What were in those small cases anyway?When the Tut exhibit came to Atlanta a couple of years ago, I lingered over the exquisite black and white photos of Howard Carter's discoveries at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory, where I am a docent.I always paused at the photo of the tomb's antechamber, with its jumble of dismantled chariots and gilded couches pushed haphazardly … [Read more...] about The Real Reason Ancient Egyptians Stuffed their Tombs with Food
How the Ancient Egyptians Celebrated New Year’s
Most of us celebrate the New Year by staying up late and having fun with friends. For the ancient Egyptians it was a time of fear and dread.Why? Because no one knew exactly when the New Year would arrive. It all depended on when the Nile River began its annual flooding. To make matters worse, no one knew exactly how it would flood either. The stakes were high: if the … [Read more...] about How the Ancient Egyptians Celebrated New Year’s
Alexander’s Hair-raising Fight with the Oracle at Delphi
"Dude, everyone needs avacation. Come back later."The Oracle at Delphi closed up shop and made no prophecies between November and February. Why? Who knows. Maybe the hallucinogenic vapors emanating from the crack of the center of the world weren’t as strong when the weather cooled.This was tough news for Alexander, who had marched 40,000 warriors from Macedon to visit the … [Read more...] about Alexander’s Hair-raising Fight with the Oracle at Delphi
Celebrating the Season The Ancient Greek Way
The ancient Greeks celebrated the winter solstice by partying in the name of Poseidon.Go Fish King!Why they honored the sea god when the sun was at its weakest—instead of Zeus the sky god or Helios the sun deity—is not clear. Still, the Greeks bolstered winter light by creating their own mini suns with candles and communal bonfires. The Greeks also celebrated … [Read more...] about Celebrating the Season The Ancient Greek Way
‘Tis the Season, According to the Romans
"Darling, your fig cakes are divine. Now what did you get me?" In ancient Rome, winter break meant schools closed, law courts adjourned and everybody celebrated by decorating trees, visiting friends, exchanging small gifts, and feasting.Sound familiar?They weren’t celebrating Christmas, though, which wasn’t officially acknowledged as a Christian … [Read more...] about ‘Tis the Season, According to the Romans