Historic Eras
Historic eras—including prehistory, ancient and modern history—represent time viewed through the lens of human events
Endangered Site: Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
The basilica believed to mark the birthplace of Jesus Christ has survived invasions, rebellions and earthquakes
March 2009 |
By Abigail Tucker
Endangered Site: Chan Chan, Peru
About 600 years ago, this city on the Pacific coast was the largest city in the Americas
March 2009 |
By Bruce Hathaway
Ireland’s Endangered Cultural Site
A new tollway threatens the archaeologically rich Hill of Tara that is the spiritual heart of the country
March 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
Endangered Site: The City of Hasankeyf, Turkey
A new hydroelectric dam threatens the ancient city, home to thousands of human-made caves
March 2009 |
By Diane M. Bolz
Endangered Site: Xumishan Grottoes, China
This collection of ancient Buddhist cave temples date back to the fifth and tenth centuries, A.D.
March 2009 |
By Lyn Garrity
Endangered Site: Historic Route 66, U.S.A.
The 2,400 mile highway was eclipsed by interstate highways that bypassed neon signs of roadside diners
March 2009 |
By Megan Gambino
Dampier Rock Art Complex, Australia
On the northwestern coast of Australia, over 500,000 rock carvings face destruction by industrial development
March 2009 |
By Laura Helmuth
Endangered Site: Visoki Decani Monastery, Kosovo
The fate of the 14th-century abbey has been darkened by ethnic violence in the Balkans
March 2009 |
By Kathleen Burke
Endangered Site: Jaisalmer Fort, India
The famed fort has withstood earthquakes and sandstorms for a millenia, but now shifts and crumbles
March 2009 |
By Anika Gupta
Who Discovered Machu Picchu?
Controversy swirls as to whether an archaeologist's claim to fame as the discoverer of Machu Picchu has any merit
March 2009 |
By Peter Eisner
Jan Lievens: Out of Rembrandt's Shadow
A new exhibition re-establishes Lievens' reputation as an old master, after centuries of being eclipsed by his friend and rival
March 2009 |
By Matthew Gurewitsch
Endangered Site: Chinguetti, Mauritania
The rapidly expanding Sahara Desert threatens a medieval trading center that also carries importance for Sunni Muslims
March 2009 |
By Jeanne Maglaty
Endangered Site: Port City of Coro, Venezuela
One of South America's best preserved towns, this Spanish colonial port city now faces deteriorating conditions
March 2009 |
By Karen Larkins
Endangered Site: Famagusta Walled City, Cyprus
Once located in the midst of high-volume shipping lanes, a forgotten city with multiple European influences could be lost forever without an intervention
March 2009 |
By Helen Starkweather
The Inventor of Air
Known for discovering oxygen, scientist Joseph Priestly also influenced the beliefs of our founding fathers.
February 09, 2009 |
By Bruce Hathaway
The Tomb of Queen Sesheshet
A recently discovered pyramid and tomb in Egypt may shed light on a dark episode in a pharaonic tradition of court intrigue
February 03, 2009 |
By Stephen Glain
Bodies of Evidence in Southeast Asia
Excavations at a cemetery in a Thai village reveal a 4,000-year-old indigenous culture
February 2009 |
By Andrew Lawler
Up Close at Trinidad's Carnival
What’s behind the raucous pre-Lenten rite? An intrepid scholar hits the streets of Trinidad to find out
February 2009 |
By Barbara Ehrenreich
The Journey to Elsewhere, U.S.A.
A professor explains how new technology drastically altered the modern American family unit
January 29, 2009 |
By Abigail Tucker
Shepard Fairey: The Artist Behind the Obama Portrait
A portrait created by a graphic designer ended up becoming the icon for the Obama campaign and an international phenomenon
January 14, 2009 |
By Megan Gambino
