Day Brightener – History, Some Fairly Recent And Others Ancient

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As a leading figure of the Greek Revolution, Kolokotronis, often referred to as “the Old Man of Morea (o Geros tou Moria)”, played a seminal role in the history of Modern Greece, not only in the war but also in shaping the new state, and has been associated with some of the greatest successes of the national struggle for freedom, such as the Siege of Tripolitsa and the Battle of Dervenakia.
A number of historical figures have distinguished themselves in the Greek War of Independence. Georgios Karaiskakis, Odysseas Androutsos, Markos Botsaris and Laskarina Bouboulina are some of the most famous among these personalities, but one name usually stands out: Theodoros Kolokotronis, the archetypal “hero of 1821”.
Deadwood, SD. in 1877. Deadwood was a bustling mining town in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The discovery of gold had brought a rush of prospectors and entrepreneurs to the area, and the town had proliferated. The streets were lined with saloons, hotels, and stores, and the population was a mix of miners, gamblers, and adventurers from all walks of life. Notable figures of the time included Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock, all of whom left their mark on the town’s history.
A railway town, also known as a railroad town, is a community that owes its origins and significant development to a railway station or nearby junction. These towns were crucial in expanding the railway network during the late 19th century.
The mid-1800s witnessed the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, a monumental project that linked the east and west coasts of the United States. As the Union Pacific Railroad pushed westward with its construction, it was accompanied by temporary settlements often called “Hell on Wheels” towns. These makeshift towns were primarily composed of canvas tents and served as essential hubs for railroad construction activities. While most of these temporary settlements vanished as the railroad progressed, a few established themselves as permanent communities.
In the 1870s, another interesting phenomenon emerged in the form of boomtowns in Kansas. These boomtowns experienced rapid growth and prosperity for a brief period, typically a year or two, thanks to their status as railheads. However, their prosperity was short-lived, as the rail lines extended further westward, creating new endpoints for the Chisholm Trail and causing the decline of these towns.
Occasionally, a railroad company would establish a railroad town, often working with a separate city or land company. This scenario sometimes unfolded even if another town already existed nearby. In such cases, the population in the preexisting city would shift to the newly established railroad town, which would significantly boost the fortunes of the town company and the railroad founder. These entities would capitalize on the opportunity by selling lots near the railway station at substantial profits, often before the actual arrival of the railroad at the new townsite.
The impact of becoming major rail hubs was profound for certain cities. Notably, Chicago and Los Angeles transformed from relatively small towns into large, bustling cities due to their strategic positions as pivotal points in the railway network. This transformative growth was a hallmark of the railroad era in American history.
The Pazyryk Carpet is the world’s oldest intact carpet. This 2,500-year-old carpet was found frozen in a Kurgan in the Altai Mountains.
These are the stairs in the Palace of Knossos. It was built 4000 years ago, making it the oldest palace in Europe

The Theopetra Cave is an archaeological site located in Meteora, in the central Greek region of Thessaly, Greece.
Radiocarbon evidence shows for human presence at least 50,000 years ago.
Excavations began in 1987 under the direction of Ν. Kyparissi-Apostolika, which were meant to answer questions about Paleolithic Thessaly, Greece.
As a result of archaeological excavations that have been conducted over the years, it has been revealed that the Theopetra Cave has been occupied by human beings as early as 130000 years ago.
In addition, evidence for human habitation in the Theopetra Cave can be traced without interruption from the Middle Palaeolithic to the end of the Neolithic period.
This is significant, as it allows archaeologists to have a better understanding of the prehistoric period in Greece.!!
The tomb found in the 1970s during archaeological excavations near Varna, Bulgaria, dating back to the 5th millennium BC, is considered one of the richest of its era. Within this Copper Age necropolis, the oldest gold artifacts known at that time were discovered. Of particular significance is the most prestigious burial within the tomb. It contained the remains of a man of the highest rank, representing the first elite male burial identified in Europe from this period.
The Inuit people can’t be imagined without their signature parkas, fashioned from fur and hide of the local wildlife. One of the many reasons why early European voyages into the Arctic circle failed is because they were underprepared for the extreme weather conditions of the north. They wore wool clothing, which kept them hot on the inside, but made them sweat a lot, which made their clothing freeze in the extreme temperatures. The Inuit never faced this problem, as they have been making their parkas from caribou deer or seal hide from as early as 22,000 BC (Siberia). The production of these parkas took weeks, and the tradition of making them was passed down from mother to daughter, taking years to master. Depending on the geographical location of the tribes, the design of the parkas varied according to the types of animals available. Beadwork, fringes and pendants frequently decorated the clothing. Roald Amundsen was the first explorer who outfitted his crew with Inuit clothing, which enabled him to successfully circumvent the North-West Passage in 1906. In the 20th century the use of traditional Inuit clothing declined, but it has seen a recent resurgence, as the Inuit strive to preserve their culture.Thank you for reading

2 thoughts on “Day Brightener – History, Some Fairly Recent And Others Ancient”

  1. Excellent, Lauren.

    Speaking of carpets, there’s a remnant of an interesting hanging in the Kansas City War Memorial called “Le Pantheon de la Guerre”.

    One of my favourite places to visit, with the two winged lions? standing outside shading their faces as if in shame.

    Cheers, and

    Eddie (Calgary)

    Reply

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