The Road of Discoveries

Thursday, 3 February 2011

Pergamum

The kingdom of Pergamum in 188 BC

and the steepest seating of any know theater in the ancient word (with the capacity to host 10 000)

My photos of Bergama (Pergamum)

Tuesday, 1 February 2011

The Land I dream to discover....

Saturday, 22 January 2011

Feel like a Roman for a day (or at least like an Ottoman) !

Kate Moss in Cağaloğlu Hamamı / İstanbul

Kate Moss in Hammam Photo Gallery

Last weekend was my fist visit to a Turkish hammam! It was very exciting :) and a very relaxing experience. Bursa is famous for its thermal springs and has many ''thermal'' hotels and hammams.

The one I went to was at the Marigold Otel Bursa. It's a 5 star hotel with its own Pithia Thermal and Spa. Not only you can you their wonderful private hammam suites but they also have thermal spa, contrast showers, spa, massage and lots more. Unfortunately I couldn't post any photos of Pithia Spa but you can find out more on their website - http://marigold.com.tr/icerik/Pithia-Thermal--Spa.html#

Next time I want to try one of the Roman baths in Bursa!

Electric lamp sells for £445,000 after it is revealed to be a 2,000-year-old relic

I wish I could find something like that at home....

t was bought by a European dealer and could conceivably be returned to Rome. The 19in urn was acquired in the 1950s by Sir Sydney Barratt, a distinguished scientist who helped create the World War II Dambusters’ celebrated ‘bouncing bombs’.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349259/Electric-lamp-sells-445k-revealed-2k-year-old-relic.html#ixzz1BmahiEsb

Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Byzantium and Chanel

After Alexander Mcqueen's fall/winter 2007-2008 Cleopatra-inspired collection other designers seem to be looking back at history for inspiration. This time it's Uncle Karl for his pre-fall 2011 show. Actually eventhough he's borrowing from the past this seems to be one of the best and most beautiful sets of clothes he has designed recently. The fabrics, the colors and especially the jewellery are gorgeous and makes me want to be a fly on the wall back in Byzantium in the time of Emperor Justinian. Where do I start?

And here is his muse - Empress Theodora (c. 547 AD) on the famous San Vitale fresco in Ravenna, Italy

Thursday, 16 December 2010

The sea gave her back

Wonder in Israel as ancient Roman statue buried for centuries is uncovered by powerful winter storm

A long-lost Roman statue buried for thousands of years has been unearthed by massive winter storms that have lashed the coast of Israel this week.

The mysterious white-marble figure of a woman in toga and 'beautifully detailed' sandals was found in the remains of a cliff that crumbled under the force of 60mph winds and enormous 40ft waves.

The statue, which lacks a head and arms, is about 4ft tall and weighs 440lbs. It was found at the ancient port of Ashkelon, around 20 miles south of Tel Aviv.

Friday, 10 December 2010

Workmen discover body of huge gladiator who was 'stabbed six times and thrown out with the rubbish.

Tall, powerfully-built and with a killer instinct he would have been a fearsome sight - especially if you were a gladiator facing him in the ring.

Archaeologists do not know his name but are convinced the remarkable discovery of the Roman gladiator's bones in York provide a clear clue of where the amphitheatre was in the city.

Back when he was fighting for his survival in the ring 1,600 years ago York was the Roman capital of the north and the ground underneath the Yorkshire Museum has long been thought of as the prime location for the site.