Matthew 🏺

Met Museum photo of an Ancient Egyptian gold head ornament viewed from the front against a grey background. The headband is made of hammered sheet gold, the ends of which have been tapered to a narrower width and rolled to form loops. A string would have threaded through the loops to fasten the band around the head at the back. The front of the band is decorated with a central head of an antlered stag, identified as the Persian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica). The stag has two large antlers, large ears and a triangular-shaped head. It is flanked on either side by two gazelle heads. The gazelle heads have long ears and long curved horns which point outwards at the tip. Between the animal heads are four 8-pointed flowers or stars. Dimensions: height of central stag 8.9, length of headband 49.5 cm. Dated to the Second Intermediate period (c. 1648-1540 BC) when northern Egypt was ruled by the Hyksos from the ancient Near East. Said to be part of a group of objects found in the Eastern Delta near Avaris, the Hyksos capital. The headband shows a mix of ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian artistic styles.

Something lovely for the weekend!

Ancient Egyptian gold headband decorated with heads of gazelles and a stag between stars or flowers. Second Intermediate (Hyksos) period, Dynasty 15, c. 1648–1540 BC. 📷 The Met www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...

#Archaeology

Grand Roman ruins with a series of arches still standing, above a wide mosaic floor with a pattern of concentric circles, under a cloudy sky

#RomanSiteSaturday The great baths of Mactaris, a old Phoenician town in Tunisia that eventually became a Roman colony

These baths are some of the best preserved in all of North Africa. Walls rise to 15m and #mosaics still line the floors!

📸 Mine

#archaeology #romanempire #photooftheday 🏺

A photo of a gold object depicting two intricately carved duck heads facing opposite directions, joined at the center with a face of Hathor above and geometric elements connecting the forms, set against a black background

These stunning golden #duck heads flanking the head of Hathor were found in the royal tomb at Qatna/#Syria, dating 15th/14th century BC. The unique object may have been part of a cosmetic container.
National Museum Damascus

#archaeology 🏺 🦆

Bronze shield boss depicting Virtus. The central relief shows a youthful, helmeted face with flowing curls. Around the figure are engraved motifs, including a bird on the left and a winged figure on the right, with additional ornamental designs. Displayed against a dark background.

The richly decorated umbo (shield boss) from the parade shield of a Roman cavalryman shows Virtus, the personification of valour.
Parade armours were not worn in battle, but during parades and tournaments.

Found in Welzheim, dating 3rd century AD

📷 me

🏺 #archaeology

A photo of a tunic with long sleeves, laid flat on display. The fabric is light brown and worn, decorated with embroideries and appliqués. Horizontal lines run across the waist area, visibly dividing the fabric. The garment shows signs of age with fraying edges and faded sections.

A sleeved tunic, made from linen, from Egypt, Roman Period, 4th century AD.
The garment, designed for a child, likely around five years old, has survived remarkably well due to the arid climate. The tunic's design allowed for adjustments as the child grew. 🧵 1/2

🏺 #archaeology

📷 me

When my time machine works again I'm going to buy some copper from Ea-nāṣir.

Video shows two Palestinian men pinned down by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution site in northern Gaza.

Hind Khoudary explains what happened in the attack on Nasser hospital.

An explosive drone targeted two civilians, one of whom was a journalist. Then, as rescuers went to retrieve the bodies and additional journalists were filming what had happened, a missile targeted them.

Some glimpses from today's visit to the ancient Lycian city Limyra (modern Antalya), including its Early Byzantine church, Roman theater, and Lycian tomb

Looking forward to sharing more about this site in the future

Close-up aerial view of the so-called Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon, showing its massive colonnade with well-preserved Corinthian columns, surrounding ruins with fallen stones and walls, and green fields in the background.

Aerial view of the ancient Roman temple complex of Baalbek in Lebanon, showing the massive so-called Temple of Bacchus with its well-preserved colonnade, the remains of the Temple of Jupiter with scattered giant stone blocks, and surrounding ruined walls and courtyards. The site is set within a green landscape with trees, fields, and modern houses in the background under warm sunlight.

For #RomanSiteSaturday let's go to my favourite #Roman site: the temple complex of #Baalbek, located in the Bekaa Valley, #Lebanon. The breathtaking site contains some of the largest Roman temples ever built. The so-called....🧵1/2

📷 Rami Rizk

🏺 #archaeology

This 3,300 year-old Mycenaean terracotta chariot was found in a rock-hewn tomb at Megalo Monastiri, in the region of Larissa, Greece. Dated ca. 13th century BCE. Archaeological Museum of Volos, Greece. 📷 Athenologio.

A close-up photograph of a flute made from a hollowed bone, displayed horizontally on a soft, gray fabric mount in a museum. The flute features several round finger holes along its length and showcases signs of wear and age, such as small chips.

One of the oldest known musical instruments: a Palaeolithic flute made from a vulture bone some 38,000 years ago!

This is one of 8 known flutes found on the Swabian Jura. The finds suggest that music played an important role in this region. 🧵1/2

📷 me

#archaeology #music
🏺

Did anyone say "plague infested corpses catapulted over the walls at the siege of Caffa"?

Egypt retrieves parts of 2,000-year-old sunken city off coast of Alexandria Cranes hoisted statues from depths of submerged site that authorities say may be extension of ancient city of Canopus Egypt has unveiled parts of a sunken city submerged beneath waters off the coast of Alexandria, revealing buildings, artefacts and an ancient dock that date back more than 2,000 years. Egyptian authorities said the site, located in the waters of Abu Qir Bay, may be an extension of the ancient city of Canopus, a prominent centre during the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years, and the Roman empire, which governed for about 600 years. Continue reading...

Egypt retrieves parts of 2,000-year-old sunken city off coast of Alexandria

Deranged.

Day in, day out, I speak to ordinary people who are organising to welcome the asylum seekers accommodated in their towns.

They befriend, support them, reach out to them as fellow human beings.

That's the Britain I know, the one I see around me & we never get told about on TV.

Photo of a flake of limestone with a painted illustration of a cat herding geese. The limestone flake is displayed against a black background. On the left of the scene, a tabby cat (brown with black line markings)stands on its hind legs, facing right, holding a wooden staff in its left paw to keep the geese in order. In the other paw it holds the end of a long crook which rests on its shoulder. A bag hangs from the end of the crook behind the cat. In front of the cat are six geese all facing right, arranged in two rows, three in each row. The geese all have brown legs. Body plummage is white with black details, and three geese have black painted heads and necks; top left and right, and bottom middle geese. Above the geese at top right, is a nest filled with four white eggs. Dimensions: H 11 cm x W 11 cm.

Some 3,300 years ago, an ancient Egyptian artist painted this humorous illustration of a cat herding geese on a flake of limestone.

From Deir el-Medina, Thebes, Egypt. 📷 Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

#Archaeology

Tiny pieces of patterned colored glass, in different patterns, some are marbled, some are millefiori

Pieces glass objects from early imperial period of Rome, in the lovely Palazzo Altemps.🏺

Reconstruction of a silver-plated face helmet with elaborate hairdo made of horse hair

A helmet with a full-face mask made of iron; viewed from the front, there are no visible traces of the silver-plated coating. Remnants of horsehair can be seen on the top of the helmet. Displayed in a museum showcase, on a white pedestal in front of a softly lit exhibition background.

An impressive #Roman cavalry helmet with a face mask that was made of iron and plated with silver (Nijmegen-Kops Plateau type). The mask was attached to the iron helmet, which was covered with horse hair showing an elaborate and highly decorative hairstyle. 🧵 1/2

📷 me

🏺 #archaeology

Ancient Greek pebble mosaic from Ancient Sikyon, northern Peloponnese, Greece. Dated 4th century BCE. Archaeological Museum of Sikyon. 📷 me #AncientBluesky

My photo shows an ancient Egyptian statuette of a reclining/resting blue faience hippopotamus on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Egyptian faience is a ceramic material with a bright blue glossy glaze. The hippo is viewed from the side profile with head on the right turned towards the viewer. It is decorated in black pigment with outlines of lotus plants and water weeds which grow in the hippo’s Nile habitat. Dated Middle Kingdom, 11th Dynasty, c. 2134-1991 BC. Blue faience hippos have been found in Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate period tombs. It’s thought they were placed there to help the rebirth of the deceased. Associated with the life-giving Nile, regeneration, and rebirth.

#Sundaymood

Adorable 4,000 year-old ancient Egyptian resting hippo 🦛 💙 💤

Found in a Middle Kingdom tomb at the necropolis of Dra’ Abu el-Naga’, Thebes. Blue faience. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. 📷 by me

#Archaeology

Great news.

Waterstones opens 10 new stores a year as younger adults embrace reading Bookshop chain says people are keen to escape their screens and says rise in sales is partly down to BookTok Times may be tough on the high street but the bookseller Waterstones is enjoying strong sales as younger adults embrace reading as an escape from their screens and as online competition eases. “People have come back to reading and buying books in bookshops as we have made a place which is an enjoyable and effective way to buy books,” says James Daunt, the CEO of the British retailer, which has 320 UK bookshops and owns the Foyles, Hatchards and Blackwell’s names, and whose parent group also owns Barnes & Noble, the US’s largest bookstore chain. Continue reading...

Waterstones opens 10 new stores a year as younger adults embrace reading

Trilithon doorway, built of two upright stone blocks with a lintel and threshold.

Opening cut into a single megalith, known as a ‘porthole’ doorway.

Small circle cut into a megalith - this aligns with the summer solstice.

Chamber of Neolithic temple - one stone has a small circle cut into it - aligns with the summer solstice.

It wouldn’t have been a great holiday without visiting at least one very old stone edifice and Malta has some of the very oldest.

Ħaġar Qim Neolithic temple.

Lambaesis
This #Roman #fort was founded by the Legio III Augusta between 123-129AD in the north of #Algeria. A settlement grew up around the fort, populated by Romanized Berbers and Colonists.The fort was crucial to maintaining Roman rule in the region.
#RomanSiteSaturday

A sphinx on four feet, one of the forefeet is extended forward. Ivory, wing and hair is gold coated

SPHINX Phrygian Period, 750 BC, Gold-Ivory The sphinx is a figure known in mythology as a protective being. It has a human head, wings and a lion's body. It was found in the Mosaic Building in Gordion and is thought to have been made to adorn a ruler's throne. Anatolian Civilizations Museum/Gordion

Ivory sphinx found last year in the famous mosaic building of Phrygian capital Gordion is one of the artefacts on display in The Golden Age of Archaeology exhibition in Presidential Nation's Library in Ankara 🏺

The end of Israel is nigh. Inshallah.

"Instead of being worried about the fingers he was missing, 16 years old, he kept pointing to his mouth & telling me to feed him. He had no fingers left on his hands, that had been blown away."

A US doctor talked to me from Gaza City about starvation. Shocking testimony.
zeteo.com/p/bombs-go-o...

Sunshine in Leeds, River Aire.