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History: The Roots of Urban Civilization

History: The Roots of Urban Civilization | Archaeology News | Scoop.it
From www.vision.org - January 2, 6:34 AM
Where does the idea of urban civilization, or the city itself, originate?

 

The name Mesopotamia was used by the ancient Greeks to describe land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It means literally “between the rivers” and largely corresponds to present-day Iraq. However, today the term has a broader interpretation, stretching to include parts of Syria and Turkey as well. The region, which incorporates the “fertile crescent,” is widely considered to be the cradle of human civilization. 

 

Author and former journalist Paul Kriwaczek has observed that “ancient Mesopotamia acted as a kind of experimental laboratory for civilization.” It was into the rural environment of this region that the idea of civilization was born “in a single place, at a single time. From there and from then,” says Kriwaczek, “the concept spread at remarkable speed to conquer the world.”

David Connolly's insight:

A very thoughtful article about this crucial period in human development

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Yale Professor and Students Create Major Project for Architecture Biennale

Yale Professor and Students Create Major Project for Architecture Biennale | Archaeology News | Scoop.it
From artdaily.org - September 2, 2012 2:24 AM

This year's Venice Architecture Biennale includes a major project developed by architect and Yale School of Architecture Professor Peter Eisenman. Titled: The Piranesi Variations, this multipart endeavor focuses on Giovanni Battista Piranesi's 1762 Campo Marzio dell'antica Roma, a folio of six etchings that depict his fantastical vision of what ancient Rome might have looked like, derived from years of archaeological and architectural research.

 

Piranesi's images—precise, specific, yet impossible—have been a source of speculation, inspiration, research, and contention for architects, urban designers, and scholars since their publication 250 years ago.

 

But why not do it in GOLD!

 

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At the mouth of the Tiber

At the mouth of the Tiber | Archaeology News | Scoop.it
From www.thehindu.com - August 30, 2012 3:12 AM

OSTIA In this port city of ancient Rome, SUKANYA RAMANUJAN finds the remains of a perfectly planned township with baths and dining rooms...

Located about 30 km west of Rome, it's a perfect destination for a day trip. A short walk from the railway station brings us to the archaeological site. Tombs line either side of the road leading to the old city gate — the lavishness of their decorations indicating the social status of the occupants. Further down, I’m surprised by the sudden appearance of wells in the middle of the road — apparently settlers have conveniently tapped the old underground Roman lead pipes supplying water from the aqueducts.

The roads aren’t the only things to be admired in Ostia. Once inside the city walls, we spot the relatively well-preserved insulae — structures similar to modern apartment blocks. The ground floors were often given over to shops and the floors above served as residential space.

This article takes us on a travellers tale around the port of Rome

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