The Pyramid of the Magician

 The Pyramid of the Magician, also known as the House of the Dwarf (Casa del Adivino, or Casa del Enano), is one of the most famous Maya monuments of Uxmal, an archaeological site in the Puuc region of Yucatan, in the northern Maya Lowland of Mexico.

Its name comes from a Maya tale of the 19th Century, titled the Leyenda del Enano de Uxmal (The Legend of the Uxmal’s Dwarf). According to this legend, a dwarf constructed the pyramid in one night, helped by his mother, a witch. This building is one of the most impressive of Uxmal, measuring about 115 feet in height. It was constructed over the Late and Terminal Classic periods, between 600-1000 AD, and five constructive phases have been detected. The one visible today is the latest one, built around 900-1000 AD.

The pyramid, over which the actual temple stands, has a peculiar elliptical form. Two staircases lead to the top of the pyramid. The Eastern staircase, the wider, has a small temple along the way that cut the stairway in half. The second access stair, the Western, faces the Nunnery Quadrangle and is decorated with friezes of the rain god Chaac.

The Pyramid of the Magician is the first building a visitor encounters entering the ceremonial area of Uxmal, just north of the Ball Game Court and the Palace of the Governor and east of the Nunnery Quadrangle.

Several phases of the temple constructed on top of the pyramid are visible while ascending the pyramid from the base to the top. Five construction phases have been detected (Temple I, II, III, IV, V). The facades of the different phases were decorated with stone masks of the rain god Chaac, typical of the Puuc architectural style of the region.

Dr TheHistories

Minoan ”Master’s Seal”

 Minoan ”Master’s Seal” (1450-1400 BC); from Chania, Crete, Greece.

The seal impression was found at Chania and depicts a young, heroic figure (undoubtedly a God) standing on a mountain peak above a large building, its rooftops crowded.

This clay representation is depicting a multi-storey building complex, representing a city, a palace or a sanctuary. Buildings rise on a high rocky hill over the sea ending on a steep shoreline. The flat roofs of the buildings are overshadowed with sacred bull horns while presenting architectural elements such as wooden doors, stone pillars. At the center of the sealing surface, in the central and highest roof of a building, is depicted an erected male figure, of a right profile, with a script in hand in a sovereign position. This is one of the most important items of Kydonia's excavations, while its representation is unique in Minoic art.

(1.5cm)

Archaeological Museum in Chania - Greece

Dr TheHistories

Perseus with the Head of Medusa statue by Benvenuto Cellini

 Perseus with the Head of Medusa is the famous statue by Benvenuto Cellini, found in Florence in piazza della Signoria, under the Loggia dei Lanzi, and one of the most important examples of Italian Mannerist sculpture.

Cellini, one of greatest goldsmiths of the Renaissance, was commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici to sculpt this work in 1545 AD. The Gaze of Medusa turned all who looked at her to stone, Perseus guided himself by her reflection in a shield given him by Athena and beheaded Medusa as she slept.

The subject is Perseus, standing over the body of Medusa and holding the recently decapitated head of the monster in one hand and his sword in the other. The bronze sculpture is full of details which make it unique: according to mythology, the hero has winged sandals for speed, the magic bag to store the head and the helmet of invisibility.

The statue had a political meaning and represented the power of the Duke who had “cut off the head” of the Republic. Medusa symbolises the Republican experiment and the snakes coming out of her body are the discords that have always affected democracy.

The fame of the statue in art history also is also owed to the extraordinary melting feat that Cellini achieved. The work was very complex as he had to create a flame at a temperature adapted to both the insufficiency of the basin and for a fire in his workshop. Once cooled, melted in one single casting, a long polishing process which started in 1549 AD, was needed, this was finished in 1554 AD, when statue was presented in the square.

Dr TheHistories  

Agora Garden, An Ecologocal Residential Tower in Taiwan

 

Agora Garden, also known as Tao Zhu Yin Yuan, is an eco-friendly residential tower located in Taipei, Taiwan. Designed by Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut, this unique building is notable for its striking twisted, DNA-like structure and sustainable design principles. Key features of Agora Garden include:

1. Twisted Design

The building's double-helix shape is not just an architectural statement; it also helps maximize exposure to sunlight for all apartments and provides residents with panoramic views of the city.

2. Vertical Forest

The tower is designed to support substantial greenery on every level. Around 23,000 trees, shrubs, and plants are incorporated into the structure, forming a vertical forest. This greenery helps absorb CO2 and contributes to improving air quality, creating a natural microclimate around the building.

3. Sustainable Materials

The tower is built using eco-friendly materials. Its construction incorporates energy-saving systems, solar power, and rainwater recycling, significantly reducing the building’s environmental footprint.

4. Energy Efficiency

Agora Garden is designed to be self-sustaining in terms of energy, using renwable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines. It also integrates a smart energy management system to reduce overall energy consumption.

5. Eco-Luxury

The residential units are designed with sustainability in mind, but they also provide luxury living spaces with high-end amenities.

The tower serves as an innovative example of sustainable architecture, combining cutting-edge design with green living solutions in an urban environment.

Also read this story

https://muxgear.com/beneath-the-waves-a-journey-into-the.../

Weird Things That Will Amaze You  

The Walhalla of Bavaria a tribute to ancient Greece

 The Walhalla, commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria, stands as an audacious tribute to ancient Greece, a blatant replica of the Parthenon. Towering over the Danube River near Regensburg, Germany, it was finalized in 1842 by the renowned architect Leo von Klenze, who cut his teeth on neoclassical designs in Athens. Ironically named after the realms of Norse mythology, this temple is a testament to Ludwig’s obsession with Greek culture. More than just a pretty facade, it boldly functions as a hall of fame, immortalizing the illustrious figures who shaped German and European history.

Archaeology and Lost Civilizations 

Flashback from Panagiotis Karousos concert in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, USA

 

The Prime Minister of Canada and Consul General in Los Angeles Kim Campbell welcomes the internationally renowned composer Panagiotis Karousos to the consular residence in Los Angeles, USA. 

Panagiotis Karousos Concert in Los Angeles, USA

In 1998, Panagiotis Karousos gives his first concert outside of Canada, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles (Hollywood - California)

A concert with his works by the Department of Culture of the City of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles at the auditorium of the City Hall at Beverly Hills City Hall.

After the concert, the former Prime Minister of Canada and Consul General in Los Angeles Kim Campbell hosted a reception at the consular residence where arias from Prometheus were performed. Composer Panagiotis Karousos as a baritone with Los Angeles Opera soprano Marti Pia performed arias and duets from the opera Prometheus.

Also performed at the concert were chamber music works by composer Panagiotis Karousos by musicians Robin Lorentz violin, Manon Shaw Trent, cello and Natalie Dalschaert piano.

Panayoti Karousos concert - Los Angeles 1998

Arias and duets from the opera Prometheus  
Panayoti Karousos, baritone: Prometheus
Marti Pia, soprano: Io (Los Angeles Opera)

Chamber music: Piano Trio, Violin Romance, Cello Romance
Musicians: Robin Lorentz, violin, Manon Shaw Trent, cello,

Natalie Dalschaert: piano/musical direction

Beverly Hills City Hall Auditorium
Under the auspices of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles Reception by the Former Prime Minister of Canada Kim Campbell Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles

The concert was successful and the newspapers wrote excellent reviews and comments.

Renowned composer and baritone Panayoti Karousos will present a concert in Beverly Hills City Hall. BEVERLY HILLS COURIER  

https://beverlyhillscourier.com/

Successful Christmas Concert by the internationally renowned composer Panagiotis Karousos at the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Cultural Center of the Club for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands

 Monday, December 30, 2024. Christmas Concert by the internationally renowned composer Panagiotis Karousos at the “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Cultural Center of the Club for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands.

At the beautiful “Marianna V. Vardinoyannis” Cultural Center in Piraeus, Mr. Ioannis Maronitis, president of the Club for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands and of the international organization International Action Art, welcomed the audience and distributed gifts to the children with Santa Claus. Christmas poems set to music by the composer Panagiotis Karousos were presented, and everyone sang carols together with the volunteers of the Club for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands. Attending, among others, were Christina Tsiligiri, president of the Peace and Friendship Stadium, Melina Nikolaidi, daughter singer Despina Vandi, etc. In the photos, the composer Panagiotis Karousos together with the dignitaries, the singer Sofia Daraki, the tenor Emilios Xenidis, the pianist Christiana Manou, and the dean Roula Kavakioti of the Club for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands.