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Posts tagged with egypt

Egypt: Dendera, the cosmos of Hathor

a detail including figures representing decans, 36 stars or star groups that could be used to tell the time during the night. Seen here, a lion-headed god and goddess, a snake with coiled tail, and an erect snake holding two jars Lions and snakes on astronomical ceiling at Dendera

Rhaomi has a fabulous in-depth post on the very fabulous Dendera temple complex, home to "some of the most superbly-preserved ancient Egyptian art known, ranging from early Roman times back to the Middle Kingdom period over 4,000 years ago." Amazing photography, video, interviews, background, blog posts, and a "slick zoomable scroller." So much. So good.

04/23/24
by taz

The Posthumous Travels of Alexander the Great

Alexander on his deathbed illustration by Walter CraneAlexander on his deathbed, illustration by Walter Crane [Public domain]

There's a chance - remote, but a chance - that Alexander's body is in Venice. It's my favourite body-snatching story in all of history.Bora Horza Gobuchul on the disposition of the body of Alexander the Great

09/07/19
by taz

Splat!

WindowFrog 002WindowFrog 002 by cygnus921 (cc by)

Verstegan has a great answer for nebulawindphone's question about how biblical Egypt's plague of frogs came to be imagined by many as a "rain" of frogs.

04/03/19
by taz

Lovin' the Ruins

The Tale of the Lazarus Snail

Helix desertorum. Forskal. From a living specimen in the British Museum, March, 1850.Helix desertorum. Forskal. From a living specimen in the British Museum, March, 1850.

In the mid-1800s, a snail spent years glued to a specimen card in the British Museum (now the Natural History Museum) before scientists realized it was still alive. What became of this snail? Ask Metafilter found out!

nicebookrack tracks down a gastropodean mystery and reports back on the amazing story of the snail that came back to life after years glued to a specimen card in the British Museum... and what happened next.

07/15/15
by taz

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