Traditional Europe
The Gold bust of Septimius Severus (194–197 AD) It was found in 1965 in Greece and it is now kept in the Archaeological Museum of Komotini, in the town of Komotini. It is one of the only two surviving gold busts of a Roman Emperor today, the other being…
Golden bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius from Avenches, western Switzerland. (161–180 AD)
Custodia Clock with Oil Lamp by Hans de Evalo (1583)
The Flemish clockmaker Hans de Evalo, in the service of King Philip II of Spain, created this remarkable mantel clock in 1583. Made of gilded bronze, it is considered one of the earliest night clocks in Europe. Its design is inspired by a religious monstrance (custodia) and is supported by a female figure.
The figure holds a square case with a hinged lion’s head on the front. When lifted, it allowed a small oil lamp to illuminate the dial, making it possible to tell the time in the absence of daylight—ideal for Philip II, who was known to work late into the night.
Evalo worked in Madrid from at least 1575, was officially appointed royal clockmaker in 1580, and remained in the post until his death in 1598. The clock is signed inside the dial: “Hans de Evalo, F. In Madrid 1583.”
After leaving the royal collection, the clock resurfaced in 1907 and was eventually returned to the Royal Monastery of El Escorial during the reign of Alfonso XIII.
The Flemish clockmaker Hans de Evalo, in the service of King Philip II of Spain, created this remarkable mantel clock in 1583. Made of gilded bronze, it is considered one of the earliest night clocks in Europe. Its design is inspired by a religious monstrance (custodia) and is supported by a female figure.
The figure holds a square case with a hinged lion’s head on the front. When lifted, it allowed a small oil lamp to illuminate the dial, making it possible to tell the time in the absence of daylight—ideal for Philip II, who was known to work late into the night.
Evalo worked in Madrid from at least 1575, was officially appointed royal clockmaker in 1580, and remained in the post until his death in 1598. The clock is signed inside the dial: “Hans de Evalo, F. In Madrid 1583.”
After leaving the royal collection, the clock resurfaced in 1907 and was eventually returned to the Royal Monastery of El Escorial during the reign of Alfonso XIII.
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🇳🇴 The halling dance originated in medieval Norway and began as a form of showcasing physical skills, such as strength and agility. Initially, it was a dance of competition and courtship, with fast movements, spins, and jumps.
Over time, it became an important part of Norwegian folk culture, especially in the Hallingdal region, and continues to be performed at festivals and celebrations, symbolizing the country's cultural heritage.
Over time, it became an important part of Norwegian folk culture, especially in the Hallingdal region, and continues to be performed at festivals and celebrations, symbolizing the country's cultural heritage.
The grave of the Bad Dürrenberg shaman is one of the oldest burials in central Germany (7,000 to 6,800 BC. c.)
An infant was buried with her. The analysis of the woman's skeleton revealed that her two uppermost cervical vertebrae were malformed and theat blood vessels in the lower skull area could have been spatially restricted. This malformation may have made her a special person. Anthropologists suspect that by holding her head in a certain position, she was able to clamp off a blood vessel. This possibly led to an involuntary eye movement, a so-called nystagmus. The overabundant inventory of grave goods alone testifies to a special social role of the deceased. Certain grave goods also played an important role in interpreting this burial as a shaman’s grave.
Researchers believes that the Bad Dürrenberg burial is proof that human spirituality became more specialized at this time, too, with specific people in the community delegated to interact with the spirit world, often with the help of trances or psychoactive substances. Combined with the earlier analysis of the woman’s grave, the team’s new finds and meticulous look at her bones painted a more complete picture of the shaman. They conjectured that, from an early age, she had been singled out as different from other members of her community. Even in death, her unusually rich grave marked her as exceptional. Earlier scholars, including Grünberg, had speculated that she was a shaman who served as an intermediary between her community and the spirit world
An infant was buried with her. The analysis of the woman's skeleton revealed that her two uppermost cervical vertebrae were malformed and theat blood vessels in the lower skull area could have been spatially restricted. This malformation may have made her a special person. Anthropologists suspect that by holding her head in a certain position, she was able to clamp off a blood vessel. This possibly led to an involuntary eye movement, a so-called nystagmus. The overabundant inventory of grave goods alone testifies to a special social role of the deceased. Certain grave goods also played an important role in interpreting this burial as a shaman’s grave.
Researchers believes that the Bad Dürrenberg burial is proof that human spirituality became more specialized at this time, too, with specific people in the community delegated to interact with the spirit world, often with the help of trances or psychoactive substances. Combined with the earlier analysis of the woman’s grave, the team’s new finds and meticulous look at her bones painted a more complete picture of the shaman. They conjectured that, from an early age, she had been singled out as different from other members of her community. Even in death, her unusually rich grave marked her as exceptional. Earlier scholars, including Grünberg, had speculated that she was a shaman who served as an intermediary between her community and the spirit world