Culture

While surveying the English countryside, amateur metal detectorist Jamie Harcourt stumbled upon a small jeweled piece of an Anglo-Saxon sword—that might once have belonged to a medieval lord or noble. No larger than the tip of a finger, the artifact was identified as a “sword pyramid,” a decoratively crafted gold and garnet (a red translucent

The 1998 construction of the Chin Lin Nunnery and the Nian Lin Garden of Hong Kong are remarkable representations of China’s ancient culture, which sought to bring harmony between Heaven and Earth. Grand Tang Dynasty temples stand overlooking broad courtyards that seemingly float upon lotus ponds and open to the heavens. Pavilions rise above the

An Indian nature photographer has captured the breathtaking Indian paradise flycatcher in a series of uncanny close-up shots, showcasing the distinctive-looking bird in all its glory through the lens of an expert. Originally from Cuttack, Odisha, award-winning photographer Gyana Mohanty now works out of Navi in Mumbai. His passion for wildlife photography is dominated by

Divided by mountains, there is a thriving desert on South Africa’s Western Cape where bushy, sandy plains belie beautiful, botanical treasures. This unassuming landscape is the world’s only arid plant hotspot—and home to a third of all succulent plant species in the world. Part of the region’s Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, the area of land falling

The Greek myths are full of insightful and explanatory details that help us understand not only how to conduct ourselves in this world, but also about how things came to be and how things work. This latter point—how things work—is really important if we want to achieve anything. As we know, success and achievement can

Sitting high on a lush green hilltop overlooking Lisbon and the Portuguese Riviera, Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena) is a UNESCO World Heritage site, an exclamation point of Portuguese national pride, and a fascinating example of Romantic architecture. This colorful castle is often referred to as one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Built between

Shen Yun Performing Arts’ Marilyn Yang won the Gold Award at the 9th NTD International Classical Chinese Dance Competition, which took place Sept. 2–5 in New York state. “This is something that can only motivate me to work harder in my profession,” she said. “In dance, there’s no such thing as ‘perfect’ or ‘you’ve reached

The Tempietto in Rome is at once a reflection of divine order and a monument to St. Peter. It was designed by Italian architect and painter Donato Bramante in 1502 during the High Renaissance, a time when architects sought to give form to the enlightened understanding of life and the universe and transcend the heights

A relic from America’s colonial past was recently pulled up from the Chattooga River in South Carolina earlier this summer. The remnants of a dugout canoe, possibly of Native American origin, is the second such boat of that age to be found in the river—the first was 17 years ago in 2004. The canoe could

Think cobblestone streets, a bustling town square and arcaded merchant hall, a castle and a cathedral on a hill. The sun sinks in the west and the warmth creeps into the bricks of centuries past as the locals come out into the plaza for a promenade, a meal, or to see whatever performers have come

A sense of place affects us throughout our lives—or at least it should. Think of walking on a sunny warm day, vivid in its optimism, and then seeing someone skulking down an alley—furtive darkness amongst the light. Does a story begin to form in the recesses of your mind? Or were you so engrossed in

The first time Michael Hu saw Shen Yun Performing Arts, he was filled with excitement and struck with the idea that he was going to be a dancer. If a picture told a thousand words, then Shen Yun was a series of pictures that added up to a performance capable of conveying 5,000 years of

The Philadelphia City Hall is like a distinguished gentleman, who is noble in his contribution to the city, has integrity in material and structural elements, and who possesses a refined and cultured disposition. The location of City Hall was originally outlined in the 1682 city plan by William Penn, the founder of the Province of

With its teal-topped turrets and warm stone façade, oozing fantasy, Slovakia’s Bojnice Castle will take your breath away. The castle is one of the most visited in the world, welcoming hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Its breathtaking fairytale aesthetic has also made it a popular filming location for fantasy movies.   (Radu Cadar/Shutterstock)  

Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (translated as Pisa Cathedral Square) was conceived in a time when Pisa held a dominant maritime position in the Mediterranean, boasting thriving trade and the largest navy in the sea. The piazza, or square, reflects the city’s flourishing wealth. The four monuments—the cathedral, the baptistery, the campanile (bell tower), and the

Archeologists have uncovered a rare, delicate Roman mosaic that dates all the way back to the mid-5th century A.D. The discovery shocked researchers, who say that this mosaic was crafted during the “Dark Ages,” decades after Roman rule had ended in Britain. The discovery, found at Chedworth Roman Villa, in England, calls into question some

Archaeologists in the UK conducted a detailed survey of an antique cave dwelling believed to date from the early ninth century. The cave was once thought to be a “folly” created in the 1700s by an English noble, for him to dine inside of with his friends. A new study by the Royal Agricultural University