The "Menhir du Champ Dolent", neolithic megalith in Eastern Brittany, France. It is the highest menhir in Brittany.

Maria Andreeva as Sophia Palaiologina in the Russian TV series "Sophia" (2016) The Grand Duchess of Moscow Zoe (Sophia) Palaiologina, Grand Duchess of Moscow, was a niece of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI and second wife of Ivan III of Moscow. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 was not the total collapse of the Eastern Roman Empire. In southern Greece the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea continued on until 1460. The title despotes should not be confused with the term of despotism. A Despot was a senior Byzantine court title. From the mid-fourteenth century on the title was given to Imperial princes to act as the local ruler of semi-autonomous provinces of the Empire. So in 1453 we see the surviving members of the Palaiologos dynasty (Demetrios and Thomas) ruling over the Despotate of Morea. These were two brothers of the last Emperor Constantine XI. Thomas Palaiologos Despot of Morea The brothers not only failed to send any troops to defend Constantinople, but their incompetence sparked a massive revolt by 30,000 Albanians and Greeks against their rule. The situation was so bad the brothers invited the Muslim Turks in to kill their own people in order to retain power. Morea became a vassalage of the Ottoman Empire. After falling behind in tribute, Sultan Mehmed II invaded in May, 1460. The Turks quickly breached the Hexamilion wall and put an end to this last shred of the Roman Empire. Demetrios became a prisoner of the Ottomans. Thomas, his wife Catherine and children Zoe (Sophia), Andreas, Manuel and Helena a fled to Corfu and then Thomas went to Rome. Thomas was already recognized as the legitimate heir to the throne by the Pope. Leaving his children behind in Corfu, in 1461 Thomas made a ceremonial entrance into Rome and the Byzantine Emperor. Zoe and her brothers remained in Corfu until recalled to Rome by their dying father in 1465. The Despotate of Morea in southern Greece was the last holdout against the Turks when Constantinople fell in 1453. Zoe (Sophia) Palaiologina As the granddaughter of Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, Zoe now became something of a political pawn of the Pope and the Catholic Church. Zoe was born in 1440 or 49. So she could have been as young as 16 years old in 1465 when she came to Rome to see her father. Upon her father's death Zoe and her brothers were adopted by the Pope Paul II. Her Greek name was changed to Sophia. Born to the Orthodox Church it is possible she was raised as a Catholic while living at the Court in Rome. Care of the Imperial children was assigned to Cardinal Basilios Bessarion, the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. Letters show the Pope closely followed the care and education of the children. Using the Byzantine eagle. Reverse of Ivan III's seal from 1472, after his marriage with Sophia Paleologue Sophia and her brothers received 3,600 crowns a year, or about 200 crowns a month, to pay for clothes, horses and servants. An addition 100 crowns was provided to maintain a modest household staffed by a doctor, a Latin teacher and a Greek teacher. In 1466 the Venetian Republic invited King James II of Cyprus but he refused. Around 1467 Pope Paul II offered Sophia's hand to a Price Caracciolo. They were betrothed but the marriage never took place. In 1467 the wife died of Grand Prince Ivan III of Moscow. Pope Paul II viewed this as yet another opportunity to abolish the Orthodox Church and expand the influence of Rome. Pope Paul proposed the marriage with Sophia in 1469. The Pope wanted to expand his power, but Ivan was no doubt looking at connecting to the status and rights of Byzantine royalty. The marriage negotiations went on for three years. A marriage by proxy was held in Rome on June 1st, 1472. Queen Catherine of Bosnia was one of many who attended. As a dowry Sophia brought 6,000 ducats. There is no record where that money came from. Possibly from the Pope. The entourage with Cardinal Bessarion, traveled north through Italy to Germany where she took a ship to Russia. She landed in Tallinn (in modern Estonia). At Pskov she was officially celebrated. It was noted that Sophia personally thanked the public for the celebration. On November 12, 1472 Sophia arrived in Moscow. Ivan III Grand Prince of Moscow The Pope's plans fail. Once Sophia reached the safety of Russia she abandoned the Catholic Church and returned to her Orthodox faith. The Papal Legate carrying the Latin cross was not even allowed into Moscow. The formal wedding between Ivan and Sophia took place on November 12. Ivan had special palaces and gardens built for Sophia. It appears Sophia was not required to be isolated with other women as was common in Russia at the time. She even greeted representatives from Europe as Queens in western Europe did. In 1472 Sophia was effected by the formal tributary gesture Ivan made to Mongolian representatives. It is believed she urged Ivan to break with the Mongols in 1480. Russian nights being very cold saw Grand Princess Sophia give birth to eleven children, five sons and six daughters. Among her children was the future Grand Prince of Moscow Vasili III. With Sophia at his side Ivan developed a complicated court ceremony patterned on the Byzantine model. Ivan also began using the title "Tsar and Autocrat." Both Ivan and his son Vasili started to use the term "Third Rome" when speaking of the Russian nation. Sophia passed away April 7, 1503 and was buried in massive stone sarcophagus in the Ascension Convent in the Kremlin. Ivan passed two years later. Ivan III. Note the Byzantine eagle on the shield. With his marriage to Sophia Ivan began using the title Tsar and calling Moscow the Third Rome. Ivan III and Sophia Palaiologina at court. Destruction of Sophia Palaiologina's grave by the Communists in 1929. (Thomas Palaiologos) (Ivan III) (Sophia Palaiologina) (Ascension Convent)

Subscribe to our newsletter Promotions, new travel guides, giveaways and more . Directly to your inbox. Email Subscribe 1. Mesmerized by charm of the Eiffel Tower, Paris at night From @paris_moodlight 2. First Sunday = Free Museums! ✨at Paris Here’s a list of the free ones 👇- Louvre (yep!)- Chateau de Versailles too- Centre Pompidou - Musée national d’Art Moderne- Musée d’Orsay 🫶🏼- Musée de la Grande Guerre- Musée du Quai Branly 🫶🏼- Musée de l’Orangerie 🫶🏼- Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration- Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine- Musée des Arts et Métiers- Musée Guimet - le Musée national des Arts Asiatiques- Musée national Picasso- Musée de Cluny- La Cité de la Céramique de Sèvres- Musée de la chasse et de la nature- Musée national Eugène Delacroix- Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace- Musée français de la Carte à Jouer- Musée d’Archéologie National - Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye- MAC-VAL, le musée d’art contemporain du Val-de-Marne- Musée du Jouet à Poissy- Musée Gustave Moreau 🫶🏼- Musée Albert Kahn- Musée Rodin 🫶🏼 From prageetgoel 3. The top view of Piazza San Marco, Venice. 😍 From @thiagobomber 4. We takes you guys to a quick tour around Barcelona, Spain! ✨ From @mylondonfairytales 5. 10 places you cannot miss in Scotland Save this for later: 1. Rattray Head Lighthouse2. Duncansby Stacks3. Sligachan Old Bridge4. Glencoe5. Eilean Donan Castle6. Monachyle Mhor7. Neist Point8. Loch Glass9. Victoria St, Edinburgh10. Whaligoe Steps From anniessecrets 6. Reminder: Lisse, Netherlands, Amsterdam will look like this in a few months🤍 Want to see tulips in full bloom? 🌷 the best time to see tulips is at the end of April and beginning of May🌷 From traveltogether_cs 7. Romantic strolls through Bath's timeless beauty, at England From @justgopage 8. We shows you guys the magnificent view of the famous Louis Vuitton Hotel in Paris. 😍 From @popcorn.paris 9. Embarking on a cultural journey through the ancient beauty and vibrant landscapes of Europe! From @dronelencoismaranhenses @khanjipeerwala 10. POV: You’re singing your heart out with strangers. 😍 At Barcelona, Spain From @jenbelx 11. Serenade an 85-year-old soul with their heartwarming melodies. 🎶❤️ At Italy From @esteriorebrothers 12. Serenity and natural beauty come together in the Azores, Portugal From @_condexter_ 13. Adventures in Dublin, explores the majestic St. Michael’s Church.⛪️✨ From @gabby.bds 14. Delivers the inside scoop on the wildest adventures in London, UK✨🤩 From @londonhotspots_ 15. Pov: you live in Amsterdam and these are your evenings in Summer Throwback to Summer evenings in Amsterdam From traveltogether_cs 16. A quick stroll around Bergamo, Italy From @meolafrancesco 17. The top view of the beautiful Paris From @thedronalist 18. Switzerland’s scenic views make it the ultimate dream destination. 😍 From @life_of_fab27 19. Chasing snowflakes and making memories in Dublin From @annabelleheff 20. Bucklet list idea: Visit the Tulpenroute, Netherlands and see the tulip fields From @traveltogether_cs 21. Venice’s cherished christmas tree: A remembrance of joyful traditions!!🎄🫶 From @claudia_mimejorvenecia 22. Hope this made all drool over these mouthwatering desserts! 🤤At Venice From @yourwanderingbff 23. Imagine having breakfast with this breathtaking view, at Ristorante Sempione, Venice From @gratian_nation 24. Wandering around the beautiful Burano Island, Venice! ✨ From @erolbest 25. POV: You visit Greece to see the monuments! 🤣❤️ From @natlarcos

See stunning photos of these strictly protected underground caves in Slovenia.

AlexiosI Komnenos (Greek , c. 1048 15 August 1118) was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118. Although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. Inheriting a collapsing empire and faced with constant war

Ireland's Newgrange is one of the worlds few passage tombs, or Ancien back over 5500 years. It is located in central Ireland, in an area known as the Boyne Valley or Brú na Bóinne. Read on to learn some of the magic that surrounds this mysterious sight.

Photos of a replica of an ancient Israelite house from the Houses of Ancient Israel exhibit at the Semitic Museum at Harvard University. Via the Ancient

The Cardium Pottery or Cardial Ware culture is connected with haplogroup G2, the same as Linear Pottery Group, the first neolithic culture into Europe via Balkan, and Bell-Beaker culture. Cardium P…

Click on the image for a larger view. Click HERE for the Camdeboo National Park in South Africa. The Camdeboo Mountains in the Cape Province of South Africa. Beautiful, isn’t it?! How I love …

A guide to exploring Mt Nemrut and Sanliurfa, two of the most incredible archaeological sites in Southeastern Turkey.

El Panel en Relieve Asirio es un panel datado aproximadamente entre los años 883 a.C. y 859 a.C., perteneciente al arte mesopotámico, en concreto al arte asirio. Panel en Relieve Asirio Fue encontrado durante las excavaciones arqueológicas realizadas en el año 1.849 d.C. por el viajero, arqueólogo, dibujante, coleccionista, escritor, político y diplomático estadounidense Austen Henry Layard. En la antigua capital de Asiria de Nimrud, ubicada junto al río Tigris, aproximadamente a 30 km al sudeste de la ciudad de Mosul, en Irak. En el año 1.919 d.C. fue comprado por el coleccionista y marchante de arte islámico Dikran Kelekian. En el año 1.927 d.C. fue adquirido por el coleccionista y magnate empresarial estadounidense John Davison Rockefeller. Hasta que en el año 1.932 d.C. el Panel en Relieve Asirio fue donado al Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York (Estados Unidos de América), dónde pasó a formar parte de su colección de arte. Descripción Tiene una altura de 236,2 cm, una anchura de 177,8 cm y un grosor de 10,8 cm. Está fabricado en alabastro de yeso. Se trata de un panel que representa una figura sobrenatural, con cabeza y alas de águila y cuerpo humano. La cabeza de águila está representada de perfil mirando hacia el lado derecho, con su mano izquierda sostiene un cubo y en su mano derecha sostiene un cono cuya naturaleza exacta no está clara. Una sugerencia ha sido que el gesto, a veces realizado por figuras que flanquean un árbol sagrado, es decir, es un símbolo de fertilización: el "cono" se asemeja a la espata masculina utilizada por los agricultores mesopotámicos para rellenar con agua para regar las palmeras, por lo que se piensa que el cono contenía y dispensaba agua del cubo. Cabe resaltar que en acadio éste gesto se describe como un "purificador", además en el arte asirio las figuras que realizan éste gesto también son representadas flanqueando al rey sugiriendo que son purificadores o protectores. Se puede observar como la figura se encuentra ricamente ataviada, destacan las joyas que incluyen un collar cuya cuenta frontal tiene forma de granada, otro collar con borlas colgantes, brazaletes y pulseras. Los brazaletes presentan dos grandes símbolos de rosetas que están asociados con la divinidad y quizás particularmente asociados con la diosa Ishtar (diosa del amor, de la sexualidad, la guerra, de la vida y de la fertilidad). También lleva dos cuchillos metidos en un cinturón, con sus mangos visibles a la altura del pecho. En la parte superior de la cabeza lleva una corona con cuernos que indica su divinidad y las alas de águila están extendidas. Aparte se puede apreciar como atravesando el centro del relieve se encuentra una inscripción tallada en escritura cuneiforme y escrita en el dialecto asirio de la lengua acadia. La escritura enumera los logros del rey de Asiria Asurnasirpal II, sobretodo menciona su ascendencia y sus títulos reales, también describe las exitosas campaña militares hacia el este y oeste y sus obras de construcción en Nimrud, sobre todo la construcción del palacio de Nimrud. Se piensa que originalmente la inscripción tuvo una función mágica contribuyendo a la protección divina del rey y del palacio. Con respecto a la composición destacar que originalmente el relieve se encontraba pintado, pero casi no ha sobrevivido nada del pigmento original. Sin embargo, el relieve sí conserva detalles increíbles, como los intrincados diseños grabados en la vestimenta de la figura sobrenatural. Para finalizar subrayar que la representaciones de figuras sobrenaturales no representan a ninguno de los grandes dioses del panteón asirio. Más bien, forman parte de la vasta población sobrenatural que para los antiguos mesopotámicos animaban todos los aspectos del mundo. Se conoce que el Panel en Relieve Asirio fue encontrado en el noroeste del palacio de Nimrud, pero la representación de figuras sobrenaturales aparecían por todo el palacio, a veces flanqueando la figura del rey asirio o flanqueando un estilizado "árbol sagrado". Es más algunos investigadores piensan que la figura representada podría haber sido una representación de los "apkallu" (sabios del pasado), debido a su parecido con un grupos de figurillas enterradas bajo las puertas para protección, cuyas identidades se conocen a través de los textos rituales. De hecho, éste puede ser un nivel de su simbolismo, pero es probable que las figuras protectoras de éste tipo hayan tenido múltiples significados y conexiones mitológicas. Actualmente se encuentra en el Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York, Estados Unidos de América.

A popular in Middle Easters green soup that can be made in many different ways but the most famous is the Egyptian Molokhia. Join me and I will show you all the tips and tricks for making the best Egyptian Molokhia ever.