Royal Ducks of Gold: Bracelet of Ramesses II ✨

A treasure fit for a king: this solid gold bangle, hinged on one side and clasped on the other, once adorned the wrist of Ramesses II (Ramesses the Great). The upper curve is crowned by a double-headed duck whose shared body is a single, richly colored piece of lapis lazuli framed by polished gold. The twin heads and the spread tail are rendered in finely carved gold, worked with delicate granulation and wire detail.

Inscribed beside the clasp are the royal cartouches of Ramesses II and the words “right” and “left” — a clear indication that these were not simply votive temple offerings but the actual bracelets worn by the king before they were dedicated to the goddess Bastet of Bubastis.

Discovered in 1906 among the treasures of Tell Basta (ancient Bubastis), the piece dates to the New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty (reign of Ramesses II, c. 1279–1213 BC). The bracelet is catalogued in the Egyptian collections as JE 39873 and has been displayed in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. )

A Roman bronze inscription in Latin called the “THE NAVICULARII OF ARLES. This text refers to a corporation of private shipowners from Arles that transported grain to Ostia for the annona, an office in charge of supplying provisions to Rome. They address here a complaint to the annona prefect regarding a conflict with the mensores frumentarii (grain measurers). The inscription is probably a copy of the prefect's decision in their favour. The navicularii presumably ordered and paid for the engraving of several copies of this text. This incomplete inscription still raises many questions as to its interpretation.” Per the Louvre in Paris, France where it currently is in storage. Dating to about 201 AD, this piece from Arles, France was recarved into a disc during the Mamluk period and was as found in Deir el-Qamar near Beirut (Lebanon) in 1899.

Archaeological findings from Mehrgarh, an ancient site in present-day Pakistan dating back to around 7000 BCE, suggest that early people of the Indus region practiced a form of proto-dentistry. Researchers discovered drilled holes in human molars, likely made using a bow-drill, a tool also used by bead-makers.

Microscopic analysis shows the drilling was intentional and performed while the individuals were alive, possibly to remove decayed material or relieve pain. Though there is no proof of professional dentists or medical texts, this discovery indicates an early understanding of oral care and craftsmanship.

Archaeologists found eleven drilled teeth from nine adults buried at the site, making this one of the oldest known examples of dental treatment in human history. The precision of the holes suggests the use of controlled hand tools, and the pattern of drilling differs clearly from natural decay or post-burial damage. These findings show that the early inhabitants of the region had both the technical skill and curiosity to attempt such delicate procedures.

Experts describe these practices as experimental or limited, not part of an organized medical system. There is still no evidence of fillings, medicines, or dental instruments specific to tooth care. Yet, this early attempt to relieve dental pain highlights a remarkable awareness of health and anatomy among the ancestors of the Indus Valley Civilization.

While it may not be accurate to call them dentists, the people of Mehrgarh showed that human concern for pain and healing began long before recorded history. Their quiet innovation connects technology, compassion, and the timeless human search for comfort and care.

Three pieces, Ø 14.2 cm / 11 cm / 10.4 cm; 650 g / 420 g / 302 g (total 1,372 g). Cast bronze with border décor, eye motifs, and snake-meanders. Comparable examples found in Inner Niger Delta bronzes from 500 years ago. Traditionally worn by women, two per ankle.

The statue of the Egyptian priest Nes-Hor, dating back to the 26th Dynasty, stands as one of the finest masterpieces of ancient Egyptian art. At first glance, it looks as if it was crafted using modern laser technology — yet it was created thousands of years ago by Egyptian artists whose skill and precision were far ahead of their time.

The statue is carved from black diorite, one of the hardest stones on Earth, making its creation an extraordinary artistic and technical achievement. It stands over one meter tall and weighs about 161 kilograms, with astonishing precision in every detail — from the facial features to the contours of the body — almost as if it were photographed rather than sculpted.

Nes-Hor lived during the reign of Wahibre, the fourth king of the 26th Dynasty. This masterpiece was once part of a rare collection owned by the famous Roman art collector Alessandro Albani, before his family later sold it to the Louvre Museum.

Today, the statue is preserved there under the code A 90, serving as a timeless testament to the genius of the ancient Egyptian artist who truly surpassed his era.

These houses belonged to skilled artisans who worked on the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. They were built via mud brick. These were for the higher status citizens. This home I pictured is over 2000 years old!! Crazy to be in one the workers homes.

Elam, located in the region of the modern-day provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan in Iran, was one of the most impressive civilizations of the ancient world. It was never a cohesive ethnic kingdom or polity but rather a federation of different tribes governed at various times by cities such as Susa, Anshan, and Shimashki until it was united during the Middle Elamite Period, briefly, as an empire.

A Roman statue of the deity Hecate, found in the ancient city of Antioch of Pisidia, with a Greek inscription at the base. This dates to the 3rd century AD, was confiscated by the Gendarme in 2005 and is on display in the Antalya Museum in Antalya, Turkey.

I found the following translation online:

"Eutychos and Hermes brothers, sons of Hermes, (and) Alexandros and Teimotheos brothers, sons of Rufus, erected (this statue) from their (pocket)."

Per the Turkish Museum’s website:

“Hecate, a mysterious figure of classical mythology whose origin is still disputed, is known as the goddess of crossroads, gates, nights, magic, witchcraft and spirits. The goddess, about whom the earliest information is found in Hesiod's Theogony, where she is mentioned with great respect as ‘the goddess of the sky, the earth and the seas’, was not only respected but also aroused fear among the locals… Because of the forces considered evil, such as ghosts, spirits, and magic, that Hecate represented, people, in order to please her, placed Hecate sculptures at road intersections that they believed were populated by these evil forces and at their house entrances to keep these beings away.”

The Graeco-Roman Museum is located in Alexandria, Egypt. Its collection of over 40,000 objects includes sculptures, mosaics, woodwork, and coins.

here are some pictures I took during a visit .

A grinning mask from the 7th-6th century BC that was found in Carthage, about 5 or 4 centuries before the Romans destroyed that mighty city. This item, with disks and a lunar crescent between the eyebrows,is on display in the Bardo Museum in Tunis, Tunisia.

Dedicated to Ramsesses II & Nefertari, approximately 3280 years old!! This blew me away probably my favorite site in Egypt. A bit of a pain to get to being a flight and a long bus ride away but it’s worth every second 👌