A minaret of Nizwa Fort against the Hajar Mountains, Oman.

Minaret and Mountains
This is so prototypically Oman: the minaret of Al Qala’a Mosque and the walls of the seventeenth century Nizwa Fort and Souq stands out against the arid and rugged Hajar Mountains.

I spent less than a week in the Sultanate of Oman, an Islamic Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula.

In that time, however, I saw countless forts, castles, and towers (see: Oman’s Fortress Castles and Jabreen Castle). Perhaps this is unsurprising, as the country is called “the land of [a] thousand forts.” These structures – whether in ruins or extensively restored and opened as museums – punctuate the landscape. They rise, solitary, out of rocky hilltops, or blend into sprawling urban complexes.

Nizwa Fort is described as among Oman’s top forts – and is often rated as the number one. It is certainly the most visited – probably in part because it is only two hours away from Muscat, Oman’s capital and most populous city. 

Nizwa is the most important city in Oman’s interior and one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in the country. It was the centre of the al Julanda dynasty in the 6th and 7th century CE and became known as a spiritual capital. It’s location in an area with water and abundant natural wealth, and at the crossroads of a number of vital trading routes, made it attractive to outsiders.

Hence, the fort.

The very impressive Nizwa Fort was built over a span of 12 years in the 17th century by Sultan bin Saif al Yaruba, the first imam of the Ya’aruba dynasty. The sprawling structure, with its impressive 40 m (31 ft) tower, sits on foundations dating back to the 12th century.

The extensively renovated structure is a popular tourist destination, with historical displays throughout, and magnificent views from the rooftop battlements. I was just as impressed by the traditional souqs (or souks, meaning markets) that surround it at ground-level. There, I got to taste-test freshly-made halwa (literally: Arabic for sweet), and admire the colourful glass lamps and silver jewellery.

Come for a wander:

Close up: dried dates, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Dates in the Souk
Oman is home to more than 250 indigenous varieties of dates: they are the first thing to greet me in the souq.

Environmental portrait: Man in white on a scaffold, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Painter in the Rafters
High overhead, a tradesman pauses to smile for the camera.

Halwa ingredients in transparent containers, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Ingredients
Halwa all starts with the same basic ingredients, …

Displays of halwa, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Sweet Treats
… but ends up in countless forms and flavours.

Environmental portrait: Man in a Kuma, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Salesman in a Kuma
The smiling salesman in his embroidered Omani cap tried to persuade me to take some halwa home; unfortunately, it doesn’t have a very long shelf-life!

Colourful glass and brass lamps, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Omani Lamps in the Market

Close up: bags of yellow and red spice powders, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Spices

Omani man inside the entry to Nizwa Fort, Oman.

Guide at the Entry
My local guide Said waits at the fort entry to provide an informative walk-through.

Two people silhouetted inside the entry to Nizwa Fort, Oman.

Entering Nizwa Fort
It is cool and dark inside the thick walls – a welcome relief from the desert heat.

Sun flare over the walls of Nizwa Fort, Oman.

Sun over Nizwa Fort
It is only mid-morning, but the sun is high and fierce over the curving walls around the courtyard.

View to the mountains from the top of Nizwa Fort, Oman.

Nizwa and the Hajar Mountains
From the top of the fort, the views extend over the plateau in all directions …

View to the entry courtyard from the top of Nizwa Fort, Oman.

View into the Courtyard
… including into the lower levels of the fort itself.

Golden domed gazebo in Nizwa, Oman

Gazebo with a Golden Dome
We also get a good view of the Arabic script decorating the public gazebo in the city below.

Detail: the top of the minaret of Al Qala

Al Qala’a Mosque

Cannon in a tower window, Nizwa Fort, Oman

Cannon
The fort was designed to conduct – and withstand – cannon-based warfare. The original cannons in the tower allowed complete 360-degree coverage across the countryside.

A display of clothing and ornaments, Nizwa Fort, Oman

Women’s Wealth
The heavy and ornate silver jewellery worn by important women signalled their wealth and societal status.

A display of ornaments, Nizwa Fort, Oman

Silver Finery

Information signboard, Nizwa Fort, Oman

Fort Layout
Strategically-place signboards explain the fort’s layout and aspects of it structure. Without my guide, I would have become hopelessly lost!

Museum display rooms, Nizwa Fort, Oman

Arches and Information

Weapons display: Omani Khanjar, Nizwa Fort, Oman

The Omani Khanjar
These curved daggers are traditional weapons that are symbols of pride to the Omani people and part of the men’s national dress.

Museum display: antique coffee pot and bowls, Nizwa Fort, Oman

Antique Dallah Coffee Pot

Date plantation from Nizwa Fort, Oman

Rooftop
From another vantage point, we can see over the walls and into the surrounding date palm plantations.

Inside the walls of Nizwa Fort, Oman.

Into the Walls
From one of the information signs:
“Although the terms ‘fort’ and ‘castle’ are often used interchangeably, they have very different meanings: A ‘fort’ (ga’lah) is a garrisoned military post. A ‘castle’ (hisn) is a fortified building or group of buildings allocated to administrative or residential use.”
The entrance to the armoury is next to the arched passageway.

Ancient well, Nizwa Fort, Oman.

Ancient Well
A reliable source of water is crucial to any fortified building.

Tented market shop, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Tented Shop
Back in the souq, everything has a Bedouin flavour.

Hanging pottery lamps, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

Pottery Lamps
These pottery lamps were everywhere in Oman.

Inside a shop, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

In the Shops
The many shops in the souq are a treasure-trove of craft and artistry – and a respite from the heat and glare outside.

Pottery shops, Nizwa Souq, Oman.

In the Souk
Fortunately for me, everything was too heavy or too fragile for my suitcase, and I escaped without purchases.

Well, without purchases except for dates and halwa; …

Sign-Off-Happy-Shopping… and I didn’t have to carry those home!

Until next time.

Photos: 24October2019

Looking down over Ghandruk in the rain, Nepal

Village in the Mist
Ghandruk is a charming Gurung village in Nepal’s Modi Khola Valley. The usually stunning Annapurnas are hiding in the background, behind the rain and mists.

I was distressed to hear about the earthquake in Nepal earlier this month (3 November 2023): multi-storied brick houses in the remote, mountainous districts of Jajarkot and West Rukum collapsed after the 6.4 magnitude (USGS) quake, burying whole families in the rubble.

This beautiful country has had a special place in my heart since my first trekking trip there many years ago. My last visit was in March of 2017. Although that was almost two full years after the previous major earthquake – the Gorkha earthquake of April 2015 – the wreckage of that disaster could still be seen everywhere, and rebuilding was taking place slowly. The Gorkha quake was much more destructive than this November one – at least in part because it was in more built-up and populated areas, destroying homes and precious heritage temples all around the Kathmandu Valley. Even so, the thought of the lives lost and the extra hardships visited on the people affected by this most recent natural disaster as we come into a northern winter gives me pause.

On my 2017 trip to the country, I spent some time walking in the Kathmandu Valley (see: Ursula’s Weekly Wanders: Kathmandu Valley Rim) before participating in a photography workshop with the delightful Gavin Gough. After the workshop, my husband joined me, and a group of us undertook a slow circuit trek in the Annapurnas under the guidance of Angfula Sherpa.

On the penultimate day of our trek, we set off early from Tadapani, and travelled east towards the traditional Gurung village of Ghandruk. Although this portion of the Ghorepani/Poon Hill trek is rated as relatively easy, and is mostly downhill, I wasn’t the only one feeling my joints and my age. It was our fifth day of walking, and much of it had been through rain. I was happy to pace slowly, and thrilled to stop for an early lunch in the tiny hamlet of Bhaisi Kharka (see: One Enchanted Morning).

Sometimes it is easier to enjoy walks when revisiting the old photos! The foot-sore fatigue and insidious rain are all but forgotten when I look once again at the beauty of those hardy people and distant landscapes.

Join me in and around Ghandruk.

Locals and trekkers in the courtyard, Bhaisikharka Nepal

In the Courtyard
We had stopped for early lunch in the hamlet of Bhaisi Kharka, where Gavin chatted with the locals …

Environmental portrait: toddler with an iPhone, Bhaisikharka Nepal

Child with a Phone
… and watched as a young child played with his phone.

Red rhododendron flower floating in a rocky stream, Bhaisikharka Nepal

Flower in the Stream
We are surrounded by the famous Himalayan forests of rhododendron trees. The spring blooming season is coming to an end, and flowers drop from the tall trees around us and into the waters rushing past.

Steep little waterfall, Ghatte Khola, Bhaisikharka Nepal

Waterfall
The mountain waters – in what is probably the Ghatte Khola – rush down the rocks in a steep fall …

Stone steps and waterfall, Ghatte Khola, Bhaisikharka Nepal

Steep Stairs
… and narrow stone steps follow beside them. We are gradually dropping down in altitude; watch your footing!

Tibetan prayer flags in the forest, Ghatte Khola, Bhaisikharka Nepal

Prayer Flags
Tibetan prayer flags bless the surrounding countryside and colour our path.

Detail: Mossy steps, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Mossy Steps
I can’t help but wonder how long these mountain paths have been in use …

Winding path of steps, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Stone Steps
… as they wind off around the mountainside.

Mossy twisted tree trunks, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Twisted Trees
It is like being in the enchanted forests that populate old fairy tales! The mossy tree trunks bend and twist around us in the damp.

Red rhododendron bush, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Wild Rhododendron
This is the land of the lali gurans (lali guras), Nepal’s national flower, the red rhododendron. Some are still blooming in the dense forest around us.

Buffalos grazing, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) Grazing
Nepal relies on buffalo, which contribute more than half the milk and over one-third of the country’s meat production.

Wood pile outside a brick house, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Wood Pile
Winters are long and hard: in the absence of reliable electricity, these remote areas still depend on wood for heating and cooking.

Broken window in a plastered brick wall, Bhaisikharka to Ghandruk, Nepal

Broken Window
I love the colours and textures – and have to wonder how long it has been since this actually operated as a store!

Looking down across Ghandruk in the rain, Nepal

Ghandruk in the Rain
The heavy mists have developed into full-on rain. As we round the corner to Ghandruk, most of the village disappears into cloud.

Small ponies on the path out of Ghandruk, Nepal

Ponies and Donkeys on the Path
Closer to the village, we share the wet cobbles …

Small ponies on the path out of Ghandruk, Nepal

Pack Animals at Work
… with trains of ponies and donkeys.

Environmental portrait: old Gurung woman in the rain, Ghandruk, Nepal

Old Gurung Woman
The local people seem unconcerned by the rain; on the other hand, we are coated in plastic!

Mountain dog on a stone wall, Ghandruk, Nepal

Mountain Dog in the Rain
From time to time we meet variations on the beautiful Tibetan mastiff.

Metal cups and plates on a shelf, Ghandruk Lodge, Nepal

Shiny Kitchen
Later, once I’m in dry clothes, I admire the shiny utensils in the kitchen of our guesthouse.

Gurung woman with mountain gems on a blanket, Ghandruk Lodge, Nepal

Saleswoman
The next morning, we get up from our cosy room to find a saleswoman ready and waiting outside in the courtyard with her beautiful mountain gems. (iPhone6)

Nepali guides, Ghandruk Lodge, Nepal

Our Team
This will be our last day walking, so I make a picture of our wonderful guides and porters. (iPhone6)

Small ponies on the path out of Ghandruk, Nepal

Ponies on the Track
The pack horses are already at work when we set off out of the village. Even though people are becoming more aware of animal welfare, the dainty animals look a bit sad to me.

Environmental portrait: young Gurung child on a rock, Ghandruk, Nepal

Boy on a Rock
The misty rains continue, keeping the mountain range hidden.

Environmental portrait: young Gurung child on a rock, Ghandruk, Nepal

A Cheeky Smile
An impromptu environmental portrait session almost makes up for the weather!

Trekkers at the gate to Ghandruk, Nepal

Leaving Ghandruk
We pause to mark the start of our final leg , …

Looking down across Ghandruk in the rain, Nepal

Fields Below
… as the valley we’ll be descending into beckons in the mists below …

Ponies on a winding track, Ghandruk, Nepal

Ponies on the Path
… and the narrow track winds out in front of us.

Over the course of this portion of our walk, we dropped from about 2548 m (8361 ft) at Bhaisi Kharka to 2012 m (6601 ft) at Ghandruk. It was noticeable in the vegetation around us: almost gone were the rhododendron forests, replaced by expanses of terraced farms.

Text: Happy Walking!

My legs and lungs also noticed the difference in altitude, and were thankful.

Happy Walking!

Photos: 23-24March2017

Landscape: The Bow River at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

The Bow River at Lake Louise
Tall trees, pristine, glacier-fed waters, and magnificent snow-dusted mountains – you can’t beat the Canadian Rocky Mountains!

I’ve had a love of the Canadian Rocky Mountains for as long as I can remember.

In my earliest years in Canada, we lived on the West Coast, where the mountains and Pacific Ocean meet. Then we moved inland, to the foothills of Calgary, where the Prairies stretch out flat in the east forever …  But in the west, on clear days, the Rockies can just be seen.

Every summer, we drove through those magnificent mountains to visit family back on the coast.

I hated the actual trips: my brother and I spent long days wedged into the back seat of an old car that struggled up all the mountain inclines. I suffered dreadfully from car sickness. We overnighted in free, National Parks, campsites. My afternoon task was to hunt for firewood that was invariably covered in spiders, and dinner was usually instant soups or baked beans cooked on a smelly Coleman stove. There were never barbequed steaks or guitar sing-songs near our leaky and too-small tent! Our campsites included dug-in outhouses: none of the amenity blocks, swimming pools, or children’s playgrounds that commercial sites offered. 

But, in spite of all that, I loved those mountains. And, I’ve taken great joy from driving through them more recently in cars that hum like a dream, and overnighting in rooms with electric kettles and running water.

Late May of this year, I was thrilled to be making a road trip into those wonderful mountains, and was particularly pleased with my non-tented accommodation in the charming hamlet of Lake Louise in Banff National Park. It wasn’t exactly the magnificent Fairmont Château Lake Louise, but that gracious old Canadian Pacific hotel was close enough that I hiked out to it to have a rather envious look (see: Walking the Louise Creek Trail).

For my second full day in town, I opted for a shorter, less strenuous walk along the Bow River

As helpful as I  usually find AllTrails, the app failed to warn me that half the track is closed off for five months every year to allow the free passage of bears; this meant that my walk was out-and-back, rather than a circuit. Even so, I enjoyed a relaxing walk along the river – especially as it was all virtually flat.

Ground squirrel, Lake Louise Inn, Banff National Park Canada

Squeaking Columbian Ground Squirrel – Spermophilus Columbianus
I love these little guys! I was hoping this one was leading me to a shortcut through the woods, but I hit the creek, and had to back-track and follow the road into the village in order to find the start of my track.

Rusty metal bridge on the Bow River, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Bow River Rail Crossing
The river is fast and shallow here; it picks up water as it heads east to meet the South Saskatchewan River.

Treetops and snow-topped mountains, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Treetops and Mountaintops
The boreal forest here is home to a number of tree species, with the Douglas fir being the tallest, reaching heights of up to 45 metres (150 feet).

Trail markers, Lake Louise Alberta Canada

A Fork in the Trail
Once I cross the main road, I see the sign I photographed the day before; from here, my track diverges from the Louise Creek Trail and I follow the river south.

Landscape: The Bow River at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Bow River
Tall conifers frame the river …

Chalet in the woods at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Chalet in the Woods
… and shelter the houses and lodges set back just far enough to have magnificent views.

Landscape: The Bow River at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Bridge over the Bow River
There are a couple of bridges along here: this one leads to the Lake Louise Campground.

Landscape: The Bow River at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Island in the Bow
Banff National Park is known for its “golden season” when the deciduous trees, like these nestled in with the conifers, put on their colourful autumn display.

Detail: patchy trunk of a pine tree, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Nature’s Abstracts : Tree Trunk

Narrow path through tall Douglas firs, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Tall Trees
The path is soft underfoot …

Landscape: The Bow River at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Rocky Riverbed
… and the river is never far away.

Path in the woods at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Into the Woods

Landscape: The Bow River at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Split Stream
The river is still small enough that it is easily diverted around every small patch of higher ground.

New buds on a fir tree, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Nature’s Artworks : Colourful New Growth
The signs of spring are all around.

American robin on a log, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

American Robin – Turdus Migratorius
I kept a look out for bears. The best I could capture was a common robin – and the odd crow.

Information sign, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

“Along the Bow River”
I had hoped – at the very least –   to see some of the birds mentioned on the signboards along the path! They are mostly quite common, but this trip  I saw none of them!

Closure sign, the Bow River Loop, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Seasonal Closure
Not all the signs I saw were good news: when I got to the point at which I was meant to cross the river and return via the other bank, I discovered that this wasn’t going to happen. “Providing bears and other large mammals the ability to move through the valley bottom unimpeded is crucial to their survival.” Fair enough! But I would have liked to have known sooner.

Along the River
So, I returned by way of the same track I had set out on.

Colourful rocks in the Bow River, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Nature’s Palette : Colourful Rocks

American red squirrel in the undergrowth, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

American Red Squirrel – Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus
After a dearth of bears or other large mammals, I was ridiculously excited to spot a squirrel!

American red squirrel in a tree, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

American Red Squirrel – Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus
I stood still, making sounds I thought might be engaging …

American red squirrel in a tree, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

American Red Squirrel – Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus
.. so that I might get a portrait.

Rocks in the Bow River, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Boulders in the River
I love the colours and textures everywhere!

Lake Louise Visitor Centre, Banff National Park, Canada

Lake Louise Visitor Centre
Before I knew it, I was back at the National Parks’ office.

View through the Timber Wolf windows at mountain tops, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

View from the Timber Wolf
No baked beans in a leaky tent for me! I got to enjoy views of those magnificent mountains with my dinner of pasta and wine.

Text: Happy Walking!All in all, a perfect day, really.

Until next time,

Happy Walking!

Photos: 28May2023

Clay bull

Clay Bull’s-Head Rhyton
Bulls featured hugely in ancient Minoan culture. While this decorated clay head in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in Crete looks like it could have come out of a home-decor shop, it is actually a rhyton, an ancient Greek drinking horn, and dates somewhere between 1450 and 1370 BC.

I’m not normally a huge fan of museums: there are only so many plaques I can read on dusty displays before I hit overload, or become mind-numbingly bored.

But, all of the guide books and everyone I met on Crete recommended the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. It is reputed to be one of the greatest museums in Greece – and in a country where classical Greek ruins and artefacts are all around, that is saying something!

More importantly, the museum houses the world’s most extensive collection of Minoan art and artefacts. After my small taste of Minoan culture during a visit to the Palace of Knossos (see: The Minotaur, Mythology and an Ancient Palace), my interest was piqued.

The museum was originally founded in 1908, with a dedicated building erected between 1904 and 1912 in the centre of Heraklion. Following three damaging earthquakes, a new, modernist, anti-seismic construction was completed in 1940. Although the site suffered some damage during the Second World War, the collection – which spans antiquities from 7000 BC through to the Roman occupation in the third century CE – survived. The structure was extensively renovated between 2006 and 2013, and retains a fresh, contemporary appearance.

I was surprised when I was allowed to take the cameras inside – and even more surprised that I felt compelled to use them! While there are numerous examples of art from the Roman period (between 600 BC and 300 CE), I skimmed over them in favour of the earlier Cretan artefacts.

The ancient Minoan art absolutely captured me – and I spent far more time inside the museum than I had planned. 

Visitors looking at exhibits, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Heraklion Archaeological Museum
The current museum – a modern anti-seismic structure – was built between 1937 and 1940 by Greek architect Patroklos Karantinos. Damaged in the Second World War, it has been repaired and extended over the years, and was extensively renovated between 2006 and 2013.

Triton shell exhibit, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Marine Ritual Triton
The age and beauty of the artifacts on display are breathtaking. This elegant trumpet shell dates between 3600 and 3000 BC. 

Small goddess figure, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Terracotta Goddess (5300 – 3000 BC)
Pottery and weaving came into their own during the Neolithic period; …

Small goddess figure, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

“Steatopygous Goddess” from Pano Chorio
… this beautiful little sculpture can take her place beside the Paleolithic Venus figurines of Europe.

Neolithic striped jug and handled pot, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Neolithic Jug (2600-1900 BC.)
The descriptive signage calls the decoration of these dishes typical’. I find the jug shape, and the pattern of converging lines, both beautiful and modern.

Neolithic clay people, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Clay Figurines (1900-1700 BC)
This ancient woman (and the men) are believed to be in an ‘attitude of worship’.

Storage jars, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Storage Jars
The building’s designer, Patroklos Karantinos (1903-1976) is described as an architect of ‘classical modernism’. The place feels spacious and airy, with plenty of light from the skylights above and along the top of the walls.

Patterned jugs, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Patterned Jugs
Wonderful shapes and designs are everywhere!

Decorated Kamares ware pots, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Decorated Pots
Kamares ware is a stylish example of Middle Minoan (2100-1600 BC) ceramics, characterized by elegant shapes, and light-on-dark abstract and floral patterns.

Decorated Kamares ware pots, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Kamares Ware (1900-1700 BC)
The style is named for a cave, discovered in 1864, where some of best examples were found.

Model of the Palace of Knossos, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Model of the Palace of Knossos
Knossos was the center of Minoan civilization during the Neopalatial period (1750 –1450 BC). This impressive and detailed wooden model of the palace’s complex floor plan was made by Zacharias S. Kanakis – who was the conservator of the Archaeological Society of Athens in 1968.

Clay bull

Bull’s Head Rhyton and Figurines
Considering that these beautiful objects are around 4000 years old, it amazes me that so many have survived!

Clay bull

Another Bull’s Head Rhyton (1500-1450 BC)
These clay libation vessels were used at royal banquets and were symbols of high status. The purpose of the rhyton was to deliver a controlled amount of liquid into the bowl of the banqueter – but they were sometimes drunk from directly.

Gold-coloured Phaistos Disc, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Phaistos Disc (Early 17th Century BC)
The descriptive plaque calls this clay object ‘enigmatic’. The forty-five pictorial signs and their different arrangements are assumed to be words, but the meaning and the relationship to Cretan script has not been established. Best guess is that this disc from Phaistos depicts a hymn or a magic spell.

Bull-Leaping fresco, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Bull-Leaping Fresco
I’ve shared a picture of this fresco before (see: The Minotaur, Mythology and an Ancient Palace). It shows the most spectacular Minoan acrobatic sport: bull-leaping. Young athletes made a dangerous leap over the horns and back of a charging bull – presumably in front of a large crowd of excited spectators.

Bull-leaping sculpture, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Bull Leaper
This is the artwork that left me with my mouth hanging open. Dated between 1600-1450 BC, this impossibly modern, almost abstract, ivory figurine of a bull-leaper is thought to be the first attempt ‘to render the instantaneous, free rotation of a carved figure in three-dimensional space’.

Small votive metal axes, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Double Axes
Offerings of small axes were made from gold, silver, and bronze sheet. (1700-1450)

Neolithic clay people, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Clay Figurines (1650-1500 BC)
These stylised clay figurines are thought to depict worshippers.

Realistic black stone bull

And Another Bull’s Head Rhyton (1550-1500 BC)
This partially restored libation vessel was carved from a single block of black steatite.

Gold Ring of Minos, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Where Art and Myth Meet : The Ring of Minos (1450-1400 BC)
Found in Knossos, the so-called Ring of Minos is a stunning work of Minoan art, inscribed with religious iconography.

Figurines of the Snake Goddess, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece.

Figurines of the Snake Goddess (1650-1550 BC)
These are considered the most important religious objects from the Knossos Temple Repositories. The figurines of the “Snake Goddess” are named for the snakes twining around the body and arms of the larger figure, and the two snakes that the smaller figure holds in her hands. The snakes symbolise the chthonic (underground, living in the underworld) character of the goddess. The cat on the head of the smaller figure is thought to suggest her dominion over wildlife. Both wear luxurious clothes, with close-fitting bodices exposing their breasts to symbolise the fertility of the goddess, women, and nature itself.

Tall clay pitchers, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Decorative and Functional Pitchers

Stylised clay goddess figurines, , Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

The Poppy Goddess (1300-1200 BC)
Five goddess figurines were found in a small shrine room at Gazi, Heraklion. They are crowned with – among other things – symbols believed to be the fruit of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).

Human skeleton in a clay jar, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Burial Pithoi
During the Neopalatial period (1700-1450 BC), the dead were laid to rest in wide-mouthed clay jars (pithoi), in wooden coffins, …

Clay larnakes, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Clay Larnakes
… on beds and biers, or in sarcophagi chests made of clay.

Close-up: Bronze Hellenistic grave statue, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Bronze Grave Statue : Hellenistic Period (Mid 1st Cent BC)
Jump forward two thousand years, and funereal art is more classically realistic, as in this sculpture of a sorrowful young man in a mantle.

Terracotta cupids suspended in flight, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete Greece

Winged Cupids
These terracotta cupids from the Hellenistic period (323 BC – 30 BC) probably accompanied the burial of a women or child.

And, so the cycle of life continues … bringing out the best of human creativity.

Text: Safe Travels! UrsulaThe magnificent art and artefacts that were once used in daily life, religious practice, and burial rituals that are on display in the Archaeological Museum are rightly celebrated! 

Pictures: 09September2022 

A woman in yellow in the Ganges, Haridwar India

Washing amid the Marigolds
On the Haridwar Ghats on the River Ganges, a young woman dressed in the same colours as the flower-offerings around her, rinses out some cloths.

India is a collection of colourful paradoxes.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Holy Cities along the Ganges: that river that is the embodiment of all the sacred waters in Hindu mythology and at the same time, one of the most contaminated rivers in the world.

So, while it is said that you wash away your sins by bathing in the Ganges, the toxic waters could also kill you.

I love wandering through Indian streets with a camera: so much life goes on in public, and most people are willing to invite strangers into their world. This is especially true in places like Haridwar, an ancient and very holy city in North India’s Uttarakhand state. In this pilgrimage city, many of the people one meets in the streets are travelers, carrying their belongings with them, and pleased to have arrived at this holy place. They will happily share a cup of masala chai with the foreigner in their midst and smile for the camera.

Various legendary stories are told about how the Goddess Ganga came from heaven to earth and created the river Ganges (Ganga) near Haridwar; in geographic terms, the river has flowed for 253 kilometres (157 mi) from its source high (4,023 m / 13,200 ft) at Gaumukh (Gomukh) at the edge of the Gangotri Glacier before flattening out into the Gangetic Plain. The city is located on the banks of the river, close enough to the source that the waters running through it are clear, cool, and fast-flowing.

Haridwar has been called the ‘Gateway to Gods’. It is said to have been sanctified by the presence of three Hindu Gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. It is also one of the saptapurī, or “seven cities” where Hindu pilgrims can be blessed with moksha – liberation from the cycle of birth and death. In addition, it is one of only four cities where drops from the “pot of amrita – the nectar of immortality” fell to earth: cities that as a consequence host the huge Kumbh Mela religious gathering once every 12 years (see: Kumbh Mela).

On this particular trip to Haridwar, I had arrived in the morning, via an overnight train from Delhi (see: The Rails and Roads of India). My accommodation was centrally located a short distance from the sacred Ganga Ma, so I took myself out into the streets for a photo-walk before meeting up with my group for the evening Ganga Aarti (Watch this space!).

Join me in the streets and waters of Haridwar.

Embroidered felt vests in a shopfront, Haridwar India

Felted Vests
One of the many things I love about India is the beautiful handicrafts available everywhere, …

Men in a shop selling felt vests and embroidered fabrics, Haridwar India

Textile Sellers
… and the fact that the shopkeepers are smiling and friendly, even when they know I’m not going to buy anything.

Woman examining felt vests in a shopfront, Haridwar India

Buying Textiles
Even if I’m not shopping, someone else might be!

Orange building front, Haridwar India

Building Front
The buildings are finely decorated and colourfully painted.

Macaque leaping onto a phone cable, Haridwar India

Leaping Macaque
Monkeys are at home everywhere …

Large sow and a man dressed in layers, in a Haridwar street, India

Sow in the Street
… and while wandering cows are a common sight, I was rather surprised by this well-fed pig. I’m not sure if the man was with her, or just posing opportunistically.

Indian man in a sarong, a blanket and a woolen hat, Haridwar

Just Stopping – Not Parking

Ashram front, Birla Ghat, Haridwar India

Sree Sree Bholanand Sannyas Ashram
This close to the holy river, there are countless Ashrams, each with its own spiritual leader.

A sadhu in orange, Haridwar India

A Splash of Colour

Portrait: Indian man selling red tikka powder, Haridwar India

Tikka Seller

Portrait: Indian man selling red tikka powder, Haridwar India

Religious Paraphernalia
Spiritual practices along the Ganges include: the tying of strings around the wrist or other parts of the body before performing a religious ceremony like a pooja; making offerings of puffed rice and spices; collecting the holy waters in a kumbh or a plastic jug; …

Indian man selling red tikka powder, Haridwar India

Tikka Powder
… and placing a tilaka (mark) on the Ajna chakra (third eye) with tikka powder made of sindoor (vermillion), ash, sandalwood paste, turmeric, or other products.

Indian woman in a shawl selling shirts, Haridwar

Woman Selling Shirts
Some of the products on offer in the street are more prosaic.

Portrait: Indian woman in a shawl with a ten rupee note, Haridwar

Street Seller
I don’t know how much the shirts were selling for – but the ten rupee in this woman’s hand is worth about USD $0.12.

Man selling flower offerings, Haridwar India

Flower Offerings for Sale
Flowers are among the things offered to Mother Ganga; these days they are usually in a biodegradable cardboard, or in a banana leaf, rather than in the foil trays that were once common. I love the care with which products are laid out.

Caged Shiva Shrine, the Ganges viewed through it, Haridwar India

Shiva Shrine on the Ganges
Haridwar sits at the boundary between the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the south and the foothills of the Himalaya to the north. Here, the waters of the Ganges River are still running clear and cold from their mountain origins.

A group of young Indian women walking, Birla Ghat, Haridwar

Young Women
The ghats along the river see a mixture of all aspects of daily life – including groups of young women in pristine school uniforms.

Man in a pink turban and lungi carrying a bucket of water up Birla Ghat, Haridwar India

Ganges Water
The River Ganges is believed to be the embodiment of the Goddess of salvation, Ganga Ma, or Mother Ganges. The holy river is thought to cleanse believers both spiritually and physically – and so devotees often carry water home with them.

Man sitting on Birla Ghat, Haridwar

Ganges Ghats
The river is India’s lifeblood, flowing 2704 km (1680 mi) from its source in the Gangotri glacier in the Himalaya, through the heartland of North India, and into Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal.

Portrait: Indian woman in a pink dupatta, Haridwar India

Pilgrims
Hindu pilgrims travel from all over the country to visit the sacred river and the Holy Cities.

Man bathing in the Ganges, Birla Ghat, Haridwar India

Bathing in the Ganges
All along the course of the holy river, Hindus bathe in the waters, removing symbolic dirt and any sins.

Man bathing in the Ganges, Birla Ghat, Haridwar India

Dunking in the Ganges

Young men on a concrete bridge, Birla Ghat, Haridwar India

Boys on the Bridge
A group of young men watch me from an overpass as I make my way back up from the ghats.

I had time for a short break before heading out again –

It is always a joy wandering through Indian streets – even if I am at risk of sensory overload.

Until next time!

Photos: 18November2013