The vast wealth of archeological treasures documenting Egypt’s ancient history is housed in the Egyptian Museum, which is located on Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the site of the recent demonstrations that has led to the forcing out of the country’s long-standing president Hosni Mubarak.. Archeologist Zahi Hawass, who was recently appointed Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities, has […]
Antiquities
Caligula’s Tomb Found
Roman Coin Depicting Caligula The International press is full of the news about the supposed discovery of the tomb of the Roman Emperor Caligula near Lake Nemi, some thirty kilometers from Rome. Caligula was one of history’s most notorious monsters. Cruel, vicious, and almost certainly insane, his exploits, according to the Roman historian Suetonius, included […]
Storm in Israel Reveals Roman Statue
A large Roman white marble statue of a headless, armless woman wearing a toga was revealed when a severe storm in Ashkelon, Israel, in December knocked down part of a cliff. The statue, which had been buried for centuries, is estimated to be some 1,700. It measures 4 feet in height and weighs 440 pounds. Believed to be […]
ANOTHER STRUCTURE COLLAPSES IN POMPEII
A 25-foot-long garden wall which surrounds one of Pompeii’s best-known houses, the so-called House of the Moralist collapsed on 30 November, raising even more fears about the future of the ancient city. Archaeologists, commentators and opposition politicians have accused Berlusconi’s government of neglect and mismanagement of the UNESCO world heritage site, which has long been […]
Ancient Building Collapses in Pompeii
Archaeologists lament the collapse of the House of Gladiators in Pompeii.” The Italian newspaper, La Republica, called the collapse a “world scandal.” The Italian government’s cutting funds for heritage conservation was blamed and 800 cultural institutions in Italy closed in protest. Heritage experts claim that other monuments in Italy are on the brink of destruction. […]
Dead Sea Scrolls To Be Digiltalized by Google
Ancient art lovers, welcome all contributions that further our knowledge about the ancient world. That is why it is such good news to learn that Google and the Israel Antiquities Authority are working together to digitalize the 2000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls. It is a tremendous undertaking since the Collection includes some 30,000 fragments of the […]
PHOENIX ANCIENT ART TO EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK IN OCTOBER AT THE INTERNATIONAL FINE ART & ANTIQUE DEALERS SHOW
The statue is in a remarkable state of preservation, despite its loss of the arms and legs. Parts of it have a beautiful light bluish-green patina, while the rest retains the dark brown coloring of the original bronze. Unlike many ancient statues, this one is fully modeled on all sides. The figure is a larger-than-life size male adult shown in heroic nudity. The presence of several small holes on the top of the head, as well as the remains of lead on the hair above the forehead, suggests that the figure once wore a crown. The head of the statue is clearly a portrait, presumably one of an emperor, Antoninus Pius, and the sculpture was most likely made during his 23 year reign. Under his rule the Roman Empire enjoyed peace and prosperity. Antoninus Pius is one of the so called “Five Good Emperors” : the others were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, who preceded him, and Marcus Aurelius, who succeeded him..
PHOENIX ANCIENT ART TO EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK IN OCTOBER AT THE INTERNATIONAL FINE ART & ANTIQUE DEALERS SHOW
Rarities on the stand of Phoenix Ancient Art include:
The horse dates from the Geometric Period, 10th to 8th century B.C. The period was the time great cultural advancement: Homer and the rise of epic poetry and the development of the visual arts. Bronze figurines were produced, depicting people, animals and birds. Representations of horses are among the most familiar symbols in the Geometric iconography. A great number of bronze horses such as this one were used as votive offerings in temples and sanctuaries. This small, stylized, and charming horse is standing upright, his head proudly raised. His chest and neck reveal his .power and his small head is delicately modeled in great detail.
Ancient Art is More Than Just ‘Old’
The term ‘antiquities’ may be imprecise, but we can all agree they are fascinating and worth our appreciation.