Geography, History and Human Universal Culture:

[Montuno]

(5)- Knowing the history of Egypt.

Brief history of Ancient Egypt for beginners :


HELLENISTIC PERIOD
After the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, the country came under Greek rule.

This period of Egyptian history is known as the Hellenistic or Alexandrian Period. This conquest was driven by the Egyptian people themselves, who asked Alexander the Great for help to free them from Persian domination.

Alexander the Great was appointed pharaoh and ordered the construction of the city of Alexandria, in the Nile Delta , making it a key city for maritime trade and whose importance increased to the detriment of Memphis and Thebes. However, he did not reside in Egypt for more than a year, since he left it to continue conquering territories in the East.

After his death, there was a time when the government of the country was divided between various rulers, until it was unified under the mandate of Pharaoh Ptolemy I, General of Alexander the Great of Macedonian origin , who inaugurated the Ptolemaic Dynasty, during which they built temples like the one of Isis in Philae or the one of Horus and Sobek in Kom Ombo.

Ptolemaic dynasty 323-30 a. c.
During the reign of Ptolemy I , the Library and the Lighthouse of Alexandria were built, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World and which, unfortunately, is not preserved.

After Ptolemy I and II, Ptolemy III came to power, who had the Temple of Horus built in Edfu , dedicated to the Egyptian god Hor (whose name in Greek was Horus), and during the reign of his grandson, Ptolemy V, carved the well-known Rosetta Stone , a key work to be able to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics and that is in the British Museum in London.

Ptolemy V married Cleopatra I, the first in a series of Cleopatras who ruled Egypt, either as regents or consorts to the pharaoh. The most famous of them, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Dynasty and, like her predecessors and contrary to what many think, she was not of Egyptian origin, but Greek.

Temple of Horus in Edfu

 

[Montuno]

(6)- Knowing the history of Egypt.

Brief history of Ancient Egypt for beginners :


AFTER THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD
With the death of Cleopatra VII, in the year 30 a. C., ended the Ptolemaic Dynasty and the Hellenistic Period in Egypt, which became another province of the Roman Empire, under the rule of Emperor Caesar Augustus.

After the separation of the Roman Empire into two empires in 395 AD. C., Egypt became part of the Eastern Roman Empire and remained so until the year 630, when the Persian Empire conquered the country and imposed the Islamic religion.

Since then, Alexandria maintained its strategic importance and Cairo experienced significant growth.

During the first 300 years of Islamic rule, several religions coexisted in the country (Muslims, Christians, Jews and Copts), but the Islamic religion grew until it left the others in a clear minority , and today Egypt is a Muslim country.

Already in the 20th century, and after several centuries of Ottoman, British and French domination, Egypt became independent in 1922, establishing the monarchy and proclaiming a Constitution that declared Egypt a sovereign, free, independent and monarchical state.

In 1953 , it went from monarchy to republic, establishing the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or Alabaster Mosque, in Cairo

 

[Montuno]

(7)- Knowing the history of Egypt.

Brief history of Ancient Egypt for beginners :


WHAT IS NUBIA AND WHO ARE THE NUBIANS?
Nubia was for many years an independent kingdom lying south of Egypt and north of Sudan , along the Nile Valley.

Map of Nubia, territory along the Nile, south of Aswan (numbers indicate falls)

In ancient times, several pharaohs built temples in this territory, which was conquered and was under the control and influence of Egypt, although it regained its independence during the Third Intermediate Period, when the Nubians came to conquer Egypt and established the 25th Dynasty, which held power in the country for almost 70 years.

However, Nubia was again conquered by Egypt at the beginning of the 19th century, and at the end of the same century, the British made it an Anglo-Egyptian colony. With the end of colonization, the Nubian region was separated into two parts, one in Egypt and one in Sudan .

With the construction of the Aswan High Dam (in the 1960s), many Nubians had to leave their land and settle elsewhere in the area. Today, Nubian villages can be found on the west bank of the Nile, between the 1st and 6th Cataracts, and on Elephantine Island , where there are several temples dedicated to gods and pharaohs.

The Nubians were physically different from the Egyptians, as they had darker skin, and their appearance today maintains those differences. Their region was very prosperous and today they live from handicrafts and tourism .

History:

(Kingdom of Kush)
In ancient times, the territory currently called Nubia was greatly influenced by the culture of Ancient Egypt, especially during the times of Egypt's heyday being a kind of Egyptian viceroyalty. Nubia could be part of the area mentioned in biblical sources under the name of Kush, Cush, Cush, Cush or Cucusite.

For the ancient Kemet (Ancient Egypt), Nubia was "Tai-Seiti" (the land of the "bow people"), a population difficult to subjugate because they knew how to use their bows and arrows.

The inscriptions of Jebel Suliman, on the west bank, opposite the village of Degheim, show that Nubia was conquered by Dyer (3000 B.C.), the third pharaoh of the Ist Dynasty. Later, the pharaoh Seneferu, of Dynasty IV, predecessor of the pharaohs who built the pyramids of Giza, ordered to inscribe that he invaded Nubia and brought 100 000 captives and more than 200 000 heads of cattle. This fact reflects the greed of Seneferu, but it is also indicative of the prosperous Nubian population.

One of the most important temples was erected by Queen Hatshepsut (1490-1468 B.C.), at Buhen, dedicated to Horus, the falcon god; others at Semna west and at Dibeira. In Semna east (Kumma) she dedicated her temple to the god Jnum and it was enlarged by her successor, Thutmose III. Also dedicated a temple Thutmose III, in Semna west, to the local gods, to Dedwan, the god of incense and Nubia.

Pharaohs of the New Empire, such as Ramses II (1290-1224 BC), rose to kingship because they were able to impose themselves on the Nubians, dragging them to defeat. To show his divinity, this sovereign decided to build his great temple at Abu Simbel. Ramses II built in the center of Nubia the temple of Aksha, and the viceroy Setau and his wife were represented, worshipping him, in the temple of Faras.

Thus, with the imposing power of the Egyptians over Nubia, the union of two different populations took place. It is important to know that the population of Nubia was black, which gave rise to the appearance of the first black pharaohs.

The rule of the black pharaohs of Nubian origin lasted until about 75 years, in which they wanted to create some harmony between Upper and Lower Egypt and Nubia. They considered themselves fully Egyptian although they were reserved in showing their Nubian features, that is to say, their characteristic skin color. In addition, many of the representations of these pharaohs were completely changed.

One of the remarkable decisions taken during the rule of the Nubian pharaohs was the admission of soldiers of their own ethnicity in the pharaoh's army, a right that was previously denied to the Nubian people.


(Napata's Kindom)
During the Third Intermediate Period of Egypt (1085 -750 BC), Nubia regained its independence. A "Kushite kingdom" was then constituted which was to last for about a thousand years. In the 8th century B.C., the Nubians Shabako, Taharqo and Pianjy avenged their ancestors and drove their chariots to Kemet (Egypt), to take in Memphis the Double Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, founding the XXVth dynasty of Egypt. They remained on the throne for 67 years and their monuments can still be contemplated. Around -660, the Kushite pharaohs were expelled to their region of origin, Nubia, and formed in Napata an original kingdom, synthesis of Nubian and Egyptian influences; the kingdom of Kush adopted many Egyptian practices, such as their religion and the pyramids.

(Meroe's Kindom)

Nubian pyramids at Meroe

Around 591 BC, as a result of the expedition of Psametic II against Kush, the capital was moved from Napata to Meroe. To this was added the hardening of climatic conditions, which relegated the north to secondary functions.

From 315 to 295 B.C., the break (never completed) with the Egyptian model was accentuated. Under Nastasen (335 to 315 B.C.), Meroe snatched from Napata the last remaining major functions, those of coronation and burial of the sovereigns.

After the campaigns of Alexander the Great the territory now called Nubia was called "Æthiopia" or, more precisely: Lower Ethiopia (not to be confused with the present State called Ethiopia). At that time there was the advent of the "Candaces", queens who exercised supreme political power.

In Roman times, the Kushites traded with the Romans and were also mercenaries. During that time, the different regions were divided and fought for control of Nubia, leaving the region vulnerable to attack, which the Noba took advantage of to conquer Nubia. It is possible that the word "Nubia" comes from the Noba, or from the Egyptian word Nub: gold. The Romans of that time called them Nobatae.


(Middle Age)

It is at the beginning of the Middle Ages when the toponym Nubia begins to appear, a term derived from the important Christian kingdom of Nobatia, although even then Nubia used to refer to the entire region formerly called "Lower Ethiopia". Around 350, Nubia was invaded and broken up by the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. Three new kingdoms were then formed:

Nobatia, in the north, between the first and second cataract of the Nile, with the capital at Faras;
Makuria, in the center, with capital at Dongola;

Alodia, or Aloa, further south, with its capital at Soba, near Khartum.
King Silko of Nobatia wrote in Greek and engraved his victories on the temple of Talmis (now Kalabsha) around 500. In 373, John of Ephesus noted that a Monophysite priest named Julian converted the king and his nobles around 545.

In the 7th century, Makuria became the main power in the region - powerful enough to prevent the invasion of the Arabs. After many failures, the Arabs established a peace treaty with Dongola, allowing trade between the two powers. This treaty, called Bakt, lasted 600 years. The Nubians were considered great warriors since the time of the pharaohs, even as late as the middle of the tenth century more than fifty thousand Nubians served in the Fatimid army. 4] It was at the end of the Middle Ages that Islam was definitively imposed throughout the region. The "royal" church of Dongola was replaced by a mosque around 1350.

The Nubian Village of Aswan

 

[Montuno]

(8)- Knowing the history of Egypt.

Brief history of Ancient Egypt for beginners :


WHO ARE THE COPTS?
The Copts are Egyptian Christians and form the largest Christian community in the Middle East . The Coptic people date back to the time of Ancient Egypt and converted to Christianity in the 1st century AD, maintaining their faith to this day, despite the fact that Egypt is a Muslim country.

This has meant that the Copts have suffered religious persecution over the centuries and that they have to live in many cities in Coptic neighborhoods (the one in Cairo is called Qasr al-Sham and you will surely visit it during your trip).

Today, Copts are called both Egyptian Christians and members of the Coptic Church , who reside not only in Egypt, but also in Eritrea, Ethiopia or Sudan.

The Coptic Church has 2 main branches (Catholic and Orthodox) , several Protestant branches, a Pope, and 2 Patriarchs (one from Ethiopia and one from Eritrea). In addition, it uses the Coptic language and calendar, preserves several churches in Egypt and monasteries in various countries.

Mass in the Coptic Cathedral of Cairo

 

[Montuno]

(9)- Knowing the history of Egypt.

Brief history of Ancient Egypt for beginners :


MAIN GODS OF THE HISTORY OF EGYPT

The Egyptian religion, like the Greek or the Roman, was polytheistic, which means that they worshiped numerous gods and, depending on the time, some were more important than others; knowing their gods, it is very important to know the history of Egypt.

The gods represented natural phenomena and the Egyptians venerated them through rituals and offerings, which were in charge of the pharaoh, representative of the gods on earth . The importance of the pharaoh was such that many temples were not erected to worship a god, but rather to worship a pharaoh, and many times the pharaohs were even represented as gods.

Ammon
Amun was the most important divinity in the Egyptian religion, the creator god . He represented the occult and creative power and it was said that he could not be seen by anyone, neither by mortals nor by other gods.

He was protector of seafarers and was identified with Zeus in Greece and Jupiter in Rome , and one of his main temples is the Temple of Karnak.

Ra
He was one of the most important gods for the Egyptians, god of the sun and of the origin of life , and the Egyptian pharaohs considered themselves his descendants. He was depicted as a falcon head with a sun disk and, according to mythology, every night he traveled 12 hours from east to west, becoming Auf-Ra at night.

Pylons of the Temple of Luxor, consecrated to the god Amun-Ra, and with seated statues of Ramses II

Mut
She is one of the most important goddesses in Egyptian mythology, the mother goddess of the sky, the origin of all creation, and wife of the god Amun . She stood between the sun and the moon and represented cosmic perfection.
She is depicted as a woman with the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt , a sceptre, and the ankh, but other times she is depicted as a vulture, a lioness, or a lioness-headed woman .

Isis
She was the Queen of the goddesses, the great mother goddess who retrieved and embalmed the body of Osiris, her husband. She considered the goddess of motherhood and birth, protector of all mothers and children . She was considered the governess of marriage, faithful wife and queen of the gods.

Trajan's Kiosk at the Temple of Isis at Philae

Osiris
He was the husband of Isis and was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. He was the god of resurrection and is represented as a man wrapped in a shroud , holding the scepters of power and wearing a crown with two feathers, and his face was painted green or black.
The dead were entrusted to him in their transit to a new life.

Horus
He is the oldest god , the lord of the mountain, where the sun rises every morning, and he had the shape of a falcon. When the cult of Osiris became important, Horus became the son of Osiris.

Osiris, Isis and Horus were the most important triad of gods . In the Book of the Dead, Horus, in his form as Haroeris, helped the Pharaoh ascend to heaven.

Temple of Kom Ombo, consecrated to the gods Horus and Sobek

Maat
She symbolizes the cosmic order, but also justice and truth, being the patron saint of judges . She is depicted as a woman with a large ostrich feather on her head and holding a scepter and ankh; since the reign of Akhenaten, she is depicted as a winged woman. She was highly revered at Karnak and Memphis.

Hathor
She was the goddess of love, beauty, dance and musical arts , as well as being the protector of motherhood and children. She was the daughter of the god Ra and is usually depicted as a woman with the ears or head of a cow, horns, and a sun disk.
She was venerated in various temples, in Memphis and Dendera, and is depicted alongside Nefertari in one of the temples at Abu Simbel, as well as on the capitals of some columns in the Temple of Hatshepsut .

Hathoric capitals (with the head of the Goddess Hathor), in the Temple of Hatshepsut

Bastet
She was the protective goddess of the home , as well as representing fertility. She is depicted as a cat or cat-headed woman (wearing a special headdress and large necklace).
Since the Old Kingdom, she was considered the mother of the king and her cult was so important that cats were raised in her temples and, when they died, they were buried mummified in tombs built especially for them.

Ptah
He is one of the most important gods in Egyptian mythology. He is the Creator of the World, Lord of Magic, of Truth and of Darkness . He is represented as a mummified man, wrapped in a shroud, holding a scepter, wearing a large necklace and a skullcap on his head, as well as standing on a pedestal.
Also, he is the only god who has a straight beard.

On the left, in shadow, the god Ptah, god of darkness, in the sanctuary of the Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel

Sekhmet
She was the goddess of war, "The Powerful", but also of doctors . She is represented as a lioness or a woman with the head of a lioness and, above her, a solar disk, which represents the destructive energy of the sun. She was the daughter of the god Ra and the wife of Ptah.

Min
He is one of the oldest gods in Egyptian mythology. He was the god of the moon, rain, vegetation and fertility , and represented the regenerative force of nature.
He was represented as a man with black or green skin with a crown of feathers, standing on a pedestal and with his limb erect, symbolizing fertility.

Sobek
He was the crocodile god, creator of the Nile, Lord of the Waters, god of life , but also (like the god Min) god of fertility and vegetation. He is depicted as a crocodile or crocodile-headed man wearing the atef crown (the white crown with two ostrich feathers). A temple was dedicated to Sobek and Horus at Kom Ombo.

Hieroglyphs from the history of Egypt
Reliefs in the Temple of Horus and Sobek at Kom Ombo

Thoth
He was the god of writing and calculations . Ra placed him in the sky to illuminate after his retreat, so he was a moon god. He had the power to measure time and calendars and was the one who allowed the birth of Osiris, Seth, Horus the elder, Isis and Nephthys.

Aten
The Aten was the main Egyptian god during the Amarna period , when Pharaoh Akhenaten changed the polytheistic cult to a monotheistic cult centered on the god Aten, the sun god, who had been part of the Egyptian pantheon since the Old Kingdom.
In early times it was represented as a man with the head of a falcon, and later as a sun disk from which rays emerged with outstretched hands.



..I hope that these (not so) brief notes on the history of Egypt have helped you to understand its culture...

 

[CosmicGiggle]

The whole Human parade, I'm loving this thread, more similarities than differences!

 

[armedoldhippy]

The whole Human parade, I'm loving this thread, more similarities than differences!

well, the danged Egyptians caused the rest of humanity irreparable harm, what with treating cats like Gods. now the damn things think they ARE Gods, and expect equivalent treatment...

 

[Montuno]

I leave you where to visit an original ancient Egyptian temple...in the center of Spain....:

Templo de Debod - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

es.m.wikipedia.org

(1)- Temple of Debod
Egyptian temple located in Madrid

The Temple of Debod is a building from ancient Egypt currently located in the Spanish city of Madrid . It is located to the west of the Plaza de España , next to the Paseo del Pintor Rosales ( Parque del Oeste ), on a hill where the Cuartel de la Montaña was located . When it was transferred to Spain, it was placed in such a way that it kept approximately the same orientation as in its place of origin, from east to west.

Temple of Debod. Madrid-Spain.

Type
egyptian temple
Style
ancient egyptian architecture
Cataloging
Well of Cultural Interest ( Monument , April 17, 2008)
Location
Madrid (Spain)
coordinates
40°25′27″N 3°43′04″W / 40.424052777778 , -3.7177777777778

The Temple of Debod was a gift from Egypt to Spain in 1968 in compensation for the Spanish help following the international call made by Unesco to save the Nubian temples , mainly that of Abu Simbel , in danger of disappearing due to the construction of the aswan dam . In gratitude, Egypt donated four monuments to countries that responded to this claim in a meaningful way: Dendur to the United States (it is currently in the Metropolitan Museum in New York), Ellesiya to Italy ( Museo Egizio in Turin ), [ 1 ]Taffa to the Netherlands ( Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden ) [ 2 ] and Debod to Spain.

It is about 2200 years old. Its oldest core was perhaps erected under pharaoh Ptolemy IV Philopator , and later decorated by the Nubian king Adijalamani of Meroe around 200-180 BC. C., being dedicated to Amón de Debod ( Amani , in the Kushita language ) and Isis , although to tell the truth, most researchers think that its erection was the work of Adijalamani, with Ptolemy IV later intervening in it. It has important additions from the Ptolemaic and Roman-Imperial periods (from the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD).

Temple of Debod at sunset with the Tower of Madrid in the background.

Temple of Debod at twilight.

The Temple of Debod in its original location.

Temple detail.

interior of the temple

Model.

Front view.

The temple on the Principe Pio Mountain .

 

[Montuno]

(2 & end)- Temple of Debod
Egyptian temple located in Madrid

Temple of Debod in winter.

Detail of the Blocks.

Detail of the Blocks and Columns of the facade.

Facade columns.

Ancient graffito of a dromedary on the outside of the temple

 

[Montuno]

Cancho Roano (Zalamea de la Serena, Badajoz, Extremadura; Spain):​

Ver todas las cosas que hacer

N.º 1 de 3 cosas que hacer en Zalamea de la Serena
Ruinas antiguas • Puntos emblemáticos y de interés
Visitar sitio web
Llamar

Fotos de Cancho Roano:

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[Montuno]

Chronology of Tartessos in relation to the Mediterranean and Environment

CHRONOLOGY BEFORETHE APPEARANCE OF KINGDOM OF TARTESSOS :

Herákles fight with the Tartessian king Geryon

CHRONOLOGY AFTERTHE APPEARANCE OFKINGDOM OF TARTESSOS

Flight of the Phoenicians from Tire after the capture of the city by Nebuchadnezzar

Cronologia comparada

 

[Microbeman]

Not sure if you have this in the thread; found in Honduras 1885

 

[Montuno]

Not sure if you have this in the thread; found in Honduras 1885

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Not yet. The one I showed in the article on Teotihuacan/Maya relations was the 32 of Tikal (Guatemala), I seem to remember.
The one in your message is from Copán (Honduras).

 

[Montuno]

I already told you about this Iberian lioness (Turdetani ,Turduli or Oretani) found around 2000 by a farmer in my area:

By the way, my friend @tobedetermined , in my mounts no internet in the 90's...but to get pieces with more than 2000 years, nothing like plowing the olive grove....:

A farmer finds an Iberian lioness, excellently preserved, when he was plowing an olive grove in San Sebastián de los Ballesteros (Córdoba)​

by Guillermo Caso de los Cobos
29 Oct 2020


Gonzalo Crespo, together with the lioness of San Sebastián de los Ballesteros. / THE DAY

"I was doing a job among the olive trees and the tractor hit a stone" . It is the testimony of Gonzalo Crespo , a resident of the Cordoba town of San Sebastián de los Ballesteros (Córdoba) and a resident of La Victoria who has just unearthed an Iberian lioness in his olive grove in an excellent state of preservation and which the first dates place in the sixth century before Christ . The discovery was made around 08:30 last Wednesday. It was a routine day at the Cañablanquilla farm, located just 50 meters from the eballente town center.

Crespo, a pre-retired transport professional, was preparing his olive grove for the imminent olive harvest. "I passed and noticed that the tractor had hit an obstacle, but these modern machines are prepared not to break. I continued and when I turned around, I saw it," he recounts.



The archaeological piece lay half- buried , on its side, its jaws and legs numb for centuries under the fertile soil of the countryside. "I called a good friend who is a corporal in the Civil Guard and works at the Lucena courthouse and he guided me," he narrates.







The agents of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of the Civil Guard arrived a little later and the relevant recovery work was carried out with the assistance of technicians from the Andalusian Government's Delegation of Culture. It was not necessary to seal the area, since the specific point has not been revealed to avoid marauders. "The archaeologists are freaking out ," says Crespo.

The mayor, Francisco Javier Maestre , explained that, although there are documented vestiges of Roman times in the municipality, it is the first time that archaeological finds of this magnitude have been produced. The piece has been transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba to be subjected to a complete cleaning and study. Meanwhile, Gonzalo Crespo jokes: "I have a place prepared in the fireplace."

Previous finds already exist in the province, although it never ceases to amaze every time the earth spits out a piece of history. The closest to San Sebastián de los Ballesteros took place in Santaella, also in a farm, and is exhibited in the local Archaeological Museum. In Nueva Carteya, Baena, Bujalance and La Victoria , zoomorphic sculptures of Iberian origin have also been recovered.


Iberian lioness found in Nueva Carteya (Córdoba)


Iberian lioness (or she-wolf) from the archaeological site of Cerro de los Molinillos (Baena, Córdoba).

Source: eldiadecordoba.es | October 29, 2020

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It was another, now a male, Iberic-Oretaniani:

It is a complete Iberian sculpture of a fierce lion digging its paw into the dying body of an individual with Negroid features.

The figure is 1.20 meters long.
It was located on the left flank of the Puerta del León ( Cástulo. Puerta del León ), although its original location would have been on the right flank of the door on its part without relief, on the other flank of the door there was another lion of which there is evidence documentary film.

The lion is a symbol of strength, of indestructible vigor, therefore a model of noble virtue. He also represents the domination of the animal over human nature, but he is also a symbol of protection and would be the protective image of the city of Cástulo .

It has an exaggerated representation of the virile member in the lion. Carrying such a disproportionate virile member or penis comes to highlight the strength, power, abundance of the city itself and the elites that govern it. The penis associated with protecting against the evil eye, a symbol of abundance, fertility and virility, was a very common amulet among the Romans as we know.

The lion would be associated with levels of the Roman wall, therefore, with a chronology that the excavators attribute to the S: II-I BC, with an abandonment in the S: I AD. C.; however, its invoice and typology -quite archaic- suggest a clear Iberian ascription, in this case belonging to the Oretani world that survived at that time.

As the lion is clearly Iberian, and the lion has in its claws the head of a person with Negroid features, possibly a Carthaginian. Also as the gate was erected in a difficult to access site, it is very likely that it was a monumental gate to show his support for Rome and to see his determination against the Carthaginians.

It is unique within the statuary of this style and period, as well as the most complete and best preserved in the entire Iberian Peninsula.

Today it is in the Archaeological Museum of Linares in the Casa del Torreón .

In the 17th century, another large sculpture of a lion appeared, which today is missing, and which would be its partner at the door. It could be identified with the lion that would flank the right threshold of the door. Only a simple freehand drawing by Ximena Jurado in the 17th century is preserved.

Cástulo. León

 

[GMT]

Why did they only draw 3 fingers on each hand?

 

[Montuno]

Iberian Oretan culture, in the southern half of ancient Oretania, present-day Spanish provinces of Ciudad Real, western half of Albacete, northern half of Jaén, and northeastern part of Córdoba.
(500 - 100 BC aprox)

There was a time of warrior princes, a culture capable of loving and challenging nature, a time of fortified cities, palaces and sanctuaries; it is the time of the Iberians.
The province of Jaén has an immense and surprising legacy that we invite you to discover. An itinerary to know the history and culture of a unique civilization. The Journey to the Time of the Iberians includes the sites of the Oppidum of Puente Tablas, in Jaén; the Iberian-Roman city of Cástulo and its monographic museum, in Linares; the princely tombs of Toya and Hornos, in Peal de Becerro; the dynastic necropolis of Cerrillo Blanco, in Porcuna; the Iberian Sanctuary of the Cueva de la Lobera, in Castellar; the fortified city of Giribaile, in Vilches; and the Cyclopean Wall of Ibros.


(English & Spanish)
It reveals the secrets of the way of life of the Iberian peoples, whose culture coexisted in time and in the Mediterranean with Carthage, Greece and Rome until Roman rule, leaving important traces in southern Portugal, southwestern France, and half south and half east of Spain. Especially in the province of Jaén (Andalusia-Spain) there are, for the moment, 500 Iberian archaeological sites in Jaén whose contribution to the investigation of this culture is decisive.
Through 552 pieces from the collection of the Iberian Museum from the funds of the Junta de Andalucía the visitor is introduced to the origins of the Iberian settlements from the Final Bronze Age to the fortified city, in which the creation of the wall, the incorporation of weapons in this culture of legendary warriors and the conformation of the urban environment are shown.
The elements presented are spread over a chronological period of 500 years, between 700 and 200 BC.

Follow us:
viajealtiempodelosiberos.com.

(@tobedetermined ; Museo Íbero de Jaén):
December-2007/January-2008 inaguration:


Part of the Inauguration: "The Lady, The Prince, The Hero and the Goddess":


Manuel Pimentel's summary:

 

[Montuno]

Why did they only draw 3 fingers on each hand?

For the Neanderthal paintings, it is hypothesized with amputated fingers due to frostbite.In some without several fingers a "typical amputation pattern to frostbite" can be recognized.

For "our" Sapiens, besides/besides the previous hypothesis, they could be fingers collected as part of a "symbolic communication system" (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; since there are different paintings with that number of fingers). Others say there could be "personal signatures". Some do not rule out some kind of "ritual mutilations".

In Neanderthal as well as in Sapiens, specialists claim to detect several hands with stumps, that is, without fingers.In some without several fingers a "typical amputation pattern to frostbite" can be recognized.
Others it is impossible to affirm it.
And in others, Sapiens, it is said that the fingers seem to have been simply gathered against the palm...

It is worth noting that (I think at least in Sapiens; I do not remember if also in Neanderthals, there is a majority of female hands compared to male hands, as I understand...

 

[Montuno]

(1)- I leave you now a news about an archaeological find in my area, related to two different wars separated by more than a millennium :

The tomb of a prince and 24 Iberian warrior aristocrats found in Alarcos (Ciudad Real)

The first one would be the Invasion of Carthage to the Iberian Spain, and the Battle of Helike, where the king of Oretania (the Iberian kingdom where my mountain would be then) achieved the Carthaginian defeat and the death of Almicar Barca (father of Hannibal, to whom Oretania posed a challenge that he did not think to find more than facing the other contemporary superpower of the Mediterranean, Rome... But just as the Spanish Civil War was to be the rehearsal and prelude to the Second World War, so too was the Spanish Civil War the prelude to the Second World War, this other war was the prelude yo the Second Púnic War:

(Wikipedia

The Battle of Helike or Battle of Ilice was a military confrontation that occurred during the Carthaginian conquest of the Iberian Peninsula . It took place in the year 228 a. C. The location of the exact place where the action took place is controversial, but it is known that it was in the surroundings of Elche (Valencian Community). In the course of the action, the Iberian troops were victorious and the Carthaginian general Amílcar Barca died during the battle in uncertain circumstances, but according to legend, an association of peoples defeated Amilcar's army by releasing bulls with burning branches on their heads. Amilcar is believed to have died from wounds sustained in that battle. [SUP][1 ] [/SUP][SUP][ 2[/SUP] ]

Part of the Carthaginian conquest of Hispania

228 BC c.

Helike (disputed location)

38°22′52″N 1°16′34″W / 38.381084 , -1.276081

Iberian victory

carthage Oretanos Contestanos Olcades Vetones

Hamilcar Barca † Orison , king of the Oretani

unknown unknown

[ edit data at Wikidata ]

DevelopingEditThe Carthaginian forces besieged the city of Helike, to whose aid Orison , king of the Oretani , came along with troops from other allied peoples. It is not known with certainty how the events unfolded, according to some versions Orison initially deceived the Carthaginians into believing that he came as his ally. When the confrontation began, he launched burning carts pulled by oxen against the enemy vanguard, which managed to break the Carthaginian lines and facilitated the victory of his troops.



...The other war, more than a millennium later, is that of the Kingdom of Castile against the Empire of the Almohad Caliphate, and specifically the Almohad victory at the Battle of Alarcos:

THE BATTLE OF HELIKE:

Iberian bulls against Carthaginian elephants ?

Iberian-Oretani male lion :
the lion has in its claws the head of a person with Negroid features, possibly a Carthaginian. The lion was on a top of a gate in Oretani city of Castulo, erected in a difficult to access site; it is very likely that it was a monumental gate to show his support for Rome and to see his determination against the Carthaginians

 

[tobedetermined]

Over the last year or two, I have been slowly building a civilization timeline - just for my own understanding. It is one thing to read about an ancient civilization or culture but I wanted to slot them into a meaningful timeline that made sense to me. For example: When you can see when the Black Sea Deluge happened and who was around building communities at that time, it becomes easier to understand where the Gilgamesh story came from and therefore, where all of the flood stories originated. It was a lifetime memory for the burgeoning cultures in Anatolia.

 

[Montuno]

(1-) ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF CARTHAGO
𐤒𐤓𐤕𐤟𐤇𐤃𐤔𐤕
Qart-Ḥadašt

1-The Legend of Dido
2-Form of government
3-Carthaginian religion
4-Society
5-Culture
6-Ports of Carthage City
7-Walls of Carthage City
8-Army of Carthage
9-Punic term
10-Brief History


Carthage was founded in North Africa as a Phoenician trading port at the end of the 9th century BC in what is now the Gulf of Tunisia. By the 6th century BC, Carthage had subdued the Libyan tribes and annexed the former Phoenician colonies, becoming a powerful imperialist power in the western Mediterranean. Its expansion would soon clash with another great power: Rome. Carthage fought three wars against its rival and lost all three. During the Second Punic War, Hannibal kept Rome in check, which saw its defeat at close quarters. Proof of the fear that the Carthaginians had come to instill in the Roman spirit was the third war, in which Rome finally razed the city of Carthage in 146 BC.

1-The Legend of Dido

Phoenician trade routes

Evolution of the State of Carthage

The classic legend about the founding of Carthage tells that it was Princess Elisa of Tire known as Dido who founded it in 814 BC. It all began in Tyre, the great Phoenician city-state on the coast of present-day Lebanon. The king of the city, Mattan, had two children: a boy named Pygmalion, and a woman named Elisa. After the death of the father, the brothers disputed the succession to the throne. Elisa, perhaps due to political and hereditary interests, married her paternal uncle, Acerbas, a priest of Melkart, who gathered around her an enormous political and military power, as well as a great fortune. But Pygmalion, afraid of losing his position, brutally murdered Acerbas. For a time Dido concealed her horror, but only to better prepare her escape from the city, taking with her the immense treasures of her husband.

Elisa fled Tire with her little sister and a retinue of men and women who were faithful to her to found a new colony. Elisa did not end up in any of the Phoenician colonies of the Mediterranean, but she decided to go to unknown lands.

On its first stop, in Cyprus, the entourage was increased by new Phoenician settlers. Also, with the approval of the priests of the temple of Astarte, Elisa took about 80 young women to marry them with her followers and found a new colony. After hearing an oracle announcing the founding of a new city, Dido and his followers set out from Cyprus and continued their route until they reached the coast of what is now Tunisia.

Founding of Carthage by Dido, the princess is seen climbing the hill of Birsa. Steve Noon Author

When the Phoenicians landed in a bay next to which a hill rose, the indigenous population tried to prevent them from settling there. For this reason, Dido had to agree with Hiarbas, a local kinglet of the Getul tribe, whom she convinced to sell her the land that covered an extended ox skin, saying that it was so that his companions, tired, could rest before to set sail again. But the beautiful princess had the skin cut into thin strips and thus she obtained enough acreage to found her city. It seems that Byrsa 's name " Bull Skin ", by which the hill on which the acropolis of Carthage was located is known, recalls that event. Elisa was crowned queen, and her subjects baptized her as Dido.

Dido cutting bull skin for the foundation of Carthage. Author Mathias Merian the Elder. Source Historische Chronica Frankfurt

Legend has it that the king cleverly tricked by Dido fell in love with her beauty and intelligence and decided at all costs to take her as his wife. He exposed his claim to a group of Phoenician notables, whom he threatened to declare war on if they did not convince the princess. Dido, between sobs and laments, assured them that she would do what they asked, but after three months she had a pyre erected at the gates of the city, climbed on it and pierced her chest with a knife so as not to marry.

Death of Dido queen of Carthage. Author Joseph Stallaert, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.

But, according to the Roman legend that has been adulterated by some classical Latin writers, Carthage was founded in 814 BC. C. by Princess Dido , sister of Pygmalion , King of Tire. Pygmalion, who coveted the treasure of his brother-in-law Sycheus, forced Dido to reveal the location of said riches. Dido tricked Pygmalion into pointing him to a false location. Pygmalion first murdered Sichaeus and then sought his fortune, while Dido dug him up and fled with his treasure and followers. He embarked and sailed until he reached the region inhabited by the Libyans, where he petitioned the local king for land to found a city, but reluctant to intrude, he only granted him the land occupied by a bull skin. Dido, an ingenious woman, cut the skin into very fine strips and thus delimited a large area and built a fortress called Birsa , which later became the city of Carthage.

When Troy fell to the Achaeans , Aphrodite told her son Aeneas , one of the leaders of the Trojan army, to flee the city and not die like a good Trojan, because Troy no longer existed and another future had been reserved for him. . After several stops, he arrived in Carthage, where Queen Dido fell madly in love with him, remaining together for a long time.

Aeneas telling Dido of the misfortunes of Troy , Pierre-Narcisse Guérin ( 1815 ), Paris , Louvre

But Aeneas received from Jupiterthe mission of founding a new town, having to leave for their destiny. The night that Aeneas embarked with his people, Dido ran to convince him not to leave, without Aeneas showing the slightest doubt about his departure. Dido, after seeing him leave, ordered to build a gigantic pyre where he ordered to burn all the belongings of Aeneas. At dawn he went up to the pyre and, after condemning Aeneas and all his descendants, he plunged Aeneas's sword into his chest and threw himself into the fire. According to tradition, Romulus and Remus are descendants of Aeneas through his mother, Rhea Silvia , Aeneas being the progenitor of the Roman people. In his death, Dido condemned not only his mistress, but all Romans:
"And you, oh, Tirios!, feed your hatred on his son and on all his future lineage... There will never be friendship, there will never be an alliance between the two peoples... beach against beach, waves against waves, weapons against weapons, and let them fight even their last descendants!"
.

2-Form of government.
Monarchy or Republic? (1)

Although, the current consensus is to affirm that the city was founded between the years 825 and 820 BC. According to an inscription of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III, it was founded under the name of Qart-Hadast , which means " New City ", a place name that the Phoenicians used for successive Phoenician settlements of a similar character in Cyprus, Sardinia, North Africa and Spain.

Initially it was governed by an oligarchy of wealthy families, who appointed two governors or shophets (suffets) of the city and who were approved by the metropolis. However, in 574 BC a more far-reaching event took place when Tire lost its independence to the new superpower in the Levant, the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar, who took the city. Possibly a certain power vacuum was created and the system of government centered on the two shophets (sufets), whom some called kings, was consolidated. One held the military position and the other the civil position, and they were elected annually among individuals belonging to the wealthiest and most influential families in Carthage.

There was a Great Council made up of 300 members of the wealthiest families in Carthage. Among them were chosen the Sufetes and the members of the Assembly of the Hundred.

But to control the action of both sufetes, an assembly of 104 members was created which was called the Assembly of the Hundred, which the Romans called the Senate of Carthage.

The position in the Assembly was hereditary, and was held by the great families in power for a long time, due to the qualities of their individuals and their great wealth.

Until 454 BC tribute was being paid to the Libyan tribes for the rent of the territory, since then they were dominated and used as labor for the field and as soldiers.

Magón I, (550-530 BC) initiated a series of reforms that consolidated the power and military regulation of the city. The military nucleus was the hoplite phalanx according to the custom of the time. The maximum number of recruited troops can be estimated from the capacity of the barracks located in the three rings of walls that protected the city, which offered accommodation to 24,000 infantry, 2,000 horsemen, about 300 elephants, and 1,000 war chariots.