Famous for all eternity; Donald Trump only wishes he had this much bling Photo by v.williams46 Few historical figures are mired in as much mystery as the young boy king, Tutankhamun. Had he died in the 21st century, it's likely his face would have been plastered across celebrity gossip blogs (alongside pictures of his enormous treasure trove of wealth) and Internet forums endlessly circulating rumors regarding his cause of death. To this day, historians are still uncertain how Tutankhamun died so suddenly at age 19. However, had it not been for his untimely death, he might have been lost in historical obscurity; just another Egyptian pharaoh with a lot of pretty baubles. Sure, Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army is one of the greatest archeological discoveries of modern times, but did Steve Martin perform a song about him? British Egyptologist Howard Carter first discovered the steps to Tutankhamun's tomb under the remains of workers' huts in November of 1922, more than 3,000 years after it had first been sealed. A few weeks later on November 26, Carter and Lord Carnarvon entered the antechamber of the tomb, uncovering one of the most extensive and well-preserved burial sites of a pharaoh to date. Their discovery vaulted Tutankhamun out of royal anonymity and into the same sphere of other tragic historical figures such as Pocahontas, the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, and Princess Diana. Within a short period of time, Tutankhamun had gone from a blip in an ancient line of rulers, to a mysterious young king frozen inside a gilded fairytale. People love a good story, but there's something unique about that combination of wealth, privilege, and a life cut down at its prime that continues to pique our curiosity. Suggested Sites... Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs - official website of the touring exhibition. Tutankhamun at the Griffith Institute - pictures of the original excavation, excerpts from Howard Carter's diary, and maps of the site. Global Egyptian Museum - a virtual museum that gathers artifacts and pictures from all over the world. The Mysteries of King Tut - National Geographic's exploration on the boy king, with photos, stories, and more. Theban Mapping Project - a project to catalog tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Theban Necropolis.

Directory categories: Tutankhamun, The Curse of King Tut, Howard Carter, Egyptian History, Egyptology

Archived under: 1920s, Ancient History, Archaeology, Curses, Egypt, History, Museums, Royalty, Tutankhamun

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The Tower as seen from the Thames -- the last view more than a few people had. (Photo by Les Hutchins) People tend to think of the Tower of London as a place of violence and bloodshed. It's understandable; after all, the Tower was the site of numerous murders and executions (including those of King Henry VI and Anne Boleyn), not to mention imprisonments (famous residents include Thomas More, Walter Raleigh, and Guy Fawkes). And it was also the setting of one of history's most infamous unsolved mysteries, the disappearance of King Edward V and his brother, Richard, the Duke of York, otherwise known as "the Princes in the Tower." Combine all of that, and it's obvious why the saying "sent to the Tower" evokes such fear. But the Tower's main purpose throughout history has been as a royal residence, rather than a prison (though criminals were imprisoned there as recently as 1952, when the mobster brothers the Kray twins called the Tower home). It was originally established as a fortress during the reign of William the Conqueror, and was later turned into a castle and home by Henry III. It also housed the royal menagerie, which included lions, leopards, camels, and even a polar bear! While that zoo no longer exists, the Tower is still home to an "unkindness" of ravens. Legend has it that if the ravens should ever leave the Tower, the entire structure -- and indeed Britain itself -- will collapse. Today, there are ten ravens in residence, whose care is paid for by the British government. Mostly a tourist attraction today, the Tower and its treasures, such as the Crown Jewels and the Royal Armoury, are protected by 35 Yeoman Warders, more popularly known as "Beefeaters." (The exact origin of this name is debated, but it may stem from the Middle Ages, when the guards were paid in rations of beef.) These retired military officers (traditionally all men until in 2007, when the first female guard was hired) live in the Tower proper with their families. One guard is given the title "Ravenmaster," and is responsible for the care of the Tower's avian tenants. But perhaps even more famous than its ravens and its Beefeaters are the Tower's other residents: its ghosts. Anne Boleyn (who carries "her head tucked underneath her arm"), the aforementioned princes, and Catherine Howard are all among the figures believed to haunt the Tower and its grounds. It's said to be the most haunted place in England, outranking even Stonehenge and Whitechapel (where the Jack the Ripper murders took place). If you visit the Tower today, you're seeing more than just some old buildings -- you're witnessing more than one thousand years of British history. Just watch out for bird droppings and headless ghosts! Suggested Sites... The Tower of London - official site for the Tower of London. Tower of London: Virtual Tour - take a look inside the Tower and learn more about its history and architecture. Camelot International: The Tower of London - site devoted to the Tower, run by its Yeoman Warders. CastleXplorer - explore Britain's many castles and discover more about their place in U.K. history. The British Monarchy - official site of the British Royal Family.

Directory categories: Tower of London, Castles, Middle Ages, London, UK Royalty

Archived under: Buildings, England, Hauntings, History, London, Museums, Prison, Royalty, Tourist Attractions, U.K. History, United Kingdom

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As autumn rolls in, we've been stocking our web pantry (a.k.a., the Directory) with great sites to help you out this season. Here’s a selection of the freshest choice sites: Best-selling author James Patterson has put together a site where he offers recommendations for kids' books, sorted by age group. It's a wonderful resource for teachers, librarians, and for parents of kids heading back to school. You can browse book lists by type, read and listen to author interviews, and view lesson plans. Now that "Reading Rainbow" is no more, this is just the kind of site we need! We're already looking forward to Halloween. The California Science Center must be, too. Their latest exhibition, "Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear," is traveling all over the country, and has a great interactive online exhibit to get you in the mood -- or at least explain the mood. Explore how fear works in the brain, in the wild, and in the media -- and find out how to deal with it. Fall is a season for cooking. But when you're ready to take a break and eat out, you may want more than "just" a restaurant review. Dishola allows users to review specific menu items at local eateries, and upload photos of their meals. For those who are trying to live green (a good idea in any season), Project Label provides "nutritional labels" for companies, revealing their social and environmental impact based on public info and user input. Suggested Sites... Read, Kiddo, Read! - the world of kids' books, according to James Patterson. Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear - online and traveling exhibit explains why our hearts race, our knees shake, and our bodies sweat when we're scared. Dishola - reviews for individual menu items at local eateries. Project Label - company "nutrition" labels rate impact on the planet, community, and workers.

Directory categories: Children’s Literature, The Brain, Restaurant Reviews, Green Product Reviews

Archived under: Authors, Autumn, Books, Children, Children´s Literature, Consumer Advocacy, Eating, Education, Food and Drink, Green Living, Green Products, Museums, Parenting, Psychology, Reading, Restaurants, Science, Society and Culture, Yahoo! Directory

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"Anybody see the Mona Lisa? She was hanging there just a minute ago" How is it that the most famous painting in the world could simply vanish, its disappearance not noted for 24 hours, and then not be found until nearly two years later? As with most mysteries, the disappearance of the "Mona Lisa" is certainly stranger than fiction. It was August 21, 1911, when the painting's absence was first noted by Louvre staff. The museum was shut down for a week so that the entire 49-acre facility could be searched. All employees and administrators were ruthlessly questioned by Paris police and many staffers were fired. France's borders were closed and all international shipments were subject to search and seizure. In short, it was the "Crime of the Century" (and offered a convenient distraction from the international conflicts that would evenutally lead to World War I). When the "Mona Lisa's" disappearance became public, everyone had a theory as to the identity of the perpetrators. Could it be an obsessive American art collector? An angry anti-establishment poet? A foreign conman and art forger? Or maybe it was the world’s foremost artist, Pablo Picasso. Picasso was actually questioned by police after being implicated by his friend and fellow suspect Guillaume Apollinaire, but both were eventually exonerated. For hunt continued for two years, but the trail went cold. In late 1913, however, Italian authorities arrested a former Louvre employee named Vincenzo Peruggia. Peruggia had been turned in by two local art experts (one the director of the Uffizi Gallery) after he attempted to sell the "Mona Lisa" in Florence. Peruggia's motive was political: he was angered by the plunder of Italian artwork more than a century before during the Napoleonic Wars and was attempting to restore the painting to its rightful homeland. Peruggia was convicted by an Italian court, but served minimal time and eventually returned to Paris. Embarrassed by the publicity surrounding the painting's theft and rediscovery, French art authorities allowed the "Mona Lisa" to tour Italy before she was returned to the Louvre, where she remains to this day. Even today, the "Mona Lisa" continues to evoke strong emotions. In 1956, two separate vandals attempted to damage the painting by throwing acid and a rock at it. Several years later, the painting was encased in bulletproof glass, which helped protect Mona in 1974, when another vandal tried to spray her with red paint. And just last week, a woman gained publicity (and probably jail time) by hurling a ceramic mug at poor Mona. Meanwhile, the success of the book and film "The DaVinci Code" (as well as other books) has renewed interest in that enigmatic smile (not to mention other features) for whole new generations. The true story of the theft of the "Mona Lisa" may not be as exciting as something out of "The DaVinci Code," but it is certainly has its own elements that would make any mystery fan proud: scandal, celebrity, politics, and some good old-fashioned detective work. Suggested Sites... Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of the Mona Lisa - a new book by R.A. Scotti that explores the painting's disappearance and its widespread appeal. The Crimes of Paris - also new in literature. Dorothy and Thomas Hoober's fictional account of the theft of the "Mona Lisa," focusing on the efforts of a French detective to find it. The Louvre - official site for Mona Lisa's home. Virtual Tour of Le Louvre - take a walk around the home of the world's artistic and historical treasures.

Directory categories: Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, Le Louvre, Stolen Art, French History

Archived under: 1910s, Anniversaries, Art Museums, Artists, Arts, Crime, Criminals, Da Vinci Code, Detectives, Disappearances, Europe, European History, France, History, Images, Italy, Louvre, Museums, Mysteries, Secrets, Tourist Attractions, Women

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"I can see my house from here!" (Photo by Ludovic Bertron) On July 4th, just in time to celebrate the Independence Day weekend, the Statue of Liberty will be re-opening her arms to tourists seeking to ascend the 354 narrow steps (154 from pedestal to crown) to view the New York Harbor area from the top of her head. After nearly eight years of security-related closure (due to the events of September 11th, 2001), Lady Liberty will once again welcome visitors to the upper elevations of her copper-clad physique. Ever since her dedication in 1886, the monument standing guard over the New York City area has symbolized democracy and friendship, and she remains a quintessential American icon. As a gift from France to commemorate the centennial of the American Revolution in 1876, she arrived a fashionable decade late, but it's the thought that counts, right? Her creators, sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel), wanted to ensure her artistic and ever-lasting perfection, befitting what was to become a National Monument and a United Nations World Heritage Site. To return the favor to the French, Americans living in France dedicated a smaller replica of the statue in 1889. It resides in Paris on Île des Cygnes. While this holiday weekend may be one of the more exciting times to (re)visit the Statue of Liberty, the crown tour plan appears to be permanent. The tours will be ranger-led and allow only 10 people every 20 minutes. It is highly recommended that you visit the National Park Service web site to make your reservations for Liberty Island and Crown tour tickets, as this new-again opportunity to experience a global icon of freedom is expected to be quite popular. After all, not many can pass up the patriotic photo op. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend! Suggested Sites... YouTube: Exclusive Tour of Lady Liberty - join Rep. Anthony Weiner in a trip up the spiral steps to the crown observation deck. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. - fun facts about the Statue of Liberty. Free Printable Coloring Pages - color in your very own Statue of Liberty. Wikipedia: Emma Lazarus - biography of the woman whose sonnet is engraved in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. "The New Colossus" - the poem itself.

Directory categories: Statue of Liberty, National Park Service, National Monuments, Fourth of July, U.S. Declaration of Independence

Archived under: 19th Century, 4th of July, 9/11, American History, Architecture, France, Holidays, Immigration, Museums, New York, Parks, Recreation and Travel, Tourist Attractions, Travel, United States

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