Prambanan temple is extraordinarily beautiful building constructed in the tenth century during the reigns of two kings namely Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung. Soaring up to 47 meters (5 meters higher than Borobudur temple), the foundation of this temple has fulfilled the desire of the founder to show Hindu triumph in Java Island. This temple is located 17 kilometers from the city center, among an area that now functions as beautiful park.

There is a legend that Javanese people always tell about this temple. As the story tells, there was a man named Bandung Bondowoso who loved Roro Jonggrang. To refuse his love, Jonggrang asked Bondowoso to make her a temple with 1,000 statues only in one-night time. The request was nearly fulfilled when Jonggrang asked the villagers to pound rice and to set a fire in order to look like morning had broken. Feeling to be cheated, Bondowoso who only completed 999 statues cursed Jonggrang to be the thousandth statue.

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Plaosan Temple constructed by Rakai Pikatan for her wife, Pramudyawardani. The architect of the temple that is located in Bugisan village of Prambanan sub-district is combination of Hindu and Buddha.

Plaosan complex is divided into 2 groups, namely the North Plaosan Temple and the South Plaosan Temple. Both of the temples have square terrace that is encircled by wall, a pillbox for meditation at the west part and dome on other side. Because of that similarity, the appearance of both temples are the same when they are seen from distant so that Plaosan temple is also called the twin temples.

The North Plaosan Temple has middle courtyard encircled by wall with the entrance at the west side. In the middle of the courtyard, there is a hall as wide as 21.62 m x 19 m. At the eastern part of the hall, there are 3 altars, namely north, east and south altars. The pictures of Amitbha, Ratnasambhava, Vairochana, and Aksobya are at the east altar. Samantabadhara statue and Ksitigarba figure is at the north altar, while Manjusri picture is at the west alter.

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Intangible Cultural Heritage, as defined by the UNESCO Convention, consists of non-physical characteristics, practices, representations, expressions as well as knowledge and skills that identify and define a group or civilization.

This category includes the following cultural manifestations:

    * oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage;
    * music, dance, drama and other performing arts
    * social practices, rituals and festive events;
    * knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
    * foods and clothing
    * and traditional craftsmanship

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"A Cahokia Market" By Michael Hampshire Courtesy of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site Collinsville, Illinois

Spiro Stone Ear Spool. D:3" Le Flore Co., OK

The artifacts on virtual display were specifically chosen for their exceptional quality, representative style and remarkable workmanship. They are each among the finest known in either public or private collections. Because the Mississippians lived throughout what is now the Midwest and Southeast United States, artifacts from each of our corresponding modern states are represented here. Although the Mississippian Moundbuilders knew no state boundaries as we do today, it can be gratifying to realize that superb artifacts were found in our own proverbial backyards.

Each of the featured artifacts have been organized into categories including pottery, pipes, hardstone, discoidals, flint (both points and implements), ear ornaments, shell ornaments and beads. Although the Moundbuilders shared cultural affiliations with one another throughout the Midwest and Southeast United States, artifacts were not uniformly manufactured by style or materials. Local materials often varied despite widespread trade. For instance, Mill Creek and Kaolin cherts were commonly used in Illinois for the manufacture of flint implements. By contrast, Dover flint was more commonly used in Tennessee and Kentucky. That does not mean that materials were not traded. They were. However, artisans tended to use local materials rather than exotic materials from distant sources.
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Indonesia’s Lost World: Shaking Up the Family Tree

by David Keys

Homo floresiensis skull (© Peter Brown)

New archaeological discoveries by Australian and Indonesian scientists on the Indonesian island of Flores are revealing that until at least 13,000 to 12,000 years ago and possibly into the nineteenth century, modern humans–our species, Homo sapiens–shared this planet with a totally different species of human being–a three-foot-high dwarf hominid with physical features usually seen as dating from 1.5 to 4 million years ago.

The scientists, mainly from Australia’s University of New England and University of Wollongong, have found the skeletal remains of up to seven individuals in a cave at Liang Bua, Flores. Their diminutive stature, small brain size (380 cc), receding chin, the shape of their first mandibular premolar tooth and the skull base design in the ear region are all reminiscent of early Australopithecus, a type of hominid which was thought to have existed only in Africa prior to 3 million years ago.
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Archaeology

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech/discourse) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes.

The goals of archaeology are to document and explain the origins and development of human culture, understand culture history, chronicle cultural evolution, and study human behavior and ecology, for both prehistoric and historic societies. It is considered in North America to be one of the four sub-fields of anthropology.

Roman theater, Alexandria, Egypt

Usage

As with words such as encyclop(a)edia and gyn(a)ecology, archaeology traditionally has an ae combination; however, unlike many other words, the ae is still widely retained. Contrary to popular belief in other parts of the world, the spelling archeology is not predominant in United States dictionaries, though it is the spelling used by the United States government organizations involved in the field. The traditional spelling, archaeology, continues to be the most common form in everyday writing throughout the world, including the U.S.A.

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