The amazing thing about an interest in antiquities and archeology is that you never know when some new discovery will appear. And then all of the sudden there is evidence for some historical debate. The dead world is amazing dynamic and vibrant. And also completely unexpected. A few weeks ago a high school student tried […]

Though quite distinct in their significance and religious meaning, the holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah have, at least in the American consumer economy, become closely associated with each other. At one level the comparison is actually apt. Both indeed are festivals of light. Not coincidentally, the custom to mark the winter solstice – the darkest […]

If you spend any time investigating antiquities and ancient art, you will eventually come across a griffin or grypon. Not to be confused with Harry Potter’s house at Hogwarts – Gryffindor – whose symbol is a lion, the gryphon is a mythical creature with a lion’s body and an eagle’s head. This composite of the […]

Sure, I enjoy ancient coins and pottery shards and the occasional figurine. But the antiquity that I most covet is a fighting helmet, and make it a Corinthian one. These intricate helmets made of one sheet of metal were one of the most prized possessions of the ancient warrior. There are also somewhat hard to […]

You are interested in antiquities and you love to travel. So why not choose vacation spots that also offer access to sites from the ancient world. You can even find plenty of tours that focus on archeology and antiquities. There is nothing like walking through ancient ruins to spark interest in the ancient world and […]

One easy way to enter the ancient world is to begin a collection of ancient coins. Many coins from ancient civilizations are available for purchase – Persian, Greek, Roman, Ancient Israelite coins to name a few. And though prices of coins vary greatly, you can certainly get started on a modest budget. However, be warned […]

Understanding about the cultures of ancient civilization will greatly increase your ability to appreciate antiquities and determine their quality. One area of great use and interest is the study of dead languages. Though it is a bit of a challenge to master ancient Akkadian and Ugaritic, it is quite reasonable to become comfortable in recognizing […]

The most basic think you need to know about antiquities is understanding the primary role of provenance. Provenance means the history of ownership over a particular item. The ability to provide documented provenance is a prerequisite for any antiquities transaction. Because of the unfortunate rise in forgeries and stolen or illicitly procured antiquities any interested […]