GREAT SPHINX OF GIZA.

The great SPHINX of Giza....

They may not look very attractive right now... but those pyramids were the most sexiest thing about ancient Egypt! 

The then......

                                                     Pyramids.

As opposed to the now....

More Pyramids

Truth is... to Archaeologist, Egyptologists and to us ''History lovers''... The older the better. we just pray and hope by some miracle they'll be a way to preserve such huge monuments as Global warming and nature might not be so kind.

The answer to who exactly built the Sphinx is still a debated question as the question always arises. 

"Taking all things into consideration, it seems that we must give the credit of erecting this, the world's most wonderful statue, to Khafre, but always with this reservation: that there is not one single contemporary inscription which connects the Sphinx with Khafre; so, sound as it may appear, we must treat the evidence as circumstantial, until such time as a lucky turn of the spade of the excavator will reveal to the world a definite reference to the erection of the Sphinx." SELIM HASSAN in 1949

Valley of the kings.

Valley of The Kings often called The Valley of The Gates of the Kings is located in Egypt where over a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th ti the 11th century BC it was constructed as a burial site for the worthy.

The Valley of The Kings is the very popular burial site of Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the new kingdom (Ancient Egypt) and people travel all over the world just to catch a glimpse of ancient Egypt royalty.

                                                           Tourists.

                                                                        The great valley.

The valley houses many tombs among-st them the vary famous tomb of King Tut which was the only tomb to be found intact. with that being said the builders of the tombs had to take measure to ensure that tomb raiders would have the dumbest luck trying to find and rob them

                                               Raided Tomb.

Never mind the raided tombs inside the intact or almost intact ones is the most beautiful thing you'll ever see, from the walls, to the jewelry and even the burial stuff..... but don't take my word for it, have a look.

                                                                Tombs

THE GREATEST ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS ON EARTH??

The Archaeological community might have certain disagreements about the answer to that question but the few that actually agree that Howard Cater paved the way might agree with my view.

He spent 31 years in Egypt before he found king Tut's tomb, king Tut who is estimated to have died at around nineteen years old was the last pharaoh before the empire crumbled and the last few years of his life were nothing like the normal life of a teenager.

                                                            boy king

  King Tutankhamen father died when he was very young and circumstances led him to marry his sister who's whereabouts were never confirmed after his death and they could not bear any children.

  

                                                           King and Queen

King Tut's funeral was rushed, he obviously wasn't expected to die so young and yes there was the 90 day morning period but not enough time to build him his own tomb from scratch but be that as it may it was the only tomb not to be raided by thieves and hence Howard found it in perfect condition.  

Greatest Archaeologist ever to walk this earth????

Howard Carter

To most people the name doesn't ring a bell....

but to Archaeologist and Archaeological fanatics like me we recognize Mr.Howard Carter as the greatest Archaeologist there ever was.

Some might say it was nothing but luck that brought Howard is fame and prestige but archaeologists know how hard it is not to just research but to successfully locate your intended artifact. 

Howard Carter 

Discovered, Excavated and brought to the very illusive tomb of the young king TUTANKHAMUN  



                                                                         

                                                                        King Tutankhamun


believe it or not it was a very last minute discovery as Lord Carnarvon who was founding the expedition had just about pulled out and of the long and seeming fruitless mission but because of Howard's persistence and goodwill he stayed on just a bit longer and God was he great full he as they made the discovery of the century 
On 4 November 1922, Howard Carter's excavation group found the steps leading toTutankhamun's tomb (subsequently designated KV62), by far the best preserved and most intact pharaonic tomb ever found in the Valley of the Kings.

   
TO BE CONTINUED 

LYNDENBURG.

How many of you have ever heard of Lyendenburg???
Most probably a few......

Lydenburg is a town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The town is slated to be renamed Mashishing

 Lydenburg is situated on the Sterkspruit/Dorps River tributary of the Olifants River at the base of theLong Tom Pass. The name is derived from Dutch meaning "Town of Suffering". It has become the centre of the South African fly-fishing industry and is an agricultural and mining centre.

                                                      .Lyndenburg

The earliest known forms of African sculpture in southern Africa dating back to AD 400 was found in the area in the late 1950s.

still boasts some of the best preserved Zuid Afrikaanse and old Transvaal architecture in the country.

Lydenburg is an important centre for farming, and is also home to one of Mpumalanga's best museums detailing the mysterious history of the famed Lydenburg Heads, which are unique pottery masks made by a vanished people thousands of years ago, and believed to have served a ritual or religious purpose.

                                                     Lyndenburg

The best part about African Archaeology???

Believe it or not, right next to Egypt, South Africa has the most beautiful and oldest world heritage sites which just proves how rich our country is, not to mention the whole African continent.
Places you are likely to find and not just Enjoy but appreciate for their natural beauty apart from the Cradle of Humankind which we've already spoken about, include believe it or not the world famous Robben Island 

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than as a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls… ' Nelson Mandela

People will recognize those words from the former South African president Nelson Mandela who was help captive in the prison for close to 27 years 

                                         Robben Island

Cradle of Humankind

The Cradle of Humankind is a World Heritage Site first established and named in 1999 by UNESCO (United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization )The name Cradle of Humankind reflects the fact that the site has produced a large number, as well as some of the oldest, hominin fossils ever found, some dating back as far as 3.5 million years ago.^[2] Sterkfontein alone has produced more than a third of early hominid fossils ever found

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