Artifact Research by Gary Madden

Posts Tagged ‘Ancient’

Many children will only know ‘Darkest Peru’ as the place from which Paddington Bear started his long journey to England. But, outside Michael Bond’s fictional world of his marmalade-loving bear is an exciting modern-day Peru, offering the unique opportunity to discover and explore an amazing ancient Inca culture.

Taking your children to Peru will ignite their imagination in a way that a beach holiday never could and perhaps can even spark a lifelong interest in ancient history – the country is home to some of the most fantastic ruins to be found in the world. However, you should only consider taking children old enough to appreciate such fascinating culture and that also possess the stamina to endure lengthy spells of air, train and bus travel!

There is much to discover on the celebrated Inca trail, which culminates at the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu; precariously perched on a hill-top 8,000 feet above sea level in the Urubamba Valley in the Peruvian Mountains. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, this settlement was never discovered by the conquering Spaniards of the 16th century and its relatively intact ruins hold so much historical interest.

Built around 1460 at the height of the Incan Empire, the “Lost City of the Incas” was abandoned less than 100 years later. Theories abound as to why that happened with some historians believing the cause to be smallpox spread amongst the local population by Spanish invaders, thus causing a catastrophic impact on the settlement without ever finding it! Others believe that the native occupants left for other reasons before the Spanish conquest even started. Regardless, the ruins at Machu Picchu – incorporating sophisticated and elaborate stone carvings – are a ‘must-see’ on any visit to Peru.

But, even getting to the ancient city itself should also be considered an adventure in its own right. The first part of the journey is relatively easy and merely involves getting scheduled flights to Peru. Next, a domestic flight to Cuzco from where you will board the train to Aguas Calientes for a three hour ride. The last leg is a scenic five mile bus ride to the ruins, which are guaranteed to take your breath away, not only because of the beauty of the ruins but also due to their elevated location above sea level.

Located only 50 miles away from stunning Machu Picchu is the Incan capital of Cuzco in the Southern Sierras. Also a UNESCO World Heritage site, the city was said to be designed by the Incans in the shape of a puma. Now, significantly larger modern-day Cuzco boasts a population of almost 400,000 and in addition to a plethora of ancient relics also offers museums and a host of modern entertainment. From here it is possible to hike all the way to Machu Picchu, taking in several other important Inca settlements including the ‘fortresses’ at Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuaman.

And whether you go by train or by foot, travelling the Inca Trail can leave an indelible imprint on your children’s memory.

Have you ever noticed how beautiful glass can be when treated and etched? They come off as jewel-like pieces molded into modern day art that can be as simple as a mere figurine or as majestic as an exhibit piece.  Actually glass art dates back as far as 15th century BC in Egypt, where glass artifacts have been unearthed as evidences of some Pharaoh’s penchant for them. It became a timeless concept that required meticulous skills and artistic craftsmanship as it was passed on through the years. Acid glass-etching is one of them, its controversial re-emergence as a modern day art is something quite interesting.

Origins of Acid Glass-etching

Etching during the middle ages was not confined to glass material alone. Monarchs, aristocrats and knights took so much pride in their blades and armors; they commissioned artisans to etch embellishments in order to render a distinction between their prized possessions. Such intricate embellishments were so well-liked and popular that metal goblets and plates were likewise etched with elaborate designs.    

The art of etching found its way into the Victorian era where glass now became a medium for its expression. Hence it became know as an art of its own and was aptly named as acid glass-etching. However, its popularity was somehow clouded with controversy since its acid medium known as Hydrofluoric acid was too much of a health risk to its artisans. In fact the acid was so potent users were found to have been poisoned even by its mere fumes.  Accidents most often happened where a mere skin contact of the acid dissolved into the tissues which later resulted to the mutilation or loss of the artisan’s fingers. As a result, acid glass-etching craftsmanship lacked refinement thus lost its luster as an art collection. 

Modern Day Acid Glass-etching

Hydrofluoric acid in acid-glass etching became a thing of the past. However present day research and technology came up with more convenient and safe etching substances. Today there is an etching crème that provides a more controllable form easier to apply even in small glass ornaments and trinkets. This form of art has become so popular as building materials, wedding souvenirs, decors and practical house wares.

 In fact in the automotive industry, this glass etching technique has found a useful way for providing additional proof of ownership for the car owner. The driver’s license number is etched on the front and back windshield quite effectively that its owner won’t find any difficulty in staking his claim of ownership in cases of car thievery.        

Modern acid glass-etching techniques

Today the safety of the substance used for glass etching has allowed many households to engage in its artistry as a hobby or even as a home business. For regularly shaped objects crèmes come in handy by merely being smoothed on with the use of a squeegee. Wax paper carriers are used as stencils where an original design maybe drawn and cut. However, if a user lacks the artistic skill to draw, pre-cut stencils are also available for their convenience.

There are also etching tools such as swivel knives, pick knives, adhesive masks aside from the squeegee which makes it possible for an ordinary person to enjoy the acid glass-etching hobby as a past time. As for round and irregularly shaped objects the process of glass etching is done by using a liquid form of the etching solution. The object is dipped into the solution for a few minutes and will re-emerge with a decorative texture. What’s more fun with this latest acid glass-etching technique is that you can add acrylic paint to add more color and artistry.

Shunned before and almost forgotten, this glass artistry came to hold its own following when the trend in unique glass art came into fore. Along with glass-blowing, glass staining, glass fusion and glass-slumping, acid glass etching is now here to stay.

The history of bangles dates back during the circa 2600 BC. This was proven when archaeologists excavated different kinds and styles of bangles throughout India. The most popular of these relics was found in Mohenjo-daro when archaeologists found a remnant of a dancing girl wearing a sterling silver bangle on her left arm.

Bangles Mean Classiness

Bangles today are now considered as one of the cardinal jewelry for some women. In some religions, bangles are considered to be part of their culture like the Hindus. They wore bangles after the wedding to signify that they are already married. Even the gods and goddesses of Romans, Greeks, and Hindus also wore bangles as sign of elegance and majesty.

Cleopatra of Egypt is also a monomaniac of bangles. In fact, in some of her portraits, she is wearing a snake-patterned sterling silver bangle and her trademark cobra-patterned headdress.

Places of Origin

Bangles from India and Pakistan are some of the oldest kinds of bangles. It is also considered as one of the most expensive because of its designs and work done on the bangle.

Firozabad of North India and Hyderabad of Pakistan are considered as two of the oldest producers of glass bangles. In fact, Hyderabad is well known for the historic bangle market called Laad Bazaar or Choodi Bazaar. They are also well-known for there intricate and first-rate designs of genuine gold bangles and sterling silver bangles.

Varieties and Kinds of Bangles

There are many varieties and kinds of bangles today that are coming out in the market. Some are made from glass, metal, plastic, lac, and even rubber. Commonly, youngster’s choices are bangles that are made of rubber. They wore it like wrist bands as if they are basketball players.

Prices of these bangles depends on there raw materials. The cheapest are those that are made from plastic and rubber materials. Genuine gold bangles are considered as the most expensive one.

The intricate design (artifact or the work done on the bangle on the metal) of a bangle might also be considered as one of the factors to make the bangle expensive. This includes small trinkets attached to the bangles, paintings, small glass pieces, or embroidery. The rarity of its color adds to its value. Some of the oldest bangles are made from lac. Lac is a resin-like substance that is molded in kilns to make into bangles. Among the recent addition are the rubber bangles that are worn more like a wrist band by teenagers while the plastic bangles add a stylish look.

For some rich and famous women, like queens, princesses, and actresses, genuine gold bangles and sterling silver bangles are considered as a must for there fashion style to signify there sophistication and splendor.

Bangles of Queens

If you want to have the touch of elegance of royal females, the majesty of goddesses, the splendor of actresses, and the sophistication of models, just go online and visit Queen Bee Jewelry. At Queen Bee Jewelry, sterling silver bangles are genuine and authentic.

Prehistoric Venus, or Ancient Goddess, is a reference to a class of art object made by modern humans before writing existed, therefore â??pre-historyâ?? by definition. Writing started in several places at approximately the same time, around 3500-3000BC. Sumer and China were close together with Sumer currently viewed as being the first. All other places were later than that with Mesoamerica being less than 1000 BC. Therefore, the term prehistoric has a different meaning depending on location.

To put things into perspective current research has the dispersal of Homo Sapien into Europe set for 45,000 to 30,000 years ago. That dispersion occurred before the last glacial period that started circa 30,000 years ago and ended circa 10,000 years ago. Glacial maximums have been associated with the extinction of species and after the last maximum (commonly called â??the last ice ageâ??) the only human-like life form left was Homo Sapien. Populations would rise in refuge areas (Refugiums) during the glacial periods and dispersion would occur in the interglacial periods. Art followed Homo Sapien, whether that is the earliest known cave wall painting dated to circa 30,000BC or the Ancient Goddess known as Prehistoric Venus. The oldest Prehistoric Venus found to date is the Venus of Hohle Fels, found recently in Germany, which has been dated to 40,000 to 35,000BC. That pre-dates the last glacial expansion and any known cave paintings. That is old! Its age does coincide with Homo Sapien expansion in Europe in an interglacial period.

Several other Prehistoric Venuses have been found and dated to times when the last glacial period was at its maximum; a time when Britain was largely under ice and the Iberian Peninsula was a refuge. Clearly some hardy folks remained in the frozen tundra that was Europe, at least those parts not beneath the crushing weight of glaciers.  The following are very old artifacts:

â?¢Â Â   35,000 â?? 40,000BC Venus of Hohle Fels, Germany. Discovered in 2009 predates the last ice age.
â?¢Â Â   30,000 BC – Venus of Willendorf discovered in Austria, 1908.
â?¢Â Â   25,000 BC â?? Venus of Lespuge discovered in a French cave in 1922.
â?¢Â Â   23,000 BC â?? Venus of Brassempouy discovered in 1894 in Brassempouy, Landes, France.
â?¢Â Â   20,000 BC â?? Venus of Laussel discovered in 1911 in a cave in Dordogne, France.

All were created before or during the last glacial period.

Following are some post-glacial Venuses:

â?¢Â Â   4000 BC â?? Nile River Goddess discovered in Mohamerian, near Edfu, Egypt.
â?¢Â Â   3200-2800 BC â?? Turriga Mother Goddess discovered in Sardinia, Italy
â?¢Â Â   3000 BC â?? Dreamer of Malta discovered on the Mediterranean island of Malta.
â?¢Â Â   2600 BC â?? Harvest Goddess from Mohenjo Daro discovered in 1920 in Pakistanâ??s Sindh province.

Prehistoric Venuses have common elements of distorted features and aggressive sexuality. Most prehistoric art found to date depicts women, which causes much speculation about the concept of â??Mother Earthâ?? worship. The most intriguing aspect of Prehistoric Venus, apart from age, is commonality in form yet they come from diverse cultures and locations. We may never know the reason or how dispersed communities came to have common themes in art. Yet one truth remains; at this time the Prehistoric Venus of Hohle Fels is the oldest known art in the world.

Prehistoric Venus Replicas

When you are shopping for wedding table linens, you may not know that the fabric you are choosing has an ancient and elegant history. Linen started with humble beginnings-it comes from the flax seed and is the earliest vegetable fabric to be woven but soon became a symbol of refinement, dignity and good taste. When you are choosing wedding linen rentals, you can feel assured that you are following in the path of kings, priests and leaders of taste by selecting linens for your wedding linen rentals.

The Symbolism of Wedding Table Linens

Linen textiles may be the oldest in the world. Their history goes back many thousands of years. Fragments of straw, seeds, fibers, yarns and various types of fabrics which dating back to about 8000 B.C. have been found in Swiss lake dwellings. Linen similar to that used for your wedding table linens was used in the Mediterranean in the pre-Christian age. Linen was sometimes used as currency in ancient Egypt. Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. This symbolism suits wedding table linens perfectly, as a wedding also represents a moment of newness and pure love.

Wedding Table Linens and A Royal Past

In the earliest Biblical times, linen appears as the fabric of choice for high-ranking religious and government officials, not to mention the Saints! Priests of all denominations have been known to wear linen because of its purity, and linen was the favorite fabric of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs-often the fabric is one of the few surviving artifacts found in ancient ruins. For help with custom linens for your next special event visit http://www.magicalpartyrentals.com.

Nearly 4,000 years ago, the Phoenicians (known for their ships and trade on the high seas) opened up new channels of commerce to the peoples of the Mediterranean and introduced flax growing and the making of linen into Ireland before the birth of Christ. Hundreds of years later, Belfast would have The Royal Manufactory of Linen and Damask, and would serve some of history’s greatest royal families with the highest quality linen fabrics, including providing for their wedding table linens.

Wedding Table Linens Today

Today, linen is embroidered all over the world, especially in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. The Italians have mastered the dying of this fiber, which results in its extraordinary variety and depth of color unequaled on cotton.

Egypt and Ireland are the two countries that come to mind in connection with the ancient history of linen, and up to the 1950’s, Ireland, France and Belgium were considered the finest producers of flax. Now, it is also massively cultivated in China. So, when you are choosing wedding linens, you know that you are participating in the exciting history of one of the world’s most widely respected fabrics.

From this history of linen we learn that linen is the noblest cloth, it is the strongest and purest material, it is unharmed by germs, and it resists time and humidity, while gaining extreme softness with time. You may have experienced the fact that the most delicious of all linen sheets are the ones that have been stored in grandmother’s cupboard. Learn more about wedding linen rentals at http://www.magicalpartyrentals.com/rentals/weddinglinenrentals.html.

It was the cloth of Pharaohs, Priests, and Kings. It remains the noblest and most luxurious material for the confection of the finest lingerie and nightwear, bed and table linen, decorative fabrics and, of course, wedding table linens. From the finest handkerchief to the thickest double damask tablecloth, there are literally dozens of ways to spoil yourself with linen. Start with the linens you choose for your wedding and experience what it means to become a part of history.