 |
| Temple
of Zeus |
|
Seven
Wonders: Today, archaeological
evidence reveals some of the mysteries
that surrounded the history of the
Wonders for centuries. For their
builders, the Seven Wonders were
a celebration of religion, mythology,
art, power, and science. For us,
they reflect the ability of humans
to change the surrounding landscape
by building massive yet beautiful
structures, one of which stood the
test of time to this very day.
The
ancient Greeks loved to compile
lists of the marvellous structures
in their world. Though we think
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World as a single list today, there
were actually a number of lists
compiled by different Greek writers.
Antipater of Sidon, and Philon of
Byzantium, drew up two of the most
well-known lists. Many of the lists
agreed on six of the seven items.
|
The final place on some lists was awarded
to the Walls of the City of Babylon. On
others, the Palace of Cyrus, king of Persia
took the seventh position. Finally, toward
the 6th century A.D., the final item became
the Lighthouse at Alexandria. Since the
it was Greeks who made the lists it is
not unusual that many of the items on
them were examples of Greek culture.
The
writers might have listed the Great
Wall of China if then had known about
it, or Stonehenge if they'd seen it,
but these places were beyond the limits
of their world. It is a surprise to
most people to learn that not all the
Seven Wonders existed at the same time.
Even if you lived in ancient times you
would have still needed a time machine
to see all seven.
While
the Great Pyramids of Egypt was built
centuries before the rest and is still
around today (it is the only "wonder"
still intact) most of the others only
survived a few hundred years or less.
The Colossus of Rhodes stood only a
little more than half a century before
an earthquake toppled it.
Egyptian Pyramids
Great Wall
Statue of Zeus
Colossus of Rhodes
Lighthouse
of Alexandria
Hanging Gardens
of Babylon
Mausoleum
at Halicarnassus
Temple of Artemis
|
|
|
