fortress, which enraged him tremendously.

After the Sogdians refused, Alexander decided to attack the fortress. Thereupon he raised the first group of mountain commandos, or more precisely, the first group of elite Mountain Infantry Battalion. He selected 300 warriors who were the most skilled and experienced in climbing the cliffs and asked them to handle the operation, giving 12 talents to the one who climbed first.

According to Curtius, he told the elite soldiers, "Nature has placed nothing so high that courage cannot overcome it. By striving to achieve what others have not dared, we have Asia under our control."

Alexander's elite unit used today's climbing methods, making small iron nails like the ones they used to stabilize their tents. Then they fastened ropes over them and climbed up the steepest part of the rock at night to avoid being seen by enemies. They stuck the nails into crevices or ice and began to climb higher and higher. About thirty were lost in this attempt. The rest reached the summit at dawn and hoisted the flags as arranged.

Without wasting time, Alexander sent a herald to the Sogdians to shout to their vanguard that Alexander had found the winged soldiers, that he already possessed the top of the mountain, and that they must now surrender, at the same time urging them to look up. When the Sogdians saw the flags flying, they were disheartened by this unexpected news. Considering that many more Macedonians were standing on the summit and were armed to the teeth, they decided to surrender and yield to Alexander's psychological rather than physical advantage.

Revealing the 1,400-year-old treasure of pure gold in Israel: The legendary Byzantine Empire appeared

Israeli archaeologists have discovered a secret stash of Byzantine-era coins inside a stone wall—where someone may have once tried to hide them.

Made of pure gold, the 44 coins are decorated with portraits of Emperors Phocas and Heraclius, who ruled in the first half of the seventh century. Experts believe the treasure, which is dated to 635 C.E., was hidden during the Muslim conquest of the area around the end of Heraclius’ reign.

The artifacts were unearthed as part of a larger excavation in the ancient city of Banias, now a part of Hermon Stream Nature Reserve in the Golan Heights, an area Israel captured from Syria during the Six-Day War.

“The discovery reflects a specific moment in time, when we can imagine the owner concealing his fortune in the threat of war, hoping to return one day to retrieve his property,” says Yoav Lerer, the excavation’s director, in a statement from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). “In retrospect, we know that he was less fortunate.”

In 330 C.E. Constantine I established Constantinople, or modern-day Istanbul, as his capital. While the new resulting Byzantine Empire would continue to thrive for more than 1,000 years, it lost several of its provinces to Muslim conquests.

“The discovery of the coin hoard may also shed light on the economy of the city of Banias during the last 40 years of Byzantine rule,” Lerer says.

The researchers also note the differences between the portraits displayed on each coin. In the early years of Heraclius’ reign, “only his portrait was depicted on the coin, whereas after a short time, the images of his sons also appear,” Gabriela Bijovsky, a coin expert at the IAA, says in the statement. “One can actually follow his sons growing up—from childhood until their image appears the same size as their father, who is depicted with a long beard.”

Banias holds significance for several religions, including Christianity. In the New Testament, it is the site where Saint Peter declared Jesus to be the son of God, and Jesus gave him the keys to heaven.

During the excavation, researchers at the site also unearthed the remains of buildings, a pottery kiln, bronze coins and fragments of pottery and glass, among other things. The objects date from the end of the Byzantine period in the early 7th century through the 11th–13th centuries.

While the coins were among the older items discovered, they were in remarkably good condition.

“One of the most exciting things about finding gold is the coins’ quality. The gold isn’t damaged by the soil chemical processes,” says Lerer. “It almost looks as if it just came out of the mint, maybe in Constantinople.”

Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/...

King David's Tomb: Part 1 -- Finding It

In 1913, Raymond Weill was the first Jewish archaeologist to excavate the most ancient part of Jerusalem. What was he looking for? King David's Tomb. How did he know where to look for the tomb? He used the Bible!

Sea Monsters Size Comparison

Let our friend walk and show you the vast size and collection of many sea creatures from the Plesiosaurus to the Blue Whale and beyond! They include Jurassic World featured Mosasaurus, Prehistoric Whales such as Basilosaurus and Livyatan, and even the Meg Megalodon.

Included in this comparison is a walking human to show the sizes, as well as the largest and biggest shark, largest animal, largest whale, largest fish, largest marine creature, largest crab, largest squid, largest ray and many more!

12 Most Amazing Ancient Technologies Scientists Still Can't Explain

The job of an archaeologist is to explain the past to us, but there are times when explaining the past is tantamount to explaining the impossible. There are things that our greatest minds simply can’t fathom. Often, the problem of an archaeologist or scientist looking at an ancient place or an object is to try to explain the technology that went into its construction - and there are times when they can’t, as you’re about to see!

Expert Claims Traces Of Otherworldly Organic Matter Has Just Been Found In Mountains In South Africa

Expert claims traces of otherworldly organic matter has just been found in Mountains in South Africa. Today, we take a look at what has been found in these mountains in South Africa.

For the first time, scientists have discovered evidence of extra-terrestrial organic matter in terrestrial rocks. The discovery is further confirmation that we have a lot to learn from the meteorites that have hit Earth for billions of years. The new evidence comes from South Africa’s Makhonjwa Mountains, specifically the Josefsdal Chert, a volcanic deposit. The mountain range houses many of the planet’s oldest rocks, but it turns out that for some of the rocks, it is more than just their age that is interesting.

The Rosetta Stone and what it actually says with Ilona Regulski

The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous objects in the British Museum. But what is it? What does it actually say? And did you know that since the discovery of the the Rosetta Stone in 1799, another 27 copies have been found throughout Egypt, the most recent being discovered in 2011?

If you answered no, don't worry! Dr Ilona Regulski, Curator of Ancient Writing at the British Museum has this and so much more to tell you about the object that unlocked ancient Egypt.

If you answered yes, well done for having completed the set reading ahead of time. However, there's still loads more to learn about this amazing object, so stick around for a while.

The Mystery Of The Shetland Viking Ship Burial

What does the Giant's Grave conceal? And could it be connected with some Viking pottery found in a nearby garden? What the team discovers could be one of their most legendary finds. Enjoy!

Dinosaurs of the Mid-Jurassic period

How do we view the Earth now? Cities, villages, farms, fields, bridges, dams. This is the human world. But things were different about 170 million years ago… Then, in the middle of the Jurassic period, dinosaurs dominated the planet.

Giant herbivorous dinosaurs were the most prevalent. They were over 15 meters long, like the huge US Maxi-Stack train platform! Truly amazing creatures. Some of them had insanely long necks. If our eras somehow miraculously merged, the giants could have peered into the windows of buildings as high as the fifth floor. But why did dinosaurs really need such necks? And why were many of them covered with tank-like impenetrable armor? Who would dare to attack such giants? Did carnivorous dinosaurs hunt in packs and therefore weren't afraid of anyone?

But this is far from everything that makes mid-Jurassic dinosaurs incredible. Horny plates above the eyes, bizarre crests on the heads, bone growths on the backs! These animals sometimes looked like real “chimeras” from the most terrible nightmares. They lived among water body inhabitants and strange creatures that soared in the sky who were no less scary. However, let's take a virtual journey into that world. And you'll see everything with your own eyes!

The Oldest Fossils on Earth Revealed!

In this video, we explore the oldest fossils on our planet and delve into the fascinating world of paleontology.

From the earliest single-celled organisms to the giant dinosaurs that roamed the earth millions of years ago, we take a look at the oldest fossils ever discovered and the stories they tell about the early history of life on Earth.

We also discuss the methods and techniques used by paleontologists to study these ancient remains and the insights they have provided into the evolution of life on our planet.