nihalsthings

[nihalsthings]

[nihalsthings]

the appeal of studying human history is like. your brothers and sisters, who all died just before you got here, managed to pass down only a few things to you, and almost all of them are in your blood. the rest of your inheritance is scattered in ruins and tombs and libraries that have outlived their makers. they wanted you to know them but they are gone. will you look back into time and try to find whatever is left?

[nihalsthings]

[nihalsthings]

Favorite tree

I do need a better lens

[nihalsthings]

[nihalsthings]

[nihalsthings]

Some other artifacts from Ephesus.

What's so significant about this location is the fact that it was home to many different, great civilizations including ancient greeks, imperial romans and early christians, and it is said to be founded by Amazonians. It was first built in 10th century BC, but recent excavations stretched the timeline all the way back to 6000 BC. The intricate works made out of stone, ivory, clay, marble, copper and gold carry the fingerprints of so many different cultures. It's hard not to feel amazed by such a big piece of human history while walking around.

Tiny cups with powder are make-up containers. Just imagine the greek or roman woman who use these to have her make-up done, and go out to see the play in the great theatre nearby, which had the capacity of 20k people! Right below them are surgical tools, crafted in great detail.

Tiny egyptian priest statute is a bonus and was a lovely surprise to see here. It was naturally a low-light environment so the photos aren't excellent, but I did my best.

[nihalsthings]

Sleeping bee-auty.

Dumb word play aside (no I'm too proud of it) never thought I'd see this for myself! A bee taking a nap in a noquat flower.

[nihalsthings]

Time to break down

[nihalsthings]

The ever so impressive Artemis of Ephesus.

Fun fact; the original statue was lost, in probably a fire around 2000 years ago. Temple of Artemis was prone to floodings, fires, and was structurally compromised, but wasn't moved because it was built on holy grounds. The original statue was most likely made of wood and did not survive a fire. After that many more statues were made, but these are considered copies. This lady here is a copy too.

Artemis of Ephesus is vastly different from the regular Artemis who is a huntress. This is because Ephesus had It's own goddess deity which was merged with Artemis in time and became a local version that was only worshipped by people of Ephesus. Her symbol is the "bee" and she is also a goddess of fertility unlike the regular Artemis.

And the boob like structures around her torso is less likely to be boobs and more likely to be symbols of fertility for the people of Ephesus: bull testicles or bee eggs. In some other statues these structures are more clearly breasts, for example "the Fountain of Diana" in Sicily.

Her crown symbolizes the city she protects. She has depictions of animals she protects and rules all over her body, along with symbols of fertility and a Zodiac wheel.

[nihalsthings]

A blue day in autumn

[nihalsthings]

Lazy hazy summer grazing

[nihalsthings]

Izmir was giving sin city vibes

[nihalsthings]

How awesome is this building I found out of nowhere that has a CURVED window? A curved window.

Excuse my giant nerd. I almost fell when I saw this. I felt dizzied by its nonchalantly bold fabulousness.

[nihalsthings]

[nihalsthings]

[nihalsthings]

Tried long exposure at night. It was a relatively starless night, so seeing this blew my mind. How amazing it would be if we could see this every night. Hard to feel alone.

Fun fact: the slight blur is caused by earth's rotation! Zoom to see it better