Archaeology Odyssey, March/April 2005
Features
“Place of the Beautiful Ones”
When Egyptian Queens Got Elaborate Tombs of Their Own
A sudden, dramatic change in Egyptian queens’ burials occurred at the beginning of the 19th Dynasty (1292–1190 B.C.). On the west bank of the Nile at Thebes, a Y-shaped valley that had served as a cemetery for male officials was adapted as a burial...Read more ›
Ancient WMDs
Torches & Poisons & Bees—Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Ancient World
Most people assume that biological and chemical weapons are recent inventions, that only our advanced knowledge of science and weapons systems has allowed us to make use of toxins, pathogens and incendiary chemicals. Many historians have assumed, moreover, that the rules of engagement in...Read more ›
East Meets West
How Greek Art Influenced Monumental Pillars of India’s Emperor Ashoka
No two artistic traditions seem more unlike than those of India and Greece. The multi-headed, multi-armed figures of Indian sculpture appear to be mystical and cosmic, worlds away from the earthy verisimilitude of ancient Greek statuary. In its early years, however, Indian sculpture was...Read more ›