Over 20,000 expected at Persian Mehregan Festival in Costa Mesa

The 8th annual Mehregan festival will be held Oct 4 – 5 at the Orange County Fair& Exposition Center in Costa Mesa, California.

“The ancient Persian Goddess Mehr, the spirit of love, knowledge and commitment, would be honored by attending the annual Mehregan (pronounced ‘meh-re-gahn’), the Persian Festival of Autumn. This two-day outdoor family event celebrating nature and the seasons, envelopes you in the many aspects of Persian culture from exhibits, art, pop and traditional music, and folk dance to crafts, ancient sports, live performances, movies, children's activities and exotic food. Held at the Orange County Fair & Exposition in Costa Mesa, this event grows more popular each year and now hosts over 20,000 visitors. Over 100 vendor booths sell everything from intricate Persian rugs to modern art.”

“This year, the attendees will experience a special opening ceremony show celebrating the country's ancient Sassanian Dynasty (AD 224-651) in a play on the main stage with actors dressed in Sassanian-era costumes.”

I wish it was just a month later as I will be attending the 2003 Educause Conference in Orange County Nov 3 – 8! Maybe I can still see some museum exhibits about the ancient Persians when I am there.
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Herodotus Relates Egyptian Role In The Trojan War

I’ve been listening to Herodotus on my commute. I found his “Egyptian digress” quite interesting. One thing he mentioned that was not discussed in my formal lectures about the work was the practice of delaying the embalming of female corpses to avoid having them violated. I wonder if Dr. Brier has ever noticed a difference in the quality of preservation observed in male and female mummies that would tend to support this statement.

I was also particularly intrigued by his discussion of the Egyptian participation in the story of the Trojan War. He describes a Pharaoh named Proteus (in Greek) that sounds very much like Seti I. He relates how Alexander (Paris) and Helen were blown off course and landed in Egypt on their way to Troy. Alexander was called before Proteus and asked to explain the circumstances of his situation and, when he attempted to lie about how he acquired Helen and the Spartan treasure, his slaves blurted out the truth to the pharaoh. Proteus became angry and said Alexander had but three days to depart his kingdom. Herodotus mentions that there were several versions being told to him and that in one version, Proteus kept Helen and the treasure, since it was ill-begotten and sent Paris back to Troy empty handed. When Menelaus and the Achaens arrived at Troy, they demanded the return of Helen and the treasure then wouldn’t believe the Trojans when the Trojans reported they did not possess them. When the Greeks had finally defeated the Trojans and sacked Troy discovering that indeed Helen and the treasure were not there, Menelaus traveled to Egypt where Proteus welcomed him and restored Helen and the Spartan treasure to him.

Some of my reasons for thinking that Proteus was Seti I was that Herodotus named Proteus’ successor as Ramsenitas (sp?) and described Proteus’ burial shrine as a pyramid built within a great lake that had been created by diverting the Nile into a canal. Seti’s temple known as the Osireion built behind the temple at Abydos featured a central mound surrounded by canal water, symbolic of the origins of life from the primeval waters. It was here that Seti rested after his death before his mummy was moved to the Valley of the Kings. The timing of Seti’s reign is also relatively close to the time of the Trojan War as well. Seti ruled until about 1278 B.C. The confusing part is that Herodotus then mentions the reign of Cheops after Proteus. This does not fit in the Egyptian chronology that indicates Cheops ruled over 1000 years before Seti. But perhaps, Herodotus got his notes a little mixed up.

I was also intrigued by a description of the trading and colonization policies of Sesostris. Herodotus claims that the Egyptians ventured as far into EurAsia as Thrace. I don’t remember reading about Egyptian exploits that far north but upon researching Sesostris, I did find this reference that mentions his son Amenemhat II continued his policies.
“The foreign policy of Amenemhat II appear to have been a continuation of his father's. There is evidence of extensive trade with parts of the Near East, Mesopotamia and even Crete. Several Egyptian objects, among them small statues and scarabs, were found at several Near Eastern sites. Among them a sphinx of princess Ita, that was probably sent to Syria as a trading gift. Especially favored were the Syrian port of Byblos, where the native ruling elite even made short inscriptions in hieroglyphic, referring to Egyptian gods. The foundation deposits of the temple of Tod, dated to the reign of Amenemhat, contained objects of Mesopotamian and Cretan origin. Not all contacts with Asia were as peaceful, however, as is shown by raids of Bedouin, probably in the Sinai and some Egyptian military activity against two unnamed Asian cities.”
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Oldest Egyptian Remains Ever Found Surface In the Delta

"Archeologists including members of a French team, have unearthed the oldest human remains dating back to 3,800 BC (around 6,000 years old), in the Delta.
The find was made at Kom Al Khilgan in Mansura where the complete male skeleton relates to a 6,00-year period preceding the first Pharaonic dynasties.
Director of Upper Egypt Antiquities Dr Mohamed Abdul Maqsoud said that the site of the find includes antiquities from the Predynastic civilization of Naqada, which later formed the cultural base for ancient Egyptian civilization. "

I wonder if this means the proponents of the western desert theory need to rethink their suggestion of Egyptian origins? If you enjoyed this post, never miss out on future posts by following me by email!

2000-Year Old Skull Reveals Successful Surgery

"Hippocrates recommended trepanation for wounds that involved indentation of the skull accompanied by fracture or contusion. He wrote a detailed manual on the delicate operation, instructing surgeons to frequently cool their saws to prevent overheating the bone. Several other trepanned skulls have been found in ancient Greek graves."

Now archaeologists working on an excavation on the island of Chios have unearthed the remains of a man who appears to have survived this ancient procedure for at least 5 - 6 years. If you enjoyed this post, never miss out on future posts by following me by email!

Cats Have No Respect for Ancient Greek Walk of Fame

"After more than a century buried in the sprawl of the modern Greek capital, the fourth-century BC Tripodon Street has re-emerged into the light in Plaka, under the Acropolis. Constantine Kazamiakis, the architect who oversaw the excavation, believes dramatic history has been uncovered, because the street was once flanked by tributes to the greatest actors, playwrights and producers of the age."

The result of the first phase of restoration is a modest 50sq metres of pink gravel, supported by a weed-proof mat. Unfortunately, it has proved irresistable to local stray cats. If you enjoyed this post, never miss out on future posts by following me by email!

396 Unplundered Tombs Found In Macedonia

Eighty pit graves of warriors richly adorned in gold, carrying weapons and near their wives, who were also adorned with gold have been found in a 20-hectare necropolis near the ancient site of Archontiko in Macedonia. The ancient settlement was the most important urban center in the northern part of the ancient province of Bottiaia during the prehistoric and historical periods until the end of the 5th century BC, when Pella became the new capital of the Macedonian kingdom. If you enjoyed this post, never miss out on future posts by following me by email!