#archeology #MohenjoDaro

"A century ago, when the ancient ruins of the lost city of Mohenjo-Daro were rediscovered, archaeologists hadn’t anticipated that their discovery would reveal evidence of a thriving hub of the ancient world, which had remained hidden for nearly 3,700 years.

(. . .)

Part of what made Mohenjo-Daro so fascinating was its age: the city, eventually revealed to have been among the most expansive settlements ever seen during the time of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, was also one of the oldest major cities in the region, with an estimated age of around 4,500 years.

Part of what made Mohenjo-Daro so fascinating was its age: the city, eventually revealed to have been among the most expansive settlements ever seen during the time of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, was also one of the oldest major cities in the region, with an estimated age of around 4,500 years.

(. . .)

Mohenjo-Daro has captivated archaeologists since its discovery due in part to the remarkable level of sophistication exhibited by its ancient builders.

From its structural elements, which, in many ways, resemble urban planning for modern cities, to its remarkably advanced water infrastructure, which includes sewers, baths, and wells, many elements of Mohenjo-Daro set it apart from other cities of its era."

https://thedebrief.org/the-ancient-city-of-mohenjo-daro-a-lost-archaeological-enigma-could-be-centuries-older-than-previously-thought/

Gyaros Island of Exile

#ICRC 08.1950 https://benhuser.com/2025/05/25/gyaros-island-of-exile/

#Greece

#Alumil #Arxellence3 #IdeasCompetition

#culture #heritage #civilwar #museum #walkthrough #screenplay #photography #script #narrative #ThePathIsTheGoal #yiannisRitsos #Ritsos #TheOtherParthenon #Makronissos #Gyaros #Leros #research #archeology #architecture #landscapeplanning #urbanplanning #infrastructure #infrastructural #pier #passerelle #pedestrianbridge #tunnel #plasmaboring #monkseal #UNESCO #WWF #MPA #KBA

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

In this book we meet Lady Evelyn Herbert. Her father is Lord Carnarvon of Highclere castle. If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, you would recognize the castle from that show. Benedict likes to write fiction that has some bits of history in the stories. Some of the characters in this book did live in the past. The author does write her stories around incidents and creates what she thinks might have happened.

Evelyn (Eve) is thrilled by her father’s love of Egyptian archeology. Her mentor was Howard Carter. He spent a great deal of his time at Highclere. She soaked up as much information as she grew up around her father and Howard until eventually, she was allowed to accompany them on a dig in Egypt.

Eve wants to find the tomb of a female pharaoh, but her father wants and needs to find the tomb of Tutankhamun. He knows that if they find that tomb it will help pay for the expenses they’ve had for all the years, they have been searching.

The story is told in two time periods. Eve’s time in the 1920’s after the war and thousands of years BC during the reign of the female pharaoh, Hatchepsut.

It tells about the Carnarvon’s and their need for money to continue to live their lavish lifestyle and to keep up Highclere castle.

It also tells the story about Queen Hatshepsut and how she came into power.

Hatshepsut’s royal family was very inbred. After her father’s death, she married her half-brother. Her father had a harem so had many children. Hatshepsut’s mother had several children, but most died young. They would have preferred a male, but Hatshepsut was the oldest and her half-brothers were too young to lead the country.

There was a complex plan to put her in place as not only a queen but also a pharaoh.

Most of the story is told from Eve’s point of view. She lived a lavish lifestyle travelling and living in Egypt for several months a year. Eve’s mother is concerned with Eve marrying so she insisted that Eve attend all the society balls to be introduced to eligible suitors.

Eve does eventually meet someone and fall in love but that is a small part of this story.

This was an interesting book. I have always had an interest in that time and the archeology in Egypt. My interest probably started with Agatha Christie marrying an archeologist and the few mysteries she wrote with the middle eastern settings.

I do also remember the King Tut craze that happened in the 1970’s here in the US. They had a King Tut exhibit that travelled across the country at that time. I didn’t get to see it, but I would have liked to.

This isn’t a traditional mystery. There isn’t a murder to investigate. It’s more the mystery of finding Hatshepsut and whether she was real.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical novels. I have enjoyed the three books by this author so far.

This new release was published March 24, 2026.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.

I include links to purchase for my readers who can’t wait to get their hands on a book. As an associate, I earn from qualified purchases. Thanks to all my readers who have supported me in the past.

Other books by Marie Benedict:

Daughter of Egypt

Queens of Crime

Personal Librarian

What I am currently reading:

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent – a book club pick.

The Moonshine Women by Michelle Collins Anderson – A NetGalley Read for review.

If you would like to check out my review of another Marie Benedict – here is the link.

https://virginia-gruver.com/2025/02/21/the-personal-librarian-by-marie-benedict-and-victoria-christopher-murray/

https://virginia-gruver.com/2021/03/09/the-mystery-of-mrs-christie-marie-benedict/

If you are interested in books I have read in the past, you may find them in my Pango Books – Get Lost in a Book Shop at https://pangobooks.com/bookstore/virginia468417.

May you always have a good book handy.

Happy Reading!

Rate this:

Gyaros Island of Exile

#ICRC 08.1950 https://benhuser.com/2025/05/25/gyaros-island-of-exile/

#Greece

#Alumil #Arxellence3 #IdeasCompetition

#culture #heritage #civilwar #museum #walkthrough #screenplay #photography #script #narrative #ThePathIsTheGoal #YiannisRitsos #Ritsos #TheOtherParthenon #Makronissos #Gyaros #Leros #research #archeology #architecture #landscapedesign #urbanplanning #infrastructure #infrastructural #pier #oilrig #reuse #passerelle #bridge #tunnel #plasmaboring #monkseal #UNESCO #WWF #MPA #KBA