Renais­sance artist Albrecht Dür­er (1471-1528) nev­er saw a rhi­no him­self, but by rely­ing on eye­wit­ness descrip­tions of the one King Manuel I of Por­tu­gal intend­ed as a gift to the Pope, he man­aged to ren­der a fair­ly real­is­tic one, all things con­sid­ered.
Ancient Egypt is defined as the civilization that flourished in North Africa between circa 6000 and 30 BCE - from the Predynastic Period in Egypt (circa 6000 to circa 3150 BCE) through the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE) before Egypt became a province of Rome. Roman Egypt (30 BCE to 646 CE) afterwards fell to the invasions of the Muslim Arabs.
Strabo had visited the Egyptian city around 29-25BC and wrote of such boats: These vessels are luxuriously fitted out and used by the royal court for excursions; and the crowd of revellers who go down from Alexandria by the canal to the public festivals; for every day and every night is crowded with people on the boats who play the flute and dance without restraint and with extreme licentiousness.
Today is Tuesday, Nov. 4, the 308th day of 2025. There are 57 days left in the year. Today in history: On Nov. 4, 2008, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois was elected the first Black president of the United States, defeating the Republican candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Also on this date: In 1922, the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered in Egypt.
A vast $1bn museum billed as the world's largest archaeological facility dedicated to a single civilisation will open outside Cairo on Saturday, after countless delays over the course of its two-decade construction. The Grand Egyptian Museum, located a mile away from the pyramids of Giza, covers an area of 470,000 sq metres. The complex was announced in 1992 but it was not until 2005 that construction began.
"Treasures of Egypt: A Legacy in Photographs From the Pyramids to Cleopatra" offers a breathtaking visual and historical journey through ancient Egypt. It features an unparalleled collection of spectacular photographs, from the Pyramids to intricate artifacts, showcasing the civilisation's monumental scale and delicate artistry. The book provides concise historical context, making complex narratives accessible, and covers periods from the Early Dynastic to the Ptolemaic era, including Cleopatra.
The reconstruction presents a harmonious and serene face, with features that suggest dignity and gentleness. While any aesthetic interpretation involves a degree of speculation, the goal was to maintain a respectful image aligned with the deceased's social role.
