The World's Oldest Ancient Civilizations (Part -2)

What is meant by civilization? - Civilization is a complex human society that may have some characteristics of cultural and technological development, right!! In the previous article, we had seen some such ancient civilizations and today we are going to see more such civilizations, so let's see.

The Mesopotamian Civilization (3500 BC–500 BC) 

The Mesopotamian was an urban civilization located between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, this region is now part of the Republic of Iraq. There have been four famous civilizations in Mesopotamia - Sumeria, Babylon, Assyria, Caldria. Mesopotamian civilization was famous for its prosperity, urban life, vast and rich literature, mathematics and astronomy. The Mesopotamian economy was based mostly on trade and agriculture. Mesopotamian art was in the form of sculptures in art and clay, with some paintings. The sculptures usually depict animals, mythological creatures, gods and goddesses. During the Assyrian and Babylonian periods, statues took the form of colossal statues guarding royal palaces. Mesopotamian culture was closely associated with the worship of gods and goddesses. 

Illustration of ancient city of Babylon, Mesopotamia
Credit:- gettyimages.in

Assyrian couple with traditional costumes from B.C.
Credit:- gettyimages.in

Art of Mesopotamia
Credit:- gettyimages.in

The Ancient Egyptian Civilization (3150 BC–30 BC) 

Ancient Egypt was one of the world's oldest and longest-lasting civilizations. It was located in the northeastern part of Africa along the Nile River. In the beginning, different dynasties ruled Egypt, Then there are the three primary kingdoms that historians use to outline the periods of ancient Egypt. The three kingdoms were the old, middle and new kingdoms. The ancient Egyptians were very skilled in architecture, sculpture, writing and painting. The Egyptians built more than 100 pyramids. Among these, the Pyramid of Giza is famous all over the world. Similarly, the statue of the Sphinx near the Pyramid of Giza is a classic example of Egyptian sculpture. The Egyptian civilization adorned mankind with unprecedented knowledge and inventions. matrilineal family, knowledge of alphabet and paper and ink, methods of irrigation, construction of dams and canals, tax collection, construction of almanac, construction of pyramids, grand and huge temples. For centuries, the knowledge of preserving bodies in mummies by applying chemical coatings has been an important contribution of the Egyptians.

Ancient Egyptians building a Pyramid
Credit :- gettyimages.in

The Sphinx near the Pyramid of Giza

Sarcophagus Mummy Egypt

The Chinese Civilization (1600 BC–1046 BC) 

The ancient Chinese civilization developed in the valleys of the Wanzhou and Chang Jiang (Yangtze) rivers. Shang dynasty, Chau dynasty, Han dynasty, Sui dynasty, Tang dynasty, Shung dynasty were prominent among the dynasties of the rulers of China. The ancient society of China was divided into Mandarins, farmers, artisans, merchants and soldiers. Agriculture was the main occupation of the Chinese people. Salt, fish, loam, cotton and silk cloth were traded on a large scale from China. Chinese people traded various goods from ancient Babylon, Egypt and India. The Chinese people were worshipers of nature. They worshiped the sun, moon, earth, sky, rain. In China, the king was considered the son of God. The architecture, painting, sculpture and literature and writing art of Chinese civilizations were excellent. The Great Wall of China is a great example of this. Apart from this wall, the people of Chinese civilization had also built many grand palaces, temples and viharas of Buddhist religion, the pagoda temple is also world famous in the construction of that time. There was a lot of advancement of knowledge science in ancient Chinese civilization. Paper, printing press, ink, gunpowder, painting and compass were first invented in China. 

Illustration of Old Chinese peoples, after an ancient Chinese woodcut
Credit:- Nastasic/gettyimages.in

Terracotta Warriors, Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China
Credit:- Digital Vision/gettyimages.in

The Great Wall of China
Credit:- yangna/gettyimages.in

The Aztec Civilization (1300 AD–1521 AD) 

The Aztec civilization was one of the most important and famous civilizations of the Americas. They arrived in central Mexico as immigrants during the Postclassic period and established their capital in Mexico City. Tenochtitlan is the name of the Aztec capital, which was founded in the year 1325 AD. The Aztec economy was based on three things: market exchange, tribute payments, and agricultural production. The Aztecs believed in many gods. The main ones were the Quetzalcoatl (winged snake), the Huitzilopochtli (the humming bird of the south) and the Tezcatlipoca (smoky mirror). Sometimes the Aztecs even offered human sacrifices to please their gods. The people of Aztec civilizations were excellent in science, astronomy, calendar, writing, architecture, painting and sculpture. the Aztecs had a very precise calendar of 365 days. They also had a religious calendar, which lasted 260 days. The Aztecs built many great religious buildings - notably the large Templo de Mayor complex in the center of Tenochtitlan. Between 1519 and 1521, the Spanish Conquistadors Hernan Cortes defeated the Aztecs and conquered their empire. 

City of Tenochtitlan with the temple Teocalli in the lake Texcoco
Credit:- Grafissimo/gettyimages.in

Aztecs offering human sacrifices to the sun god

Credit:- benoitb/gettyimages.in

Aztec calendar Stone of the Sun
RapidEye/gettyimages.in

Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes entering Tenochtitlan meeting
Montezuma II 
Credit:- Grafissimo/gettyimages.in

So, we got to learn a lot from these civilizations. However, in the ancient past, there is nothing that we cannot do today.  At that time there were so many great people who had unparalleled determination, witness, courage and sacrifice who carried the mankind forward against all adversities and obstacles. Today we have to be like these great people for our future so that our future will be very bright and secure. I hope you have enjoyed knowing about some of the ancient civilizations of the world. We will learn about these civilizations in detail sometime in the future. 
Be safe, be happy and always keep smiling!!! 

Thank you so much!!!

The World's Oldest Ancient Civilizations (Part -1)

The World's Oldest Ancient Civilizations

We humans were not always like this, we had to go through a long period of progress. The first man lived alone in caves, then after making progress he learned to live together. In this sequence of changes, humans learned to live in groups and acquired human qualities and civilization or we can say, humanity. There was a time when humans built civilizations and after that, we humans became so civilized and successful. Therefore, to understand the earth and human development, these civilizations also have to be understood. Let's take a look at some ancient civilizations.

The Incan Civilization (1438 AD - 1533 AD)

The Inca Empire, which stretched from the top to the bottom of the Andes mountain range in South America. Its center was Peru, while present-day Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador and Argentina were also a part of this empire. The Incan civilization was a well-established and prosperous society. The Incas were devotees of the sun and their king was know as "Sapa Inca" which meant child of the Sun. This was the largest empire in South America gained a lot of fame due to its foods, textiles, gold-silver and cocoa. The interesting thing was that at that time they had neither any market nor any currency. The people of Incas were great builders, they built forts and sites like Machu Picchu and the city of Cusco which still stand today. It is believed that in 1532 AD, the famous Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro ended the Inca Empire. On the other hand, the second opinion says that about 90 percent of the Inca civilization ended due to Influenza and smallpox disease unknowingly spread by European invaders.

The Inca Empire
Credit:-Culture Club via Getty Images

Machu Picchu

The Greek Civilization (1200 BC - 323 BC)

Ancient Greek civilization is considered one of the greatest civilizations in history. Ancient Greek was divided into many small kingdoms. Government and law were different in all these states, but culture and living were the same. The two big cities of ancient Greece were Athens and Sparta. The Greeks made significant contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine.  Literature and theater were important aspects of Greek culture and influenced modern drama. The Greeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and architecture. Pythagoras, Archimedes, Socrates, Euclid, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, history books are full of names whose discoveries, theories, beliefs and bravery have had a significant impact on later civilizations.

Ancient Times,Greek
Credit:-www.wikimedia.org

Acropolis of Athens,Greece

The Roman Civilization (550 BC - 465 AD)

The Roman Empire was a powerful and important civilization that ruled most of Europe for about 1 thousand years. The empire was the third phase of ancient Rome. Rome was ruled first by Roman kings, then by the Roman Republic, then by an emperor. The culture of ancient Rome spread throughout Europe during this time.  Even today, a glimpse of Roman culture can be clearly seen on a large part of the western world. The basis of today's governments, engineering, architecture, language and literature of the western world has come from the ancient Rome civilization itself.

Giovanni Pauolo Panini - Fantasy View
 with the Pantheon and other Monuments of Ancient Rome

Credit :- www.wikimedia.org

The Roman Empire- Street scene with vendors
Credit :- gettyimages.in

The Roman Empire
Credit: gettyimages.in

The Maya Civilization (2600 BC - 900 AD)

The Maya Civilization was an ancient civilization on the American continent. This civilization was spread mainly in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and parts of El Salvador. Even today, the area has been inhabited by the Maya community for over two thousand years. The people of Maya civilization were very good in the field of art, mathematics, architecture, astrology and writing etc.  Which is also known as the golden age of artistic development.  Agricultural areas and cities developed during this time. The most notable buildings of this civilization are the pyramids which they built as religious centers,"The Chichen Itza" in Mexico is one such example. The Maya civilization created a calendar describing various religious festivals and astronomical events. This is called the calendar of Maya civilization. You may not know, but it was predicted in the calendar of Maya civilization that the world would end in 2012. However, this prediction was proved wrong. There are many opinions of researchers on why the Mayan civilization came to an end. Some believe that this civilization collapsed due to foreign invasion or rebellion, some say that this civilization ended due to natural disasters such as drought or epidemic.

Mayan Monument

Circa 500 AD, A monument to Mayan warriors at Oaxaca in Mexico.

 Credit:- Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Chichen Itza

The Indus Valley Civilization (3300 BC - 1300 BC)

The ancient history of India begins with the Indus Valley Civilization, which we also know as the Harappan Civilization. This civilization was spread around 2500 BC in the western part of South Asia, which is presently known as Pakistan and Western India. In 1920, two ancient cities namely Harappa and Mohenjodaro were discovered from the remains from the excavations of the Indus Valley by the Archaeological Department of India.The urbanization system of these cities was very well planned. The economy of the Indus Valley Civilization was based on agriculture which was also supported by trade and commerce. The people of the Indus Valley Civilization achieved great accuracy in measuring length, mass, and time, and based on the artifacts found in the excavations, it is clear that the culture was also rich in arts and crafts. There are many reasons for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization have been suggested by archeologists, but the exact cause is still unknown. 

Ruins of archaeological site of Harappa

Credit:- DeAgostini/Getty Images

Mohenjo daro 

Credit:- gettyimages.in

Steatite seal with humped bull, Indus Valley, Mohenjo-Daro

Credit:- CM Dixon/Print Collector/Getty Images

These were some ancient civilizations which have a big hand in what we are today, they taught us a lot which we use in our daily life.  We will know about some more such civilizations in the next article. I hope you have enjoyed knowing about some of the ancient civilizations of our world.

Be safe, be happy and always keep smiling!!!

Thank you so much!!!

The Most Beautiful and Sacred Places in The World

Our earth is a paradise on which humans live with God's blessing.  There are many sacred places in this world that sanctify our earth.  Let's take a look at some of these beautiful and sacred places.

The Haramandir Sahib (Panjab, India)

The Gurudwara Sri Harmandir Sahib is known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple. The Golden Temple is the most sacred and beautiful gurdwara of the Sikh community located in Amritsar Punjab India. The Golden Temple is very amazing and beautiful to see because it has layers of gold on its walls.  Everyday millions of tourists from India and around the world arrive to see the beauty of Sri Harmandir Sahib and feel the sanctity. 

Golden Temple

Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon, Myanmar)

The Shwedagon Pagoda is considered to be the most important and auspicious pagoda in Myanmar . This pagoda 112 meters high is completely covered with gold. You will be surprised to know that its crown built above has more than 5000 diamonds and more than two thousand ruby ​​gems. One of the most important thing of Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world, is that there are eight strands of hair of Lord Buddha. The temple is said to be 2600 years old, but there is no evidence of when it was actually built.

Shwedagon Pagoda

Prambanan Temple (Central Java, Indonesia)

Prambanan Temple also known as Roro Jonggarang Temple in the local language, is a huge temple located 17 km from the city of Yogyakarta near the Java city of Indonesia (Hindu Temple in Indonesia).  There are a total of 240 temples (Java Temples) consisting of small and large temples, most of which have been destroyed, but the three main temples which are dedicated to Tridev are today in a vibrant state after the revival.  This temple is the largest temple in Indonesia (Biggest Hindu Temple in Indonesia) and is the second largest temple in Asia in a way.  Its total height is 154 feet (47 m) which was built in the 9th century.

Prambanan Temple

Sri Ranganathaswamy (Srirangam, India)

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha.Lord Ranganatha is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.The temple is located at Srirangam in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu, India, hence it is also known as Srirangam Temple.This temple is also included in 108 main temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Srirangam temple is also included in the largest Hindu temples in the world.  The temple is spread over 156 acres (6,31,000 m sq) with a circumference of 4116 m (10,710 ft), making it the largest temple in India.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
Photo courtesy:-commons.wikimedia.org

Wat Rong Khun (Chiang Rai, Thailand)

Wat Rong Khun is also known as “the White Temple” is one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand. Wat Rong Khun was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a famous Thai visual artist. Wat Rong Khun is a unique temple that stands out through the white color and the use of pieces of glass in the plaster, sparkling in the sun. The white color signifies the purity of the Buddha, while the glass symbolizes the Buddha’s wisdom and the Dhamma, the Buddhist teachings.

Wat Rong Khun 

The Temple of Heaven (Beijing, China)

The Temple of Heaven was the most important of Beijing's royal temples.  This was where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (from 1420 to 1900) worshiped the god of heaven and prayed for a good harvest. The total area of ​​Temple of Heaven Park is about 670 acres, but the main buildings are about 750 meters long in the middle of the park on the south-north line. The Temple of Heaven is the most representative example of Chinese ritual architecture.  It is known for its rugged symbolic layout, peculiar structure and splendid decoration.

The Temple of Heaven

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi is among the ten largest mosques in the world.  It is the third largest mosque in the world after Saudi Arabia's Mecca and Medina mosques.  Here 40000 people can perform Namaz together. The construction of this mosque started in the year 1996 by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the former ruler of the United Arab Emirates. The construction of this mosque is spread over an area of ​​about 12 acres. This mosque was built in 12 years.  The marble of Makrana, Rajasthan has been used mainly for making this mosque. Apart from marble, marble stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystal and ceramic pieces and natural materials has been used in making the mosque.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque 

St.Basil’s Cathedral (Moscow, Russia)

The first Tsar of Russia, Ivan Vasilyevich - known as Ivan Grozny, the Grand Prince of Moscow - ordered the construction of the cathedral in 1554, and the work was completed in 1561. St.  Basil’s Cathedral is located in Red Square in Moscow, Russia.  It is a colorful church, shaped like the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky that is regarded as the symbol of the country.

St.Basil’s Cathedral

There are millions of sacred and beautiful places in our world, some of which we have seen in this article. I hope you enjoyed this article. 

Thank you so much!!!

"This planet is our one and only home,we have no other choice ,we must care for it."

The 7 Wonders Of The World

Our Earth is an incredible, magical and wonderful planet. There are so many things, places and creatures on it that we can't even think about. These are the things that make our Earth different from other planets.Many of us may be thinking,"What incredible and magical things will be on our earth?".If there are such incredible and mysterious things on our earth,then there is nothing wrong with calling our earth as heaven, right?

"What are the seven wonders of the world?", A question that everyone would love to hear the answer to. It’s tricky to think of the names of the wonders of the world, but unless you read this article.We can all agree that there are some structures on our earth that are amazing, epic and awe-inspiring, no matter who you are.

The old 7 wonders of the world

To this day we recognize the original seven wonders of the world, including the Temple of Artemis, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Mazeolium at Halicarnassus, the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

   The old 7 wonders of the world

          Image: www.vecteezy.com      

Of the original Seven Wonders of the World, only the Great Pyramids still exist. This has led to the creation of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World, and the decision on these is a little more complex.

How are the modern 7 wonders of the world decided?

Nowadays there is a panel formed by The New 7 Wonders of the World Foundation. Sites are nominated based on votes from people all across the world. And this saw more than 100 million votes by people to nominate the new wonders. As a result of this, the current 7 Wonders of the Modern World are Taj Mahal, The Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu,The Colosseum,Chichén Itza,Christ the Redeemer Status and Petra.

The Great Wall of China 

(Built 220 BC to 1644 AD)

The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World!  Of course, we know this wall of China as a wonder of the world. The construction of this famous wall was started by King Qin Shi Huang.The length of this wall is 8851 km.  That is why this wall is the largest structure in the world.  This is not a whole wall, but is made up of small parts. If the gaps in these walls are added, the length of this wall will be 21,196 km.The wall is so wide that five cavalry or 10 infantry can move together.  The height of this wall is not uniform.  In some places it is 9 feet high and in some places it is 35 feet high.

The Great Wall of China 

Taj Mahal (Agra,India)

(Built 1632-1648 AD)

The Taj Mahal is an important place in the history of India.  As you know, the Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, India.  This powerful monument on the banks of the Yamuna, illuminated by the yellow sun every morning. The monument is made of white marble.  It was built between 1632 and 1648 on the orders of Emperor Shah Jahan.  Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Emperor Shah Jahan, died while giving birth to her fourteenth child.  Later, Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in honor of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.  The Taj Mahal is an important example of Mughal architecture, with Islamic, Iranian, Persian and Indian artefacts.

Taj Mahal (Agra,India)

Machu Picchu (Peru)

(Build mid-15 century AD)

Machu Picchu is a site in the historic Inca Empire of Peru. It is located 80 km northwest of the city of Cusco in Peru, at an altitude of 8,000 feet above sea level and is considered one of the most important landmarks of the Inca Empire.In Quechua language, Machu Picchu means "old mountain."  It is made up of more than 150 buildings, from bathrooms and houses to temples and sanctuaries.Machu Picchu was a place unknown to the outside world until 1911.  Hiram Bingham, the principal of Yale University, introduced this to the world.

Machu Picchu (Peru)

The Colosseum (Rome)

(Built AD 72-82)

The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Elliptical Amphitheater, was a massive arena built by the Flavian emperors in Rome. The construction of the Colosseum began during the reign of Vespasian between 70 and 72 CE. It is located east of Palatin Hill, at the base of the Golden House of Nero.Unlike the amphitheater, which was dug into convenient hills for almost all of its additional support, it was an independent structure built using a complex system of barrel vaults and zero vaults of colosseum stone and concrete and a total size of 620 × 951. Feet ( 189 to 156 meters) was. The Colosseum was the largest arena in the Roman world.

The Colosseum of Rome

Christ The Redeemer Status (Brazil)

(Built 1926-1931)

Christ the Redeemer (Statue), Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Portuguese Portuguese statue of Christ is installed on the summit of South Brazil.  It was completed in 1931 and the statue stands 98 feet (30 meters) long.  Its horizontally stretched arms are 92 feet (28 m).  The statue is made of reinforced concrete in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles.  It is set on a square stone pedestal base, 26 feet (8 m) high, which rests on a platform above a mountain peak.  The statue is the largest art deco-style sculpture in the world and one of the most recognized destinations in Rio de Janeiro.

Christ The Redeemer Status (Brazil)

Petra (Jordan)

(Built 4 Century BC-2 Century AD)

Jordan Petra is a historic city.  Petra is very important to Jordan because it is a source of revenue for Jordan.  Which has been included in the new 7 Wonders of the World in 2007 for its quaint architecture.  The city is in Jordan, an Arab country, located in the southern part of the Syrian Desert, south of Aqaba Bay in Southwest Asia.  Petra is made of pink colored stones hence it is also called Pink City as another name.Thousands of years ago, 400 B.C.  And 106 A.D.  Between, this pink city was a trading center and the capital of the glorious Nabataean Empire. The people of the South did not know of the hidden gems inside Jordan for a hundred years. It was hidden only until a European traveler secretly infiltrated the city.In this way he brought this mystery to the world.

Petra (Jordan)

Chichen Itza (Cancun,Maxico)

(Built 5-13 century AD)

Chichen Itza is located at the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula of modern-day Mexico.  It was an elusive city.  Which was later influenced by the Toltec civilization.  Between 750 and 1200 CE, the place was rich in vast architecture.  The sculpture here depicts themes of militarism and the imagination of jaguars, eagles, winged snakes.The base of this terraced pyramid is square and has staircases leading to the temple at the top from all four sides.  At the equinox of spring and autumn, when the sun rises and sets, this structure forms the shadow of a winged serpent to the west of the north stairway.  Chichen Itza was one of the great Mesoamerican cities and is today one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico.

Chichen Itza (Cancun,Maxico)

All the wonders on this list are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and were selected in 2007 according to an online poll of billions of votes.

Earth has always given us every comfort and necessity of life. It takes care of everyone like a mother and we must also protect it and care for it in the best way.

I hope you enjoyed this article.

Thank you so much!!