This painting by al-Qazwini (1203-1283) shows a monster from the Gog and Magog legend. The Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an each mention Gog and Magog as either monstrous people or wild places. Their stories evolved, but usually referred to a threatening, beastly pseudo-human group that threatened a righteous (usually Godly) and civilized […]
Gog and Magog Legend Painting Read More »
Here is a teeny hat for a hawk to wear during a hunting expedition. Dating to about 1700 CE, it was made for somebody’s pet “bāz”, or falcon/hawk in Persia/modern Iran. The cover here is made of velvet and silver thread, but that’s not the only reason we know it was meant for this bāz
These are the ruins of Hattusa, a capital city of the ancient Hittite Empire (1650-1200 BCE) located in modern Turkey. This week, archaeologists revealed that they had discovered a language that no one had even known existed. In our modern world, where languages are rapidly disappearing (linguists say that if things proceed at current levels,
Discovery of an Ancient Language among the Hittites in the Land of Kalasma Read More »
Magical incantation bowl written in Jewish Aramaic. Bowls like these were designed as protective magic against demons.
Jewish Magical Incantation Bowl Read More »
This is the earliest fragment of the Gospel of Mark. It was found on a famous ancient Egyptian garbage dump that was discovered early last century, but this bit was only identified recently. Date: 150-250 CE
Earliest Fragment of Gospel of Mark Read More »
This is the Marduk Gate of the ancient city of Babylon, one of the world’s oldest urban settlements and now a UNESCO heritage site. King Nebuchadnezzar II built this gate about 575 BCE. Whatever beauty it contains now, where it lies in lonely ruins some 85 km south of Baghdad, is nothing compared to the
Poem about Ancient Babylon Discovered and the Marduk-Gate Read More »
A reconstruction of the Jerusalem palace of King Herod the Great (d. 4 BCE). Only ruins remain, but the opulance and decor of the palace/fortress meant to many contemporary Jews that Herod was a Roman accomodationist. This had many Jewish groups – the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Zealots, for example, upset.
Jerusalem Palace of King Herod The Great Read More »
This is Plympton 322, and this mathematical tablet written in cuneiform has been studied a lot to work out how much the Babylonians understood trigonometry. I love how much we still can learn and study about the history of math!
This is the Ishtar Gate to the entrance of the city of Babylon, dating to the 6th century. The lion was important to the Goddess Ishtar, who was worshipped as one of the main deities of Mesopotamia.
Ishtar Gate Entrance Read More »
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s writeup of this 12th-c painting of a camel found on the walls of the monastery Church of San Baudelio de Berlanga in Spain somewhat charitably declares that the painter “could have been inspired by an actual camel”. After all, there is the single hump of the dromedary camel, and this
Camels in the Bible Read More »
This is a tablet from Ancient Mesopotamia dating to 1800 BCE. It is a hymn to Ninsaki, the goddess of beer. It is also a beer recipe. Some scholars think that beer might have been invented even before bread – whether this is true or not, beer was super important (calories, socialization, nutrients, safer than
Hymn to Ninsaki Tablet Read More »
This wild grass was of the first plants humans intentionally harvested. Einkorn’s seeds scatter more easily than modern wheat, and they are smaller as well. This plant flourished in modern northern Syria and northern Iraq.
Al-Biruni’s phases of the moon. Fitting image for the lunar eclipse tonight. Biruni was one of the geniuses of astronomical investigation, active in the 11th century during a Golden Age of Islamic science.
Al-Biruni’s Phases of the Moon Read More »
The Persian Empires that preceded the Arab invasions of the seventh century developed amazing methods of shaping silver. Usually mixed with an alloy of copper to strengthen the piece, Persian metalsmiths used multiple ways of engraving, stamping, and layering silver. The craftsmanship produced silver objects of all sorts,l. Of course, only elites or royalty could
This baddie not only flourished in 14th and 15th century Eurasia. It also killed millions in the 6th cenuury, and struck again in 19th century China. Scientists are now thinking it might have caused a bottleneck in the population of Europeans in the Neolithic era too!
The Ancient Egyptian deity Bes had an ugly face, bowed legs, and dwarfism. Yet he inspired the opposite of revulsion, and was a beloved protector of women and children.
Ancient Egyptian Deity Bes Read More »
This 4,000 year old tablet from Ancient Babylon has part of the _Epic of Gilgamesh_ on it. There is a great English rendition by Stephen Mitchell. It’s so cool that the first recorded story deals with the fundamental source of human concern – the inevitability of death.
Babylon Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet Read More »
Exhibit from the NYC Met, where you can see a teensy dragon (if you squint) on the robes of this eastern medieval bishop, showing cultural influences from east Asia.
Eastern Medieval Bishop Read More »
