Ghost of Hellas

6th-century door plaques made of black breccia with white veins At Kalenderhane Camii/formerly the Church of Theotokos Kyriotissa

Solidus of Julian (355-363) Minted at Antioch in 362 At Dumbarton Oaks

Our visitors sometimes miss this as they are walking into the chamber at Newgrange. L19 is on the lefthand side near the end of the passage before you enter the chamber. It's a stunning piece of megalithic art. 📷Clare T #megalithicart #newgrange #spirals #zigzags #chevron

x.com/ZhaiXiang5/sta… Here's the other gold-hilted sword belonging to the mysterious noble of the State of Yan, who may well have personally encountered Jing Ke (荆轲), one of the most famous assassins and warriors in Chinese history. The hilt measures 13 centimeters in length, while the entire sword is 71.6 centimeters long. At the top of the hilt is an exquisitely crafted ram's head (top left). Below it, turquoise and other gemstones are inlaid at the center. The decorative motifs feature the typical Chinese cloud patterns, while the outer edges are adorned with mat-like designs. The composition is layered and refined, demonstrating remarkable craftsmanship. The top of the scabbard is even more intriguing. According to the excavators, it depicts two standing mythical beasts facing each other in combat, with a ram's head positioned behind them. However, this interpretation remains open to debate. Personally, I find it difficult to clearly discern the imagery. I have consulted several leading experts in the field, and they too were unable to offer a definitive conclusion. Feel free to share your perspective-this motif still puzzles us. The gold foil decorations on the decayed scabbard are equally captivating. The second ornament from the top: an oval motif above, and below it a long-tailed beast crouching close to the ground (bottom left). Once again, I cannot help but note its resemblance to European emblems. Further down appears the same bird motif seen on the other sword, creating a visual continuity between the two pieces. The tip of the scabbard, like that of the first sword, is wrapped in gold. Yet there is a difference: one side bears a continuous pattern depicting intertwined dragons and phoenixes (bottom right). There is little doubt that this sword, rich in exotic flavor, also incorporates some of the most important totemic symbols of Chinese civilization. This is a sword that carries both the wild aesthetic of the steppe and foreign worlds, and the encoded symbols of authority from the Central Plains. What, then, might that noble of Yan have experienced in his lifetime? Was he there by the Yi River, raising a cup in farewell to Jing Ke the assassin? Did he witness the shifting winds of power within palace walls on the eve of the First Emperor's unification? Amid clashing blades and galloping warhorses, did he see the cavalry of the northern steppe intersect with the ritual order of the Central Plains? We cannot know for certain. But what we can say is this- In that age when the Six States fell and the realm moved toward unification, he stood both on the frontier of the Warring States world and at the crossroads of civilizations. And this sword is the answer he left behind.

View on Acropolis from ancient agora, Athens, Greece.

Delos, Greece

Sculptures of Cleopatra and Dioskourides in The House of Cleopatra, Delos island, Greece

Galata Tower, dome of Zeyrek Mosque/formerly Pantokrator Monastery, marble revetment of Kalenderhane Mosque/Kyriotissa Monastery, and the Column of Constantine and Nuruosmaniye Mosque Photos taken today

The olive tree at Vouves, in the Kolymbari district of Crete, is at least 2,000 years old and reportedly carbon-dated 3,500-5,000 year.

Sparta, Greece

The Annunciation to St. Anne “Alas…I am not like the birds of the sky, for the birds of the heavens are fruitful before you, oh Lord.” From the Gospel (Protoevangelium) of James As St. Anne prays in the garden, an angel announces that she will bear a child (the Virgin Mary).

The Evolution of Ancient Greek Statues

Statue of Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki

Segesta, Sicily

Temple of Hera in Selinunte, Sicily

Corinth, Greece.

Attributed to the Seireniske Painter - Miniature terracotta lekythos with a siren motif. Mid-5th century B.C.

Campanian fish plate. Culture/Period: Greek, South Italian, Late Classical Period Date: ca. 350–325 B.C. Place of origin: Campania, Italy Medium: Ceramic, Red Figure