Free Talk: Art and Religion of the Minoans with Art Historian Roger Dell

NEW DATE & VENUE
Roger Dell has offered to repeat the Talk on the Art and Religion of the Minoans.  The last talk at the Camden Opera House was a full house.  If you were unable to attend the first time, join Roger Dell at the Belfast Free Library, in Belfast Maine, 6:30-8:00 pm on February 7, 2017 .
The talk will provide an introduction to the aesthetic achievements and ritual practices of the Minoans, a prosperous, seafaring, matriarchal, culture that thrived 3500 years ago on the Greek Islands of Crete and Santorini.   Many scholars believe this highly-advanced society, which suddenly disappeared, to be the source of Plato’s Atlantis Myth.
Roger Dell in an art historian, museum educator and former Harvard lecturer residing in Rockland, Maine. For the past several years Roger was the Director of Education at the Farnsworth Museum, from where he retired in 2016.
Many years ago when visitng Santorini for the first time, Roger and his wife Nancy fell in love with the island. They decided to return and lived in Santorini for a year during which time Roger did research on Bronze Age Aegean civilization for a book he was writing.
During the talk on February 7^th, Roger will share his insights about the ancient Minoans and some of his experiences living in Greece.
In May 2017, Roger is leading a tour, organized by Eurynome Journeys, to Santorini and Crete, “In Search of Ancient Atlantis Among the Greek Isles.”
Address:
Belfast Free Library
106 High Street, Belfast, Maine 04915
Telephone: (207) 338-3884
Co-sponsored by Eurynome Journeys and the Belfast Free Library

Travel to Egypt November 2016!

Egypt: 

Treasures Past and Present

14 nights/ 15 days fully escorted women’s small group tour

We are going back to Egypt November 2016!
If you would like to join us- email me
Come visit Egypt on a small group women-only trip. Tour sacred sites and temples, cruise the Nile River upon which Cleopatra sailed, explore ancient mysteries and the lives of ancient Egyptian queens (and pharaohs too). Meet local women and learn about life in modern Egypt.

Click here to view itienrary.

Art, Archaeology & Greek Culture!

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Archaeology & ancient history enthusiasts and Hellenophiles! 

Join Eurynome Journeys on a rare opportunity to explore the Art, Archaeology & Culture of Greece

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with an archaeologist and art historian as your traveling companion. 

OCT 16-24 or with post-tour extension OCT 28, 2013

Fully escorted small group tour - only 15-22 participants (women & men)

Please reserve your space early to avoid disappointment.

Email or call 207.236.0110 for tour details and information packet

Rolf Winkes, Professor Emeritus at Brown University, will share his knowledge and passion for the ancient world, as you tour with him not only the iconic "must see" sites, but also lesser-known ones.  As we travel through Greece, you will enjoy informative talks in preparation for museum and site visits. Throughout the journey Rolf will focus on select artifacts, illuminating important aspects of Greek culture.  The highlight of the tour will be a visit to the archaeological site that Rolf himself excavated for more than a decade.  Join us on this special journey, a valuable and fascinating opportunity for the first time traveler to Greece or those returning for another look!

In Athens :
Tour the archaeological site & museum of the Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery; the Agora, the ancient marketplace, & the Agora Museum; the Acropolis & the Acropolis Museum; the National Museum of Archaeology; the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art; and the Melina Mercouri Cultural Center. 

Delphi: A full day excursion visiting the ancient site of the Oracle of Apollo and museum.

On the Island of Corfu: 

Tour the site Rolf himself spent twelve summers excavating, at the Palaiopolis with its Mon Repos Museum; tour the island’s scenic countryside and traditional villages; visit the National Gallery Annex and Byzantine Museum; and experience the monuments of Corfu’s rich contemporary history as well as the beautiful 19^th century Achilleion palace.

An optional extension:

Travel to mainland Greece, through the rugged mountains of Epirus to its capital Ioannina, with its rich and unique history, on to Metsovo, famed for its cheese and wine, and ending with the incredible cloisters of Metéora, suspended high in the cliffs above!

More about our Archaeologist: Professor Rolf Winkes grew up in Germany, where he did his graduate study in Classical Archaeology, Ancient Greek, Ancient and Prehistoric Archaeology, as well as Egyptology and Early Christian Art and Philosophy. In 1969, he was invited to Brown University, where he taught art and archaeology until 2008.  He co-founded the Center for Old World Archaeology and Art, which was renamed the Joukowsky Institute and today is one of the leading archaeological institutes in the world; and has traveled to two dozen countries on three continents. Rolf spent 12 seasons excavating the Palaipolis of Corfu, beginning in 1986, and later worked at the site of Tongobriga in Portugal. He has taught and published on a diverse number of subjects ranging from the early Greek period until the rise of Christianity, and the influence of the ancient world on later periods. He is now Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, the History of Art and Architecture, and Old World Archaeology and Art at Brown University. He and his wife Mary, a painter, live in Damariscotta, Maine, where he volunteers his time teaching courses at Coastal Senior College.

Click here for tour details 

St Patrick's Day Savings on Ireland Adventure!

Join our WanderWoman™ travel adventure to Ireland in search of the "pirate queen" Grace O'Malley (Granuaile)!

As we trace the life of Granuaile we explore the beautiful western coast of Ireland from the megalithic tombs of the Burren to the quaint town of Westport on Clew Bay and through scenic Connemara.

Special guests best-selling author Anne Chambers and local archaeologist Michael Gibbons.

Reserve you space by St Paddy's and save $100 per person.

For tour itinerary click here.

Learn more about the extraordinary life of Granuaile and about author Anne Chambers at www.graceomalley.com/

Featured destination: CRETE

Crete is the largest island in Greece. The coastline offers sandy beaches, medieval port cities and quaint fishing villages. The interior of the island has fertile plains, mountains with traditional villages, and amazing hiking trials.

Best time to visit: May-early October

Weather: May to June warm and sunny. July and August are very hot, sunny and can be windy. September and October are less windy, and not as hot, still lots of sunny days. By October there can be a couple of rainy days, but nice for enjoying the outdoors and many of the tourist have gone home and there are more opportunities to experience local activities.

What to do: Explore archaeological sites from Minoan to Byzantine, gorgeous hikes, sea kayaking, quant seaside & mountain villages, medieval post cities, cooking lessons, wine tasting, markets with local crafts, sandy beaches and eco-resorts, dancing and music!

MUST SEE: Knossos archaeological site, Heraklion Museum, Samaria Gorge, small villages, Venetian old port city of Chania

GETTING THERE: There are several daily flights from Athens to Heraklion (HER), Chania (CHQ), as well as charters in the summer time from the UK and other Europen points.

The NEW Olympic Air

Aegean Airlines

Ferries also run regularly between Piraeus (Port of Athens) and Crete. From Piraeus overnight ferries go to Heraklion in Central Crete and Souda (Port of Chania) in western Crete. There is also a port in Eastern Crete, Agios Nikolaos/Sitia, the route is via Santorini and Milos. From Sitia there is also service to Rhodes.

Ferry schedules http://www.ferries.gr/greek-islands-ferry/ferry_crete.htm

For info about Crete visit: http://www.explorecrete.com/

KNOSSOS and the beginnings of Cretan Archaeology:

Crete is an island of myth and magical beauty. Already in classical times myths about the legendary King Minos of Crete inspired the works of poets and arts. According to myth King Minos demanded an annual tribute of seven youths and maidens from Athens, who were sacrificed the Minotaur, a terrible beast that was half man and half bull.

It wasn’t until excavations in the late 19^th and early 20^th century that evidence was found indicating that a highly evolved civilization thrived on Crete over three and half thousand years ago. The archaeological site of Knossos, just miles from the modern capital of Heraklion, appears to be a palace complex complete with an underground labyrinth. This find of the maze-like corridors on the lower level of the building led “archaeologist” Author Evans to coin the term “Minoan civilization,” after the legendary King Minos. Evans believed this civilization to have worshipped the Great Mother Goddess, as is suggested by the numerous female figurines unearthed by Evan's and his team (which included the grandfather of our guide on Crete).

The first British female classicist Jane Ellen Harrison visited Evans during his excavation. The finds at Knossos supported Harrison’s theories of an ancient goddess cult in Greece prior to the Heroic period of the Iliad. However Harrison was blackballed by most of scholars of her time and her work was not resurrected until the 1970s, decades after her death. Many of Harrison’s theories have become popular among scholars today.

Knossos archaeological site http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh352.jsp?obj_id=2369

Bio of Evans http://www.dictionaryofarthistorians.org/evansa.htm

Bio Harrison http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=harrja

Live, Laugh & Travel to Crete!

King TUT returns to NYC April 23!

(Image from www.kingtut.org)
An exhibit of artifacts from King Tutankhamun's tomb will make its final stop in New York starting April 23. It is now at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
For more details visit NPR.org

BUY tickets at: http://www.kingtut.org/utility/buyTickets

Then next stop Egypt!

Culinary destination: Dublin Ireland!

Perhaps one of the travel world's best kept secrets is Ireland's gourmet cuisine. Ireland has a long culinary tradition; ancient cooking pits called fulacht fia have been found through out Ireland. These Neolithic and Bronze age pits are believed to have been used to boil water with hot rocks to slowly cook meat and other foods on festival occasions...could this be the origins of the Irish boiled dinner? BUT if you think of Irish cuisine as boiled dinners..think again...Irish cuisine has come a long way since the fulacht fia (although An Fulacht Fia in Ballyvaughan is most certainly a worth a visit). So if you are planning a trip to Ireland..be sure to bring a good appetite!

A few my favorite restaurants in Dublin Ireland are:

BANG CAFE on Baggot Street...trendy spot frequented by Dubliners. Try the scallops or Chump of Lamb or Mushroom Risotto. They serve lunch and have a pre-theater menu...
See menu

THE UNICORN on Merrion Ct off Merrion Row, just around the corner from Bang Cafe, offers delicious gourmet Italian cuisine. Lunch and pre-theater specials...
See menu

DAX, on Pembroke Street Upper, offers gourmet French cuisine, romantic atmosphere, and 140 European wines to choose from. Lunch & dinner..
See menu

PEPLOES WINE BISTRO on St Stephen's Green offers chic modern Irish cuisine at its best! Lunch, pre-concert specials and dinner 7 days a week...
See menu

EDEN in Temple Bar,at Meeting House SQ (a bit difficult to find), offers wild Irish game, such as duck, venison, etc and other delicious choices. The modern decor is a bit sterile but the food is excellent. Brunch, lunch and dinner...
See menu

CAFE EN SEINE on Dawson Street is a must see to believe...you'll think you've stepped into Fin de siècle Paris! Great spot to meet locals after work for drinks and meals. Not gourmet but worth a visit.

Please feel free to share your suggestions!

Live, Travel...and EAT!

Wanderwoman isn't the only one to visit Egypt!

2009-06-02 19:55:23 Egypt's local press preoccupied by Obama's upcoming visit

by Muhammad Yamany, Xinhua writer Chen Gongzheng

CAIRO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is to deliver a landmark speech at Cairo University on Thursday, in his latest attempt to improve the tarnished image of the United States in the Arab and Muslim World and so as to start a new chapter of partnership between U.S. and the Muslim World.

Obama's visit to the Egyptian capital of Cairo, hit headlines on Tuesday in most of Egypt's local newspapers, which all welcomed warmly the upcoming long-waited visit...

Before leaving Cairo at 18:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) Obama will visit archaeological sites in the Pyramids area and Sultan Hassan Mosque...

The [ local daily newspaper Almasry Alyoum] cited Zahi Hawas, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, as saying that Obama would visit the pyramids after his speech at Cairo University.

Hawas said that as a part of his 80-minute tour on foot, Obama would enter the Pyramid of Cheops and visit the nearby Sphinx.

While al-Akhbar local newspaper wrote under the headline "official and public welcoming for U.S. President Barack Obama" that Egypt's government is looking forward to a new page in the relations between U.S. and the Muslim World.

Read full story:http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/02/content_11476445.htm

03/01/2009 04:20 PM

Obama-Crazed Egypt Welcomes U.S. Tavelers

By: Valarie D'Elia

With 319,000 visitors last year, the United States just cracked the top ten list of travelers to Egypt, despite the effects of the global economic crisis and safety concerns.

Tourism was off as much as 14 percent in January, but officials expect the decline to be short-lived because of the treasures Egypt offers...

Most of the Americans I ran into are feeling they are receiving an especially warm welcome mainly because of the recent election of President Barack Obama. His history-making turn as the leader of the free world appears to be so far-reaching that it is touching ancient civilizations.

"The Egyptian people, they love Americans very much and you can see this everywhere," said Dr. Zahi Hawass, an Egyptologist.

"Everybody always says 'Obama! Obama! Obama!'" said a tourist.

"I've noticed since I've talked to people that everyone seems to identify with Obama, and I think because we are on an African continent," said another.

For full story visit: http://www.ny1.com/content/ny1_living/travel/94760/obama-crazed-egypt-welcomes-u-s--travelers/Default.aspx

Wanderwoman Egypt itinerary

Egypt BENT Pyramid to Open to Tourists

TRAVELERS to Egypt will soon be able to explore the inner chambers of the 4,500-year-old "Bent" Pyramid, known for its oddly-shaped profile, Egypt's antiquities chief said yesterday.

The increased access to the pyramid as well as others in the area is part of an Egyptian effort in cooperation with the United Nations to develop the pyramid complex in a sustainable fashion, while preserving the environment and the antiquities.

Egypt's chief archaeologist Zahi Hawass said the 100-meter pyramid outside the village of Dashur, 80 kilometers south of Cairo, will be opened for the first time to tourists within the next "month or two."

"This is going to be an adventure, and this is happening now," said Hawass.

Dashur's Bent Pyramid is famous for its irregular profile. The sides rise at a steep angle, then halfway up the massive structure they abruptly taper off at a more shallow approach to the pyramid's apex.

Archaeologists believe the pyramid's builders changed their minds while constructing it out of fear it might collapse because the sides were too steep.

The nearby Red Pyramid, also built by 4th-dynasty founder Pharoah Sneferu, is already accessible to visitors. Hawass said several other nearby pyramids, including one with an underground labyrinth from the Middle Kingdom, would also be opened in the next year.
(read full story)

Planning a trip to Egypt, Greece, or London...?

If so you will most likely visit the major archaeological sites and museums that are amidst the controversy over ancient treasures discussed in Sharon Waxman’s book Loot, The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World.

Anyone who has traveled to Greece, Egypt, Turkey or any country with a rich ancient past has heard the words "...and the original is now at the British Museum.." or the Louvre, or the Berlin Museum, etc. The issue of who has the right to ancient treasures of the world was brought back into the public spot light with the 2002 Athens Olympics. Greece took the Olympics as an opportunity bring publicity to their request for the return the Parthenon Marbles (or Elgin Marbles as the British Museum refers to them). But the Marbles still sit in London. And the famed bust of the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti (on book cover to left) sits not in her homeland, but in Berlin.

Hear interview with Sharon Waxman on NPR.

Visit Sharon Waxman’s blog about her travels as she researched her book, a must read for travelers and museum goers!