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Tag: Ancient History

  • Rick Steves Says This Scenic Region Of France Has A Lovely Climate & Tons Of Vineyards

    France is one of Europe’s most iconic countries. Brimming with an almost overwhelming array of things to see and do, it’s the country of cheese and wine, of effortless elegance, of mouthwatering morning croissants, and sun-drenched beaches. It boasts an almost unrivaled history, as well as some of the most impressive and influential artists and writers in the world. Overall, France is a destination no traveler to Europe should miss out on.

    Choosing where to go in France is a more difficult decision. Many tourists opt for the chic sophistication of Paris or stunning turrets and towers of the must-see castles of the Loire Valley. Bordeaux’s vineyards are world-famous, while the wild natural beauty of the Auvergne and the Cévennes call to some. But it’s hard to look beyond the remarkable region of Provence, thanks to its “splendid recipe of arid climate, oceans of vineyards, stunning scenery, lively cities, and adorable hill-capping villages,” as described by European travel expert Rick Steves.

    Provence is in the southeastern corner of France, bordering Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. Most visitors arrive in Provence at one of its three main cities: Avignon, Marseille, or Nice, all of which have international airports. Other popular spots in Provence include Toulon, Cannes, Aix-en-Provence, and St. Tropez.

    Read more: So-Called ‘Tourist Traps’ That Rick Steves Loves

    Sun-drenched beaches and ancient history

    Aerial view of the Calanque de Vau and the surrounding hiking area in the Calanque de Cassis – Michael Workman/Getty Images

    Provence is one of France’s most famous, beautiful, and varied regions. In the south lies the fabled French Riviera, the Côte d’Azur, that has been immortalized on screen and been one of the foremost vacation destinations for the rich, the famous, and the fabulous for decades. Spots like Cannes, Nice, and St. Tropez are filled with glamorous actors and millionaire yacht parties, but there’s more to Provence’s Mediterranean coastline than that. The stunning Calanques National Park between Marseille and Toulon is a natural wonder, a wrinkled coastline of dramatic limestone cliffs, bays, and coves offset by gorgeous turquoise water. There are medieval churches in Castagniers and Ile Saint-Honorat, remarkable art museums like the Musée Renoir and Fondation Maeght, and extraordinary, picture-perfect beaches everywhere you look.

    While many people come to Provence just to soak up the sun on some of the best beaches in Europe, there’s plenty to explore inland as well. The region is overflowing with history, from antiquity to the recent past, and cultural explorers will find plenty to enjoy. According to Steves, “the area is crammed with ancient history — the Roman ruins here are among the finest. Many scholars claim the best-preserved Roman buildings are not in Italy, but in France.”

    He particularly recommends the city of Nimes, with its magnificent aqueduct and bronze crocodile-palm medallions that line the streets, and the open-air theater in Orange. Steves says that “all of Roman Provence is basically an open-air museum,” but there are a few indoor versions that are worth a look, including the Ancient History Museum in Arles, which helps “fill in the blanks” of the remarkable history of the region.

    Glamorous wineries and stunning purple fields

    Blooming lavender fields and village of Aurel in background in Vaucluse, Provence

    Blooming lavender fields and village of Aurel in background in Vaucluse, Provence – Serbek/Getty Images

    One of the most enduring images of Provence in popular imagination is its rolling hills covered in gnarled vines and soft purple lavender flowers, and exploring the vineyards and lavender farms of the region is one of the best experiences you can have. Start off at the Chateau de Saint Martin, which has been producing wines since 1740. Situated high in the mountains above St. Tropez, it offers views almost as delicious as its vintages.

    After, you might want to explore the boutique delights of Domaine de l’Olivette, a family winery that’s been passed down through generations for over 200 years. Located in one of the best grape-growing areas in Provence, near La Cadière-d’Azur, its Bandol wines are particularly excellent. The vineyard is small, making each bottle something of a prize. If you want something even more picturesque, the Abbaye de Lérins is located on the tiny island of Île Saint-Honorat, attached to an exquisite historic abbey, and makes for a truly exceptional day of wine-tasting and deserted beach-hopping.

    Experience a show-stopping finale at Château La Coste, a winery owned by the same family as the Connaught and Claridge’s luxury London hotels. This 500-acre property combines mouthwatering wines with fine art, as the grounds contain a fabulous sculpture park with work from some of the most renowned artists in the world, including Frank Gehry, Damien Hirst, and Andy Goldsworthy. To experience the glory of Provence’s lavender fields, head to the Luberon and Verdon plateaus to the north of Aix-en-Provence in July, when the countryside is painted in a myriad of shades of purple, lilac, and mauve.

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    Read the original article on Explore.

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  • Giant 200,000-year-old stone hand ax discovered in desert—”Amazing”

    Giant 200,000-year-old stone hand ax discovered in desert—”Amazing”

    Archaeologists have discovered a giant hand ax that is thought to be more than 200,000 years old.

    An international team of research researchers uncovered the prehistoric stone artifact during an archaeological survey conducted in a desert landscape known as the Qurh Plain in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

    “This hand axe is one of the most important finds from our ongoing survey of the Qurh Plain. This amazing stone tool is more than a half a meter [around 20 inches] long and is the largest example of a series of stone tools discovered on the site,” project director Ömer Aksoy, with TEOS Heritage, an archaeological consultancy firm based in Turkey, said in a press release this week.

    “An ongoing search for comparisons from across the world has not come up with a hand axe of equal size. As such, this may well be one of the largest hand axes ever discovered,” Aksoy said.

    The prehistoric hand ax at the location where it was found in the Qurh Plain, northwestern Saudi Arabia. The stone artifact is thought to be more than 200,000 years old.
    The Royal Commission for AlUla

    The Qurh Plain is located to the south of AlUla, an ancient oasis city featuring mud-brick and stone houses, which was founded in the 6th century B.C.

    The area surrounding AlUla is a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in Saudi Arabia, containing important archaeological remains and sites. Aside from the city of AlUla itself, the region is also home to Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra. Video of the discovery can be seen here.

    Hegra is an ancient city spanning around 52 hectares, much of which dates back to the 1st century A.D. The site contains nearly 100 well-preserved tombs with elaborate facades cut into the outcrops of sandstone.

    The city was once the southernmost settlement of the Nabatean Kingdom, whose capital city was Petra—a famous archaeological site in modern-day Jordan that is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    The Nabateans were an ancient people who inhabited northern Arabia and the southern Levant. They traded incense, spices and other goods, amassing significant wealth and influence, with Petra establishing itself as a major regional hub.

    A distinct Nabatean kingdom emerged from the mid-3rd century B.C., of which Petra became the capital. The kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire in the first century B.C. and in A.D. 106, the territory was annexed, losing its independence.

    Despite being renowned for its Nabatean history, the AlUla region also displays evidence of human occupation stretching back much further—around 200,000 years ago, during the middle of the Paleolithic period. Among this evidence is the stone hand ax recently uncovered by archaeologists in the Qurh Plain.

    Researchers examining a stone hand axe
    Researchers examining the stone hand ax. The tool measures around 20 inches in length, 4 inches wide and 2 inches thick.
    The Royal Commission for AlUla

    The stone tool, which measures around 20 inches in length, 4 inches wide and 2 inches thick, is made of fine-grained basalt. The evidence indicates that it had been worked on both sides to produce a robust tool with usable cutting or chopping edges. At this stage, it is not clear exactly what the tool was used for, the researchers said.

    The survey being conducted in the Qurh Plain is still ongoing, and the artifact is one of more than a dozen similar, albeit somewhat smaller, Paleolithic hand axes that have been uncovered.