Big Bronze Bowl

Vix krater

The Vix Krater, a massive Greek krater, or wine-mixing vessel, was found in Vix, France in 1953. This massive, 5'4" high bronze vessel weighs around 450 pounds, making it the largest Classical Greek bronze vessel found to date. The richly ornamented krater is decorated with a frieze depicting hoplites and was made around 530 - 520 BCE. The krater is part of the "Vix Treasure", a hoard of jewelry and other metal goods from the burial of an elite Celtic woman, sometimes referred to by historians as "The Lady of Vix". - World History Encyclopedia

Vix krater

The vase proper, made of a single sheet of hammered bronze, weighs about 130 pounds. Its bottom is rounded, its maximum diameter is just over four feet, and will hold almost 300 gallons. The walls are are less than 1/16 of an inch thick. - Wikipedia

Rober Wernick has a good story about the discovery of this ancient burial site:

The Lady of Vix

Life in the Top Drawer in 500 BC

Siege of Melos

Melos Greece

JMSmith has a post up about power, and to illustrate his points he uses the Siege of Melos (416 BC).

I am not quite sure what JM is referring to. He might be talking about Europe waging economic warfare against Russia, or maybe he's talking about a battle within the catholic church. I'm just not real clear. But the Siege of Melos is a history lesson worth repeating. Return of Kings has a good synopsis.

Pic of the Day

Bas-Relief from Persepolis
198 piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Persepolis was a capital in ancient Iran. This puzzle was pretty tough to do. No big clues (except the sky) as to where anything went, everything roughly the same color, though you might be surprised how sensitive your eye is to different shades.

Prompted to post this by a story that Italy wants to start charging people for taking pictures of ancient ruins.