The Other Mystery of Easter Island
Moai statues Easter Island is branded into popular consciousness as the home of the mysterious and towering moai statues, but these are not the only curiosity the South Pacific island holds. Where the moai are fascinating for their unknown purpose and mysterious craftsmen, the island's lost language of Rongorongo is equally perplexing. The unique written language seems to have appeared suddenly in the 1700s, but within just two centuries it was exiled to obscurity. Known as Rapa Nui to the island's inhabitants, Rongorongo is a writing system comprised of pictographs. In 1864, Father Joseph Eyraud became the first non-islander to record Rongorongo. Some time later, Bishop Florentin Jaussen of Tahiti attempted to translate the texts. In 1886 Paymaster William Thompson of the ship USS Mohican became interested in the pictographic system during a journey to collect artifacts for the National Museum in Washington. An Indus valley connection? A Rongorongo Tablet
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Collapse: Why do civilisations fall?
Hundreds of years ago in what is now modern Honduras, Copán was a thriving civilization, a center of the cultural life of the Maya. Tens of thousands of people made their home in the Copán Valley. Yet despite its importance, Copán went into decline. Across the vast territory of the ancient Maya, other important sites were sharing a similar fate. Classic Maya civilization was collapsing. Why did this great civilization fall? can combine with external causes (such as war or natural disaster) to bring about a collapse. Join us as we explore the collapse of four ancient civilizations. Ready to get started? "Collapse" is inspired by programs from Out of the Past, a video series from Annenberg Media.
Livius. Articles on Ancient History
Map Collections
The Library of Congress Search by Keyword | Browse by Geographic Location Index | Subject Index | Creator Index | Title Index The Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress holds more than 4.5 million items, of which Map Collections represents only a small fraction, those that have been converted to digital form. The focus of Map Collections is Americana and Cartographic Treasures of the Library of Congress. These images were created from maps and atlases and, in general, are restricted to items that are not covered by copyright protection. Map Collections is organized according to seven major categories. Searching Map Collections The mission of the Library of Congress is to make its resources available and useful to Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations. The Library of Congress presents these documents as part of the record of the past. Special Presentations: Places in History
Web Chronology Project
WebChron: The WebChronology Project began as an experiment in history pedagogy by the History Department at North Park University. As a result of changes in the department, WebChron has been removed from the University's server and is now administrated by David Koeller, the originator of the project, and has become part of his "Then Again. . . " website. The site consists of a series of hyperlinked chronologies developed by the instructors and historical articles prepared by students intended for use in history classes.
Handy Man - Tools - Early Humans for Kids
Early man did not have sharp claws or strong sharp teeth. He was not larger or stronger than other animals. He could not run like deer or antelope. So how did early man survive? He had to use the things that animals did not have, reason and invention. Early man invented and created stone and bone weapons and tools. The Stone Age is considered to have begun about two million years ago, and ended sometime after the end of the last ice age about ten thousand years ago. During the Stone Age, Homo Habilis appeared. Some scientists believe that Homo Habilis did not know how to start a fire. Campfires were very useful to Homo Habilis since fire keeps most animals away, so a campfire would be watched carefully to keep it going.
Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni
The Hypogeum of Paola, Malta, (Ipoġew in Maltese) literally meaning "underground" in Greek, is a subterranean structure dating to the Saflieni phase (3000-2500 BC) in Maltese prehistory. Thought to have been originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric times and the remains of more than 7,000 individuals have been found. It is the only known prehistoric underground temple in the world. It was discovered by accident in 1902 when workers cutting cisterns for a new housing development broke through its roof. First Level[edit] The first level is very similar to tombs found in Xemxija in Malta. Second Level[edit] Hal Saflieni The Sleeping Lady, Museum of Archaeology, Valletta, Malta This level features several apparently important rooms, such as the Main Room, the Holy of Holies, and the Oracle Room. The Main Chamber[edit] This chamber is roughly circular and carved out from rock. The Oracle Room[edit] The Oracle Room is roughly rectangular and one of the smallest side chambers.
Ancient Egypt for Kids
