#taharqa

[rogue-centric]

"The Order of Ancients will remember me as the bringer of waters and a builder of cities!"

[contremineur]

Juliette Agnel, Taharqa et la nuit 6 (2019)

from here

[tyrannoninja]

Taharqa Invades Spain

The young Prince Taharqa of Kush, fated to become king of an empire that spreads from his homeland in Sudanese Nubia all the way down to the Nile Delta, leads an invasion of southern Spain circa 700 BC. This is of course another alternate history scenario, but the inspiration came from a handful of apocryphal accounts from historians such as Strabo and Ahmed ibn Mohammed al-Makhari that report that he ventured to the “pillars of Heracles” (the Gibraltar Strait between Spain and Morocco) and led an expedition into Spain. Archaeological evidence of such Kushite forays remains undiscovered, but considering that the Phoenicians from Lebanon had already established trading posts on the Spanish coast as far afield as modern Cadiz by that time, an army from the Nile Valley making it there is not totally impossible. Who knows, maybe Taharqa and his soldiers here are defending one of the Phoenician settlements from hostile local tribes?

[arte-e-homoerotismo]

Detalhe do faraó egípcio Taharqa da 25ª dinastia

Praça Veneza, Trieste, Itália 

Detail of the Egyptian Pharoah Taharqa of the 25th dynasty Piazza Venezia, Trieste, Italy

[lightdancer1]

Pharaoh Taharqa happens to be another case of the early intersections of Jewish and Black history:

Ironically posterity would make Taharqa one of many cases of a Pharaoh whose reign wound up caught up in the discussions of Biblical historicity, in the proof of the existence of King Hezekiah of Judah/Yehudah/Yahud, fighting against both Sennacherib, who besieged Judah and helping to relieve the Israelite Kingdom, and then getting driven back into Kush by Sennecharib's successor as Emperor of Assyria, Esarhaddon.

Taharqa would have seen this as one of many battles and campaigns in a long career that brought the Kushite dynasty to its furthest reaches, Hezekiah and his Edomite counterpart as tribute-paying subordinates to him after he liberated them, and his career as predominantly directed against Assyria much as the most powerful Pharaohs fought the Hittites and the Mitanni.

Taharqa also makes the same point that would recur in other points, that rulers of Africa did have the power to push into Asia and Europe where geography permitted. It was not just the Amazigh or the Khemetic peoples who did this, where it was possible, the rulers of Black Africa did so and did so unapologetically like everyone else did.

Unfortunately geography meant that it was much harder to push up north against the weight of world states like Assyria, Rome, or the original Caliphates (not so much against the fragmented successors or the smaller state orders that were much more vulnerable).

[egypt-museum]

Menat of Taharqa: the King Being Nursed by the Lion-Headed Goddess Bastet, implying his divine status.

The delicate faience material indicates the menat was not meant for use as part of a menat necklace shaken in temple ceremonies, but rather might have been a temple donation or possibly intended for the pharaoh's burial.

Third Intermediate Period, 25th Dynasty (Kushite), ca. 690-664 BC. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 41.160.104

[cityof2morrow]

Gallery Collection 001

Published: 2-21-2024 | Updated: N/A SUMMARY This is the first in a series of upcoming investment objects for Sims 2 – things your sims can use to generate income over time. From 1975-2000, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. commissioned 30 paintings of African kings and queens for an extended outreach and marketing campaign. This set of paintings features artwork from this amazing series. Celebrate Black History Month 2024! #co2bhm #bhm2024 #sims2bhm.   *No copyright infringement intended – I own no rights to these images.

DETAILS Requires Sims 2. Requires Apartment Life for shiftability. §1K-15K | Buy > Deco > Wall Hangings Paintings are centered on 1-tile but cover more tiles than that. They come in various gallery sizes and images have been edited to fit the mesh. After purchase, their value increases by approximately 2% daily – watch out for burglars! Files with “MESH” in their name are REQUIRED. Frame recolors include EA/Maxis and yeti textures. Frame and painting recolors are merged into two files so you’ll have to take them or leave them. ITEMS Great Kings & Queens of Africa: Paintings 001-006 (92-764 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA

IMAGES

Akhenaton Pharaoh of Egypt (1375-1358 BC) by Barbara Higgins Bond

Alfonso I King of the Kongo (circa 1486-1543) by Carl Owens (1929-2002)

Askia Muhammaed Toure King of Songhay (1493-1529) by Leo Dillon

Benhanzin Hossu Bowelle—The King Shark (1841-1906) by Thomas Blackshear II

Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt (69-30 BC) by Ann Marshall

Hannibal Ruler of Carthage (247-183 BC) by Charles Lilly

Hatshepsut The Ablest Queen of Far Antiquity (1503-1482 BC) by Dean Mitchell

Idris Alooma Sultan of Bornu (1580-1617) by Charles Lilly (1949-)

Ja Ja King of the Opobo (1821-1891) by Jonathan Knight

Khama III The Good King of Bechuanaland (1819-1923) by Carl Owens

Makeda Queen of Sheba (960 BC) by Debra Edgerton

Mansa Kankan Musa King of Mali (1306-1337) by Barbara Higgins Bond

Menelek II King of Kings of Abyssinia (1844-1913) by Dow Miller

Moshoeshoe King of Batsutoland (circa 1786-1870) by Jerry Pinkney

Mwana Ngana Ndumba Tembo—Ruler of the Angolan Tchokwe (1840-1880 circa) by Kenneth Calvert

Nandi Queen of Zululand (1778-1826 AD) by HM Rahsaan Fort II

Nefertari Nubian Queen of Egypt (192-1225 BC) by Steve Clay

Nehanda of Zimbabwe (1862-1898) by Lydia Thompson

Nzingha—Amazon Queen of Matambo (1582-1663) by Dorothy Carter

Osei Tutu King of Asante (circa 1650-1717) by Alfred Smith

Queen Amina of Zaria (1588-1589) by Floyd Cooper

Samory Toure The Black Napoleon of the Sudan (1830-1900) by Ezra Tucker

Shaka-King of the Zulus (1787-1828) by Paul Collins

Shamba Bolongongo African King of Peace (1600-1620) by Roy LaGrone

Sunni Ali Beer King of Songhay (circa 1442-1492) by Leo Dillon

Taharqa King of Nubia (710-664 BC) by John Thomas Biggers

Tenkamenin King of Ghana (1037-1075 AD) by Alexander Bostic

Thutmose III Pharaoh of Egypt (753-712 BC) by Antonio Wade

Tiye The Nubian Queen of Egypt (circa 1415-1340 BC) by Leonard Jenkins

Yaa Asantewa Queen of Ghana (1863-1923) by Barbara Higgins Bond CREDITS No copyright infringement intended – I own no rights to these images. Artwork and trademarks are the property of their respective creators and/or owners. If this exceeds fair use, please contact me via private message. Thanks: Simming and Sketchfab Communities. Sources: Any Color You Like (CuriousB, 2010), Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), Console Certificates (d_dgjdhh, 2019; 2011), EA/Maxis, Gyeongbokgung Sajeongjeon Painting (National Heritage Administration, 2024 via CCA; Sketchfab), Great Kings and Queens of Africa Series (Anheuser-Busch, Inc., 1975-2000; Kentake, 2016), Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik), Painting by Zdzislaw Beksinski (Sosnowski, 2018 via CCA), Yeti Metals (Shastakiss, 2017).

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Rassam Cylinder, a ten-sided clay cylinder that was created in c. 643 BC, during the reign of King Ashurbanipal (c. 685 BC - 631 BC) who ruled the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 669 - 631 BC.

It was discovered in the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, near Mosul, present-day Iraq, by Hormuzd Rassam (3 October 1826 - 16 September 1910) in 1854.

In over 1,300 lines of cuneiform text, the cylinder records nine military campaigns of Ashurbanipal, including his wars with Egypt, Elam and his brother, Shamash-shum-ukin.

It also records his accession to the throne and his restoration of the Palace of Sennacherib.

The cylinder is the most complete chronicle on the life of Ashurbanipal.

There are some extracts from the cylinder below:

"I am Ashurbanipal, offspring of Ashur and Bêlit, the oldest prince of the royal harem, whose name Ashur and Sin, the lord of the tiara, have named for the kingship from earliest (lit., distant) days, whom they formed in his mother's womb, for the rulership of Assyria; whom Shamash, Adad and Ishtar, by their unalterable (lit., established) decree, have ordered to exercise sovereignty.

Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, the father who begot me, respected the word of Ashur and Bêlit-ilê (the Lady of the Gods), his tutelary (divinities), when they gave the command that I should exercise sovereignty.

In the month of Airu, in the month of Ea, the lord of mankind, the twelfth day, an auspicious day, the feast day of Gula, at the sublime command which Ashur, Bêlit, Sin, Shamash, Adad, Bêl, Nabû, Ishtar of Nineveh, Queen of Kidmuri, Ishtar of Arbela, Urta, Nergal, Nusku, uttered, he gathered together the people of Assyria, great and small, from the upper to (lit., and) lower sea.

That they would accept (lit., guard) my crown princeship, and later my kingship, he made them take an oath by the great gods, and so he strengthened the bonds (between them and me)....

By the order of the great gods, whose names I called upon, extolling their glory, who commanded that I should exercise sovereignty, assigned me the task of adorning their sanctuaries, assailed my opponents on my behalf, slew my enemies, the valiant hero, beloved of Ashur and Ishtar, scion of royalty, am I.

Egyptian Campaign:

"In my first campaign I marched against Magan, Meluhha, Taharqa, king of Egypt and Ethiopia, whom Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, the father who begot me, had defeated, and whose land he brought under his sway.

This same Taharqa forgot the might of Ashur, Ishtar and the other great gods, my lords, and put his trust upon his own power.

He turned against the kings and regents whom my own father had appointed in Egypt.

He entered and took residence in Memphis, the city which my own father had conquered and incorporated into Assyrian territory.

A swift courier came to Nineveh and reported to me.

At these deeds, my heart became enraged, my soul cried out. I raised my hands in prayer to Ashur and the Assyrian Ishtar.

I mustered my mighty forces, which Ashur and Ishtar had placed into my hands. Against Egypt and Ethiopia, I directed the march."

Rassam Cylinder records the reign of Ashurbanipal until c. 645 BC.

The latter years of his reign are poorly recorded, probably due to the fact that the Neo-Assyrian Empire was plagued with troubles.

One of Ashurbanipal's last known inscription reads:

"I cannot do away with the strife in my country and the dissensions in my family; disturbing scandals oppress me always.

Illness of mind and flesh bow me down; with cries of woe I bring my days to an end.

On the day of the city god, the day of the festival, I am wretched; death is seizing hold upon me, and bears me down..."

Rassam Cylinder is currently on display in the British Museum.

A truly remarkable, yet biased, insight into the reign of Ashurbanipal and the world in which he lived.

📷: © Anthony Huan

[gravehags]

sorry if this is morbid but damn what a shot (also fuck you for burying my ass in the desert and leaving me to die taharqa!!)

[renegadeurbanmediasource]

Notable Black Pharaohs of the 25th Dynasty

Piye (Piye)

Reigned: Circa 747–716 BCE

Known for unifying Egypt and establishing the 25th Dynasty.

Shabaka (Shabaka)

Reigned: Circa 716–702 BCE

Noted for his military campaigns and for promoting the worship of the god Amun.

Taharqa

Reigned: Circa 690–664 BCE

Famous for his extensive building projects and defensive efforts against Assyrian invasions.

Tanutamun (Tanutamon)

Reigned: Circa 664–656 BCE

The last ruler of the 25th Dynasty, he faced significant challenges from the Assyrians.

Bakenrenef (Bakenrenef)

Reigned: Circa 725–715 BCE (co-regent with Piye)

Served as a prominent figure in the Nubian conquest of Egypt.

[spectator-ion]

pls infodump about the kingdom of kush

I'll be honest, I learnt most of my stuff through late night wiki dives, but it's a fascinating thing.

For one thing, while it changed massively over time, the kingdom of Kush lasted for so many centuries, even with conflict from it's neighbours, the Egyptians and Assyrians.

The parts I think are fantastic are the 25th dynasty when they conquered Egypt and started building pyramids along the Nile. It wasn't a particularly peaceful time, but I love that they left their mark on the land there.

^ these were built in the time of Taharqa and after

Also the society had higher levels of woman involvement for the time. For instance the position Kandake was for the sister of the king as the bearer of the heir to the throne. This allowed for women to rule as Queen regents so to speak, and there are at least eleven of these such rulers in the kingdom of Kush.

They traded with the Romans, revolted against Roman taxes and outlasted then, which is fantastic in itself, even if the kingdom had moved further south in the continent at that point.

They used all sorts of ways to improve agriculture, including a type of water wheel called 'saqiyah' which helped to lift heavy amounts of water. Reservoirs were made all over the kingdom and some still remain to this day. Also they have some fantastic statues of their rulers.

^ Taharqa's the tall one at the back.

Honestly I'm still learning so much. I can't summarise a millennia of a kingdom in one excited garble of a post, and I am happy enough to just point and say 'Look! Ancient civilisations being super cool! Look at that!'

So thanks for the ask, and I hope this was alright :)

[sab-cat]

31 Mar 2025

Videos of Sudan’s national museum showing empty rooms, piles of rubble and broken artefacts posted on social media after the Sudanese army recaptured the area from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in recent days show the extent of looting of the country’s antiquities.

Fears of looting in the museum were first raised in June 2023 and a year later satellite images emerged of trucks loaded with artefacts leaving the building, according to museum officials. But last week, as the RSF were driven out of Khartoum after two years of war, the full extent of the theft became apparent.

A video shared by the Sudan Tribune newspaper showed the museum stripped bare, with only a few large statues remaining, including the seven-tonne statue of King Taharqa, a pharaoh who ruled Egypt and Kush (present-day Sudan) from 690 to 664BC. Others showed ransacked rooms and smashed display cabinets.

The museum held an estimated 100,000 artefacts from thousands of years of the country’s history, including the Nubian kingdom, the Kushite empire and through to the Christian and Islamic eras. It held mummies dating from 2500BC, making them among the oldest and archaeologically most important in the world.

[afam24]

Or

18th dynasty statue in British Museum and a modern man from Aswan, Egypt

description

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA1222. .

Aswan

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-water-taxi-to-temple-of-philae-on-agilika-island-near-aswan-egypt-27440340.html

I thought the one on the left was an Afrocentric hoax when seen on earlier new millennium internet. It's real...even though the contrast differs. The person was named Hednakht (dynasty 18) at the Penn Museum.

Or this one of a 12th dynasty lady at the Museum in England in the top picture, and the bottom picture with King’s Wife’ Senet, of the Twelfth Dynasty. As with many of the queens of this period, little is known about her (including the kings to whom she was consort and mother). From the Royal Collection, recently on display as part of the Cairo to Constantinople exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace in London.

Links

1.

https://egyptmanchester.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/audrey_c.jpg.

2.

.https://historicaleve.com/hidden-queens-middle-kingdom/

Or this rare one of Senusret III in the British Museum. It probably depicts him a little more realistically and less stylized

Links

.

.

Every reason to believe this one, from a French publication, is Senusret III more natural or realistically depicted. Especially since he's wearing a nemes ( usually only worm by pharaohs). This unknown from that period was labeled a dignitary

Or this rare one (obviously Senusret III) by Petrie in Germany https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-head-of-a-colossal-statue-49857784.html . .

When it was first discovered. By the Egypt Exploration Society's excavations in the Kom el-Sultan area of Abydos led by Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie that resulted in the 1902 publication Abydos, Volume I.

1… https://www.flickr.com/photos/egyptexplorationsociety/48836425002

2.

link

https://www.flickr.com/photos/egyptexplorationsociety/48836406377.

3.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/egyptexplorationsociety/48835860023. .

4.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12371736@N00/30222872807

This more stylized image of Senusret III is shown more often because it’s difficult to tell. This same practice can be seen in known Nubian rulers where the features look different on other portraits ( see link for a few examples. If on the *Miscellaneous compilation, part of the “Ancient Egyptian Art They Don’t Show” post, this same link is a little ways down on the compilation …where his predecessor, SenusretII, is compared to Tarhaqa - a Nubian/Kushite pharaoh...OR SEE LINK BELOW)

https://www.tumblr.com/shwat2013/675304582631587840/the-top-two-are-taharqa-of-the-nubian-period-and?source=share

Possible mother of

.

The main post these references stem from is initially entitled "Ancient Egyptian Art They Don't Show", for obvious reasons

from left to right, top to bottom; 19th dynasty woman museum in Cairo, middle kingdom woman of dynasty 12 -(?) Brooklyn Museum, a 18th dynasty scribe Museum of Turin Italy, Chief of Gaurds dynasty 19 at National Museum of Scotland, Statue from Roy at the Brooklyn Museum, and a 18th dynasty man at the Louvre (possibly Amenhotep)

from left to right, top to bottom; lady of the middle kingdom -Museum of Fine Arts, Nakhtmin's wife Mutemnub -18th dynasty, a 12th dynasty Statuette of Imenytirry in long kilt -Middle Kingdom NY Metropolitan, 18th dynasty man from a very prominent collector of 1800s Cairo

From left to right, top to bottom;

(1)A painted limestone statuette of a young woman looking over her right shoulder- New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 BCE.Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London, England.

(2) a .middle kingdom boat man- Cleveland museum.

(3) 19th dynasty men from time of Ramses III, Louvre in Paris, France

(4) From Roy, a man doing solar chant. NY Metropolitan.

( 5) Lady Mi of dynasty 18, Brooklyn Museum. You can just about match her up to old pictures in the 1800s-1900s, of Bishari Nubian woman and girls in Southern Egypt.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OutoftheTombs/comments/vpavgd/a_painted_limestone_statuette_of_a_young_woman/?rdt=48659

2…https://itoldya420.getarchive.net/media/egypt-middle-kingdom-late-dynasty-11-2040-1980-bc-to-early-dynasty-12-seated-c00381.

from left to right, top to bottom:

Ramses I (Paramessu ) Museum of Fine Arts, Senusret IV of dynasty 13 -(?) Egyptian Museum Cairo, Ahmose Nefertari NY Metropolitan Museum, Either one of the Mentuhoteps or Amenemhat the 1st Louvre (labeled eleventh dynasty pharaoh), Unknown or unidentified ruler of the old kingdom Museum of Fine Arts, Amenemhat V at the Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst (State Museum of Egyptian Art) in Munich

Links

1

a

Old Kingdom unidentified ruler, Museum of Fine Arts https://collections.mfa.org/objects/455496/head-of-statue;jsessionid=47C1357D9B0319A07BC0AD110FD6D591?ctx=5812ae04-c242-4fdb-8fb2-4dfb5344ae89&idx=386

b

old grainy photo from the museum/university

http://giza.fas.harvard.edu/objects/24859/full/

2

Louvre

https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010014047

3

Brooklyn Museum https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/17364

Top pictures are Egyptians from Luxor. In the middle we have paintings from Ramose, Djehutyhotep (directly from Museum website..assuring authenticity), and Mehu with color variation in a deliberate repetitive pattern. Bottom pictures are Nubian Egyptians.

A few more with extreme color variations in the same scene

link

This post is only trying to show the people of a "black" persuasion were a major part of the ancient Egyptian population, and not to suggest modern peoples weren't. Two things can be true at the same time. These "blacks" are the same ones in the region today of N Sudan and Southern Egypt (people shift and migrate over time for different reasons). There are compilations on the main page that compare modern Egyptians to the ancient art as well. The "black" side of ancient Egypt had to be overemphasized because it's heavily downplyed and blocked from seeing

Be sure to stop at the bottom where it says "More from @afam24". Don't be distracted by the pictures and links under that. They will occur again so that you can continue with the main post in sequence

.

.

[egyptatours]

The Best 21 Ancient Egyptian Leaders

The Best 21 Ancient Egyptian Leaders

Ancient Egypt was home to many influential leaders who shaped its history, culture, and society. Here is a list of 21 prominent ancient Egyptian leaders, including pharaohs, queens, and notable figures:

Narmer (Menes) - Often considered the first pharaoh of unified Egypt, he is credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BCE.

Djoser - The pharaoh of the Third Dynasty, he is best known for commissioning the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, which is one of the earliest monumental stone buildings.

Sneferu - Founder of the Fourth Dynasty, he is recognized for his contributions to pyramid construction, including the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid.

Khufu (Cheops) - The Egyptian pharaoh responsible for the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Hatshepsut - One of the few female pharaohs, she ruled in the 15th century BCE and is known for her prosperous reign and impressive architectural projects, including her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari.

Thutmose III - Often called the "Napoleon of Egypt," he was a military genius who expanded Egypt's empire to its greatest territorial extent in the 15th century BCE.

Amenhotep III - A pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty known for his diplomatic relations, monumental building projects, and for being a patron of the arts.

Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) - A revolutionary pharaoh known for introducing monotheism with the worship of Aten, the sun disk, and for moving the capital to Akhetaten (modern Amarna).

Nefertiti - The Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten, she is renowned for her beauty, and her bust, found at Amarna, has become an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt.

Tutankhamun - The young pharaoh who is famous for his nearly intact tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings, which provided extensive treasures and insights into ancient Egyptian culture.

Ramses II (Ramses the Great) - One of Egypt's most powerful and celebrated pharaohs, he is known for numerous military victories, monumental constructions, and an exceptionally long reign.

Cleopatra VII - The last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, she is famous for her intelligence, political acumen, and relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

Seti I - A pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty known for his military campaigns and the construction of many impressive temples, including the Seti I Temple at Abydos.

Ramses III - The last great pharaoh of the New Kingdom, he is noted for defending Egypt against invaders like the Sea Peoples and for his extensive building projects.

Merneptah - The son of Ramses II, he is known for his military campaigns against the Libyans and for the Merneptah Stele, which contains the earliest known reference to Israel.

Siptah - A lesser-known pharaoh of the late 19th Dynasty, he faced significant challenges during his reign but is notable for his unique tomb.

Psusennes I - A pharaoh of the 21st Dynasty whose well-preserved tomb was discovered, showcasing wealth and art of the period.

Sheshonq I (Shishak) - Founder of the 22nd Dynasty, he is known for his military campaigns in the Levant and the biblical account of his attack on Jerusalem.

Taharqa - A ruler of the 25th Dynasty (Nubian dynasty), he is known for his significant building projects and for successfully defending Egypt against Assyrian invasions.

Horemheb - An important pharaoh of the late 18th Dynasty, he is recognized for his military prowess and efforts to restore order after the tumultuous Amarna period.

Ptolemy I Soter - The founder of the Ptolemaic Kingdom after the death of Alexander the Great, he established a dynasty that blended Greek and Egyptian culture.

[egypt-museum]

Relief of Mentuemhat as Priest with Staff and Scepter

Mentuemhat in his robes as a priest of Amun and carrying the wand used to consecrate food offerings to the god. Raised relief in the style of his time, but showing some influence of Middle Kingdom work.

Mentuemhat’s power over Thebes likely is what inspired him to portray himself as a king in his statuary, like he was king of Egypt—and in the case of Upper Egypt, he de facto was.

Montuemhat’s father Nesptah passed on the position of Mayor of Thebes to his nephew Remmakheru and later to Mentuemhat himself. He served during the reigns of Taharqa and Psamtik I, which cover parts of the 25th Dynasty of Egypt and 26th Dynasty of Egypt.

Late Period, 26th Dynasty, ca. 664-525 BC. Tomb of Mentuemhat (TT34), El-Assasif, Thebes. Cleveland Museum of Art. 1949.492

Read more