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The dealer, Subhash Kapoor, is now awaiting trial in India for allegedly looting artifacts worth tens of millions of dollars.

Mr. Kapoor operated a now-defunct gallery on the Upper East Side called Art of the Past. Prosecutors allege that between 1995 and 2012 he illegally imported and sold stolen antiquities from India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere, often using forged documents to pass the items off as legitimate.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit and the Manhattan district attorney’s office have together recovered more than 2,500 artifacts worth more than $100 million from the gallery and storage facilities in and around New York City.

Kenneth J. Kaplan, a lawyer in New York representing Mr. Kapoor, declined to comment Wednesday, but said his client had asserted his innocence both to him and to his counsel in India. Mr. Kapoor has not yet entered a plea in India, according to a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

The item recovered this week is a Chola-period bronze representing a Tamil poet and saint that dates to the 11th or 12th centuries, according to Brenton Easter, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations. The statue, which stands nearly two feet tall and weighs more than 80 pounds, was allegedly looted about a decade ago from a temple in a village in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The theft of the figure was “completely devastating” to the villagers, Mr. Easter said on Wednesday afternoon, as he stood by the open door of the van containing the relic parked on East 91st Street near Park Avenue. The item was smuggled into the U.S. labeled as a handicraft, and then offered for sale at Mr. Kapoor’s gallery on Madison Avenue.

In recent months some institutions that purchased objects from Mr. Kapoor have surrendered the items to Homeland Security Investigations. They include the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts.

In a statement, Honolulu Museum Director Stephan Jost said in April that “clearly the museum could have done better” with its past vetting of objects. Dan L. Monroe, the Peabody Essex Museum director, said in a statement that month that the institution has undertaken “a rigorous internal assessment of its collection and is working in full cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.”

This time around, the stolen object was voluntarily surrendered by an anonymous collector who had been contacted by investigators about the piece. Officials said the buyer was considered a victim because the statue was accompanied by a false provenance, or ownership history, that predated its theft.

“We commend this collector for his conscious decision to return this stolen idol,” said Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York. “We hope that other collectors, institutions and museums will continue to partner with HSI, and to see this surrender as a successful way to move forward when dealing with artifacts that might be of concern.”

The agency has recovered at least six other sacred Chola bronzes that it anticipates repatriating to the Indian government.

In April, the Manhattan district attorney’s office filed papers in New York State Supreme Court seeking the forfeiture of 2,622 items seized from the gallery and storage units in Manhattan, Queens and Long Island. The items were worth $107 million, according to the summons. Among them: a statue from India valued at $15 million, a large bronze statue from Cambodia or Thailand worth $5 million and a large standing Buddha from North India estimated at $7.5 million.

According to the April summons, Mr. Kapoor and his gallery manager, Aaron Freedman, “engaged in a common plan and scheme to illegally obtain and sell stolen items of art and conceal or disguise the nature, source and ownership of the illegally obtained property.”

Mr. Freedman pleaded guilty in December 2013 to five counts of criminal possession of stolen property and one count of conspiracy, according to the summons. Prosecutors said the antiquities were forfeitable from Mr. Kapoor and his gallery as proceeds and/or instrumentalities of crime.

Author: Jennifer Smith | Source: The Wall Street Journal [July 03, 2015]

Today, the construction of the temple is almost over. But the new structure has taken over the place where the rare sculptures were kept. As a result, a broken shiva linga, a moss-covered Somaskanda panel and many more sculptures are scattered around the temple, covered by grass and almost lost. Heritage activists say the committee members of the temple shifted all the sculptures without informing the Archeological Survey of India or the state archaeology department.

"When I first visited the site six years ago, I could see all sculptures in proper form. But today they have been removed from their original place and lie scattered near the newly constructed temple. They are in ruins," said P Rajasekar, a heritage activist, who recently visited the place and photographed the ruined sculptures.

Aravind Venkatraman, who has so far photographed and documented 200 Chola temples, said the site with ancient Pallava sculptures was discovered in the 1990s. "I have seen the photograph of this ancient Pallava site taken in 2008 at the library of the French Institute of Pondicherry. Some other pictures also show the site with all the sculptures intact," he said.

A committee member of the temple said it was while constructing the temple they removed all the structures and housed them inside a shed. But as the work of the temple progressed, the shed was demolished. Apparently, no one was interested in taking care of the sculptures and they were thrown out. "When we asked the committee members said they would place the sculptures permanently inside a hall adjacent to the temple. But they are not sure when they are going to do this. They are not aware of the heritage value associated with the sculptures," said Venkatraman.

The ruined sculptures, according to Rajasekar, are special in many ways. "There is a beautiful panel of Somaskanda, a form of representation of Shiva with his consort Uma and Skanda on his left. In this panel, you can see Uma and Skanda seated on his right. It's a rare site. There are some inscriptions in 'Vatteluthu'. But the people in the village don't know the value of these sculptures," said Rajasekar.

Apparently, no one has informed the ASI or the state archeological department before shifting these heritage structures. "The sculptures are in bad shape. It's high time either the ASI or the state archaeology department took up the issue. Otherwise, we will lose these ancients pieces of art soon," he said.

Author: M. T. Saju | Source: The Times of India [April 30, 2015]

The artifacts, valued by the authorities at $107.6 million, were described in papers filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan as having been looted from India and other places in southern Asia and smuggled into the United States by the dealer, Subhash Kapoor.

In their complaint, prosecutors said Mr. Kapoor, 65, had cached the items in an assortment of hideaways in Manhattan and Queens. They were confiscated during raids that began in 2012 and continued through last year.

The seized items included bronze and stone statues of Hindu deities, many of them ancient masterworks worth several million dollars each.

The authorities said their goal in gaining custody of the items was to set in motion the return of the stolen objects to India and their other countries of origin. Officials also hope to prosecute Mr. Kapoor, an American citizen, in the United States. Currently he is awaiting trial in India on charges of plundering archaeological sites and conspiring with black market traders to send illicit artifacts overseas. American officials are planning to extradite him after his case is settled.

Mr. Kapoor, whose defunct gallery, Art of the Past, sold hundreds of objects to prominent American museums and collectors, has denied any wrongdoing.

“At the present time we are at a distinct disadvantage because Mr. Kapoor is in an Indian jail and all the facts in this matter are known by him,” said Kenneth J. Kaplan, a lawyer for Mr. Kapoor. Manhattan prosecutors declined to comment on the case.

Since an initial raid on Mr. Kapoor’s gallery by Homeland Security Investigations agents in 2012, three of his associates have agreed to criminal penalties in exchange for cooperating with investigators, according to officials and lawyers. The case, which now extends to four continents and is being pursued in conjunction with Indian officials, has been named Operation Hidden Idol.

Mr. Kapoor’s office manager, Aaron M. Freedman, 43, of Princeton, N.J., pleaded guilty in 2013 to six counts of criminal possession of stolen property valued at $35 million and, according to his lawyer, helped officials track down some of Mr. Kapoor’s hidden storage locations.

In addition, Mr. Kapoor’s sister, Sushma Sareen, a 61-year-old Queens resident, pleaded guilty in November to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing justice and was sentenced to conditional release. In 2013, she had been charged with receiving and possessing several million dollars’ worth of ancient bronze statues, which remain missing. She is also cooperating, according to investigators.

Federal authorities have identified 18 American museums as owning a total of 500 items sold or donated by Mr. Kapoor. Several museums have recently turned in objects judged to be illicit, while others have said they are satisfied that their Kapoor items were legally acquired.

Author: Tom Mashberg | Source: The New York Times [April 14, 2015]

When TOI visited the four villages — Rasoolpur, Patsal, Madanpura and Bandroli — where this ancient art is located, it found that almost 70% of the paintings had been destroyed, and only the efforts of a few persevering villagers had enabled the remaining specimens to somehow escape destruction. Dal Chand Dhuliya, an elderly resident of Madanpura, spoke for many villagers when he said, "We know that once these paintings are destroyed, they can't be recovered. We keep an eye on them at present, but for how long will they survive, and how long can we keep protecting them?"

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) amazingly has not done much to protect these paintings. When probed on why the agency has not initiated any action on preserving this heritage, ASI superintending archaeologist Bhuvan Vikrama said, "We will try and save the remaining works of art and are working on a proposal. It will be sent to the headquarters for approval."

Over 70% of the cave paintings have disappeared due to illegal mining.

The remaining paintings, some still shining out in colours of maroon and ochre, show ancient men domesticating cattle as well as engaged in hunting. Some of them depict animals like elephant and bull. The best specimens, though, are at Patsal where there are two sites locally known as Sita ki Rasoi and Nai ki Gufa. Sita ki Rasoi is a natural cave situated at a height of 150 feet where ancient men probably lived. Inside it, there is a depiction of a character that looks like a bison. At Nai ki Gufa, deer and sambar can be seen in the paintings.

M K Pundhir, medieval archaeologist from the Centre of Advance Studies in History, Aligarh Muslim University, testifies to the antiquity of this art. "The paintings are definitely from the Mesolithic period as they depict animals of four legs with smaller size and linear decoration which is how they were portrayed at that time."

Meanwhile, an ASI official said that the caves were first discovered in 1967 in Rasoolpur at one site and later at adjoining places around 1976. When queried as to why they were not preserved by the archaeological body then, the official response was that it should have been done, but the agency's focus was more on the monuments of the area.

Author: Aditya Dev | Source: Times of India [June 08, 2015]

The School of Planning & Architecture located in Bhopal, India was designed by Abin design studio. The project was conceived as a series of pavilions laid out along a central landscaped promenade to give students them the freedom to sit, walk, create and imagine at leisure as well facilitates the inevitable future expansion of the school.

VIA «School of Planning & Architecture [Bhopal, India]»

Lothal's cemetery is no longer accessible due to wild growth on the approach. The cemetery houses two skeletons found during excavations at the site, carried out between 1955 and 1962.

Lothal, which means `The City of Dead' in Gujarati, attracts legions of visitors, particularly students. A museum containing articles belonging to the Harappan era is another major draw. The excavation sites and museum are under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI).

Officials said shortage of funds has lead to a staff crunch, affecting even routine maintenance. The museum gateman has to run to the historical Lothal dock to caution visitors against moving on the precarious structure. Boundary walls of wells are broken. The funds crunch prevents officials from carrying out further excavations.

Tushar Patel, a visitor on Sunday, said he asked the staff for information on the artefacts, but they hardly showed any interest in responding to his queries.

Author: Himanshu Kaushik | Source: The Times of India [June 22, 2015]

Since 2006, the birthplace of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seen vigorous archaeological digs in pursuit of the 10 Buddhist monasteries Tsang described during his visit to Vadnagar some 1,400 years ago, recorded in his journals Hsi-yu Chi (Record of Western Countries). The efforts multiplied following the discovery of a nearly 2,000-yearold Buddhist monastery by Y S Rawat, director of the Gujarat State Archaeology Department — an excavation that was given the push by the then state government. Modi's tweet about the Gujarat connect with Buddhism in September 2014, ahead of Chinese premier Xi Jinping's visit to India, only increased curiosity about Vadnagar. Perhaps this is why, in 2013, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took over from Rawat and started excavations this January. But, it isn't going to be an easy ride.

The Human Angle

Vadnagar has 45 villages, but it is the fortified area that forms Vadnagar town (in a 3.5-km perimeter area) that's the subject of curiosity.

The ASI is currently conducting trial excavations at three sites. One is near the Kirti Toranas — 40-feet high intricately carved towers representing victory over enemy built during the Kumarpal Solanki rule (11-12 century AD) — while the other two are in the Baba no Tekro Locality I and Locality II. These two sites are located on the banks of Sarmishtha lake, a landmark, and is part of the Vadnagar panchayat area. The land here is owned by both, government and as private owners. And, it's these two areas that the ASI believes, have the potential for significant archaeological finds.

Although a team of researchers have found remnants from the Solanki era dating back to 960 AD, they haven't yet discovered any Buddhist monasteries. Trial excavations, typically, entail finding out when the city originated and its expanse in ancient times viz a viz the present town.

In the last two-and-a-half months, says superintending archaeologist Dr Madhulika Samanta, the ASI has found about 150 coins from the 1-3rd century AD. The present fortification was built by Kumarapal Solanki (1143-1174 CE). "The main town of Vadnagar is situated on a high mound, created over a number of buildings that were built and destroyed during earlier periods, and the settlement has not outgrown the medieval fortification," says superintending archaeologist Dr Madhulika Samanta. This has led them to believe that much of Vadnagar's treasures could lie beneath the human habitation — as per the 2011 Census it had 27,700 residents.

This, locals believe, may pose challenges. A local, who is familiar with the excavations, said, "The land under which the Buddhist monastery was found was a vacant government plot surrounded by residential houses. We believe a lot of adjoining area needs to be dug up for further findings, but they are covered by homes. Vacating these houses can be a huge problem and cause unrest among people."

Expanding Horizons

Samanta says that a search for the remaining nine monasteries might have to extend beyond the current periphery of the historic town. "I believe Vadnagar was much bigger and more densely populated during the medieval period than it is now. The existence of 10 monasteries, within the fortified area is not possible as monasteries are mostly built on the periphery. We need to carry out excavations over large areas to be able to locate them."

But, she claims the district magistrate has failed to give permission for further excavations. "We have followed up with the collector since January. I met him on February 13 and have written to him four to five times but there is an inordinate delay. The ASI does not take land. We only excavate, document and return the land. If the land is owned by a private party, we compensate the owner. If it is government property, we do not need to."

Excavations may soon extend to adjoining villages. "We are setting up a tent at another village in a week. Excavation will be extended to the eastern and northern banks of the Sarmishtha lake," she adds.

While excavations are on, security for the discoveries is minimal. At the site where the Buddhist monastery was uncovered — along with a stupa, a courtyard, and several cells where the Buddhist monks are believed to have lived — there is no security, leaving the area vulnerable to vandalism.

For now, the ASI has hired family members of private land owners as labourers or security at the site of the trial excavations — mostly agricultural land. "We pay them for their services and use their land. The more the number of working family members, the more these families earn," she adds.

Sixty-two-year-old Mangaji Thakor, a farmer who has lent part of his land, sees profits in the deal. He said, "I earn about Rs 50,000 per year from agricultural produce. I am being paid Rs 222 per day for guarding excavated land in my field."

While the Thakors are counting the cash, not all Vadnagar residents share the joy. Kamlesh Patel, 37, says he used to run his scrap-dealing business on part of the land where the Buddhist monastery was discovered. Patel, who has now filed a case in the court, says, "I used to earn Rs 2.5 lakh each year from the business and have lost that much money each year since the land was taken. The state's possession of my land has ruined my 20-year-old business."

The Many Names of Vadnagar

The original town was a settlement of Nagars, a well-known Brahmin community of Banias. In the 7th century, Hueng Tsang visited Vadnagar, then known as Anandapura, and described it as a rich and densely populated city, affluent enough to support culture, arts, literature and religious centres of learning for Buddhist monks and Hindu priests. The town is also believed to have once been called Chamatkarpura, after its king was cured of leprosy after bathing in lake Shakti Tirth. Later, it came to be known as Anartapur and its warriors found mention in the Mahabharata. Vadnagar also has a Greek connect, as it is believed that the Nagars are descendants of Alexander's army who stayed back. In 1152 AD, the Solankis thwarted the Malvas attack and Kumarpal Solanki built the fort where the present population lives. After the Solanki period, the town faced attacks from the Delhi Sultanate, Marathas and Gaekwads.

Archaeological Intrigue

The ASI team that is conducting trial excavations at Baba no Tekro Locality I and Locality II in Vadnagar has found coins made of the alloy potin, lead and copper belonging to the Solanki period. They have also found seals that were used on coins of other kingdoms like the Deccan, which the Solankis had annexed. However, what intrigues them is an ash layer under the solid ground in the agricultural fields. "The ashy deposits are a metre deep. A huge area has been discovered entirely covered with ashy deposits one and a half meter below a mud floor and it is obviously built by humans. As lot of antiquities, bones of different animals and iron objects and leads have been discovered from this layer, but none of them are burnt or charred. It is an enigma," Dr Samanta says.

Author: Ojas Mehta | Source: Pune Mirror [May 01, 2015]

But officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) say it is not just the rain that should be blamed. The granite pillars in the bazaar were in a dilapidated condition, with the foundation of the structures weakening over the years due to loosening of soil caused by water stagnation.

Several ‘saalu mantapas’ line either side of the road from the Virupaksha temple to the ‘Edhuru Basava’ which earlier served as space for business.

“The work of resurrecting these mantapas was proposed and the pillars were also numbered. The work was expected to begin shortly, but they collapsed before that. Steps will be taken to restore the mantapas to their original at the earliest,” ASI officials said.

It was only recently that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had raised concerns over irrigation and water-intensive agricultural practices in the area posing a threat to the heritage structures located in agricultural fields.

This is not the first time that the mantapas have faced threat. In December 2013, a couple of pillars at the same bazaar were damaged when a lorry loaded with material for putting up a pandal for the upcoming Hampi Utsav hit a couple of pillars. Earlier, construction of a bridge close to the Hampi monuments had invited the UNESCO’s wrath.

Author: M. Ahiraj | Source: The Hindu [June 18, 2015]

A visit to Thotlakonda on Wednesday revealed that not much has changed during the last decade. The base of the main stupa has been damaged and heaps of damaged ancient bricks and material were seen lying at some places.

The centuries-old rock ‘thotlu’ (cisterns) with steps leading into them, for drawing of rain water, are still serving their purpose of collection of rain water. Tourists arriving by the AP Tourism buses are greeted by the monumental ruins and the sign boards and other amenities damaged by cyclone Hudhud in October last year.

One cannot, however, ignore the laying of roads, landscaping and provision of some basic amenities at Thotlakonda and Bavikonda by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) over a decade ago and works taken up in subsequent years.

The monuments can be protected only when scientific restoration is done to protect the stupas, chaityagrihas and relics discovered at the heritage sites. A proper coordination between the Archaeology and Tourism Departments and VUDA is needed for this purpose.

“The rich cultural heritage of Bhavikonda, Thotlakonda and Pavuralakonda, dating back to the 3rd century BC and the ashes of the Buddha, found in a Mahasthupa at Bavikonda, need to be protected. We cannot afford to lose them. Protecting them will also help tourism development in a big way,” says CII Vizag Chapter former chairman G. Sambasiva Rao.

“Thai tourists are willing to come here but there is no information on the Buddhist heritage sites available on the east coast, the Deputy Consul General (Commercial), Royal Thai (Chennai), Tharadol Thongruang”, said at a recent meeting organised by the CII in the city.

“Estimates have been sent for development of tourist information centres and public amenities at the Buddhist heritage sites at Thotlakonda and Bhavikonda in the city at an estimated cost of Rs.80 lakh and Rs.76 lakh respectively. Tenders will be called once the approval of the government was received,” Tourism General Manager G. Bheemasankara Rao told The Hindu recently.

Author: B. Madhu Gopal | Source: The Hindu [July 18, 2015]

Both the gateways are located on GT Road, close to ASI-protected Tripolia gateways. Nobody was hurt when the structure collapsed on Sunday. One could only see rubble, debris and remains of the monument on Monday, with only some portions left standing. "It's fortunate no one was hurt when the building came tumbling down. We have never seen the authorities showing any interest to preserve this building, even though it dates back to 1710,'' said Vinod Bansal, who owns a shop adjacent to the collapsed gateway.

It is not clear which agency has jurisdiction over the monument. But encroachment is rampant in the area with many heritage structures being damaged by vandals and squatters. "I have been living here for many years. I used to pay rent for running my shop in the building to its owner. We knew the building was going to collapse as we saw small pieces of debris falling and noticed an unusual tilt to the monument early on Sunday. My shop has been closed as the whole building is declared dangerous now,'' said Niranjan Sharma, who had a telecommunications shop right next to the gateway entrance.

According to Intach Heritage listing, the double-height gateway was originally faced with red sandstone. The upper floor was taken over as a residence years ago, which is the only portion still standing.

The surviving gateway to the garden of Maldhar Khan, meanwhile, is also falling to pieces.

Sources said both the gateways were surveyed and identified by the department of archaeology for conservation and protection under the Delhi Archaeology Act. While it is unclear whether the department had identified both gateways for protection or just one,

Experts said the delay in implementing conservation measures had caused more damage to them. Officials from the department of archaeology did not respond to calls made by TOI.

Both structures also figure in the municipal corporation's list of notified heritage buildings. North Corporation commissioner P K Gupta said: "We'll have to look into the reasons of the collapse and determine the building's ownership. Action will be taken accordingly.'' The Maharana Pratap Bagh RWA has also written to the Delhi government over the collapse, accusing them of negligence.

"This historic building was heavily encroached upon. The department of archaeology failed to take action, which led to this,'' said Saurabh Gandhi, RWA president. On Monday, a team from ASI visited the site to assess whether the collapse had any effect on the Tripolia gateways.

While much is not known about the history of the gateways, experts say there were older than the ASI-protected Tripolia gateways. While Tripolia was built in 1728, these two gateways were built in 1710. History has it that they were built by Maldhar Khan, Nazir during the reign of Mohammed Shah Rangila. The two gateways used to lead to a beautiful garden also built by Khan. The garden vanished many years ago, and only can only see a clutter of shops and crowded houses there now. Not much is known about Maldhar Khan but it is assumed he was an influential noble and gifted architect.

Author: Richi Verma | Source: Times of India [July 07, 2015]

Dear All,

The recent snub by the British government to UNESCO's offer to mediate in the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures dispute and the arrogant wording directed at the Greek government's often repeated offer to negotiate the matter by discussion confirmed our position that Britain never had the intention to enter into good faith discussions. As we had said in recent fora,  the only road we saw to possible success was one of legal action, with a direct and dynamic confrontation with Whitehall.

The recent response by Britain dissolved any illusions we had regarding the powers in the UK to be brought to do the right thing,  and to right a historical wrong.  We too had hoped that Britain would succumb to worldwide public opinion to correct an outrage,  the stripping and vandalising of the Parthenon of 60% of its famous millenia-old  Sculptures ,  a crime committed when Greeks were under occupation and unable to defend their archaeological heritage and national symbols of identity.

The latest declaration by the new minister of culture in the UK continues with the hard line of his predeccesors, namely that "The marbles were legally acquired according to the laws of the time. " So Mr Minister were 3 million African slaves, captured,  transported and sold,  "according to the laws of the time." Opium too was purchased and sold, in tons "according to the laws of the time". Those who did not agree to buy your opium had two wars declared on them,  and so China paid with the loss of Hong Kong and a treaty to buy your Indian grown opium.  This, Mr Minister, is NOT that time.  We are disputing your CURRENT possession of symbols of our heritage, removed from Athens and held by you in a totally government financed and controlled museum institution (all the board is appointed directly, or indirectly by the UK government or by the Queen).

This,  though,  is not the issue.

One more British government acting like  an infant  petulantly hugging another child's toy,  saying "It is mine, mine!"  is understandable,  because there is no home-made item that can compare in beauty,  artisanry,  historic or other value to those created  by a superior ancient civilisation.  We may understand the feeling,  and commiserate,  but that does not justify the possession of the looted Greek scultures taken from the Parthenon.  There is no justification for it.  We sympathise with the situation the British Museum is in,  but our sympathy doesn't extend to giving up iconic and defitive items of our heritage,  nor did our illustrious and talented predecessors in Ancient Athens build the Parthenon to have its facade torn off and damaged  by a British ambassador to decorate his Scottish residence. The Parthenon was built by Pericles and the Greek city states to commemorate the victory of Greek civilisation against the very type of barbarity  and lack of respect that Elgin indulged in 2300 years later.

The British position is well known and is in keeping with how official Britain has acted in the last few centuries.  To win in a contest the basic rule MUST be to understand your opponent and create your game strategy around this knowledge.

Anyone who has studied British history and politics will know that Britain NEVER,  but NEVER,  gives anything back unless forced to do so.  India, Cyprus,  as well as dozens of colonies of the Empire,  and other possessions acquired without the consent of the people, often with great bloodshed caused by British troops were only given back by Britain after a bitterly contested conflict,  on the field of battle,  in courts,  or with a series of extended non-violent political actions by those who had lost their heritage,  freedoms,  or historical archaeological treasures.  Britain today in its museums and in the Tower of London still holds numerous purloined and pillaged items as well as those taken by reason of  military superiority from a vanquished foe defending himself on his own soil.  The Kohinoor Diamond in the so called Crown Jewels  taken from a defeated 15 year old prince in India, is but one example. Manifest Destiny demanded it.  We oppose this way of thinking.

This lengthy introduction,  and I will apologise,  was to emphasise my conviction that dialogue for the return of the Parthenon Marbles, after so many valiant and polite efforts by Greece,  and its overseas friends in all walks of life,  is not a viable option,  and only  incurable romantics or people without an understanding of the official British character and its limitations can insist that this dead end is the road to the Restitution in Athens.

The problem is not the obduracy and intransigence of British officialdom.  It is a given, and we have to act  with that in mind.  It is with the very knowledge of the historic failure of Greek diplomacy,  both cultural and political,  and that of our own self-financed voluntary Parthenon organisations, to bring about the return, that it was encouraging when the Greek government,  that for 40 years has not asked Britain officially for the Sculptures return,  not long ago decided to involve an experienced and prestigious British legal firm Doughty Street Chambers led by George Robertson QC,  to represent our interests and to write a report regarding  what options were open for Greece to act.

Overall public awareness of the issue and additional sympathy for the Greek case was given very welcome boosts,  human nature being what it is,  by declarations of public support by celebrities such as George Clooney,  Matt Damon and others,  while a visit to Greece by Mrs Clooney with her senior colleagues at the UK law office created a media frenzy and a heightening of public interest in the Parthenon issue.  The Doughty Chambers law group produced a 140 page confidential report for the Greek government describing,  as leaked to the press,  5 options.  The one considered to have the highest chance of success was,  and this is no surprise to us,  for Greece to go immediately to the  European Court of Human Rights where,  according to the report,  there was  the greatest chance of a Greek legal victory.  The lawyers were specific: it is  now or never,  if the opportunity is  not to be lost with issues such as statutes of limitations in the near future killing Greek chances of recovery of the items through international court decisions.

In Greece,  as we all know there is a new government,  and the report was delivered to them.  With the understanding of the British penchant for intransigence,  fortified by the recent snub to UNESCO, and the history of failed attempts,  the new minister had a detailed road map in his hands,  to move forward,  with of course the support of millions around the world and at home.  Expecting his decision to do this,  using the British law firm and their international expertise and experience in cross border cultural issues we were stunned to hear the announcement of Under Minister Mr Nickos Xidakis,  a former journalist,  who announced,  in more words than these,  that " We will not go against Britain in court... This is a matter to be settled politically and diplomatically...this issue will be settled, bit by bit over, time..."

Looking at what the minister said let us examine the  viability of his declared course of action over that which the British lawyers and we ourselves at IPSACI believe,  and we all want the same thing ,  the return of the Parthenon Sculptures.

A) Mr Xidakis rejects the expert opinion of the British legal experts.  Claiming we may lose in court.  But for 200 years we have lost! We can only win,  or if we lose here, we can initiate a new legal action in another court.

B) Mr Xidakis says the issue can be won diplomatically.  The question is,  after 200 years of failed  diplomatic initiatives, is the government of Mr Xidakis in such a powerful international position to impose a solution using diplomacy? Does he know of Greek diplomats who can force Mr Cameron to sign a new law allowing/directing the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures?

C) Mr Xidakis told the press that the issue should be dealt with "politically" .  This is indeed one way countries settle disputes.  The assumption by lay persons like myself,  on hearing the Minister,  is that Greece at this moment has the political clout to bring the British Museum to its knees and to force Mr Cameron to sign the document of repatriation of the Sculptures to Athens. With all our goodwill towards Mr Xidakis, where does he draw this feeling of current Greek political power and superiority over Britain from?

D) Finally the minister says that this issue is being slowly resolved, "little by little".

But it has already been 200 years from the stripping of the friezes and metopes and Britain has not moved one centimetre in the direction Greece demands!

If the minister does not tell us why he feels his/our  government has the diplomatic and political power to solve the issue,  I very much fear that his position looks like a hot potato shifting of the issue to a future government because of  reluctance to take the bull by the horns,  as recommended by the UK lawyers, and get into court with his British counterpart.(Apologies for the mixed metaphors!)

I have a great fear that we are about to lose the Parthenon Sculptures for ever, and that the work of all our organisations, ministries,  diplomatic missions,  our volunteer supporters, and decades of dedicated work by people such as yourselves around the world, and in Greek and international  organisations are about to be lost down the drain.

I therefore beg those who believe that we must recommend to Minister Xidakis and his staff to listen to the recommendations of people and experts who know the issues well,  and understand the mindset of those walking the halls of Russell Square and Westmister,  to express their concern to the authorities in Greece.

Thank you for your patience in reading this long analysis of where I believe  we are today,  in view of the recent, and disturbing developments.

Best to all,
Alexis Mantheakis
Chairman of the International Parthenon Sculptures Action Committee Inc.
Athens office.
www.ipsaci.com
+(30)22990 47566

And with no solution in sight to brave the fast changing climatic conditions, the government now plans to brainstorm ways to protect the Buddhist heritage site in Tabo, a bowl-shaped valley in Lahaul and Spiti.

Built in 996 AD by a Buddhist king and his two sons, the Tabo monastery is among 36 protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It has nine temples, four decorated stupas and cave shrines, besides a huge collection of manuscripts and 'Pramana' texts.

However, over the recent years, the monastery's mud structure and murals depicting the rich Buddhist culture have been under a threat. Increased rainfall and moisture level have already affected the miniature paintings drawn by masters of the time.

Moreover, repeated restoration by ASI has also caused damage to the mud structure, and the state languages, art and culture department has already raised the issue with it.

Now, the government says it will be deliberating with archeological experts and historians to find ways and act fast.

“We are holding a seminar at Tabo to find ways to protect the monument,” additional chief secretary of the languages, art and culture department, Upma Chaudhary, told HT.

The deliberations are being held jointly with the ASI.

The state department is also concerned about the fast increasing construction in an around the Tabo monastery, situated at a height of 3,050 m above sea level. Over the past few years, haphazard constructions had come up in an around the monastery, and the art and culture department wants the local administration to regulate building activity there.

Earlier, the state government had raised the issue of the monastery's bad condition during a conference of tourism ministers. Himachal had apprised the Union tourism minister that maintenance of the Tabo monastery was being carried out by ASI, but that it was still in a poor shape.

The state sought to inform the Centre that Tabo is emerging as a centre of Buddhist studies, besides being a famous hub of Buddhist tourism and as such the maintenance work at the monastery should not be sloppy.

Author: Gaurav Bisht | Source: Hindustan Times [June 06, 2015]

The renovation work that began on January 26 has been going on in full swing, with the preliminary poojas for performing Kumbhabhisekham (consecration) expected to begin within a couple of weeks, according to the Agama Sastras.

The work is under the close monitoring of HR and CE Minister R Kamaraj, while R Kannan, Culture, Museums, Tourism and Religious Endowments Departments Secretary, experts from Archaeological Survey of India, State Archaeological Department and Museum department are extending advice. All renovation works have been documented from the beginning.

The renovation work is estimated to cost ` five crore, funded by donors. According to sources, the work is done in such a way that it would not require any structural repair for a century.

Talking to City Express, P Kothandaraman, Deputy Commissioner, Parthasarathy temple, said all the 29 holy kalasams had been gold-coated for the first time. This was done in the conventional way instead of modern electroplating process, and used 364 grams of gold for this.

“The electrical network has been replaced. The bulbs have been replaced with important LED bulbs. In accordance with our ancient practice, no electric light would be installed inside Karpa Griha (sanctum sanctorum). Once the consecration of temple is complete, the devotees can have darshan only in the light of ghee lamps,” Kothandaraman said.

Along with the structures, the lily pond (Allikeni), which gave the village its name Tiru Allikeni, has been restored. According to the temple history, the pond is called kairavini pushkarani — filled with red Lily flowers.  It is believed that Goddess Mahalakshmi was born in this tank as Vedavalli.  For the past four or five decades, there have been no lillies in the pond. But soon, red colour lily flowers will fill the pond to suit its name.

Kothandaraman added that unnecessary structures built inside the temple over a period using cement and all the marble structures have been removed. In their place, unpolished granite (karunkal) levelled by hand push hammering would be laid in all parts of the temple, adding to its ancient eighth century look.

As the woodwork inside the gold- plated Ananda vimanam atop the sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity Lord Parthasarathy has been damaged over the years, it has been renovated using new teak wood. Instead of steel nails as is usual, brass nails have been used for the work.

The two temple cars will be covered with unbreakable transparent glasses in their middle portion at a cost of `27 lakh.

The karungal on the compound walls have been applied with an organic mixture called noogra paste imported from Afghanistan and another clay imported from Africa to ensure their safety.

Another mixture called surya kavasam, a mixture of aloe vera, vasambu (sweet flag), kadukkai (terminalia chebula) and a few other herbs will be applied inside of all temple towers in order to protect them from termites and other decay.

The 16-pillar mandapam (Andaal Neeraatta Mandapam) located on the Eastern side of the temple has also been  renovated. The lime coatings given during the past 10 decades have been removed using an organic material called devata.

Dream Darshan

The presiding deity here is Sri Venkatakrishna Swami also known as Geethacharya. Puranas say King Sumathy prayed  Lord Thiruvengada of the Seven Hills to give him darshan in the form of the charioteer (Sarathy) to Partha (Arjuna) during the Mahabharata war, rendering Bhagavad Gita. Lord Thiruvengada appeared in his dream and bade him to go to Brindaranya (Triplicane) where he would give him darshan in the form he wished. Sri Venkatakrishna Swamy is enshrined in the middle of the sanctum sanctorum, while Sri Rukmani Thayar and Satyaki are on his right and left. Elder brother Balarama is seen on the right side of Rukmani Thayar facing North and his son Prathyumnan and grandson Anirudhan are on the Northern side  facing south The Utsava Moorthi is seen with marks in the face caused by Bheeshma’s arrows during the Mahabharatha War.

Author: T. Muruganandham | Source: Indian Express [May 21, 2015]

Flanked by River Haro on the one side and Margalla Hills on the other, Taxila is a vast serial site that includes a Mesolithic cave and the archaeological remains of four early colony sites. “It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Asia,” according to UNESCO.

With so much to show the world, Taxila is ignored on the tourist map largely because of the country’s security situation, lack of tourism promotion, and privation of facilities in the city.

From the famous Grand Trunk (GT) Road, a small and poorly metalled road leads to Taxila Museum and the archaeological sites. The picturesque lush green natural landscape has changed dramatically over the last 25 years.

Unplanned houses, hand carts, shops and vendors’ stalls are the modern hallmarks of the area, instead of its previous relaxing and enjoyable natural beauty. The rapid urbanisation of the area and the plunder of the sites has cost the sites dearly and yet nobody pays attention to it.

The results are obvious. The Global Heritage Fund has identified Taxila as one of 12 sites worldwide that are “On the Verge” of irreparable loss and damage. The fund’s 2010 report attributes this irreparable loss to insufficient management, development pressure, looting, and war and conflict as primary threats.

Moving along the dusty and crowded Grand Trunk (GT) Road from Islamabad to Taxila, the monument of Brigadier general John Nicholson, a famous military figure of the British Empire, greets a visitor. The monument is located on the Margalla Hills — the gateway to Taxila.

The sighting of Nicholson’s monument takes the visitor instantaneously to the days of British Colonial Raj. The time when teams of archaeologists were digging around the town of Taxila in search of the lost civilisations. The finding has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“It’s the marvel Pakistan got from the British Colonial Raj and yet it has not properly promoted as a tourist destination,” said Javed Iqbal, an archaeologist. Taxila is one of the three top Pakistani archaeology sites including the ruins of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro — two of the main cities that comprise the Indus Valley Civilisation, he said.

Sir John Marshall, the director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1902 to 1928, began the excavations at Taxila that continued for the next twenty years. In 1918, Marshall laid the foundation stone of the Taxila Museum to preserve the precious findings.

The museum is built in the middle of the archaeological site and has a rich collection of relics, artefacts, stupas, and stone and stucco sculptures from different Buddhist monasteries, Gandhara Art and the Kushana period. The Kingdom of Gandhara lasted from the Vedic period (1500-500 BC) as a centre of Graeco-Buddhism, Bactrian Zoroastrianism and Animism.

Ahmad Alamgir, another archaeologist and historian, who met me at the museum said that only one significant development had been carried out by the government of Pakistan in almost a century.

“Sir Marshall actually could not complete the original plan of the museum when he had to leave for England. After the creation of Pakistan, the government of Pakistan constructed the northern gallery of the museum in 1998 … and that’s it,” he said.

The museum has a number of galleries in which findings from the surrounding sites have been presented subject wise. There are lines of wall and table showcases in the galleries and a complete stupa, from the Buddhist monastery of Mohra Moradu, stands in the middle of the main hall of the museum.

A vast collection of stucco heads of Buddha showing different faces and styles is the main attraction for tourists. The big Buddha heads are typically Gandharan in style, according to the archaeologists.

City of Cut Stone

The historic town of Taxila, originally Takaśilā in Sanskrit  (meaning City of Cut Stone) is located around 35km from Islamabad just off the famous Grand Trunk Road. The city is still famous of its artisans, who keep their ancestors’ profession alive, by making stone sculptures, murals and panels.

They also produce flower pots, planters, fountains, garden ornaments, balusters, pillars and railings, and fire places. Taxila, according to historians, thrived from 518BC to 600AD. In 326BC Alexander the Great and his armies encountered charging elephants in battle against Hindu king Porus.

Before fighting the battle, Alexander marched through the city and was greeted by King Ambhi. In 300BC Taxila was conquered by the Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya that disintegrated the Bactrian Greeks, the successors of Alexander, in 190BC. Ashoka, the legendary king of India, ruled Taxila as governor under his father Bindusara’s rule. The city, which is a part of Rawalpindi district, is now a main industrial town of Pakistan with heavy machine factories and industrial complex, stoneware and pottery.

Author: Aftab Kazmi | Source: Gulf News [July 18, 2015]

Smooth operator: Shane Warne as he was in 2005 and how he now looks six years on
The cricketer, who has built up a reputation as a stereotypical macho Australian 'bloke', appeared to be wearing make up to boost his looks.
He had his eyebrows shaped into a definite arch, perhaps styled by his own girlfriend, together with a goofy smoothed over hairstyle.
Also noteworthy was his distinctly smoother looking face, particularly the area around his eyes with the disappearance of his crow's feet.
You old smoothie: Shane Warne's altered appearance has led to speculation from some observers
Posed up: The couple, who have been dating since last December, looked smart in their outfits
In recent weeks observers have noted that the cricketer's formerly weathered, rough and ready appearance has altered somewhat thanks primarily to his weight loss, though he has rubbished any suggestion of surgery.
Last week, cosmetic surgeon Dr Shahab Mahdi told the Daily Star: "The difference in Shane's appearance is dramatic. In my opinon it looks as though he has had a facelift.'
His army of followers are not convinced either, accusing Shane of having a little help in the anti-ageing department.
The morning after! Shane Warne didn't look like he was recovering from a hangover today while strolling around London
Making a statement: Elizabeth opted for an animal-print gown which featured a long trailing train
One fan took to Twitter, saying: 'He looks like a waxwork, all plucked and sculptured.'
Another blogger from the social networking site wrote: 'How much surgery has shane warne had? Lol, the male version of jordan!'
However the 41-year-old bowler defended himself, retaliating with: 'Questions re faclift/ Botox etc are absolute rubbish.'

Home and dry: Liz Hurley wears Shane Warne's dinner jacket as they arrive back at her Chelsea home
New look: The cricketer has shed his rough and ready image for a more dapper, smooth look
The sportsman is believed to have lost around 22lbs over the last few months, largely due to his girlfriend's influence.
In fact, Shane has now completely changed the way he thinks about food, as he showed on his Twitter page when he asked his followers for advice on what to eat.
He tweeted: 'Feel like a hot pie with copious amounts of sauce with crinkle cut chips!! What the best pie?'
Stunning: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attended the event with their mother Sarah Ferguson
Hosts for the night: Sir Elton and partner David Furnish pose for photographers inside the party
But Shane then added just minutes later: 'NO Shane!! 78kg is target currently 82.5. Settle on a protein shake with an apple and banana - sob.'
In the fashion stakes Elizabeth stuck to her usual formula in a floor-sweeping animal-print gown.
She admitted to her Twitter followers earlier in the day that she had been struggling to decide what to wear.
She wrote: 'Off to Elton & David's White Tie & Tiara Aids fundraiser. Can't decide which dress......'
Meanwhile, Shane looked sharp in a black tuxedo which highlighted his recent weight loss.
Elizabeth and Shane looked happier than ever as they attended the ball, keeping their arms around each other and smiling for photographers.
And, in a recent interview, Shane said he was looking forward to spending more time with his gorgeous girlfriend.
Smile, Boris! Becker and wife Sharlely 'Lilly' Kerssenberg arrive at Sir Elton's Windsor home for the annual event
He said: 'She's a lovely lady. We get on really well and I'm spending a lot of time in England this summer, working for Sky.
'We'll wait and see what happens between Liz and I - but at the moment things are great.'
Earlier in the day, Shane was photographed arriving at Elizabeth's London home with a huge grin on his face and carrying a bag of golf clubs.
Elizabeth, 46, announced in December that she had split from husband Arun Nayar, after pictures emerged of her kissing cricketer Shane Warne in a hotel in London.
Following the pictures' publication, both Hurley and Warne hastily issued statements revealing that their respective marriages had been over for some time.
Since then, the new couple have been making headlines for their on/off romance, rendezvous in Australia and India and tabloid rumours of his alleged infidelity.
Elizabeth married Indian textile heir Nayar at Sudely Castle, near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, in March 2007 - and had a traditional Hindu wedding at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, India.

New love? Glee star Matthew Morrison arrived hand-in-hand with a mystery woman
The ceremonies were attended by numerous celebrities, including Sir Elton John, who gave the bride away.
Announcing her separation from Arun, Liz tweeted: 'Not a great day. For the record, my husband Arun & I separated a few months ago. Our close family & friends were aware of this.'
She added: 'Painful, sad days. Arun & I separated for private reasons but FTR he has been a great father to our son Damian & will always be in his life.'
Date night: Noel Edmonds and wife Liz Davies arrive at the estate
Brunettes have more fun: Alexa Chung and Nancy Del'Ollio were among the invited guests
Dressed in black: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo star Noomi Rapace arrives
Hours later, Shane, 41, took to his own blog to confirm that his tumultuous marriage to wife Simone was also over.
In a statement he said: 'Sadly and unfortunately, Simone and I split up a while ago, our close friends and family were informed at that time.
'It is a private matter so we did not make it public. We remain friends and will continue to be good parents.'
A notorious philanderer, Shane split from Simone, the mother of his children Brooke, 13, Jackson, 11 and Summer, 8, after a string of affairs, including a notorious sex text scandal in 2000 which saw him stripped of his Australian vice-captaincy.
Casual wear: Earlier in the day Elizabeth was seen out shopping while Shane later popped around to her house carrying his bag of golf clubs
Let me in! Shane rings the doorbell as he waits for Elizabeth to buzz him in
source: dailymail

VIA New face, new man: Shane Warne plays smooth-faced English gent as he accompanies Elizabeth Hurley to Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball

Dazzling: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving at the Ark Gala Dinner at Kensington Palace
Kate's style has been scrutinised since officially becoming a member of the Royal family following her wedding to Prince William in April.
With her recent appearances meeting the Obamas at Buckingham Palace - and watching the horse racing at the Epsom Derby at the weekend - she tested the sartorial water with simple but chic pieces.
Star attraction: William and Kate didn't disappoint on their first official public engagement as a married couple
However, the Duchess pulled out all the stops for this evening's glamorous event.
William and Kate are attending the reception with 900 other guests at Perks Field and will later sit down to a private dinner before the prince gives a speech.
Musician Mark Ronson and his band will perform for the royals and guests.
The Duke and Duchess are attending on behalf of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry - a body which raises sustainable funds for charitable grants.
Glowing: Kate's beautiful gown was teamed with LK Bennett shoes and a clutch bag
The gala dinner was held in an enormous luxury marquee which appeared more like a small building.
As the guests arrived, a troupe of divers entertained them by diving acrobatically into a specially constructed pool.
When the royal couple's Jaguar limousine pulled up, they were greeted by calls from banks of photographers asking them to pose for a picture.
Financier Arpad Busson, co-founder of the organisation, warmly welcomed them before they climbed a few steps to the entrance of the building before posing and smiling for the waiting cameras.
Outside the banquet hall was a covered reception area with two champagne bars and stalls serving sumptuous canapes from the Mediterranean and Far East where guests gathered before dinner was served.
Hot ticket: The couple's presence at the gala will shine a spotlight on work carried out by the charity
The Duke and Duchess mingled with some of the more prominent figures or chatted to associates of their host, Mr Busson, known as Arki to his friends.
William and Kate were the centre of attention with people crowding around them to get a view of the newlyweds or take their picture on camera phones.
Mr Busson has two sons with his former partner, model Elle Macpherson, and in recent years has dated actress Uma Thurman.
The royal couple chatted to his sons, Flynn Busson, 13, and his eight-year-old brother, Cy, laughing and joking with them.
After about 45 minutes, they made their way into the circular banqueting room which was filled with almost 100 oval tables.
Meet and greet: From left to right, financier Arpad Busson, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Ian Wace, also a co-founder of Ark
Among the guests seated on the Duke and Duchess's table were Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth, actress Liz Hurley, socialite Jemima Khan and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup.
Elizabeth Murdoch, the daughter of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, also had a place, as did William's private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, and Baroness de Rothschild.
Anish Kapoor, the British-based, Indian-born sculptor, who won the Turner Prize in 1991, was another guest with a seat close to the Duke and Duchess.
Kate sat between Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, a distant relative of William, and Mr Busson, while her husband was opposite her with socialite Countess Debonaire von Bismarck on his left and Princess Marie of Greece on his other side.
Wrapped around the edge of the room was a multi-coloured dot-matrix display which would later be used to show the bidding for charity lots that included a stay on the Maltese Falcon - the world's largest sailing yacht - or a Kenyan safari at a luxury lodge.
Captivating: Kate seems to have taken to public life with ease as she chats with Matthew Freud
On the tables were tiny consoles to allow the wealthy guests to place their bids and around the room were swings for performers to use to entertain the guests.
Musician Mark Ronson and his band were due to entertain the diners later and a mystery band - rumoured to be the Kings Of Leon - were also performing.
The £10,000-a-head dinner will also feature auctions to raise donations for Ark, which has projects helping disadvantaged children around the globe.
In the UK it sponsors a number of academy schools and runs other projects like Teaching Leaders and Future Leaders.
Ark was co-founded in 2002 by the financier Arpad Busson, who now acts as a trustee of the organisation.
A spokeswoman for the charity said: 'Over the past 10 years, Ark's programmes in the UK, Southern Africa, eastern Europe and India have transformed the lives of more than 200,000 children.
'In tackling access to healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, improving educational opportunities in the UK, US and India, and giving children the chance to live in a caring and nurturing environment in Eastern Europe, Ark is helping to overcome some of the most severe blights on children's lives.


Star quality: Liz Hurley, Sophie Dahl and Jemima Khan arrive at the gala
source: dailymail

VIA The Duchess dazzles: Kate and William bring a touch of glamour to charity gala

Palmyra is the last place anyone would expect to find a forest of stone columns and arches. Travellers in the 17th and 18th centuries were repeatedly astonished by what they saw: a vast field of ruins in the middle of the Syrian desert, roughly half-way between the Mediterranean coast and the valley of the River Euphrates.

For anyone visiting, however, the key reason for the site's prosperity is immediately apparent: ancient Palmyra sits at the edge of an oasis of date palms and gardens.

It was as a watering place on a trade route from the east that Palmyra's story begins, and the very name Palmyra refers to the date palms that still dominate the area (the origin of its Semitic name, Tadmor, is less certain; a derivation from tamar - date palm - is favoured).

Palmyrene power

For such a remote city Palmyra occupies a prominent place in Middle Eastern history. From modest beginnings in the 1st Century BC, Palmyra gradually rose to prominence under the aegis of Rome until, during the 3rd Century AD, the city's rulers challenged Roman power and created an empire of their own that stretched from Turkey to Egypt.

The story of its Queen Zenobia, who fought against the Roman Emperor Aurelian, is well known; but it is less well-known that Palmyra also fought another empire: that of the Sasanian Persians.

In the middle of the third century, when the Sasanians invaded the Roman Empire and captured the Emperor Valerian, it was the Palmyrenes who defeated them and drove them back across the Euphrates.

For several decades Rome had to rely on Palmyrene power to prop up its declining influence in the east.

Unique attributes

Palmyra was a great Middle Eastern achievement, and was unlike any other city of the Roman Empire.

It was quite unique, culturally and artistically. In other cities the landed elites normally controlled affairs, whereas in Palmyra a merchant class dominated the political life, and the Palmyrenes specialised in protecting merchant caravans crossing the desert.

Like Venice, the city formed the hub of a vast trade network, only with the desert as its sea and camels as its ships.

Even so, archaeology has revealed that they were no strangers to the sea itself.

Palmyrenes travelled down the Euphrates to the Gulf to engage in seaborne trade with India, and even maintained a presence in the Red Sea ports of Egypt.

The wealth they derived from the eastern trade in exotic goods they invested in imposing architectural projects in their home city.

The well-preserved remains of edifices such as the great sanctuary of the Palmyrene Gods (generally known as the Temple of Bel), a grand colonnaded street and a theatre stand to this day.

Historical threat

What has been excavated has revealed a vibrant Middle Eastern culture with its own distinct sense of identity.

The Palmyrenes were proud to adorn their buildings with monumental writing in their own Semitic script and language rather than relying exclusively on Greek or Latin (which was the norm elsewhere).

Palmyra developed its own artistic style, and its own take on Classical architecture. Decorative patterns on its buildings and its inhabitants' styles of dress speak of widespread connections with east and west.

Chinese silks have been found adorning mummies in Palmyrene tombs. Theirs was a cosmopolitan culture with an international outlook.

Yet we still know comparatively little.

Only small parts of the site have been excavated. Most of the archaeology lies just beneath the surface rather than deeply buried, and it is particularly vulnerable to looting.

Like other sites in Syria Palmyra has undoubtedly been plundered during the present conflict. But given the track record of ISIS in Iraq there are reasons to fear systematic looting and destruction should Palmyra fall into their hands.

If that happens, a major chapter in Middle Eastern history and culture will be yet another casualty of this tragic conflict.

Author: Prof Kevin Butcher | Source: BBC News Website [May 15, 2015]

Until June 2013, that is. Then, new excavations started under the leadership of Dr Chirikure from the University of Cape Town. Chirikure and his team discovered a large area with massive stone walls, huge piles of fossilised animal excrement, pottery, spinning wheels and thousands of glass beads that testify to thriving trade with other countries, probably India and China. Carbon dating indicates that Mapela was as a flourishing community that existed continuously from the early 8th century until well into the 18th.

'Mapela lies virtually untouched in a rather inaccessible area, and is unique in several respects,' says Per Ditlef Fredriksen, associate professor of archaeology at the University of Oslo. Since June 2014 he has been Dr Chirikure's collaboration partner and head of the research project that will dig deeper into the ecological history of Mapela to find out more about how people and the environment mutually affected each other in the Shashi-Limpopo region.

Mapela is unique, but also one of many

Ecological history studies the complex interplay between people and the environment through the centuries.

'In other words, the question is not only how people have adapted to climate change; it's also a fact that urban societies generate climate change,' Fredriksen points out.

The forgotten stonewalled site at Mapela Hill will be used as a case study in the project, but this is only one of a number of urban, historical communities that have been discovered in the Shashi-Limpopo region. The more famous ruined cities of Khami and Great Zimbabwe, both on UNESCO's World Heritage List, are also located in this part of Southern Africa.

'We are undertaking excavations in several locations in the area to obtain a better understanding of the development of all these world heritage sites, since the relationship between them remains unclarified.'

More concerned with the common folk

Until now, researchers have been mostly concerned with the elite and the elite culture that has been uncovered in places such as Great Zimbabwe and other well-known historical sites in the region. The common folk, on the other hand, were not deemed to be of equal interest ‒ until now.

'We wish to learn more about the relationship between the common population and the elite. Part of Mapela's uniqueness is that this site shows traces of all the three elite cultures in the area. The material culture testifies to this fact,' Fredriksen explains.

'Especially the jewellery, but even the fantastically constructed stone walls are extremely rich in symbols. Our findings in Mapela include traces of the stone walls of Khami.'

Using climate data from the start

'Climate and the environment have previously been topics raised in the debate over the urbanisation of Southern Africa. However, this new interdisciplinary project proceeds several steps further in the direction of natural science,' Fredriksen says.

'We include climate data at an early stage when establishing research questions. Our objective is to obtain a deeper insight into the associations between climate, environment and socioeconomic and political strategies.'

Today, Mapela is located in an underdeveloped and marginal agricultural area, and researchers have assumed that this was an arid region earlier as well, and that Mapela was a regional centre of little importance. New findings, however, indicate the opposite.

A society against all odds

Mapela must have been larger than the known locality of Mapungubwe, where the elite is thought to have lived. Perhaps even the climate was quite different in earlier times.

'Was Mapela a community that existed against all odds?'

'That is an extremely interesting question. After all, Mapela continued to exist for centuries, while other communities, such as Mapungubwe, perished. Why? This is one of the questions we will attempt to answer.'

'Could this project provide new knowledge about the ways in which societies have adapted to climate change?'

'It's very complex, but hopefully we will be able to contribute to this,' says Fredriksen. He refers to the achievements of the University of Cape Town in the field of climate research.

'We are in this project to learn from the South Africans, and we have a lot to learn from them,' he concludes.

For more information see: Zimbabwe Culture before Mapungubwe: New Evidence from Mapela Hill, South-Western Zimbabwe. PLoS ONE (2014)

Author: Mari Kildahl | Source: University of Oslo [May 30, 2015]

The Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Bouddhanath, Pashupatinath, and Changunarayan area are the major sites visited by the tourists. The number of tourists arriving in the country has suddenly decreased in the aftermath of the earthquakes that claimed over 9,000 lives on April 24.

However, the government has made it clear that only 15 per cent of the world heritage sites were damaged by the earthquakes. The bodies concerned, who visited the sites to check their condition have claimed that they are not completely damaged, an official said.

The heritage sites are certainly affected by the quake and aftershocks but they are not completely ravaged as reported by a section of media, said Director General of the Department of Archaeology, Bhesh Narayan Dahal. Various government and non-government teams, in coordination with the local people, have been working to remove the rubble of the structures.

Meanwhile, two aftershocks were felt in Nepal today. A 4.5 magnitude tremor was recorded at 1.37 pm (local time) with epicentre at Sindhupalchowk district. Another 4.1 magnitude tremor was recorded at 2.45 am (local time) with epicentre at Sindhupalchowk district, according to the National Seismological Centre.

Source: Press Trust of India [June 04, 2015]