ജീവിതത്തെ നോക്കി കാണുവാനും അതിന്റെ ഭംഗിയും അഭംഗിയും നിരീക്ഷിക്കാനും നമ്മുക്ക് നേരമോ മനസോ ഇല്ല . ചുറ്റുവട്ടത്തെ ജീവിതത്തിലേക്ക് ഒന്ന് കണ്ണോടിക്കാം . ഇരുപത്തി ഒന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിന്റെ ഇതിഹാസം രചിക്കാന്‍ തയ്യാറാവുന്ന മനുഷ്യന്‍ , തന്റെ അസ്ഥിത്വം തന്നെ മറന്ന മട്ടിലാണ് . സര്‍വ മണ്ഡലത്തിലും പുരോഗതിയുടെ കുതിച്ചു പായലിലാണ് . ഇതിനൊപ്പം നീങ്ങുന്ന ആധുനിക സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ അവസ്ഥ എന്തായിരിക്കും ????
കാടുകളും , പുല്‍ മൈതാനങ്ങളും , വിളഞ്ഞ നെല്പാടങ്ങളും , കുളങ്ങളും സൌകര്യപൂര്‍വ്വം ടവരുകള്‍ക്കും ഡിഷ്‌ ആന്റിനകള്‍ക്കും വഴി മാറികൊടുത്തു . കമ്പുട്ടരിന്റെയും ഇന്റര്‍ നെറ്റിന്റെയും ലോകത്ത് കുരുങ്ങി കിടക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യന്‍ ബഹുമാനമോ ആദരവോ ആത്മാര്‍ഥതയോ ഇല്ലാതെ ജീവിക്കുന്നു . സമൂഹ ഘടന ആകെ മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു . ബന്ധങ്ങളുടെ ഭാഷ്യമെന്നപോലെ പാടി വിടര്‍ന്ന പുഞ്ചിരി , അതും കാപട്യം നിറഞ്ഞത്‌ .
ചിരിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയാത്ത അവന്‍ എപ്പോളും ബിസി തന്നെ . രണ്ടു പേരുടെ സംസാരം ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചാല്‍ എത്ര തവണ " സമയമില്ല " എന്ന വാക്ക് കേള്‍ക്കാം . ? ? ? ഇനി ചിലര്‍ തിരക്ക് അഭിനയിക്കുന്നതിലും മാന്യത കാട്ടുന്നു . വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗം യഥാര്‍ത്ഥത്തില്‍ കുട്ടികളുടെതില്‍ നിന്ന് മാറി രക്ഷിതാക്കലിലാണ് . " എന്റെ മകന് \ മകള്‍ക്ക് ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് മാത്രമേ അറിയൂ " എന്ന് പറയുന്നതിലും " മലയാളം അറിയില്ല " എന്ന് പറയുന്നതിലും ഒരു പോലെ അഭിമാനം കണ്ടെത്തുന്നു . മൂന്നു വയസു മുതല്‍ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് പദങ്ങള്‍ വായില്‍ തിരുകി കയറ്റിയില്ലങ്കില്‍ ജീവിതം വ്യര്തമായത് തന്നെ എന്നാണു രക്ഷിതാക്കളുടെ ചിന്ത . ഫാസ്റ്റിനു പ്രാധാന്യം നല്‍കുന്നതിനാല്‍ ഭക്ഷണവും ഫാസ്റ്റ് ഫുഡ്‌ തന്നെ .
കുട്ടികളുടെ ജനനം മുതല്‍ ഉന്നത വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗത്ത് സീറ്റുരപ്പിക്കാന്‍ പാട് പെടുകയാണ് രക്ഷിതാക്കള്‍ . അവര്‍ ഇവിടെ കുട്ടികളുടെ സ്വാഭാവിക വളര്‍ച്ചയെയും അഭിരുചികളെയും നിഷേദിക്കുകയാണ് . സമൂഹത്തില്‍ " സ്റ്റാറ്റസ് " കിട്ടുന്ന മാര്‍ഗത്തിലൂടെ അവന്‍ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നു . ഈ സാഹചര്യത്തില്‍ അവന്റെതായ ഒരു ശൈലി ഒരു സംസ്കാരം വളര്‍ത്തിയെടുക്കുക അസാദ്യം തന്നെ . വഞ്ചനയും കാപട്യവും ചുറ്റും നടമാടുമ്പോള്‍ അതില്‍ ഒരു ആളായി അവനും മാറുന്നു .
ദൃശ്യ - ശ്രവ്യ മാദ്യമങ്ങളെ അനുകരിക്കുന്നവര്‍ ഇതിലൊന്നും പെടാത്ത നിഷ്കളങ്കരെ തനി " നാടന്‍ " എന്ന് മുദ്ര കുത്തുന്ന കാലം . പുരോഗതി ചുറ്റും ഉണ്ടാകുമ്പോള്‍ മനുഷ്യനില്‍ വളരുന്നത്‌ സങ്ങുചിതത്വം മാത്രമാണ് . സ്നേഹ ബന്ധങ്ങളും സംസ്കാര തനിമയും വേരറ്റു പോകുമ്പോള്‍ ഉല്കണ്ടപ്പെടാന്‍ ആരെങ്കിലും ?
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
മഹാ പ്രതിഭകള്‍ !!
പരിപൂര്‍ണതയുടെ ഇടവും വലവും
ലാറയോ ? സച്ചിനോ ? സച്ചിന് ആരാധകര്‍ എന്നോട് ക്ഷമിക്കുക , കളിയുടെ സൌന്ദര്യത്തിലും അതിന്റെ പരിപൂര്‍ണതയിലും ലാറ സച്ചിനേക്കാള്‍ എത്രയോ മുകളില്‍ !!!!
ഞാന്‍ ഇത് എഴുതാന്‍ തുടങ്ങുമ്പോള്‍ ഈ രാജ്യത്തെ മുഴുവന്‍ ക്രിക്കറ്റ് പ്രേമികളും മുള്‍മുനയില്‍ ആണ് കാരണം തങ്ങളുടെ പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട സച്ചിന് 50 സെഞ്ച്വറി തികക്കുന്നത് കാണാനുള്ള കാത്തിരിപ്പ്‌ ..
ഓര്‍മകളിലെ സച്ചിന്
1988 -1989 വര്‍ഷത്തെ പാക്കിസ്ഥാന്‍ പരിയടനതിനുള്ള ടീമിലക്ക് 15 വയസുള്ള ഒരു പയ്യന്‍ അതെ സച്ചിന് ഇത് അന്നേ ഒരു വലിയ വാര്‍ത്തയായിരുന്നു ..കാരണം ഇമ്രാന്‍ ഖാന്‍ , വാസിം അക്രം , വാഖ്‌ഹാര്‍ യൌനിസ് എന്നിവര്‍ ഉള്‍പെട്ട പാക് ബൌളിംഗ് നിരക്കെതിരെ സച്ചിന് എന്ന കൊച്ചു പയ്യന്‍ ..കഴിഞ്ഞ 20 വര്‍ഷമായി ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നവരും മരിച്ചവരും ആയ പല താരങ്ങളുമായി സച്ചിനെ താരതമ്യ പെടുത്തി പറഞ്ഞു കേള്‍ക്കാറുണ്ട് .എക്കാലത്തെയും മികച്ച താരമായി ക്രിക്കറ്റ് ലോകം വാഴ്ത്തുന്ന സര്‍ ഡോണ്‍ ബ്രാഡ്മാന്‍ സച്ചിന്റെ ബാറ്റിംഗ് തന്റെ ബാറ്റിംഗ് അനുസ്മരിപ്പിക്കുന്നു എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞത് ഒരു താരത്തിനു കിട്ടാവുന്ന വലിയ ബഹുമതി ആണ് .
എനിക്ക് തോന്നുന്നത് മറ്റു കളികളെ അപേക്ഷിച്ച് ക്രിക്കറ്റില്‍ താരതമ്യം ചെയ്യല്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ ആണ് എന്നാണ് . കഴിഞ രണ്ടു ദശകമയി ഈ കാര്യത്തില്‍ ഒരു പാട് വാത പ്രതി വാതങ്ങള്‍ നടുന്നു കഴിഞ്ഞു എപ്പോള്‍ നടക്കുന്നും ഉണ്ട് ... ഡോണ്‍ ബ്രാഡ് മാനെ ഒഴിച്ച് നിര്‍ത്തി ആണ് ഈ വാത പ്രതിവാതം എന്നത് ആശ്വാസകരം ... ഈ കാര്യത്തില്‍ എന്റെ കൂട്ടുകാര്‍ പലരും സച്ചിന് വോട്ടു ചെയ്യുന്നവര്‍ ആണ് .. സച്ചിന് വെല്ലുവിളിയായി ഒരേ ഒരു പേരാണ് ഉയര്‍ന്നു വരുന്നത് ബ്രയാന്‍ ലാറ .
രണ്ടു പേരും ഒരേ കാലത്താണ് കളിച്ചത് ഒരേ പ്രതിയോഗികള്‍ക്ക് എതിരെയും അത് ഇവര്‍ തമ്മിലുള്ള താരതമ്യം എളുപ്പമാക്കുമെന്നു ഞാന്‍ കരുതുന്നു ...ഞാനും ഈ കാര്യത്തില്‍ ഒരുപാട് ആള്‍ക്കാരുമായി വാത പ്രതിവാതങ്ങള്‍ നടത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട് . എന്റെ ഈ അഭിപ്രായം ഭൂരി പക്ഷം വരുന്നവര്‍ക്കും ഇഷടപ്പെടില്ല എങ്കിലും ഞാന്‍ പങ്കു വയ്ക്കട്ടെ ..
തുടക്കത്തില്‍ ലാറ സച്ചിനേക്കാള്‍ വളരെ ഉയരത്തില്‍ ആരുന്നു എന്നാല്‍ കരിയറിന്റെ മദ്യഭാഗത്ത്‌ സച്ചിന് ലാരക്ക് ഒപ്പം വന്നു അവസാനം പിന്നെയും ലാറ തന്നെ .സച്ചിന് ആണ് മികച്ചത് എന്ന് പറയുന്ന നിരൂപകരെല്ലാം ലാരയ്ക്കെതിരെ ഉയര്‍ത്തുന്ന ആക്ഷേപം ഉണ്ട് ഇത്ര മികച്ച കളികാരന്‍ ആണേ എങ്കില്‍ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് വെസ്റ്റ് ഇന്‍ഡീസിനെ വിജയത്തില്‍ എത്തിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയുന്നില്ല എന്ന് . ഇതിനുള്ള എന്റെ മറുപടി ഒരു ടീം ഗയിമില്‍ എല്ലാവരും അവരുടെ സംഭാവന നല്‍കണം എന്നത് തന്നെ .. സമീപകാലത്തെ വെസ്റ്റ് ഇന്‍ഡീസ് ടീമിന്റെ അവസ്ഥ നോക്കുക ദയനീയം , പരിതാപകരം .. അപ്പോളാണ് ലാറയുടെ മഹത്വം നമ്മുക്ക് കാണാന്‍ കഴിയുക .. ഒരിന്നിങ്ങ്സില്‍ 500 റണ്‍ എടുത്ത ബാറ്റ്സ് മാന്‍ ഓര്‍ത്തു നോക്ക് ആരുണ്ട്‌ ? ? ഒരു സീസണില്‍ 500 റണ്‍ എടുക്കാന്‍ പാടുപെടുന്നവര്‍ ആണ് അദികവും . അണ്ടര്‍ 15 എതിരെ പോലും നമ്മുക്ക് ഇത് സാധിക്കില്ല ... അതുപോലെ തന്നെ 365 എന്ന റിക്കാര്‍ഡ് 375 ആക്കി ഉയര്തിയവാന്‍ ഹൈടന്‍ 380 ആക്കിയപ്പോള്‍ വാശിയോടെ 400 ആക്കി വീണ്ടും സ്വന്തം പേരില്‍ കുറിച്ചവന്‍ . ഇത് ലാറക്കു മാത്രം കഴിയുന്ന കാര്യം ..
പരിമിതികല്‍ക്കെതിരെ ലാറ
ലാറയും സച്ചിനും തമ്മില്‍ താരതമ്യം ചെയ്യുമ്പോള്‍ എല്ലാവരും വിട്ടു പോകുന്ന ഒരു കാര്യമുണ്ട് .. എതിര്‍പ്പുകള്‍ക്കും വെല്ലുവിളികള്‍ക്കും എതിരെ തുഴഞ്ഞാണ് ലാറ ഈ കാണുന്ന നീട്ടം എല്ലമുണ്ടാക്കിയത് . സ്വന്തം അസോസിയേഷന്‍ നിന്നാണ് ലാറക്കു കൂടുതല്‍ വെല്ലുവിളികള്‍ ഉണ്ടായത് .പല തവണ അച്ചടക്ക നടപട്ക്ക് വിദയാനായി കാപ്ടന്‍ സ്ഥാനം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു സ്പോന്‍സര്‍ഷിപ്‌ പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ അങ്ങനെ അങ്ങനെ എന്തെല്ലാം .. എന്നാല്‍ സച്ചിനെ ബി സി സി ഐ ലെ എല്ലാവരുടെയും പിന്തുണ സച്ചിനുണ്ട് ..മോശം ഷോട്ട് കളിച്ചു പുറത്താകുമ്പോള്‍ പോലും സച്ചിന് പരുക്കന്‍ വാക്കുകള്‍ കേള്‍ക്കണ്ടി വന്നിട്ടില്ല . . സ്വന്തം നേട്ടത്തിന് വേണ്ടി കളിച്ചാല്‍ പോലും എല്ലാവരുടെയും പിന്തുണ അദേഹത്തിനുണ്ട് . . ഈ പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് നടുവിലും ലാറ ടെസ്റ്റ്‌ ക്രിക്കറ്റിലെ ഉയര്‍ന്ന റണ്‍ വേട്ടക്കാരനായി ..
ലാറയുടെ സെഞ്ച്വറി കല്‍ എല്ലാം പടുകൂറ്റന്‍ ഇന്നിംഗ് സുകള്‍ ആണ് എന്നതാണ് ശ്രദ്ധിക്കേണ്ട മറ്റൊരു കാര്യം , അവ അതിവേഗം സ്കോര്‍ ചെയ്യപ്പെടുന്നവയും . ടെസ്റ്റില്‍ ആണെങ്കില്‍ കൂടിയും എത്ര വേഗമാണ് സ്കോര്‍ ബോര്‍ഡ്‌ ചലിക്കുന്നത്‌ . അതില്‍ പല സെഞ്ച്വറി കളും മികച്ച ടീമിനെതിരെ എന്നതാണ് മറ്റൊരു കാര്യം ഓസ്ട്രേലിയ ഇംഗ്ലണ്ട് സൌത്ത് ആഫ്രിക്ക. ശ്രീലങ്ക ആവട്ടെ ഇടങ്കയ്യന്‍ മാര്‍ക്ക് പേടി സ്വപ്നമായ ( ലാറക്കു ഒഴിച്ച് ) മുരളി കളിക്കുന്ന ടീമും .. സച്ചിന് ടെസ്റ്റില്‍ സാവധാനമാണ്‌ സ്കോര്‍ ചെയ്യുന്നത് . ഒരു ട്രിപ്പിള്‍ സെഞ്ച്വറി യോ ക്വാദ്രപ്പില്‍ സെഞ്ച്വറി യോ മറന്നേക്കു .. തന്റെ ആദ്യ ഡബിള്‍ സെഞ്ച്വറി എടുക്കാന്‍ സച്ചിന് എടുത്തത്‌ എത്ര വര്‍ഷമാണ്‌ ...
കൈമുട്ടിന്റെ പരിക്കും പ്രായവും സച്ചിന്റെ ബാറ്റിംഗ് ശൈലിയെ ഒരു പാട് മാറ്റിയിട്ടുണ്ട് .. എന്നാല്‍ ലാറ അവസാന കാലത്ത് പോലും തന്റെ ശൈലിയോ ബൌളര്‍ മാര്‍ക്ക് മേലുള്ള തന്റെ ആദിപത്യം നിലനിര്‍ത്തുന്ന ആക്രമണ സ്വഭാവമോ മാറ്റുന്നില്ല ... ഫോമിലേക്ക് ഉയരുന്ന ദിവസം യേത് ലോകോത്തര ബൌളറും ലാറക്കു മുന്നില്‍ സ്കൂള്‍ കുട്ടി ആകുന്നതു നമിപ്പോലും കാണുന്നു ...
തീര്‍ച്ചയായും ലോകം കണ്ട മികച്ച ബാറ്റ്സ് മാന്‍ മാരില്‍ ഒരാള്‍ തന്നെയാണ് സച്ചിന് അതാര്‍ക്കും നിഷേധിക്കാന്‍ പറ്റില്ല , നിഷേധിക്കണ്ട കാര്യവും ഇല്ല .. എന്റെ ഒരു സ്വകാര്യം നിങ്ങളോട് പങ്കു വച്ചന്നു മാത്രം ......
Thursday, December 2, 2010
ആര്‍ദ്രമാം സ്നേഹം !!!!!!!!
ഒത്തിരി ഒത്തിരി സ്നേഹിച്ചു പോയി , മുത്തേ ,
ഇനിയെന്നെ മറക്കരുതേ .
കതുമെന്നാത്മാവിന്‍ കനലണച്ചീടുവാന്‍
വരുമോ , സഖീ നീ വരുമോ .......
എത്രനാള്‍ ഞാന്‍ നിന്നെ പൂജിച്ചു നെഞ്ചില്‍
എത്രനാള്‍ നമ്മള്‍ കിനാവുകണ്ടൂ
എന്നിട്ടുമെന്തേ ..............
എന്നിട്ടുമെന്തേ നൊമ്പരങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം
തന്നിട്ടു പോകുന്നു നീ - സഖീ , തന്നിട്ടു പോകുന്നു നീ
മുളംകാട് മൂളുന്നു , കുയിലുകള്‍ പാടുന്നു
എന്നും നമ്മുടെ പ്രണയ ഗാനം
എല്ലാം മറക്കുവാന്‍ .........
എല്ലാം മറക്കുവാന്‍ മനസാകെ മാറ്റുവാന്‍
എന്തു പിഴ ഞാന്‍ ചെയ്തു , നിന്നോടരുതാത്തതെന്തു ഞാന്‍ ചെയ്തു .
ഇനിയെന്നെ മറക്കരുതേ .
കതുമെന്നാത്മാവിന്‍ കനലണച്ചീടുവാന്‍
വരുമോ , സഖീ നീ വരുമോ .......
എത്രനാള്‍ ഞാന്‍ നിന്നെ പൂജിച്ചു നെഞ്ചില്‍
എത്രനാള്‍ നമ്മള്‍ കിനാവുകണ്ടൂ
എന്നിട്ടുമെന്തേ ..............
എന്നിട്ടുമെന്തേ നൊമ്പരങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം
തന്നിട്ടു പോകുന്നു നീ - സഖീ , തന്നിട്ടു പോകുന്നു നീ
മുളംകാട് മൂളുന്നു , കുയിലുകള്‍ പാടുന്നു
എന്നും നമ്മുടെ പ്രണയ ഗാനം
എല്ലാം മറക്കുവാന്‍ .........
എല്ലാം മറക്കുവാന്‍ മനസാകെ മാറ്റുവാന്‍
എന്തു പിഴ ഞാന്‍ ചെയ്തു , നിന്നോടരുതാത്തതെന്തു ഞാന്‍ ചെയ്തു .
Monday, November 1, 2010
Nova Vida !
Um novo dia introduziu
a saudação nos felicidade
Espalhar amor, um coração da mãe
salta com alegria
Como uma flor de sol, seu
Direções variáveis
A felicidade duplica para cima !
Expressar amor, o Meu coração
salta com alegria
Brilhar com milhares tinge imbided -
nele, anda em direção de a
Meu amigo, eu sonhei com impor com ele!
Deixe-nos fazer nossa vida como um
a edição de seleções de poetical
Deixe-nos enviá-lo a ela em poste
como uma nuvem no céu
Deixe-nos ir juntos
Deixe-nos viver com um rosto
como um buquê de flores
Deixe-nos fotografar seu sorriso e
envie-o como cartão comemorativo
Deixa faz nossa posição de nomes
para sempre mesmo depois de séculos
Como a umidade de uma gotas de chuva
na planta sagrada de manjericão
sua uma umidade de felicidade
Nos seus olhos!
Deixe-nos fazer um pudim doce em farinha!
Deixe-nos alimentar os pássaros com pudim de leite!
A guarda-chuva manejando árvore de coco -
Mostra nosso caráter!
Deixe-nos viver toda nossa vida com -
Para sempre Salte!!!
a saudação nos felicidade
Espalhar amor, um coração da mãe
salta com alegria
Como uma flor de sol, seu
Direções variáveis
A felicidade duplica para cima !
Expressar amor, o Meu coração
salta com alegria
Brilhar com milhares tinge imbided -
nele, anda em direção de a
Meu amigo, eu sonhei com impor com ele!
Deixe-nos fazer nossa vida como um
a edição de seleções de poetical
Deixe-nos enviá-lo a ela em poste
como uma nuvem no céu
Deixe-nos ir juntos
Deixe-nos viver com um rosto
como um buquê de flores
Deixe-nos fotografar seu sorriso e
envie-o como cartão comemorativo
Deixa faz nossa posição de nomes
para sempre mesmo depois de séculos
Como a umidade de uma gotas de chuva
na planta sagrada de manjericão
sua uma umidade de felicidade
Nos seus olhos!
Deixe-nos fazer um pudim doce em farinha!
Deixe-nos alimentar os pássaros com pudim de leite!
A guarda-chuva manejando árvore de coco -
Mostra nosso caráter!
Deixe-nos viver toda nossa vida com -
Para sempre Salte!!!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
New Life
A new day has ushered in
greeting us happiness
Spreading love, a mother's heart
is jumping with joy
Like a sun flower , its
Changing directions
Happiness is doubling up !
Expressing love , My heart
is jumping with joy
Shining with thousands colors imbided -
in him , is walking towards her
My friend , I dreamed of enjoining with him !
Let's make our life as an
edition of poetical selections
Let's send it to everyone in post
like a cloud on the sky
Let's go together
Let's live with a face
like a bouquet of flowers
Let's photograph your smile and
send it as greeting card
Lets make our names stand
forever even after centuries
Like the wetness of a rain drops
on the holy basil plant
its a wetness of happiness
in your eyes !
Let's make a sweet pudding in flour !
Let's feed the birds with milk pudding !
The umbrella wielding coconut tree -
is showing our character !
Let's live all our life with -
forever Spring !!!
greeting us happiness
Spreading love, a mother's heart
is jumping with joy
Like a sun flower , its
Changing directions
Happiness is doubling up !
Expressing love , My heart
is jumping with joy
Shining with thousands colors imbided -
in him , is walking towards her
My friend , I dreamed of enjoining with him !
Let's make our life as an
edition of poetical selections
Let's send it to everyone in post
like a cloud on the sky
Let's go together
Let's live with a face
like a bouquet of flowers
Let's photograph your smile and
send it as greeting card
Lets make our names stand
forever even after centuries
Like the wetness of a rain drops
on the holy basil plant
its a wetness of happiness
in your eyes !
Let's make a sweet pudding in flour !
Let's feed the birds with milk pudding !
The umbrella wielding coconut tree -
is showing our character !
Let's live all our life with -
forever Spring !!!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
ബാല്യകാല സ്മരണകള്‍ - 1
ഈ ദേശത്തുനിന്നു വളരെ അകലെ താമസിക്കുന്ന ഞാന്‍ എന്റെ ബാല്യകാല സുഹൃത്ത്‌ ഷെനൂവിനെ വിളിച്ചു കുട്ടിക്കാലത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് സംസാരിച്ചു പഴയ കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ ഒര്തെടിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ ഇടയില്‍ വളരെ വേദനയോടെ ഞാന്‍ ഒരു സത്യം അറിഞ്ഞു . കുട്ടിക്കാലത്ത് കുഞ്ഞു കുഞ്ഞു മാജിക്കുകള്‍ കാട്ടി കുട്ടികളായ ഞങ്ങളെ അത്ഭുടപ്പെടുത്തിയ ഞങ്ങളുടെ സ്വന്തം ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന് ഇന്ന് ഈ ലോകം വിട്ടു പോയി എന്ന് . . വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുന്‍പ് രോഗബാധിതനായി അദ്ദേഹം ഈ ലോകത്തിലെ ദുഖങ്ങളും ദുരിതങ്ങളും ഒക്കെ ഉപേഷിച്ച് ദുഖങ്ങള്‍ ഇല്ലാത്ത ആ പരുദീസയിലക്ക് പോയി എന്ന് .ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന് ആത്മശാന്തിക്കായി ഒരു നിമിഷം പ്രാര്‍ത്ഥിച്ചു എന്റെ ഈ ലക്ഷ്യതിലക്ക് ഞാന്‍ തിരിച്ചെത്തി .
ആ പള്ളിക്കൂടത്തിനെ മുന്‍പിലെ മൈതാനത്തു നില്‍ക്കുന്ന എന്റെ മുന്‍പിലേക്ക് വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുന്‍പ് ഈ മൈതാനത്ത് നടന്ന അസ്സെബ്ലിയുടെ ചിത്രം തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു .... ഇന്ത്യ എന്റെ രാജ്യം ....... എന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന പ്രതിന്ജ ഒരാള്‍ ചെല്ലി തരുന്നതും ബാക്കി കുട്ടികള്‍ ഏറ്റുചൊല്ലുന്നതും , വര്‍ത്തമാന പത്രം ഓരോ ക്ലാസ്സുകാര്‍ നിന്ന് വായിക്കുന്നതും പ്രധാന വാര്‍ത്ത മാത്രം പിന്നെ മൂന്ന് ക്വിസ് ചോദ്യങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം എല്ലാദിവസവും ഓരോ ക്ലാസിലെ ഒരു കുട്ടി വായിച്ചു ഉത്തരം പറഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കുന്നതും ഇതിന്റെ ഇടയ്ക്കു ഞങ്ങളുടെ ഹെഡ് മിസ്ട്രെസ്സ് കൈയില്‍ ഒരുവടിയുമായി നില്‍ക്കുന്നതും ഒരു ചെറിയ മാര്‍ച്ച് പാസ്റ്റും പിന്നെ ജയ്‌ ജയ്‌ ഭാരതം എന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന പാട്ടിനും അതിന്റെ താളതിനുള്ള ദ്രമ്മിന്റെ ഈണതിനെ അനുസ്വരിച്ചു ഓരോ ക്ലാസ്സുകാരും സ്വന്തം ക്ലാസ്സിലക്ക് പോകുന്നതും എന്റെ ഓര്‍മയില്‍ തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു .....
പിന്നീടു എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ വന്നത് നാലില്‍ പഠിക്കുന്ന സമയത്ത് ഞാനും ജെസ്റിനും പിന്നെ മനീഷ് പൊന്നപ്പനും കൂടി രാവിലെ സ്കോളര്‍ഷിപ്പിന്റെ ടുഷന്‍ പഠിക്കാന്‍ പോകുന്നതാണ് . വളരെ താമസിച്ചു ഞങ്ങള്‍ അക്കാലത്തു ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ വരുന്നതോര്‍ത്ത്‌ അറിയാതെ എന്റെ ഉള്ളില്‍ ചിരി വന്നു .കാരണം ഞങ്ങള്‍ വരുമ്പോള്‍ ടീച്ചര്‍ ചോയം ചോദിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞിരിക്കും . ഉത്തരം പറയാതെ അടികിട്ടി നില്‍ക്കുന്ന കൂട്ട്കാരുടെ ഇടയിലൂടെ ഞങ്ങള്‍ ഞങ്ങളുടെ സ്ഥാനത്ത്‌ പോയി രക്ഷപെട്ടിരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും . എന്റെ ഈ കൂട്ടുകാരന്‍ ജെസ്ടിന്‍ നാലാം ക്ലാസിനു ശേഷം പിന്നെ ക്രിസ്തു ജ്യോതിയിലക്ക് പോയി . ഞങ്ങള്‍ തമ്മിലുള്ള സൌഹൃതം പിന്നെ ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത് പ്രീ ഡിഗ്രി എസ് ബി കോളേജില്‍ പഠിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ആണ് . പിന്നെ വര്‍ക്ക്‌ എക്സ് പീരി യന്സിനു തയാരെടുക്കാന്‍ ചെയ്തതും ക്ലാസ്സു കട്ട്‌ ചെയ്തു നടന്നതും ഇടക്ക് പള്ളിക്കൂടത്തില്‍ നടക്കുന്ന ഫിലിം ഷോ യും ഒരിക്കല്‍ നടത്തിയ മാജിക് ഷോ യും എല്ലാം എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു ..
ഈ രാത്രിയില്‍ ഈ വീട്ടില്‍ ഒറ്റക്കിരുന്നു പഴയ കാലം തപ്പിയെടിക്കുന്ന എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ വീണ്ടും ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന്റെ ആ നിഷ്കളങ്ക രൂപം കടന്നെത്തി ഹിപ്പി മുടിയും വട്ട മുഖവും ഒരു നിഷ്കളങ്ക ചിരിയുമായി കുട്ടികളുടെ അടുത്തേക്ക് വരുന്ന ആ ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന് ...... ആ ചിന്ത മനസിനെ ഉലച്ചപ്പോള്‍ ഈ ദിവസത്തെ എന്റെ ഈ ഒരു ശ്രമം നിര്‍ത്താന്‍ ഞാന്‍ തീരുമാനിച്ചു . കിടക്ക വിരിച്ചു കിടക്കാന്‍ ഒരുങ്ങിയ ഞാന്‍ ഒരിക്കല്‍ കൂടി ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന്റെ ആത്മശാന്തിക്കായി ഒരു നിമിഷം പ്രാര്‍ഥിച്ചു ..
ആ പള്ളിക്കൂടത്തിനെ മുന്‍പിലെ മൈതാനത്തു നില്‍ക്കുന്ന എന്റെ മുന്‍പിലേക്ക് വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുന്‍പ് ഈ മൈതാനത്ത് നടന്ന അസ്സെബ്ലിയുടെ ചിത്രം തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു .... ഇന്ത്യ എന്റെ രാജ്യം ....... എന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന പ്രതിന്ജ ഒരാള്‍ ചെല്ലി തരുന്നതും ബാക്കി കുട്ടികള്‍ ഏറ്റുചൊല്ലുന്നതും , വര്‍ത്തമാന പത്രം ഓരോ ക്ലാസ്സുകാര്‍ നിന്ന് വായിക്കുന്നതും പ്രധാന വാര്‍ത്ത മാത്രം പിന്നെ മൂന്ന് ക്വിസ് ചോദ്യങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം എല്ലാദിവസവും ഓരോ ക്ലാസിലെ ഒരു കുട്ടി വായിച്ചു ഉത്തരം പറഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കുന്നതും ഇതിന്റെ ഇടയ്ക്കു ഞങ്ങളുടെ ഹെഡ് മിസ്ട്രെസ്സ് കൈയില്‍ ഒരുവടിയുമായി നില്‍ക്കുന്നതും ഒരു ചെറിയ മാര്‍ച്ച് പാസ്റ്റും പിന്നെ ജയ്‌ ജയ്‌ ഭാരതം എന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന പാട്ടിനും അതിന്റെ താളതിനുള്ള ദ്രമ്മിന്റെ ഈണതിനെ അനുസ്വരിച്ചു ഓരോ ക്ലാസ്സുകാരും സ്വന്തം ക്ലാസ്സിലക്ക് പോകുന്നതും എന്റെ ഓര്‍മയില്‍ തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു .....
പിന്നീടു എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ വന്നത് നാലില്‍ പഠിക്കുന്ന സമയത്ത് ഞാനും ജെസ്റിനും പിന്നെ മനീഷ് പൊന്നപ്പനും കൂടി രാവിലെ സ്കോളര്‍ഷിപ്പിന്റെ ടുഷന്‍ പഠിക്കാന്‍ പോകുന്നതാണ് . വളരെ താമസിച്ചു ഞങ്ങള്‍ അക്കാലത്തു ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ വരുന്നതോര്‍ത്ത്‌ അറിയാതെ എന്റെ ഉള്ളില്‍ ചിരി വന്നു .കാരണം ഞങ്ങള്‍ വരുമ്പോള്‍ ടീച്ചര്‍ ചോയം ചോദിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞിരിക്കും . ഉത്തരം പറയാതെ അടികിട്ടി നില്‍ക്കുന്ന കൂട്ട്കാരുടെ ഇടയിലൂടെ ഞങ്ങള്‍ ഞങ്ങളുടെ സ്ഥാനത്ത്‌ പോയി രക്ഷപെട്ടിരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും . എന്റെ ഈ കൂട്ടുകാരന്‍ ജെസ്ടിന്‍ നാലാം ക്ലാസിനു ശേഷം പിന്നെ ക്രിസ്തു ജ്യോതിയിലക്ക് പോയി . ഞങ്ങള്‍ തമ്മിലുള്ള സൌഹൃതം പിന്നെ ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത് പ്രീ ഡിഗ്രി എസ് ബി കോളേജില്‍ പഠിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ആണ് . പിന്നെ വര്‍ക്ക്‌ എക്സ് പീരി യന്സിനു തയാരെടുക്കാന്‍ ചെയ്തതും ക്ലാസ്സു കട്ട്‌ ചെയ്തു നടന്നതും ഇടക്ക് പള്ളിക്കൂടത്തില്‍ നടക്കുന്ന ഫിലിം ഷോ യും ഒരിക്കല്‍ നടത്തിയ മാജിക് ഷോ യും എല്ലാം എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു ..
ഈ രാത്രിയില്‍ ഈ വീട്ടില്‍ ഒറ്റക്കിരുന്നു പഴയ കാലം തപ്പിയെടിക്കുന്ന എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ വീണ്ടും ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന്റെ ആ നിഷ്കളങ്ക രൂപം കടന്നെത്തി ഹിപ്പി മുടിയും വട്ട മുഖവും ഒരു നിഷ്കളങ്ക ചിരിയുമായി കുട്ടികളുടെ അടുത്തേക്ക് വരുന്ന ആ ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന് ...... ആ ചിന്ത മനസിനെ ഉലച്ചപ്പോള്‍ ഈ ദിവസത്തെ എന്റെ ഈ ഒരു ശ്രമം നിര്‍ത്താന്‍ ഞാന്‍ തീരുമാനിച്ചു . കിടക്ക വിരിച്ചു കിടക്കാന്‍ ഒരുങ്ങിയ ഞാന്‍ ഒരിക്കല്‍ കൂടി ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടന്റെ ആത്മശാന്തിക്കായി ഒരു നിമിഷം പ്രാര്‍ഥിച്ചു ..
Thursday, October 7, 2010
ബാല്യകാല സ്മരണകള്‍
കാലമാകുന്ന മഹാ പ്രവാഹത്തിന്റെ കുത്തൊഴുക്കില്‍ അറ്റുപോയ വേരുകളും കടപുഴകിയ വന്‍ വൃക്ഷങ്ങളും തേടിയുള്ള എന്റെ യാത്ര .......... എവിടെ തുടങ്ങണം എന്ത് എഴുതണം എന്ന് ചിന്തിച്ചു നടന്ന ഞാന്‍ അവിചാരിതമായി പതിനഞ്ചു സംവത്സരങ്ങള്‍ക്കു ശേഷം എന്റെ ബാല്യ കാല വിദ്യാഭാസം നടത്തിയ പള്ളിക്കൂടം കാണാനിടയായി അതെ " മേരി മാതാ എല്‍ . പി സ്കൂള്‍ പുന്നക്കുന്നം " ..... വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുമ്പ് ഞാന്‍ ഓടിക്കളിച്ച ആ പള്ളിക്കുട മുറ്റത്തുകൂടി ഞാന്‍ നടന്നു ... എന്നിലേക്ക്‌ അറിവിന്റെ വെളിച്ചം ആദ്യമായി പകര്‍ന്നു തന്ന എന്റെ പൂര്‍വ വിദ്യാലയം ........
ഒരു അപരിചിതനെ പോലെ അതിന്റെ ഓരോ മുക്കും മൂലയും ഞാന്‍ നടന്നു തീര്‍ത്തു .. എന്റെ ബാല്യകാലത്തെ ആ പള്ളിക്കൂടത്തിന്റെ മുഖച്ഛായ തന്നെ ഇന്ന് മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു .. പുതിയ കെട്ടിടങ്ങള്‍ , പുതിയ അധ്യാപകര്‍ അങ്ങനെ എല്ലാം .. കുട്ടിക്കാലത്തെ ഓര്‍മ്മകള്‍ എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ ഓടിയെത്തി . 2 കിലോ മീറ്റര്‍ ദൂരനിന്നു പ്രാഥമിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിനായി ആ പള്ളിക്കൂട മുറ്റത്തേക്ക് കരഞ്ഞു കലങ്ങിയ കണ്ണുകളുമായി നടന്നു കയറിയ ഒരു 5 വയസുകാരന്റെ ചിത്രം എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ ഓടിയെത്തി .....
ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോള്‍ എനിക്ക് ഒരുപാട് കൂട്ടുകാരെ അവിടെ ലഭിച്ചു ( ജെസ്റ്റിനും , ഷെനുവും , ഷെഭിനും ദിനലും ഡിജോയും സുമേഷും ദീപുവും പ്രദീപും) അങ്ങനെ എത്ര എത്ര കൂട്ടുകാര്‍ .. കാലത്തിന്റെ കുത്തൊഴുക്കില്‍ ജീവിത യാത്രയില്‍ പിരിഞ്ഞുപോയി എങ്കിലും എന്റെ മനസിലെ മങ്ങിത്തുടങ്ങിയ ഓര്‍മകളില്‍ ഒരു ബ്ലാക്ക്‌ ആന്‍ഡ്‌ വൈറ്റ് ചിത്രമെന്നോണം അവരുടെ എല്ലാ മുഖങ്ങളും തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു ...... ആദ്യാക്ഷരം പറഞ്ഞു തന്ന തെരേസ ടീച്ചര്‍ മുതല്‍ സലിമ്മ ടീച്ചറും ഹീട്മിസ്ട്രസും ജെസ് മേരി ടീച്ചറും എല്‍ സിറ്റ് ടീച്ചറും അമ്മിണി ടീച്ചറും മേരിക്കുട്ടി ടീച്ചറും എല്ലാം എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ ഓടിയെത്തി .. കുട്ടികളായ ഞങ്ങളെ കൊച്ചു കൊച്ചു മാജിക്കുകള്‍ കാട്ടി രസിപ്പിച്ച ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടനും പിന്നെ റവ ഫാദര്‍ ജോസഫ്‌ മുരിഞ്ഞയിലച്ചനും അങ്ങനെ എത്ര എത്ര മുഖങ്ങള്‍ എന്റെ മനസിന്റെ കോണില്‍ എവിടേയോ ഒളിച്ചു കിടന്ന ആ ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ എന്റെ മനസിലേക്ക് ഓടിയെത്തി ...
ഒരു അപരിചിതനെ പോലെ അതിന്റെ ഓരോ മുക്കും മൂലയും ഞാന്‍ നടന്നു തീര്‍ത്തു .. എന്റെ ബാല്യകാലത്തെ ആ പള്ളിക്കൂടത്തിന്റെ മുഖച്ഛായ തന്നെ ഇന്ന് മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു .. പുതിയ കെട്ടിടങ്ങള്‍ , പുതിയ അധ്യാപകര്‍ അങ്ങനെ എല്ലാം .. കുട്ടിക്കാലത്തെ ഓര്‍മ്മകള്‍ എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ ഓടിയെത്തി . 2 കിലോ മീറ്റര്‍ ദൂരനിന്നു പ്രാഥമിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിനായി ആ പള്ളിക്കൂട മുറ്റത്തേക്ക് കരഞ്ഞു കലങ്ങിയ കണ്ണുകളുമായി നടന്നു കയറിയ ഒരു 5 വയസുകാരന്റെ ചിത്രം എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ ഓടിയെത്തി .....
ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോള്‍ എനിക്ക് ഒരുപാട് കൂട്ടുകാരെ അവിടെ ലഭിച്ചു ( ജെസ്റ്റിനും , ഷെനുവും , ഷെഭിനും ദിനലും ഡിജോയും സുമേഷും ദീപുവും പ്രദീപും) അങ്ങനെ എത്ര എത്ര കൂട്ടുകാര്‍ .. കാലത്തിന്റെ കുത്തൊഴുക്കില്‍ ജീവിത യാത്രയില്‍ പിരിഞ്ഞുപോയി എങ്കിലും എന്റെ മനസിലെ മങ്ങിത്തുടങ്ങിയ ഓര്‍മകളില്‍ ഒരു ബ്ലാക്ക്‌ ആന്‍ഡ്‌ വൈറ്റ് ചിത്രമെന്നോണം അവരുടെ എല്ലാ മുഖങ്ങളും തെളിഞ്ഞു വന്നു ...... ആദ്യാക്ഷരം പറഞ്ഞു തന്ന തെരേസ ടീച്ചര്‍ മുതല്‍ സലിമ്മ ടീച്ചറും ഹീട്മിസ്ട്രസും ജെസ് മേരി ടീച്ചറും എല്‍ സിറ്റ് ടീച്ചറും അമ്മിണി ടീച്ചറും മേരിക്കുട്ടി ടീച്ചറും എല്ലാം എന്റെ മനസ്സില്‍ ഓടിയെത്തി .. കുട്ടികളായ ഞങ്ങളെ കൊച്ചു കൊച്ചു മാജിക്കുകള്‍ കാട്ടി രസിപ്പിച്ച ബേബിച്ചന്‍ ചേട്ടനും പിന്നെ റവ ഫാദര്‍ ജോസഫ്‌ മുരിഞ്ഞയിലച്ചനും അങ്ങനെ എത്ര എത്ര മുഖങ്ങള്‍ എന്റെ മനസിന്റെ കോണില്‍ എവിടേയോ ഒളിച്ചു കിടന്ന ആ ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ എന്റെ മനസിലേക്ക് ഓടിയെത്തി ...
Friday, September 10, 2010
Um Encarceramento
Meu amor, eu tentei com todo meu ser para agarrar
uma forma comparável ao teu próprio,
mas nada parece digno;
Eu sei agora por que Shakespeare não podia comparar o seu amor a um dia do verão.
Seria um crime denunciar a beleza de
tal criatura como ti,
simplesmente desperdiçar
o Deus de precisão tinha colocado em forjar você.
Cada faceta de seu ser...
Se físico ou espiritual... É um ensnarement...
De que não há nenhuma liberação.
Mas eu não desejo liberação. Eu desejo permanecer capturado para sempre.
Com você para toda a eternidade.
Os nossos corações, sempre como um.
An Entrapment
My love, I have tried with all my being
to grasp a form comparable to thine own,
but nothing seems worthy;
I know now why Shakespeare could not
compare his love to a summer’s day.
It would be a crime to denounce the beauty
of such a creature as thee,
to simply cast away the precision
God had placed in forging you.
Each facet of your being
whether it physical or spiritual
is an ensnarement
from which there is no release.
But I do not wish release.
I wish to stay entrapped forever.
With you for all eternity.
Our hearts, always as one.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - 3
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Similar to the Great Pyramid, we are now visiting the burial place of an ancient king. Yet the Mausoleum is different - so different from the Pyramid that it earned its reputation - and a spot within the list - for other reasons. Geographically, it is closer to the Temple of Artemis... And it was the beauty of the tomb rather than its size that fascinated its visitors for years.
Location:
In the city of Bodrum (f.k.a. Halicarnassus) on the Aegean Sea, in south-west Turkey.
History:
When the Persians expanded their ancient kingdom to include Mesopotamia, Northern India, Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor, the king could not control his vast empire without the help of local governors or rulers -- the Satraps. Like many other provinces, the kingdom of Caria in the western part of Asia Minor (Turkey) was so far from the Persian capital that it was practically autonomous. From 377 to 353 BC, king Mausollos of Caria reigned and moved his capital to Halicarnassus. Nothing is exciting about Maussollos life except the construction of his tomb. The project was conceived by his wife and sister Artemisia, and the construction might have started during the king's lifetime. The Mausoleum was completed around 350 BC, three years after Maussollos death, and one year after Artemisia's.
For 16 centuries, the Mausoleum remained in good condition until an earthquake caused some damage to the roof and colonnade. In the early fifteenth century, the Knights of St John of Malta invaded the region and built a massive crusader castle. When they decided to fortify it in 1494, they used the stones of the Mausoleum. By 1522, almost every block of the Mausoleum had been disassembled and used for construction.
Today, the massive castle still stands in Bodrum, and the polished stone and marble blocks of the Mausoleum can be spotted within the walls of the structure. Some of the sculptures survived and are today on display at the British Museum in London. These include fragment of statues and many slabs of the frieze showing the battle between the Greeks and the Amazons. At the site of the Mausoleum itself, only the foundation remains of the once magnificent Wonder.
Description:
The structure was rectangular in plan, with base dimensions of about 40 m (120 ft) by 30 m (100 ft). Overlying the foundation was a stepped podium which sides were decorated with statues. The burial chamber and the sarcophagus of white alabaster decorated with gold were located on the podium and surrounded by Ionic columns. The colonnade supported a pyramid roof which was in turn decorated with statues. A statue of a chariot pulled by four horses adorned the top of the tomb.
The total height of the Mausoleum was 45 m (140 ft). This is broken down into 20 m (60 ft) for the stepped podium, 12 m (38 ft) for the colonnade, 7 m (22 ft) for the pyramid, and 6 m (20 ft) for the chariot statue at the top.
The beauty of the Mausoleum is not only in the structure itself, but in the decorations and statues that adorned the outside at different levels on the podium and the roof. These were tens of life-size as well as under and over life-size free-standing statues of people, lions, horses, and other animals. The statues were carved by four Greek sculptors: Bryaxis, Leochares, Scopas, and Timotheus, each responsible for one side. Because the statues were of people and animals, the Mausoleum holds a special place in histroy as it was not dedicated to the gods of Ancient Greece.
Since the nineteenth century, archeological excavations have been undertaken at the Mausoleum site. These excavations together with detailed descriptions by ancient historians give us a fairly good idea about the shape and appearance of the Mausoleum. A modern reconstruction of the shorter side of the Mausoleum illustrates the lavish nature of the art and architecture of the building... a building for a King whose name is celebrated in all large tombs today -- mausoleums.
The Colossus of Rhodes
From its building to its destruction lies a time span of merely 56 years. Yet the colossus earned a place in the famous list of Wonders. "But even lying on the ground, it is a marvel", said Pliny the Elder. The Colossus of Rhodes was not only a gigantic statue. It was rather a symbol of unity of the people who inhabited that beautiful Mediterranean island -- Rhodes.
Location:
At the entrance of the harbor of the Mediterranean island of Rhodes in Greece.
History:
Throughout most of its history, ancient Greece was comprised of city-states which had limited power beyond their boundary. On the small island of Rhodes were three of these: Ialysos, Kamiros, and Lindos. In 408 BC, the cities united to form one territory, with a unified capital, Rhodes. The city thrived commercially and had strong economic ties with their main ally, Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt. In 305 BC, the Antigonids of Macedonia who were also rivals of the Ptolemies, besieged Rhodes in an attempt to break the Rhodo-Egyptian alliance. They could never penetrate the city. When a peace agreement was reached in 304 BC, the Antagonids lifted the siege, leaving a wealth of military equipment behind. To celebrate their unity, the Rhodians sold the equipment and used the money to erect an enormous statue of their sun god, Helios.
The construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. For years, the statue stood at the harbor entrance, until a strong earthquake hit Rhodes about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at its weakest point -- the knee. The Rhodians received an immediate offer from Ptolemy III Eurgetes of Egypt to cover all restoration costs for the toppled monument. However, an oracle was consulted and forbade the re-erection. Ptolemy's offer was declined.
For almost a millennium, the statue laid broken in ruins. In AD 654, the Arabs invaded Rhodes. They disassembled the remains of the broken Colossus and sold them to a Jew from Syria. It is said that the fragments had to be transported to Syria on the backs of 900 camels.
Description:
Let us first clear a misconception about the appearance of the Colossus. It has long been believed that the Colossus stood in front of the Mandraki harbor, one of many in the city of Rhodes, straddling its entrance. Given the height of the statue and the width of the harbor mouth, this picture is rather impossible than improbable. Moreover, the fallen Colossus would have blocked the harbor entrance. Recent studies suggest that it was erected either on the eastern promontory of the Mandraki harbor, or even further inland. Anyway, it did never straddle the harbor entrance.
The project was commissioned by the Rhodian sculptor Chares of Lindos. To build the statue, his workers cast the outer bronze skin parts. The base was made of white marble, and the feet and ankle of the statue were first fixed. The structure was gradually erected as the bronze form was fortified with an iron and stone framework. To reach the higher parts, an earth ramp was built around the statue and was later removed. When the colossus was finished, it stood about 33 m (110 ft) high. And when it fell, "few people can make their arms meet round the thumb", wrote Pliny.
Although we do not know the true shape and appearance of the Colossus, modern reconstructions with the statue standing upright are more accurate than older drawings. Although it disappeared from existence, the ancient World Wonder inspired modern artists such as French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi best known by his famous work: The Statue of Liberty.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one had a practical use in addition to its architectural elegance: The Lighthouse of Alexandria. For sailors, it ensured a safe return to the Great Harbor. For architects, it meant even more: it was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most... The mirror's reflection could be seen more than 50 km (35 miles) off-shore.
Location:
On the ancient island of Pharos, now a promontory within the city of Alexandria in Egypt.
History:
Shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, his commander Ptolemy Soter assumed power in Egypt. He had witnessed the founding of Alexandria, and established his capital there. Off of the city's coast lies a small island: Pharos. Its name, legend says, is a variation of Pharaoh's Island. The island was connected to the mainland by means of a dike - the Heptastadion - which gave the city a double harbor. And because of dangerous sailing conditions and flat coastline in the region, the construction of a lighthouse was necessary.
The project was conceived and initiated by Ptolemy Soter around 290 BC, but was completed after his death, during the reign of his son Ptolemy Philadelphus. Sostratus, a contemporary of Euclid, was the architect, but detailed calculations for the structure and its accessories were carried out at the Alexandria Library/Mouseion. The monument was dedicated to the Savior Gods: Ptolemy Soter (lit. savior) and his wife Berenice. For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse) was used to mark the harbor, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. It was even shown on Roman coins, just as famous monuments are depicted on currency today.
When the Arabs conquered Egypt, they admired Alexandria and its wealth. The Lighthouse continues to be mentioned in their writings and travelers accounts. But the new rulers moved their capital to Cairo since they had no ties to the Mediterranean. When the mirror was brought down mistakenly, they did not restore it back into place. In AD 956, an earthquake shook Alexandria, and caused little damage to the Lighthouse. It was later in 1303 and in 1323 that two stronger earthquakes left a significant impression on the structure. When the famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited Alexandria in 1349, he could not enter the ruinous monument or even climb to its doorway.
The final chapter in the history of the Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when the Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, Qaitbay, decided to fortify Alexandria's defense. He built a medieval fort on the same spot where the Lighthouse once stood, using the fallen stone and marble.
Description:
Of the six vanished Wonders, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was the last to disappear. Therefore we have adequately accurate knowledge of its location and appearance. Ancient accounts such as those by Strabo and Pliny the Elder give us a brief description of the "tower" and the magnificent white marble cover. They tell us how the mysterious mirror could reflect the light tens of kilometers away. Legend says the mirror was also used to detect and burn enemy ships before they could reach the shore.
In 1166, an Arab traveler, Abou-Haggag Al-Andaloussi visited the Lighthouse. He documented a wealth of information and an gave accurate description of the structure which helped modern archeologists reconstruct the monument. It was composed of three stages: The lowest square, 55.9 m (183.4 ft) high with a cylindrical core; the middle octagonal with a side length of 18.30 m (60.0 ft) and a height of 27.45 m (90.1 ft); and the third circular 7.30 m (24.0 ft) high. The total height of the building including the foundation base was about 117 m (384 ft), equivalent to a 40-story modern building. The internal core was used as a shaft to lift the fuel needed for the fire. At the top stage, the mirror reflected sunlight during the day while fire was used during the night. In ancient times, a statue of Poseidon adorned the summit of the building.
Although the Lighthouse of Alexandria did not survive to the present day, it left its influence in various respects. From an architectural standpoint, the monument has been used as a model for many prototypes along the Mediterranean, as far away as Spain. And from a linguistic standpoint, it gave its name -- Pharos -- to all the lighthouses in the world... Just look up the dictionary for the French, Italian, or Spanish word for lighthouse.
THE END
Similar to the Great Pyramid, we are now visiting the burial place of an ancient king. Yet the Mausoleum is different - so different from the Pyramid that it earned its reputation - and a spot within the list - for other reasons. Geographically, it is closer to the Temple of Artemis... And it was the beauty of the tomb rather than its size that fascinated its visitors for years.
Location:
In the city of Bodrum (f.k.a. Halicarnassus) on the Aegean Sea, in south-west Turkey.
History:
When the Persians expanded their ancient kingdom to include Mesopotamia, Northern India, Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor, the king could not control his vast empire without the help of local governors or rulers -- the Satraps. Like many other provinces, the kingdom of Caria in the western part of Asia Minor (Turkey) was so far from the Persian capital that it was practically autonomous. From 377 to 353 BC, king Mausollos of Caria reigned and moved his capital to Halicarnassus. Nothing is exciting about Maussollos life except the construction of his tomb. The project was conceived by his wife and sister Artemisia, and the construction might have started during the king's lifetime. The Mausoleum was completed around 350 BC, three years after Maussollos death, and one year after Artemisia's.
For 16 centuries, the Mausoleum remained in good condition until an earthquake caused some damage to the roof and colonnade. In the early fifteenth century, the Knights of St John of Malta invaded the region and built a massive crusader castle. When they decided to fortify it in 1494, they used the stones of the Mausoleum. By 1522, almost every block of the Mausoleum had been disassembled and used for construction.
Today, the massive castle still stands in Bodrum, and the polished stone and marble blocks of the Mausoleum can be spotted within the walls of the structure. Some of the sculptures survived and are today on display at the British Museum in London. These include fragment of statues and many slabs of the frieze showing the battle between the Greeks and the Amazons. At the site of the Mausoleum itself, only the foundation remains of the once magnificent Wonder.
Description:
The structure was rectangular in plan, with base dimensions of about 40 m (120 ft) by 30 m (100 ft). Overlying the foundation was a stepped podium which sides were decorated with statues. The burial chamber and the sarcophagus of white alabaster decorated with gold were located on the podium and surrounded by Ionic columns. The colonnade supported a pyramid roof which was in turn decorated with statues. A statue of a chariot pulled by four horses adorned the top of the tomb.
The total height of the Mausoleum was 45 m (140 ft). This is broken down into 20 m (60 ft) for the stepped podium, 12 m (38 ft) for the colonnade, 7 m (22 ft) for the pyramid, and 6 m (20 ft) for the chariot statue at the top.
The beauty of the Mausoleum is not only in the structure itself, but in the decorations and statues that adorned the outside at different levels on the podium and the roof. These were tens of life-size as well as under and over life-size free-standing statues of people, lions, horses, and other animals. The statues were carved by four Greek sculptors: Bryaxis, Leochares, Scopas, and Timotheus, each responsible for one side. Because the statues were of people and animals, the Mausoleum holds a special place in histroy as it was not dedicated to the gods of Ancient Greece.
Since the nineteenth century, archeological excavations have been undertaken at the Mausoleum site. These excavations together with detailed descriptions by ancient historians give us a fairly good idea about the shape and appearance of the Mausoleum. A modern reconstruction of the shorter side of the Mausoleum illustrates the lavish nature of the art and architecture of the building... a building for a King whose name is celebrated in all large tombs today -- mausoleums.
The Colossus of Rhodes
From its building to its destruction lies a time span of merely 56 years. Yet the colossus earned a place in the famous list of Wonders. "But even lying on the ground, it is a marvel", said Pliny the Elder. The Colossus of Rhodes was not only a gigantic statue. It was rather a symbol of unity of the people who inhabited that beautiful Mediterranean island -- Rhodes.
Location:
At the entrance of the harbor of the Mediterranean island of Rhodes in Greece.
History:
Throughout most of its history, ancient Greece was comprised of city-states which had limited power beyond their boundary. On the small island of Rhodes were three of these: Ialysos, Kamiros, and Lindos. In 408 BC, the cities united to form one territory, with a unified capital, Rhodes. The city thrived commercially and had strong economic ties with their main ally, Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt. In 305 BC, the Antigonids of Macedonia who were also rivals of the Ptolemies, besieged Rhodes in an attempt to break the Rhodo-Egyptian alliance. They could never penetrate the city. When a peace agreement was reached in 304 BC, the Antagonids lifted the siege, leaving a wealth of military equipment behind. To celebrate their unity, the Rhodians sold the equipment and used the money to erect an enormous statue of their sun god, Helios.
The construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. For years, the statue stood at the harbor entrance, until a strong earthquake hit Rhodes about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at its weakest point -- the knee. The Rhodians received an immediate offer from Ptolemy III Eurgetes of Egypt to cover all restoration costs for the toppled monument. However, an oracle was consulted and forbade the re-erection. Ptolemy's offer was declined.
For almost a millennium, the statue laid broken in ruins. In AD 654, the Arabs invaded Rhodes. They disassembled the remains of the broken Colossus and sold them to a Jew from Syria. It is said that the fragments had to be transported to Syria on the backs of 900 camels.
Description:
Let us first clear a misconception about the appearance of the Colossus. It has long been believed that the Colossus stood in front of the Mandraki harbor, one of many in the city of Rhodes, straddling its entrance. Given the height of the statue and the width of the harbor mouth, this picture is rather impossible than improbable. Moreover, the fallen Colossus would have blocked the harbor entrance. Recent studies suggest that it was erected either on the eastern promontory of the Mandraki harbor, or even further inland. Anyway, it did never straddle the harbor entrance.
The project was commissioned by the Rhodian sculptor Chares of Lindos. To build the statue, his workers cast the outer bronze skin parts. The base was made of white marble, and the feet and ankle of the statue were first fixed. The structure was gradually erected as the bronze form was fortified with an iron and stone framework. To reach the higher parts, an earth ramp was built around the statue and was later removed. When the colossus was finished, it stood about 33 m (110 ft) high. And when it fell, "few people can make their arms meet round the thumb", wrote Pliny.
Although we do not know the true shape and appearance of the Colossus, modern reconstructions with the statue standing upright are more accurate than older drawings. Although it disappeared from existence, the ancient World Wonder inspired modern artists such as French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi best known by his famous work: The Statue of Liberty.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one had a practical use in addition to its architectural elegance: The Lighthouse of Alexandria. For sailors, it ensured a safe return to the Great Harbor. For architects, it meant even more: it was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most... The mirror's reflection could be seen more than 50 km (35 miles) off-shore.
Location:
On the ancient island of Pharos, now a promontory within the city of Alexandria in Egypt.
History:
Shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, his commander Ptolemy Soter assumed power in Egypt. He had witnessed the founding of Alexandria, and established his capital there. Off of the city's coast lies a small island: Pharos. Its name, legend says, is a variation of Pharaoh's Island. The island was connected to the mainland by means of a dike - the Heptastadion - which gave the city a double harbor. And because of dangerous sailing conditions and flat coastline in the region, the construction of a lighthouse was necessary.
The project was conceived and initiated by Ptolemy Soter around 290 BC, but was completed after his death, during the reign of his son Ptolemy Philadelphus. Sostratus, a contemporary of Euclid, was the architect, but detailed calculations for the structure and its accessories were carried out at the Alexandria Library/Mouseion. The monument was dedicated to the Savior Gods: Ptolemy Soter (lit. savior) and his wife Berenice. For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse) was used to mark the harbor, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. It was even shown on Roman coins, just as famous monuments are depicted on currency today.
When the Arabs conquered Egypt, they admired Alexandria and its wealth. The Lighthouse continues to be mentioned in their writings and travelers accounts. But the new rulers moved their capital to Cairo since they had no ties to the Mediterranean. When the mirror was brought down mistakenly, they did not restore it back into place. In AD 956, an earthquake shook Alexandria, and caused little damage to the Lighthouse. It was later in 1303 and in 1323 that two stronger earthquakes left a significant impression on the structure. When the famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited Alexandria in 1349, he could not enter the ruinous monument or even climb to its doorway.
The final chapter in the history of the Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when the Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, Qaitbay, decided to fortify Alexandria's defense. He built a medieval fort on the same spot where the Lighthouse once stood, using the fallen stone and marble.
Description:
Of the six vanished Wonders, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was the last to disappear. Therefore we have adequately accurate knowledge of its location and appearance. Ancient accounts such as those by Strabo and Pliny the Elder give us a brief description of the "tower" and the magnificent white marble cover. They tell us how the mysterious mirror could reflect the light tens of kilometers away. Legend says the mirror was also used to detect and burn enemy ships before they could reach the shore.
In 1166, an Arab traveler, Abou-Haggag Al-Andaloussi visited the Lighthouse. He documented a wealth of information and an gave accurate description of the structure which helped modern archeologists reconstruct the monument. It was composed of three stages: The lowest square, 55.9 m (183.4 ft) high with a cylindrical core; the middle octagonal with a side length of 18.30 m (60.0 ft) and a height of 27.45 m (90.1 ft); and the third circular 7.30 m (24.0 ft) high. The total height of the building including the foundation base was about 117 m (384 ft), equivalent to a 40-story modern building. The internal core was used as a shaft to lift the fuel needed for the fire. At the top stage, the mirror reflected sunlight during the day while fire was used during the night. In ancient times, a statue of Poseidon adorned the summit of the building.
Although the Lighthouse of Alexandria did not survive to the present day, it left its influence in various respects. From an architectural standpoint, the monument has been used as a model for many prototypes along the Mediterranean, as far away as Spain. And from a linguistic standpoint, it gave its name -- Pharos -- to all the lighthouses in the world... Just look up the dictionary for the French, Italian, or Spanish word for lighthouse.
THE END
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
As Sete Maravilhas do Mundo Antigo 2
2.Os Jardins Dependurados de Babilônia
As frutas e floresce... As cascatas... Os jardins pendurando dos terraços de palácio... Animais exóticos... Isto é o quadro dos Jardins Dependurados de Babilônia nela maioria de mentes das pessoas. Pode estar surpreendendo saber que eles nunca talvez tenha existido exceto em poetas gregos e imaginação de historiadores!
Localização:
No banco oriental do Rio Euphrates, aproximadamente 50 sul de km de Bagdá, Iraque
História:
O reino babilônico prosperou sob a regra do Rei famoso, Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). Não era até o reino de Naboplashar (625-605 BC) da dinastia de Neo-babilônio que a civilização mesopotâmica alcançou sua glória final. O seu filho, Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC) é creditado para construir os Jardins Dependurados lendários. É dito que os Jardins foram construídos por Nebuchadnezzar para agradar a sua esposa ou concubine que "tinha sido trazido à tona em Meios de comunicação e teve uma paixão para arredores de montanha".
Enquanto as contas mais descritivas dos Jardins vêm de historiadores gregos tal como Berossus e Diodorus Siculus, babilônio registra estada silencioso na questão. As tabelas do tempo de Nebuchadnezzar não têm uma única referência aos Jardins Dependurados, embora descrições do seu palácio, a cidade de Babilônia, e as paredes são achados. Mesmo os historiadores que dão descrições detalhadas dos Jardins Dependurados nunca os viram. Historiadores modernos discutem que quando os soldados do Alexander alcançaram a terra fértil de Mesopotâmia e serrote Babilônia, eles foram impressionados. Quando eles mais tarde retornaram a sua terra natal acidentada, eles tiveram histórias contar sobre os jardins surpreendentes e palmeiras em Mesopotâmia.. Sobre o palácio de Nebuchadnezzar. Sobre a Torre de Babel e o ziggurats. E era a imaginação de poetas e historiadores antigos que misturaram todos estes elementos junto produzir um das Maravilhas Mundiais.
Não era até que o vigésimo século que alguns mistérios cercando os Jardins Dependurados foram revelados. Os arqueólogos ainda lutam por reunir suficiente evidência antes de alcançar as conclusões finais sobre a localização dos Jardins, seu sistema de irrigação, e sua aparência verdadeira.
Descrição:
Descrições detalhadas dos Jardins vêm de fontes de Grego clássica, inclusive os escritos de Strabo e Philo de Byzantium. Aqui estejam alguns excertos de suas contas:
"O Jardim é quadrangular, e cada lado é quatro plethra de comprimento. Consiste em abóbadas arqueadas que são localizadas em foundations. cubo-similar variado. A escalada dos terraço-telhados dominantes é feita por uma escadaria. ..”
"O Jardim Dependurado tem plantas cultivadas acima de nível de chão, e as raízes das árvores são embutidas num terraço superior antes que na terra. A massa inteira é apoiada em colunas de pedra... Os córregos de água emergindo de fontes altas flui abaixo canais inclinados... Estas águas irrigam o jardim inteiro saturando as raízes de plantas e manter a área inteira úmido. Por isso a grama é permanentemente verde e as folhas de árvores crescem firmemente anexado a sucursais flexíveis... Isto é uma obra de arte de luxo real e sua característica mais chamativo é que o trabalho de cultivo é suspendido acima das cabeças dos espectadores.
Escavações arqueológicas mais recentes na cidade antiga de Babilônia em Iraque descobriram a fundação do palácio. Outros resultados incluem o Edifício Saltado com paredes grossas e uma irrigação bem perto do palácio do sul. Um grupo de arqueólogos pesquisou a área do palácio do sul e reconstruiu o Edifício Saltado como os Jardins Dependurados. No entanto, o Strabo grego de historiador tinha declarado que os jardins eram situados pelo Rio Euphrates. Então outros discutem que o local é demais longe do Euphrates apoiar a teoria desde que o Edifício Saltado é várias centenas de metros longe. Eles reconstruíram o local do palácio e localizou os Jardins na área esticar do Rio ao Palácio. Nas margens do rio, paredes imensas recentemente descobertos 25 m grosso pode ter sido pisado formar terraços... os uns descreveram em referências gregas.
3.O Templo de Artemis em Epheseus
É simplesmente um templo? Como podia tomar seu lugar entre outras estruturas raras tal como a Pirâmide, os Jardins Dependurados, e o Colosso de Rodes? Para as pessoas que realmente visitaram, a resposta era simples. Era não só um templo... Era a estrutura mais bela na terra... Foi construído em honra da deusa grega de caça e natureza selvagem. Isso era o Templo de Artemis (Diana) em Ephesus.
Localização:
A cidade antiga de Ephesus perto do povoado moderno de Selcuk, aproximadamente 50 sul de km de Izmir (Smyrna) em Turquia.
História:
Embora a fundação do templo data do sétimo século BC, a estrutura que ganhou uma mancha na lista de Maravilhas foi construída ao redor de 550 BC. Referiu a como o grande templo de mármore, ou templo D, foi patrocinado pelo Lydian rei Creso e foi projetado pelo Chersiphron grego de arquiteto. Foi decorado com estátuas de bronze esculpidos pelos artistas mais habilidosos de seu tempo: Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, e Phradmon.
O templo serviu como tanto um mercado como um instituição religioso. Durante anos, o santuário foi visitado por comerciantes, turistas, artesãos, e reis que renderam homenagem à deusa por compartilhar seus lucros com ela. Escavações arqueológicas recentes no local revelaram presentes de peregrinos inclusive estatuetas de Artemis fez de ouro e marfim... brincos, braceletes, e colares... artefatos de até Pérsia e Índia.
Na noite de 21 356 de julho BC, um homem que chamado Herostratus queimou o templo basear numa tentativa para imortalizar o seu nome. Ele fez realmente. Inesperadamente suficiente Alexander o Grande nasceu a mesma noite. O Plutarch romano de historiador mais tarde escreveu que a deusa era "demais ocupado para cuidar do nascimento de Alexander para enviar ajuda a seu templo ameaçado". Sobre as próximas duas décadas, o templo foi restaurado e é rotulado "templo E" por arqueólogos. E quando Alexander o Grande Menor conquistado de Ásia, ele ajudou reconstrói o templo destruído.
Quando St Paul visitou Ephesus pregar cristianismo no primeiro século d.C., ele foi enfrentado pelo culto dos Artemis que não teve nenhuns planos abandonar sua deusa. E quando o templo outra vez foi destruído pelo Goths em 262 de d.C., o Ephesians jurou reconstruir. Pelo quarto século d.C., a maioria de Ephesians tinha convertido a cristianismo e o templo perdeu seu glamour religioso. O capítulo final veio quando em 401 de d.C. o Templo de Artemis foi demolido por St John Chrysostom. Ephesus mais tarde foi desertado, e só na macroeconômica atrasada tem o local foi escavado. O cavar revelou a fundação do templo e a estrada ao local agora pantanoso. As tentativas recentemente foram feitas a reconstruir o templo, mas só alguns re-erigido de colunas.
Descrição:
A fundação do templo era retangular em forma, semelhante a a maioria de templos no tempo. Não como outros santuários, no entanto, o edifício foi feito de mármore, com uma fachada decorada supervisionando um pátio espaçoso. O mármore pisa cercar a plataforma de construção levou ao alto terraço que era aproximadamente 80 m (260 ft) por 130 m (430 ft) em plano. As colunas eram 20 m (60 ft) alto com capitais de Ionic e lados esculpidos de circular. Havia 127 colunas em total, alinhado ortogonalmente sobre a área inteira de plataforma, com exceção de o cella central ou casa da deusa.
O templo abrigou muitas obras de arte, inclusive quatro estátuas antigas de bronze de Amazonas esculpiu pelos artistas mais bons no tempo. Quando St Paul visitou a cidade, o templo foi adornado com pilares dourados e estatuetas de prata, e foi decorado com pinturas. Não há nenhuma evidência que uma estátua da deusa que se foi colocada no centro do santuário, mas não há nenhuma razão não acreditar assim.
As primeiras descrições detalhadas do templo ajudaram arqueólogos a reconstruir o edifício. Muitas reconstruções tal como isso por H.F. von Erlach retratou a fachada com um alpendre de quatro-coluna que nunca existiu. Reconstruções mais exatas podem dar nos uma idéia sobre o leiaute geral do templo. No entanto, sua beleza verdadeira mente nos detalhes arquitetônicos e artísticos que para sempre permanecerão desconhecido.
4.A Estátua de Zeus em Olympia
Isto é a estátua do deus em cujo honra que os jogos Antigos de Olímpico foram segurados. Foi localizado na terra que deu seu muito nome à Olimpíada. No tempo dos jogos, guerras pararam, e atletas vieram de Menor de Ásia, Síria, Egito, e Sicília celebrar a Olimpíada e adorar seu rei de deuses: Zeus.
Localização:
No povoado antigo de Olympia, no litoral oeste de Grécia moderna, aproximadamente 150 oeste de km de Atenas.
História:
O calendário de Grego clássica começa em 776 BC, para os jogos Olímpicos são acreditados ter começado esse ano. O templo magnífico de Zeus foi projetado pelo arquiteto Libon e foi construído ao redor de 450 BC. Sob o poder crescente de Grécia antiga, o templo simples de dórico-Estilo parecido demais banal, e modificações foram necessitados. A solução: Uma estátua majestosa. O Pheidias ateniense de escultor foi designado para a tarefa "sagrada", recordativo das pinturas do Michelangelo na Capela sistina.
Para os anos que seguiram, o templo atraiu visitantes e fieis de no mundo inteiro. Nas segundas reparações de BC de século habilmente foram feitos à estátua de aging. No primeiro século d.C., o Caligula romano de imperador tentou transportar a estátua a Roma. No entanto, a sua tentativa falhou quando o andaime construído pelo trabalhadores do Caligula desmoronou. Depois que os jogos Olímpicos foram proibidos em 391 de d.C. pelo imperador Theodosius eu como práticas Pagãs, o templo de Zeus foi mandado fechado.
Olympia mais adiante foi golpeado por terremotos, desmoronamentos e enchentes, e o templo foram danificados por fogo no quinto século d.C. Antes, a estátua tinha sido transportada por gregos bem sucedidos a um palácio em Constantinople. Aí, sobreviveu até que foi destruído por um fogo severo em 462 de d.C. Hoje nada permanece no local do templo velho exceto pedras e escombros, a fundação dos edifícios, e colunas caídas.
Descrição:
Pheidias começou a trabalhar na estátua ao redor de 440 BC. Os anos antes, ele tinha desenvolvido uma técnica para construir ouro enorme e estátuas de marfim. Isto foi feito erigindo uma armação de madeira em que folhas de metal e marfim foram colocados fornecer a capa exterior. A oficina dos Pheidias em Olympia ainda existe, e é coincidentemente -- ou não pode ser -- idêntico em tamanho e orientação ao templo de Zeus. Aí, ele esculpiu e esculpiu os pedaços diferentes da estátua antes que eles foram montados no templo.
Quando a estátua foi completada, mal serviu no templo. Strabo escreveu: ".. Embora o templo que se é muito grande, o escultor é criticado por não tendo apreciado as proporções corretas. Ele mostrou Zeus assentou, mas com a cabeça quase tocando o teto, de modo que nós tenhamos a impressão que se Zeus movesse levantar-se ele iria unroof o templo".
Strabo era correto, exceto que o escultor é ser elogiado, ser não criticado. É esta impressão de tamanho que fez a estátua tão maravilhoso. É a idéia que o rei de deuses é capaz de unroofing o templo se ele levantou-se que fascinou poetas e historiadores semelhante. A base da estátua era aproximadamente 6,5 m (20 ft) largo e 1,0 metro (3 ft) alto. A altura da estátua que se era 13 m (40 ft), equivalente a um edifício moderno de 4 história.
A estátua era tão alta que visitantes descreveram o trono mais que corpo de Zeus e características. As pernas do trono foram decoradas com esfinges e figuras aladas de Vitória. Deuses gregos e figuras míticas também adornaram a cena: Apollo, Artemis, e as crianças do Niobe. O grego Pausanias escreveu:
Na sua cabeça é uma grinalda esculpido de borrifos de azeitona. Na sua mão direita ele segura uma figura de Vitória fez de marfim e ouro... Na sua mão esquerda, ele segura um cetro incrustado com cada tipo de metal, com uma águia empoleirou-se no cetro. As suas sandálias são feitas de ouro, como é o seu manto. As suas peças de roupa são esculpidas com animais e com lírios. O trono é decorado com ouro, pedras preciosas, ébano, e marfim.
A estátua de vez em quando foi decorada com presentes de reis e governadores o mais notável destes presentes era uma cortina de lã "adornou com Assírio padrões tecidos e Pheonician tingem" que foi dedicado pelo rei IV sírio de Antiochus.
As cópias da estátua foram feitas, inclusive um protótipo grande em Cyrene (Líbia). Nenhum deles, no entanto, sobrevivido a o momento atual. Primeiras reconstruções tal como o por von Erlach agora são acreditados estar bastante impreciso. Para nós, para nós só podemos pergunta-nos sobre a aparência verdadeira da estátua -- o trabalho maior em escultura grega.
As frutas e floresce... As cascatas... Os jardins pendurando dos terraços de palácio... Animais exóticos... Isto é o quadro dos Jardins Dependurados de Babilônia nela maioria de mentes das pessoas. Pode estar surpreendendo saber que eles nunca talvez tenha existido exceto em poetas gregos e imaginação de historiadores!
Localização:
No banco oriental do Rio Euphrates, aproximadamente 50 sul de km de Bagdá, Iraque
História:
O reino babilônico prosperou sob a regra do Rei famoso, Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). Não era até o reino de Naboplashar (625-605 BC) da dinastia de Neo-babilônio que a civilização mesopotâmica alcançou sua glória final. O seu filho, Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC) é creditado para construir os Jardins Dependurados lendários. É dito que os Jardins foram construídos por Nebuchadnezzar para agradar a sua esposa ou concubine que "tinha sido trazido à tona em Meios de comunicação e teve uma paixão para arredores de montanha".
Enquanto as contas mais descritivas dos Jardins vêm de historiadores gregos tal como Berossus e Diodorus Siculus, babilônio registra estada silencioso na questão. As tabelas do tempo de Nebuchadnezzar não têm uma única referência aos Jardins Dependurados, embora descrições do seu palácio, a cidade de Babilônia, e as paredes são achados. Mesmo os historiadores que dão descrições detalhadas dos Jardins Dependurados nunca os viram. Historiadores modernos discutem que quando os soldados do Alexander alcançaram a terra fértil de Mesopotâmia e serrote Babilônia, eles foram impressionados. Quando eles mais tarde retornaram a sua terra natal acidentada, eles tiveram histórias contar sobre os jardins surpreendentes e palmeiras em Mesopotâmia.. Sobre o palácio de Nebuchadnezzar. Sobre a Torre de Babel e o ziggurats. E era a imaginação de poetas e historiadores antigos que misturaram todos estes elementos junto produzir um das Maravilhas Mundiais.
Não era até que o vigésimo século que alguns mistérios cercando os Jardins Dependurados foram revelados. Os arqueólogos ainda lutam por reunir suficiente evidência antes de alcançar as conclusões finais sobre a localização dos Jardins, seu sistema de irrigação, e sua aparência verdadeira.
Descrição:
Descrições detalhadas dos Jardins vêm de fontes de Grego clássica, inclusive os escritos de Strabo e Philo de Byzantium. Aqui estejam alguns excertos de suas contas:
"O Jardim é quadrangular, e cada lado é quatro plethra de comprimento. Consiste em abóbadas arqueadas que são localizadas em foundations. cubo-similar variado. A escalada dos terraço-telhados dominantes é feita por uma escadaria. ..”
"O Jardim Dependurado tem plantas cultivadas acima de nível de chão, e as raízes das árvores são embutidas num terraço superior antes que na terra. A massa inteira é apoiada em colunas de pedra... Os córregos de água emergindo de fontes altas flui abaixo canais inclinados... Estas águas irrigam o jardim inteiro saturando as raízes de plantas e manter a área inteira úmido. Por isso a grama é permanentemente verde e as folhas de árvores crescem firmemente anexado a sucursais flexíveis... Isto é uma obra de arte de luxo real e sua característica mais chamativo é que o trabalho de cultivo é suspendido acima das cabeças dos espectadores.
Escavações arqueológicas mais recentes na cidade antiga de Babilônia em Iraque descobriram a fundação do palácio. Outros resultados incluem o Edifício Saltado com paredes grossas e uma irrigação bem perto do palácio do sul. Um grupo de arqueólogos pesquisou a área do palácio do sul e reconstruiu o Edifício Saltado como os Jardins Dependurados. No entanto, o Strabo grego de historiador tinha declarado que os jardins eram situados pelo Rio Euphrates. Então outros discutem que o local é demais longe do Euphrates apoiar a teoria desde que o Edifício Saltado é várias centenas de metros longe. Eles reconstruíram o local do palácio e localizou os Jardins na área esticar do Rio ao Palácio. Nas margens do rio, paredes imensas recentemente descobertos 25 m grosso pode ter sido pisado formar terraços... os uns descreveram em referências gregas.
3.O Templo de Artemis em Epheseus
É simplesmente um templo? Como podia tomar seu lugar entre outras estruturas raras tal como a Pirâmide, os Jardins Dependurados, e o Colosso de Rodes? Para as pessoas que realmente visitaram, a resposta era simples. Era não só um templo... Era a estrutura mais bela na terra... Foi construído em honra da deusa grega de caça e natureza selvagem. Isso era o Templo de Artemis (Diana) em Ephesus.
Localização:
A cidade antiga de Ephesus perto do povoado moderno de Selcuk, aproximadamente 50 sul de km de Izmir (Smyrna) em Turquia.
História:
Embora a fundação do templo data do sétimo século BC, a estrutura que ganhou uma mancha na lista de Maravilhas foi construída ao redor de 550 BC. Referiu a como o grande templo de mármore, ou templo D, foi patrocinado pelo Lydian rei Creso e foi projetado pelo Chersiphron grego de arquiteto. Foi decorado com estátuas de bronze esculpidos pelos artistas mais habilidosos de seu tempo: Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, e Phradmon.
O templo serviu como tanto um mercado como um instituição religioso. Durante anos, o santuário foi visitado por comerciantes, turistas, artesãos, e reis que renderam homenagem à deusa por compartilhar seus lucros com ela. Escavações arqueológicas recentes no local revelaram presentes de peregrinos inclusive estatuetas de Artemis fez de ouro e marfim... brincos, braceletes, e colares... artefatos de até Pérsia e Índia.
Na noite de 21 356 de julho BC, um homem que chamado Herostratus queimou o templo basear numa tentativa para imortalizar o seu nome. Ele fez realmente. Inesperadamente suficiente Alexander o Grande nasceu a mesma noite. O Plutarch romano de historiador mais tarde escreveu que a deusa era "demais ocupado para cuidar do nascimento de Alexander para enviar ajuda a seu templo ameaçado". Sobre as próximas duas décadas, o templo foi restaurado e é rotulado "templo E" por arqueólogos. E quando Alexander o Grande Menor conquistado de Ásia, ele ajudou reconstrói o templo destruído.
Quando St Paul visitou Ephesus pregar cristianismo no primeiro século d.C., ele foi enfrentado pelo culto dos Artemis que não teve nenhuns planos abandonar sua deusa. E quando o templo outra vez foi destruído pelo Goths em 262 de d.C., o Ephesians jurou reconstruir. Pelo quarto século d.C., a maioria de Ephesians tinha convertido a cristianismo e o templo perdeu seu glamour religioso. O capítulo final veio quando em 401 de d.C. o Templo de Artemis foi demolido por St John Chrysostom. Ephesus mais tarde foi desertado, e só na macroeconômica atrasada tem o local foi escavado. O cavar revelou a fundação do templo e a estrada ao local agora pantanoso. As tentativas recentemente foram feitas a reconstruir o templo, mas só alguns re-erigido de colunas.
Descrição:
A fundação do templo era retangular em forma, semelhante a a maioria de templos no tempo. Não como outros santuários, no entanto, o edifício foi feito de mármore, com uma fachada decorada supervisionando um pátio espaçoso. O mármore pisa cercar a plataforma de construção levou ao alto terraço que era aproximadamente 80 m (260 ft) por 130 m (430 ft) em plano. As colunas eram 20 m (60 ft) alto com capitais de Ionic e lados esculpidos de circular. Havia 127 colunas em total, alinhado ortogonalmente sobre a área inteira de plataforma, com exceção de o cella central ou casa da deusa.
O templo abrigou muitas obras de arte, inclusive quatro estátuas antigas de bronze de Amazonas esculpiu pelos artistas mais bons no tempo. Quando St Paul visitou a cidade, o templo foi adornado com pilares dourados e estatuetas de prata, e foi decorado com pinturas. Não há nenhuma evidência que uma estátua da deusa que se foi colocada no centro do santuário, mas não há nenhuma razão não acreditar assim.
As primeiras descrições detalhadas do templo ajudaram arqueólogos a reconstruir o edifício. Muitas reconstruções tal como isso por H.F. von Erlach retratou a fachada com um alpendre de quatro-coluna que nunca existiu. Reconstruções mais exatas podem dar nos uma idéia sobre o leiaute geral do templo. No entanto, sua beleza verdadeira mente nos detalhes arquitetônicos e artísticos que para sempre permanecerão desconhecido.
Isto é a estátua do deus em cujo honra que os jogos Antigos de Olímpico foram segurados. Foi localizado na terra que deu seu muito nome à Olimpíada. No tempo dos jogos, guerras pararam, e atletas vieram de Menor de Ásia, Síria, Egito, e Sicília celebrar a Olimpíada e adorar seu rei de deuses: Zeus.
Localização:
No povoado antigo de Olympia, no litoral oeste de Grécia moderna, aproximadamente 150 oeste de km de Atenas.
História:
O calendário de Grego clássica começa em 776 BC, para os jogos Olímpicos são acreditados ter começado esse ano. O templo magnífico de Zeus foi projetado pelo arquiteto Libon e foi construído ao redor de 450 BC. Sob o poder crescente de Grécia antiga, o templo simples de dórico-Estilo parecido demais banal, e modificações foram necessitados. A solução: Uma estátua majestosa. O Pheidias ateniense de escultor foi designado para a tarefa "sagrada", recordativo das pinturas do Michelangelo na Capela sistina.
Para os anos que seguiram, o templo atraiu visitantes e fieis de no mundo inteiro. Nas segundas reparações de BC de século habilmente foram feitos à estátua de aging. No primeiro século d.C., o Caligula romano de imperador tentou transportar a estátua a Roma. No entanto, a sua tentativa falhou quando o andaime construído pelo trabalhadores do Caligula desmoronou. Depois que os jogos Olímpicos foram proibidos em 391 de d.C. pelo imperador Theodosius eu como práticas Pagãs, o templo de Zeus foi mandado fechado.
Olympia mais adiante foi golpeado por terremotos, desmoronamentos e enchentes, e o templo foram danificados por fogo no quinto século d.C. Antes, a estátua tinha sido transportada por gregos bem sucedidos a um palácio em Constantinople. Aí, sobreviveu até que foi destruído por um fogo severo em 462 de d.C. Hoje nada permanece no local do templo velho exceto pedras e escombros, a fundação dos edifícios, e colunas caídas.
Descrição:
Pheidias começou a trabalhar na estátua ao redor de 440 BC. Os anos antes, ele tinha desenvolvido uma técnica para construir ouro enorme e estátuas de marfim. Isto foi feito erigindo uma armação de madeira em que folhas de metal e marfim foram colocados fornecer a capa exterior. A oficina dos Pheidias em Olympia ainda existe, e é coincidentemente -- ou não pode ser -- idêntico em tamanho e orientação ao templo de Zeus. Aí, ele esculpiu e esculpiu os pedaços diferentes da estátua antes que eles foram montados no templo.
Quando a estátua foi completada, mal serviu no templo. Strabo escreveu: ".. Embora o templo que se é muito grande, o escultor é criticado por não tendo apreciado as proporções corretas. Ele mostrou Zeus assentou, mas com a cabeça quase tocando o teto, de modo que nós tenhamos a impressão que se Zeus movesse levantar-se ele iria unroof o templo".
Strabo era correto, exceto que o escultor é ser elogiado, ser não criticado. É esta impressão de tamanho que fez a estátua tão maravilhoso. É a idéia que o rei de deuses é capaz de unroofing o templo se ele levantou-se que fascinou poetas e historiadores semelhante. A base da estátua era aproximadamente 6,5 m (20 ft) largo e 1,0 metro (3 ft) alto. A altura da estátua que se era 13 m (40 ft), equivalente a um edifício moderno de 4 história.
A estátua era tão alta que visitantes descreveram o trono mais que corpo de Zeus e características. As pernas do trono foram decoradas com esfinges e figuras aladas de Vitória. Deuses gregos e figuras míticas também adornaram a cena: Apollo, Artemis, e as crianças do Niobe. O grego Pausanias escreveu:
Na sua cabeça é uma grinalda esculpido de borrifos de azeitona. Na sua mão direita ele segura uma figura de Vitória fez de marfim e ouro... Na sua mão esquerda, ele segura um cetro incrustado com cada tipo de metal, com uma águia empoleirou-se no cetro. As suas sandálias são feitas de ouro, como é o seu manto. As suas peças de roupa são esculpidas com animais e com lírios. O trono é decorado com ouro, pedras preciosas, ébano, e marfim.
A estátua de vez em quando foi decorada com presentes de reis e governadores o mais notável destes presentes era uma cortina de lã "adornou com Assírio padrões tecidos e Pheonician tingem" que foi dedicado pelo rei IV sírio de Antiochus.
As cópias da estátua foram feitas, inclusive um protótipo grande em Cyrene (Líbia). Nenhum deles, no entanto, sobrevivido a o momento atual. Primeiras reconstruções tal como o por von Erlach agora são acreditados estar bastante impreciso. Para nós, para nós só podemos pergunta-nos sobre a aparência verdadeira da estátua -- o trabalho maior em escultura grega.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - 2
2.The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Fruits and flowers... Waterfalls... Gardens hanging from the palace terraces... Exotic animals... This is the picture of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in most people's minds. It may be surprising to know that they might have never existed except in Greek poets and historians imagination!
Location:
On the east bank of the River Euphrates, about 50 km south of Baghdad, Iraq.
History:
The Babylonian kingdom flourished under the rule of the famous King, Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). It was not until the reign of Naboplashar (625-605 BC) of the Neo-Babylonian dynasty that the Mesopotamian civilization reached its ultimate glory. His son, Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC) is credited for building the legendary Hanging Gardens. It is said that the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife or concubine who had been "brought up in Media and had a passion for mountain surroundings".
While the most descriptive accounts of the Gardens come from Greek historians such as Berossus and Diodorus Siculus, Babylonian records stay silent on the matter. Tablets from the time of Nebuchadnezzar do not have a single reference to the Hanging Gardens, although descriptions of his palace, the city of Babylon, and the walls are found. Even the historians who give detailed descriptions of the Hanging Gardens never saw them. Modern historians argue that when Alexander's soldiers reached the fertile land of Mesopotamia and saw Babylon, they were impressed. When they later returned to their rugged homeland, they had stories to tell about the amazing gardens and palm trees at Mesopotamia.. About the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.. About the Tower of Babel and the ziggurats. And it was the imagination of poets and ancient historians that blended all these elements together to produce one of the World Wonders.
It wasn't until the twentieth century that some of the mysteries surrounding the Hanging Gardens were revealed. Archaeologists are still struggling to gather enough evidence before reaching the final conclusions about the location of the Gardens, their irrigation system, and their true appearance.
Description:
Detailed descriptions of the Gardens come from ancient Greek sources, including the writings of Strabo and Philo of Byzantium. Here are some excerpts from their accounts:
"The Garden is quadrangular, and each side is four plethra long. It consists of arched vaults which are located on checkered cube-like foundations.. The ascent of the uppermost terrace-roofs is made by a stairway..."
"The Hanging Garden has plants cultivated above ground level, and the roots of the trees are embedded in an upper terrace rather than in the earth. The whole mass is supported on stone columns... Streams of water emerging from elevated sources flow down sloping channels... These waters irrigate the whole garden saturating the roots of plants and keeping the whole area moist. Hence the grass is permanently green and the leaves of trees grow firmly attached to supple branches... This is a work of art of royal luxury and its most striking feature is that the labor of cultivation is suspended above the heads of the spectators".
More recent archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq uncovered the foundation of the palace. Other findings include the Vaulted Building with thick walls and an irrigation well near the southern palace. A group of archaeologists surveyed the area of the southern palace and reconstructed the Vaulted Building as the Hanging Gardens. However, the Greek historian Strabo had stated that the gardens were situated by the River Euphrates. So others argue that the site is too far from the Euphrates to support the theory since the Vaulted Building is several hundreds of meters away. They reconstructed the site of the palace and located the Gardens in the area stretching from the River to the Palace. On the river banks, recently discovered massive walls 25 m thick may have been stepped to form terraces... the ones described in Greek references.
3.The Temple of Artemis at Epheseus
Is it simply a temple? How could it take its place among other unique structures such as the Pyramid, the Hanging Gardens, and the Colossus of Rhodes? For the people who actually visited it, the answer was simple. It was not just a temple... It was the most beautiful structure on earth... It was built in honor of the Greek goddess of hunting and wild nature. That was the Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus.
Location:
The ancient city of Ephesus near the modern town of Selcuk, about 50 km south of Izmir (Smyrna) in Turkey.
History:
Although the foundation of the temple dates back to the seventh century BC, the structure that earned a spot in the list of Wonders was built around 550 BC. Referred to as the great marble temple, or temple D, it was sponsored by the Lydian king Croesus and was designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron. It was decorated with bronze statues sculpted by the most skilled artists of their time: Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, and Phradmon.
The temple served as both a marketplace and a religious institution. For years, the sanctuary was visited by merchants, tourists, artisans, and kings who paid homage to the goddess by sharing their profits with her. Recent archeological excavations at the site revealed gifts from pilgrims including statuettes of Artemis made of gold and ivory... earrings, bracelets, and necklaces... artifacts from as far as Persia and India.
On the night of 21 July 356 BC, a man named Herostratus burned the temple to ground in an attempt to immortalize his name. He did indeed. Strangely enough, Alexander the Great was born the same night. The Roman historian Plutarch later wrote that the goddess was "too busy taking care of the birth of Alexander to send help to her threatened temple". Over the next two decades, the temple was restored and is labeled "temple E" by archeologists. And when Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor, he helped rebuild the destroyed temple.
When St Paul visited Ephesus to preach Christianity in the first century AD, he was confronted by the Artemis' cult who had no plans to abandon their goddess. And when the temple was again destroyed by the Goths in AD 262, the Ephesians vowed to rebuild. By the fourth century AD, most Ephesians had converted to Christianity and the temple lost its religious glamor. The final chapter came when in AD 401 the Temple of Artemis was torn down by St John Chrysostom. Ephesus was later deserted, and only in the late nineteenth century has the site been excavated. The digging revealed the temple's foundation and the road to the now swampy site. Attempts were recently made to rebuilt the temple, but only a few columns have been re-erected.
Description:
The foundation of the temple was rectangular in form, similar to most temples at the time. Unlike other sanctuaries, however, the building was made of marble, with a decorated façade overlooking a spacious courtyard. Marble steps surrounding the building platform led to the high terrace which was approximately 80 m (260 ft) by 130 m (430 ft) in plan. The columns were 20 m (60 ft) high with Ionic capitals and carved circular sides. There were 127 columns in total, aligned orthogonally over the whole platform area, except for the central cella or house of the goddess.
The temple housed many works of art, including four ancient bronze statues of Amazons sculpted by the finest artists at the time. When St Paul visited the city, the temple was adorned with golden pillars and silver statuettes, and was decorated with paintings. There is no evidence that a statue of the goddess herself was placed at the center of the sanctuary, but there is no reason not to believe so.
The early detailed descriptions of the temple helped archeologists reconstruct the building. Many reconstructions such as that by H.F. von Erlach depicted the façade with a four-column porch which never existed. More accurate reconstructions may give us an idea about the general layout of the temple. However, its true beauty lies in the architectural and artistic details which will forever remain unknown.
4.The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
This is the statue of the god in whose honor the Ancient Olympic games were held. It was located on the land that gave its very name to the Olympics. At the time of the games, wars stopped, and athletes came from Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily to celebrate the Olympics and to worship their king of gods: Zeus.
Location:
At the ancient town of Olympia, on the west coast of modern Greece, about 150 km west of Athens.
History:
The ancient Greek calendar starts in 776 BC, for the Olympic games are believed to have started that year. The magnificent temple of Zeus was designed by the architect Libon and was built around 450 BC. Under the growing power of ancient Greece, the simple Doric-style temple seemed too mundane, and modifications were needed. The solution: A majestic statue. The Athenian sculptor Pheidias was assigned for the "sacred" task, reminiscent of Michelangelo's paintings at the Sistine Chapel.
For the years that followed, the temple attracted visitors and worshippers from all over the world. In the second century BC repairs were skillfully made to the aging statue. In the first century AD, the Roman emperor Caligula attempted to transport the statue to Rome. However, his attempt failed when the scaffolding built by Caligula's workmen collapsed. After the Olympic games were banned in AD 391 by the emperor Theodosius I as Pagan practices, the temple of Zeus was ordered closed.
Olympia was further struck by earthquakes, landslides and floods, and the temple was damaged by fire in the fifth century AD. Earlier, the statue had been transported by wealthy Greeks to a palace in Constantinople. There, it survived until it was destroyed by a severe fire in AD 462. Today nothing remains at the site of the old temple except rocks and debris, the foundation of the buildings, and fallen columns.
Description:
Pheidias began working on the statue around 440 BC. Years earlier, he had developed a technique to build enormous gold and ivory statues. This was done by erecting a wooden frame on which sheets of metal and ivory were placed to provide the outer covering. Pheidias' workshop in Olympia still exists, and is coincidentally -- or may be not -- identical in size and orientation to the temple of Zeus. There, he sculpted and carved the different pieces of the statue before they were assembled in the temple.
When the statue was completed, it barely fitted in the temple. Strabo wrote:
".. although the temple itself is very large, the sculptor is criticized for not having appreciated the correct proportions. He has shown Zeus seated, but with the head almost touching the ceiling, so that we have the impression that if Zeus moved to stand up he would unroof the temple."
Strabo was right, except that the sculptor is to be commended, not criticized. It is this size impression that made the statue so wonderful. It is the idea that the king of gods is capable of unroofing the temple if he stood up that fascinated poets and historians alike. The base of the statue was about 6.5 m (20 ft) wide and 1.0 meter (3 ft) high. The height of the statue itself was 13 m (40 ft), equivalent to a modern 4-story building.
The statue was so high that visitors described the throne more than Zeus body and features. The legs of the throne were decorated with sphinxes and winged figures of Victory. Greek gods and mythical figures also adorned the scene: Apollo, Artemis, and Niobe's children. The Greek Pausanias wrote:
On his head is a sculpted wreath of olive sprays. In his right hand he holds a figure of Victory made from ivory and gold... In his left hand, he holds a sceptre inlaid with every kind of metal, with an eagle perched on the sceptre. His sandals are made of gold, as is his robe. His garments are carved with animals and with lilies. The throne is decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony, and ivory.
The statue was occasionally decorated with gifts from kings and rulers. the most notable of these gifts was a woollen curtain "adorned with Assyrian woven patterns and Pheonician dye" which was dedicated by the Syrian king Antiochus IV.
Copies of the statue were made, including a large prototype at Cyrene (Libya). None of them, however, survived to the present day. Early reconstructions such as the one by von Erlach are now believed to be rather inaccurate. For us, we can only wonder about the true appearance of the statue -- the greatest work in Greek sculpture.
Fruits and flowers... Waterfalls... Gardens hanging from the palace terraces... Exotic animals... This is the picture of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in most people's minds. It may be surprising to know that they might have never existed except in Greek poets and historians imagination!
Location:
On the east bank of the River Euphrates, about 50 km south of Baghdad, Iraq.
History:
The Babylonian kingdom flourished under the rule of the famous King, Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). It was not until the reign of Naboplashar (625-605 BC) of the Neo-Babylonian dynasty that the Mesopotamian civilization reached its ultimate glory. His son, Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC) is credited for building the legendary Hanging Gardens. It is said that the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife or concubine who had been "brought up in Media and had a passion for mountain surroundings".
While the most descriptive accounts of the Gardens come from Greek historians such as Berossus and Diodorus Siculus, Babylonian records stay silent on the matter. Tablets from the time of Nebuchadnezzar do not have a single reference to the Hanging Gardens, although descriptions of his palace, the city of Babylon, and the walls are found. Even the historians who give detailed descriptions of the Hanging Gardens never saw them. Modern historians argue that when Alexander's soldiers reached the fertile land of Mesopotamia and saw Babylon, they were impressed. When they later returned to their rugged homeland, they had stories to tell about the amazing gardens and palm trees at Mesopotamia.. About the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.. About the Tower of Babel and the ziggurats. And it was the imagination of poets and ancient historians that blended all these elements together to produce one of the World Wonders.
It wasn't until the twentieth century that some of the mysteries surrounding the Hanging Gardens were revealed. Archaeologists are still struggling to gather enough evidence before reaching the final conclusions about the location of the Gardens, their irrigation system, and their true appearance.
Description:
Detailed descriptions of the Gardens come from ancient Greek sources, including the writings of Strabo and Philo of Byzantium. Here are some excerpts from their accounts:
"The Garden is quadrangular, and each side is four plethra long. It consists of arched vaults which are located on checkered cube-like foundations.. The ascent of the uppermost terrace-roofs is made by a stairway..."
"The Hanging Garden has plants cultivated above ground level, and the roots of the trees are embedded in an upper terrace rather than in the earth. The whole mass is supported on stone columns... Streams of water emerging from elevated sources flow down sloping channels... These waters irrigate the whole garden saturating the roots of plants and keeping the whole area moist. Hence the grass is permanently green and the leaves of trees grow firmly attached to supple branches... This is a work of art of royal luxury and its most striking feature is that the labor of cultivation is suspended above the heads of the spectators".
More recent archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq uncovered the foundation of the palace. Other findings include the Vaulted Building with thick walls and an irrigation well near the southern palace. A group of archaeologists surveyed the area of the southern palace and reconstructed the Vaulted Building as the Hanging Gardens. However, the Greek historian Strabo had stated that the gardens were situated by the River Euphrates. So others argue that the site is too far from the Euphrates to support the theory since the Vaulted Building is several hundreds of meters away. They reconstructed the site of the palace and located the Gardens in the area stretching from the River to the Palace. On the river banks, recently discovered massive walls 25 m thick may have been stepped to form terraces... the ones described in Greek references.
3.The Temple of Artemis at Epheseus
Is it simply a temple? How could it take its place among other unique structures such as the Pyramid, the Hanging Gardens, and the Colossus of Rhodes? For the people who actually visited it, the answer was simple. It was not just a temple... It was the most beautiful structure on earth... It was built in honor of the Greek goddess of hunting and wild nature. That was the Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus.
Location:
The ancient city of Ephesus near the modern town of Selcuk, about 50 km south of Izmir (Smyrna) in Turkey.
History:
Although the foundation of the temple dates back to the seventh century BC, the structure that earned a spot in the list of Wonders was built around 550 BC. Referred to as the great marble temple, or temple D, it was sponsored by the Lydian king Croesus and was designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron. It was decorated with bronze statues sculpted by the most skilled artists of their time: Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, and Phradmon.
The temple served as both a marketplace and a religious institution. For years, the sanctuary was visited by merchants, tourists, artisans, and kings who paid homage to the goddess by sharing their profits with her. Recent archeological excavations at the site revealed gifts from pilgrims including statuettes of Artemis made of gold and ivory... earrings, bracelets, and necklaces... artifacts from as far as Persia and India.
On the night of 21 July 356 BC, a man named Herostratus burned the temple to ground in an attempt to immortalize his name. He did indeed. Strangely enough, Alexander the Great was born the same night. The Roman historian Plutarch later wrote that the goddess was "too busy taking care of the birth of Alexander to send help to her threatened temple". Over the next two decades, the temple was restored and is labeled "temple E" by archeologists. And when Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor, he helped rebuild the destroyed temple.
When St Paul visited Ephesus to preach Christianity in the first century AD, he was confronted by the Artemis' cult who had no plans to abandon their goddess. And when the temple was again destroyed by the Goths in AD 262, the Ephesians vowed to rebuild. By the fourth century AD, most Ephesians had converted to Christianity and the temple lost its religious glamor. The final chapter came when in AD 401 the Temple of Artemis was torn down by St John Chrysostom. Ephesus was later deserted, and only in the late nineteenth century has the site been excavated. The digging revealed the temple's foundation and the road to the now swampy site. Attempts were recently made to rebuilt the temple, but only a few columns have been re-erected.
Description:
The foundation of the temple was rectangular in form, similar to most temples at the time. Unlike other sanctuaries, however, the building was made of marble, with a decorated façade overlooking a spacious courtyard. Marble steps surrounding the building platform led to the high terrace which was approximately 80 m (260 ft) by 130 m (430 ft) in plan. The columns were 20 m (60 ft) high with Ionic capitals and carved circular sides. There were 127 columns in total, aligned orthogonally over the whole platform area, except for the central cella or house of the goddess.
The temple housed many works of art, including four ancient bronze statues of Amazons sculpted by the finest artists at the time. When St Paul visited the city, the temple was adorned with golden pillars and silver statuettes, and was decorated with paintings. There is no evidence that a statue of the goddess herself was placed at the center of the sanctuary, but there is no reason not to believe so.
The early detailed descriptions of the temple helped archeologists reconstruct the building. Many reconstructions such as that by H.F. von Erlach depicted the façade with a four-column porch which never existed. More accurate reconstructions may give us an idea about the general layout of the temple. However, its true beauty lies in the architectural and artistic details which will forever remain unknown.
4.The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
This is the statue of the god in whose honor the Ancient Olympic games were held. It was located on the land that gave its very name to the Olympics. At the time of the games, wars stopped, and athletes came from Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily to celebrate the Olympics and to worship their king of gods: Zeus.
Location:
At the ancient town of Olympia, on the west coast of modern Greece, about 150 km west of Athens.
History:
The ancient Greek calendar starts in 776 BC, for the Olympic games are believed to have started that year. The magnificent temple of Zeus was designed by the architect Libon and was built around 450 BC. Under the growing power of ancient Greece, the simple Doric-style temple seemed too mundane, and modifications were needed. The solution: A majestic statue. The Athenian sculptor Pheidias was assigned for the "sacred" task, reminiscent of Michelangelo's paintings at the Sistine Chapel.
For the years that followed, the temple attracted visitors and worshippers from all over the world. In the second century BC repairs were skillfully made to the aging statue. In the first century AD, the Roman emperor Caligula attempted to transport the statue to Rome. However, his attempt failed when the scaffolding built by Caligula's workmen collapsed. After the Olympic games were banned in AD 391 by the emperor Theodosius I as Pagan practices, the temple of Zeus was ordered closed.
Olympia was further struck by earthquakes, landslides and floods, and the temple was damaged by fire in the fifth century AD. Earlier, the statue had been transported by wealthy Greeks to a palace in Constantinople. There, it survived until it was destroyed by a severe fire in AD 462. Today nothing remains at the site of the old temple except rocks and debris, the foundation of the buildings, and fallen columns.
Description:
Pheidias began working on the statue around 440 BC. Years earlier, he had developed a technique to build enormous gold and ivory statues. This was done by erecting a wooden frame on which sheets of metal and ivory were placed to provide the outer covering. Pheidias' workshop in Olympia still exists, and is coincidentally -- or may be not -- identical in size and orientation to the temple of Zeus. There, he sculpted and carved the different pieces of the statue before they were assembled in the temple.
When the statue was completed, it barely fitted in the temple. Strabo wrote:
".. although the temple itself is very large, the sculptor is criticized for not having appreciated the correct proportions. He has shown Zeus seated, but with the head almost touching the ceiling, so that we have the impression that if Zeus moved to stand up he would unroof the temple."
Strabo was right, except that the sculptor is to be commended, not criticized. It is this size impression that made the statue so wonderful. It is the idea that the king of gods is capable of unroofing the temple if he stood up that fascinated poets and historians alike. The base of the statue was about 6.5 m (20 ft) wide and 1.0 meter (3 ft) high. The height of the statue itself was 13 m (40 ft), equivalent to a modern 4-story building.
The statue was so high that visitors described the throne more than Zeus body and features. The legs of the throne were decorated with sphinxes and winged figures of Victory. Greek gods and mythical figures also adorned the scene: Apollo, Artemis, and Niobe's children. The Greek Pausanias wrote:
On his head is a sculpted wreath of olive sprays. In his right hand he holds a figure of Victory made from ivory and gold... In his left hand, he holds a sceptre inlaid with every kind of metal, with an eagle perched on the sceptre. His sandals are made of gold, as is his robe. His garments are carved with animals and with lilies. The throne is decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony, and ivory.
The statue was occasionally decorated with gifts from kings and rulers. the most notable of these gifts was a woollen curtain "adorned with Assyrian woven patterns and Pheonician dye" which was dedicated by the Syrian king Antiochus IV.
Copies of the statue were made, including a large prototype at Cyrene (Libya). None of them, however, survived to the present day. Early reconstructions such as the one by von Erlach are now believed to be rather inaccurate. For us, we can only wonder about the true appearance of the statue -- the greatest work in Greek sculpture.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
As Sete Maravilhas do Mundo Antigo
Embora a maioria de pessoas sabem que uma lista existe das Sete Maravilhas Mundiais, só pouco pode nomeá-los. A lista das Sete Maravilhas do Mundo Antigo originalmente foi compilada ao redor do segundo século BC. A primeira referência à idéia é achado em História de Herodotus tão há muito tempo quanto o 5o século BC. As décadas mais tarde, historiadores gregos escreveram sobre os monumentos maiores no tempo. Callimachus de Bibliotecário Principal (305BC-240BC), de Cyrene do Alexandria Mouseion, escreveu "UMA Coleção de Maravilhas ao redor do Mundo". Todos nós sabemos sobre a coleção é seu título, como foi destruído com a Biblioteca de Alexandria.
A lista final das Sete Maravilhas foi compilada durante a Idade Média. A lista constituiu os sete monumentos mais impressionantes do Mundo Antigo, algum de que mal sobreviveu à Idade Média. Outros não coexistiram. Entre as referências mais velhas à lista canônica são as gravuras pelo furgão holandês de Maerten de artista Heemskerck (1498-1574), e a História do Erlach de von de Fischer de Johann de Arquitetura.
Hoje, evidência arqueológica revela alguns mistérios que cercaram a história das Maravilhas para séculos. Para seus construtores, as Sete Maravilhas eram uma celebração de religião, mitologia, arte, poder, e ciência. Para nós, para eles refletem a capacidade de seres humanos mudar a paisagem adjacente por construção estruturas imensas ainda belas, um de que ficou a prova de tempo até hoje.
A lista final das Sete Maravilhas foi compilada durante a Idade Média. A lista constituiu os sete monumentos mais impressionantes do Mundo Antigo, algum de que mal sobreviveu à Idade Média. Outros não coexistiram. Entre as referências mais velhas à lista canônica são as gravuras pelo furgão holandês de Maerten de artista Heemskerck (1498-1574), e a História do Erlach de von de Fischer de Johann de Arquitetura.
Hoje, evidência arqueológica revela alguns mistérios que cercaram a história das Maravilhas para séculos. Para seus construtores, as Sete Maravilhas eram uma celebração de religião, mitologia, arte, poder, e ciência. Para nós, para eles refletem a capacidade de seres humanos mudar a paisagem adjacente por construção estruturas imensas ainda belas, um de que ficou a prova de tempo até hoje.
1. A Grande Pirâmide de Giza.
É o e só Maravilha que não exige uma descrição por primeiros historiadores e poetas. É o e só Maravilha que não necessita especulações acerca de sua aparência, tamanho, e forma. É o mais velho, mas é o único sobreviver das Sete Maravilhas Antigas. É a Grande Pirâmide de Giza.
A localização:
Na cidade de Giza, um necropolis de Memphis antigo, e hoje parte de Cairo Maior, Egito.
História:
O contrário à crença comum, só a Grande Pirâmide de Khufu (Cheops), nem todos três Grandes Pirâmides, está em topo da lista de Maravilhas. O monumento foi construído pelo Khufu egípcio de faraó da Quarta Dinastia ao redor do ano 2560 BC para servir como um túmulo quando ele morre. A tradição de construção de pirâmide começou em Egito Antigo como uma sofisticação da idéia de um mastaba ou "plataforma" cobrindo o túmulo real. Mais tarde, vários mastabas empilhado foi usado. Primeiras pirâmides, tal como a Pirâmide de Passo de Rei Zoser (Djoser) em Saqqara pelo arquiteto egípcio famoso, Imhotep, ilustra esta conexão.
A grande pirâmide é acreditado ter sido construída sobre um 20 período de ano. O local primeiro foi preparado, e blocos de pedra foram transportados e foram colocados. Um invólucro exterior (que desapareceu sobre os anos) então foi usado para alisar a superfície. Embora não é sabido como os blocos foram posto em lugar, várias teorias foram propostos. Uma teoria envolve a construção de uma rampa reta ou espiralada que foi levantada como a construção prosseguiu. Esta rampa, revestido com barro e água, facilitou o deslocamento dos blocos que foram empurrados (ou puxado) em lugar. Uma segunda teoria sugere que os blocos foram colocados usar alavancas longas com um pé em ângulo curto.
Por todo sua história, as pirâmides de Giza estimularam imaginação humana. Eles foram referidos a como "Os Celeiros de Joseph" e "As Montanhas de Faraó". Quando Napoleão invadiu Egito em 1798, o seu orgulho foi expressado pela sua citação famosa: "Soldats! O haute de Du de Pirâmides de ces, 40 contemplent de nous de siècles". (Soldados! Do topo destas Pirâmides, 40 séculos olham-nos)
Hoje, a Grande Pirâmide é anexada, junto com as outras pirâmides e o Esfinge, na região de touristic do Planalto de Giza. Também na área é o museu abrigando o Barco misterioso de Sol, só descoberto em 1954 perto do lado do sul da pirâmide. O barco é acreditado ter sido usado para carregar o corpo de Khufu na sua última jornada na terra antes de ser enterrado dentro da pirâmide. Ele também pode servi-lo como um meios de transporte na sua jornada de vida após a morte de acordo com crenças egípcias Antigas.
Descrição:
Quando foi construído, a Grande pirâmide era 145,75 m (481 ft) alto. Sobre os anos, perdeu 10 m (30 ft) de seu topo. Classificou como a estrutura mais alta na terra para mais de 43 séculos, só ser superado em altura no macroeconômica d.C. Foi coberto com um invólucro de pedras para alisar sua superfície (algum invólucro ainda pode ser visto perto do topo da pirâmide do Khefre). O ângulo inclinado de seus lados é 54 graus 54 minutos. Cada lado cuidadosamente é orientado com um dos pontos cardinais da bússola, isso é, norte, sul, leste, e oeste. A seção horizontal de cruz da pirâmide é quadrada em qualquer nível, com cada lado medindo 229 m (751 ft) em comprimento. O erro máximo entre comprimentos laterais é surpreendente menos que 0,1%.
A localização:
Na cidade de Giza, um necropolis de Memphis antigo, e hoje parte de Cairo Maior, Egito.
História:
O contrário à crença comum, só a Grande Pirâmide de Khufu (Cheops), nem todos três Grandes Pirâmides, está em topo da lista de Maravilhas. O monumento foi construído pelo Khufu egípcio de faraó da Quarta Dinastia ao redor do ano 2560 BC para servir como um túmulo quando ele morre. A tradição de construção de pirâmide começou em Egito Antigo como uma sofisticação da idéia de um mastaba ou "plataforma" cobrindo o túmulo real. Mais tarde, vários mastabas empilhado foi usado. Primeiras pirâmides, tal como a Pirâmide de Passo de Rei Zoser (Djoser) em Saqqara pelo arquiteto egípcio famoso, Imhotep, ilustra esta conexão.
A grande pirâmide é acreditado ter sido construída sobre um 20 período de ano. O local primeiro foi preparado, e blocos de pedra foram transportados e foram colocados. Um invólucro exterior (que desapareceu sobre os anos) então foi usado para alisar a superfície. Embora não é sabido como os blocos foram posto em lugar, várias teorias foram propostos. Uma teoria envolve a construção de uma rampa reta ou espiralada que foi levantada como a construção prosseguiu. Esta rampa, revestido com barro e água, facilitou o deslocamento dos blocos que foram empurrados (ou puxado) em lugar. Uma segunda teoria sugere que os blocos foram colocados usar alavancas longas com um pé em ângulo curto.
Por todo sua história, as pirâmides de Giza estimularam imaginação humana. Eles foram referidos a como "Os Celeiros de Joseph" e "As Montanhas de Faraó". Quando Napoleão invadiu Egito em 1798, o seu orgulho foi expressado pela sua citação famosa: "Soldats! O haute de Du de Pirâmides de ces, 40 contemplent de nous de siècles". (Soldados! Do topo destas Pirâmides, 40 séculos olham-nos)
Hoje, a Grande Pirâmide é anexada, junto com as outras pirâmides e o Esfinge, na região de touristic do Planalto de Giza. Também na área é o museu abrigando o Barco misterioso de Sol, só descoberto em 1954 perto do lado do sul da pirâmide. O barco é acreditado ter sido usado para carregar o corpo de Khufu na sua última jornada na terra antes de ser enterrado dentro da pirâmide. Ele também pode servi-lo como um meios de transporte na sua jornada de vida após a morte de acordo com crenças egípcias Antigas.
Descrição:
Quando foi construído, a Grande pirâmide era 145,75 m (481 ft) alto. Sobre os anos, perdeu 10 m (30 ft) de seu topo. Classificou como a estrutura mais alta na terra para mais de 43 séculos, só ser superado em altura no macroeconômica d.C. Foi coberto com um invólucro de pedras para alisar sua superfície (algum invólucro ainda pode ser visto perto do topo da pirâmide do Khefre). O ângulo inclinado de seus lados é 54 graus 54 minutos. Cada lado cuidadosamente é orientado com um dos pontos cardinais da bússola, isso é, norte, sul, leste, e oeste. A seção horizontal de cruz da pirâmide é quadrada em qualquer nível, com cada lado medindo 229 m (751 ft) em comprimento. O erro máximo entre comprimentos laterais é surpreendente menos que 0,1%.
A estrutura consiste em aproximadamente 2 milhões blocos de pedra, cada um pesando mais de duas toneladas. Foi sugerido que há bastante blocos nas três pirâmides construir um 3 m (10 ft) alto, 0,3 m (1 ft) parede grossa ao redor de França. A área coberta pela Grande pirâmide pode acomodar Peter de St em Roma, as catedrais de Florença e Milão, e Westminster e Paul de St em Londres combinaram.
Novas teorias acerca da origem e propósito das Pirâmides de Giza foram propostos... Observatórios astronômicos... Os lugares de adoração de culto... Estruturas geométricas construídas por uma civilização longo-ido... Teorias mesmo extraterrestre-relacionados foram propostos com evidência pequena em apoio... O oprimir evidência científica e histórica ainda apóia a conclusão isso, como muitas pirâmides menores na região, as Grandes Pirâmides foram construídas pela civilização grande egípcia Antiga do Cisjordânia do Nilo como túmulos para seus Reis magníficos... Os túmulos onde Khufu, Khefre, e Menkaure podia começar sua jornada mística à vida após a morte
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Although most people know that a list exists of the Seven World Wonders, only few can name them. The list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was originally compiled around the second century BC. The first reference to the idea is found in History of Herodotus as long ago as the 5th century BC. Decades later, Greek historians wrote about the greatest monuments at the time. Callimachus of Cyrene (305BC-240BC), Chief Librarian of the Alexandria Mouseion, wrote "A Collection of Wonders around the World". All we know about the collection is its title, for it was destroyed with the Alexandria Library.
The final list of the Seven Wonders was compiled during the Middle Ages. The list comprised the seven most impressive monuments of the Ancient World, some of which barely survived to the Middle Ages. Others did not even co-exist. Among the oldest references to the canonical list are the engravings by the Dutch artist Maerten van Heemskerck (1498-1574), and Johann Fischer von Erlach's History of Architecture.
Today, archaeological evidence reveals some of the mysteries that surrounded the history of the Wonders for centuries. For their builders, the Seven Wonders were a celebration of religion, mythology, art, power, and science. For us, they reflect the ability of humans to change the surrounding landscape by building massive yet beautiful structures, one of which stood the test of time to this very day.
It is the one and only Wonder which does not require a description by early historians and poets. It is the one and only Wonder that does not need speculations concerning its appearance, size, and shape. It is the oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders. It is the Great Pyramid of Giza. .
Location:
At the city of Giza, a necropolis of ancient Memphis, and today part of Greater Cairo, Egypt.
History:
Contrary to the common belief, only the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), not all three Great Pyramids, is on top of the list of Wonders. The monument was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb when he dies. The tradition of pyramid building started in Ancient Egypt as a sophistication of the idea of a mastaba or "platform" covering the royal tomb. Later, several stacked mastabas were used. Early pyramids, such as the Step Pyramid of King Zoser (Djoser) at Saqqara by the famous Egyptian architect, Imhotep, illustrate this connection.
The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20 year period. The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks which were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot.
Throughout their history, the pyramids of Giza have stimulated human imagination. They were referred to as "The Granaries of Joseph" and "The Mountains of Pharaoh". When Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798, his pride was expressed through his famous quote: "Soldats! Du haute de ces Pyramides, 40 siècles nous contemplent". (Soldiers! From the top of these Pyramids, 40 centuries are looking at us)
Today, the Great Pyramid is enclosed, together with the other pyramids and the Sphinx, in the touristic region of the Giza Plateau. Also in the area is the museum housing the mysterious Sun Boat, only discovered in 1954 near the south side of the pyramid. The boat is believed to have been used to carry the body of Khufu in his last journey on earth before being buried inside the pyramid. It may also serve him as a means of transportation in his afterlife journey according to Ancient Egyptian beliefs.
Description:
When it was built, the Great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high. Over the years, it lost 10 m (30 ft) off its top. It ranked as the tallest structure on Earth for more than 43 centuries, only to be surpassed in height in the nineteenth century AD. It was covered with a casing of stones to smooth its surface (some of the casing can still be seen near the top of Khefre's pyramid). The sloping angle of its sides is 54 degrees 54 minutes. Each side is carefully oriented with one of the cardinal points of the compass, that is, north, south, east, and west. The horizontal cross section of the pyramid is square at any level, with each side measuring 229 m (751 ft) in length. The maximum error between side lengths is astonishingly less than 0.1%.
The structure consists of approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing more than two tons. It has been suggested that there are enough blocks in the three pyramids to build a 3 m (10 ft) high, 0.3 m (1 ft) thick wall around France. The area covered by the Great pyramid can accommodate St Peter's in Rome, the cathedrals of Florence and Milan, and Westminster and St Paul's in London combined.
On the north face, is the pyramid's entrance. A number of corridors, galleries, and escape shafts either lead to the King's burial chamber, or were intended to serve other functions. The King's chamber is located at the heart of the pyramid, only accessible through the Great Gallery and an ascending corridor. The King's sarcophagus is made of red granite, as are the interior walls of the King's Chamber. Most impressive is the sharp-edged stone over the doorway which is over 3 m (10 ft) long, 2.4 m (8 feet) high and 1.3 m (4 ft) thick. All of the interior stones fit so well, a card won't fit between them. The sarcophagus is oriented in accordance with the compass directions, and is only about 1 cm smaller in dimensions than the chamber entrance. It might have been introduced as the structure was progressing.
New theories concerning the origin and purpose of the Pyramids of Giza have been proposed... Astronomic observatories... Places of cult worship... Geometric structures constructed by a long-gone civilization... Even extraterrestrial-related theories have been proposed with little evidence in support... The overwhelming scientific and historic evidence still supports the conclusion that, like many smaller pyramids in the region, the Great Pyramids were built by the great Ancient Egyptian civilization off the West bank of the Nile as tombs for their magnificent Kings... Tombs where Khufu, Khefre, and Menkaure could start their mystic journey to the afterlife.
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