The post Could There Be a Vast Underground City Beneath Egypt’s Giza Pyramids? appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Corrado Malanga from Italy’s University of Pisa and Filippo Biondi from Scotland’s University of Strathclyde conducted an expedition known as the Khafre Project. They claimed to have used synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology to create high-resolution images deep into the ground beneath the pyramids, which reportedly led to some bombshell discoveries.
They claim there’s a vast underground city beneath Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, including the five small room-like structures in the center of the pyramid. According to their report, these structures are connected to pathways that lead below the surface and are believed to expose hidden rooms and wells, along with spiral pathways leading down farther underground.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s foremost expert on the ancient world, was quick to dismiss these claims. He discussed the claims with The National and described them as “completely wrong”, adding that the techniques employed are neither “scientifically approved nor validated.”
(@simon.the.traveler)The post Could There Be a Vast Underground City Beneath Egypt’s Giza Pyramids? appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Man Discovers a 2,000-Year-Old Ancient Greek Statue in the Trash appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The man reported his findings to the local police, who decided to contact experts to learn more about the piece. The headless marble statue has a woman form and was dated to the Hellenistic era, a period between 323 BC and 30 BC.
The Hellenic Police shared the news through its official channels and are currently investigating to learn more about the statue as well as how it ended up in the trash. After the investigation is completed, the statue will be handed over to the Greek Archaeological Service for further studies and preservation.
Experts believe that the statue depicts a Greek goddess and mostly likely belonged to a temple at one point.
“The fact that it is marble suggests that it was probably dedicated in a temple,” Estelle Strazdins, a classical studies expert at the Australian National University in Canberra, told The Washington Post. “Because of the size — around 30 inches — it would not be the main statue in the sanctuary, but it might be a gift that someone has given to the god either to thank them for something or in the hopes of getting some kind of grant.”
These types of discoveries are not unusual in Greece given the country’s rich history. Thessaloniki has especially become a hotspot for such findings in recent times due to the work on the city’s metro network.
The post Man Discovers a 2,000-Year-Old Ancient Greek Statue in the Trash appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post When Was Homer’s “The Odyssey” First Published? appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>What is The Odyssey About?
The Odyssey chronicles the journey of Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, to return home to his wife Penelope and son Telemachus after the Trojan War. What should’ve been a quick journey turns into ten years of wandering, as Odysseus and his men face many obstacles on their journey back to Ithaca.
Was Odysseus a Real Person?
There’s no historical evidence supporting Homer’s story about Odysseus’ epic journey. Even though no hard evidence of an ancient Greek king named Odysseus exists, it’s believed that Ithaca was a real place, but it’s uncertain where it was located.
When Was “The Odyssey” First Published?
Homer is credited as the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, but this tale has been a part of the oral tradition long before it was written down. It’s believed it was composed around the 8th or 7th century BC in Homeric Greek, an archaic form of Ionic, with some Aeolic forms.
English Translations
George Chapman’s translation of The Odyssey was the first to find widespread success in the Western world after being published in 1616, along with The Iliad. Countless other scholars found success with their translations, including Robert Fitzgerald, while Emily Wilson made history as the first woman to publish an English translation of The Odyssey in 2018.
The post When Was Homer’s “The Odyssey” First Published? appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post 3 Lesser-Known Ancient Civilizations That Shaped Our World appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The Sumerians
Located in the southern part of Mesopotamia, the Sumerians are credited with inventing cuneiform writing around 3400 BC. This form of writing marked one of the first known instances of recorded history. This allowed for the preservation of laws, literary works, and business transactions. The Sumerians also made advances in mathematics, creating a base-60 system that influences how we tell time today.
The Minoans
The Minoans, based on the island of Crete, flourished from approximately 2700 to 1450 BC. They developed one of the earliest examples of an advanced urban civilization. Their architectural techniques, particularly in terms of drainage and water management, were incredibly advanced for their time.
The Axumites
Originating from what is now Ethiopia, the Kingdom of Axum was a trading empire that reached its peak between the 1st and 7th centuries AD. The Axumites established a written script, minted their own currency, and were among the first in the world to adopt Christianity as the state religion. Their strategic control of trade routes across the Red Sea to the Mediterranean significantly influenced commerce and culture in the region.
The post 3 Lesser-Known Ancient Civilizations That Shaped Our World appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Top 4 Facts About Alexander the Great That Might Surprise You appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Aristotle Was His Mentor
While Alexander the Great was still a young boy, his father, Philip II, King of Macedon, hired the Greek philosopher Aristotle to be his mentor. Historians believe Aristotle spent three years tutoring Alexander.
He Named a City After His Horse
It is widely known that Alexander had a habit of establishing cities during his conquests and then naming them after himself. However, he once also named a city after his favorite horse Bucephala, honoring his death in battle.
He Survived Being Hit in the Chest with an Arrow
Despite being at the center of each battle and suffering many wounds, Alexander the Great always managed to find a way to avoid death. This included surviving being hit in the chest with an arrow during his conquests in India.
His Body Was Preserved in Honey
Alexander the Great died at age 32 from a mysterious illness. Historians believe that his body was submerged in honey to preserve it shortly afterward. To this day, the location of Alexander’s tomb remains a mystery.
The post Top 4 Facts About Alexander the Great That Might Surprise You appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post The Symbolism of the Egyptian Sphinx Explained appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The Lion’s Body
The Sphinx, with the body of a lion, symbolizes strength, power, and the protective nature of the pharaohs. In ancient Egyptian culture, lions were considered powerful creatures that guarded the sacred and royal realms. By embodying a lion, the Sphinx was meant to act as a guardian of the Giza Plateau, where the pyramids—the tombs of the pharaohs—are located.
The Human Head
The Sphinx’s human head represents wisdom and intelligence. In this dual form, the Sphinx combines the physical power of the lion with the intellectual abilities of a human. This combination conveyed that the pharaoh possessed not only physical might but also the mental acuity needed to rule wisely.
The Position and Purpose
Lastly, the positioning of the Sphinx, facing east toward the rising sun, is also symbolic. The Sphinx gazes directly at the horizon where the sun rises, symbolizing the pharaoh’s role as the intermediary between the gods and the people, and his connection to the solar deity Ra.
The post The Symbolism of the Egyptian Sphinx Explained appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Innovative Facts About the Advanced Society of Ancient India appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Engineering
If there’s one thing that determines the effectiveness of an engineering feat, it is its longevity. In the second century AD, Indian engineers built the Kallanai Dam. The fourth-oldest water diversion structure in the world, the Kallanai Dam continues to be in use today.
Equality for All
Sadly, oppressive practices such as slavery were very much commonplace in many parts of the ancient world. Not in India, though. This sprawling South Asian country was one of the few places where all people were free.
Female Empowerment
While women have been relegated to certain jobs and topics of discussion at different points in history, women could make all of their own choices in Ancient India. What’s more, many of them could select their own husbands from an eligible pool of bachelors.
Mathematicians
When it came to mathematics, the ancient Indians were pioneers. Among the many mathematical concepts they invented were algebra, calculus, the decimal system, the number zero, and the value of pi.
The post Innovative Facts About the Advanced Society of Ancient India appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Clay Tablet From 15th Century BC Turns Out to Be a Receipt for Furniture Purchase appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The tablet contained inscriptions on cuneiform, one of the oldest-known forms of writing, and used the extinct language of Akkadian. It listed a purchase made by an unknown buyer that included wooden tables, chairs, and stools.
Alalakh, which now lies close to Turkey’s border with Syria, was founded in the early second millennium BC and abandoned in 600 BC. It was once the capital of the Mukis Kingdom and part of a major trade route, which could explain why merchants issued receipts. The area was first excavated by British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley in the 1930s and has been revisited several times since.
Experts are still working on deciphering the entire tablet and hope they will be able to uncover more information and find out more about the buyer and the seller involved in the transaction.
“We believe that this tablet, weighing 28 grams, will offer a new perspective to understand the economic structure and state system of the Late Bronze Age,” said Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey’s minister of culture and tourism, in a statement published on social media.
The post Clay Tablet From 15th Century BC Turns Out to Be a Receipt for Furniture Purchase appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Top 4 Facts About Gladiators That Will Surprise You appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Not All Gladiators Were Slaves
While it’s true that most gladiators were slaves, free people also took part in the fights. They were lured by the fame and prize money or just wanted to demonstrate their fighting skills.
Gladiator Games Were Well Organized
Gladiator games were better organized than you might think. There was a whole system that included ranking the gladiators based on their previous success as well as their fight style.
Gladiators Didn’t Always Fight to Death
The movies and books might lead you to believe that gladiators would always fight to death. However, that wasn’t the case. Fights would often end if one of the gladiators was seriously wounded or if they weren’t entertaining for the crowd.
Women Were Gladiators As Well
There is various historical evidence that women participated in gladiator games as well. Female gladiator fights were believed to be less brutal than those of their male counterparts but still popular among the audience. According to some accounts, being a gladiator was particularly popular among upper-class women, who expressed their rebellion that way.
The post Top 4 Facts About Gladiators That Will Surprise You appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Top 5 Facts That Prove Neanderthals Were a Lot Smarter Than We Think appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Neanderthals Were Around for 250,000 Years
While Neanderthals are now extinct, they were around for quite a while. It is estimated that Neanderthals roamed the Earth for 250,000 years while dealing with some of the most difficult climate conditions and nature challenges of all archaic humans. For comparison, modern humans are only around for the last 100,000 years.
Neanderthals Crafted Tools and Weapons
Neanderthals were familiar with the concept of tools and weapons. They would shape stones and bones into tools while also using the same material to create weapons.
Neanderthals Buried Their Dead
Neanderthals were capable of feeling compassion and seemed to care about members of their group. One great example of this is that they buried their dead, which also shuts down the myth about them being extremely primitive.
Neanderthals Used Fire
Researchers found out that Neanderthals used fire like modern humans. They used fire to cook, burn things, and even for crafting. Estimations are that Neanderthals may have started using fire 400,000 years ago.
Neanderthals Created the Earliest Cave Art
Neanderthals were the original artists. The earliest cave art, a red hand stencil in Maltravieso cave, Cáceres, Spain, was created 64,000 ago and attributed to Neanderthals.
The post Top 5 Facts That Prove Neanderthals Were a Lot Smarter Than We Think appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>