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Louvre Museum in talks to stage Greek, Islamic antique exhibitions January 17, 2007

Posted by grhomeboy in Museums.
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Art lovers in Singapore may be the first in Southeast Asia to see rare Greek artefacts dating back some 2,500 years and 15th century Islamic antiques.

Paris’ Louvre Museum is now in talks with the Asian Civilisations Museum to stage these exhibitions by the end of this year. For over two centuries, the Louvre Museum has been an inspiration and guardian of civilisations.

Some 600,000 people from Asia visit the museum every year, and Louvre in turn wants to get to know Asia better. Louvre Museum has regular collaborations with Asian countries like Japan and China, and is currently helping Abu Dhabi set up its national museum.

Mr Henri Loyrette, President and Director of the Louvre Museum in Paris, believes Singapore is an ideal venue to kick-start its first collaborations with the region. And Louvre Museum hopes to stage a major exhibition on the three Empires of Islam in the 15th to 18th centuries, namely Istanbul, Isfahan and Dehli.

Mr Loyrette, who is on his first visit to Southeast Asia, said: “It is important, looking at the world today, to go to Southeast Asia, because something is really happening here. We need to learn to know each other, that is the most important thing. From my point of view, that is the first step. We try to work on an exhibition and we will see what happens. But I am sure that is the beginning of something.”

Christian Gravesite at Mount of Olives January 17, 2007

Posted by grhomeboy in Culture.
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A Christian gravesite found in Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery.  Christian researchers were invited to Mount Olive Cemetery, just outside the walls of Jerusalem.  This sacred site made infamous by the biblical story of Jesus last spot on earth, before leaving on a cloud for heaven. 

Summoned by archaeological scholars from Egypt, Rome, Greece and Tunisia, the Christian Scholars are excavating a site which may hold clues to some of the burials of those left behind after Jesus departure.  Although the bible doesn’t specifically state the disciple’s place of interment, Mount of Olives is a reasonable place to expect them to be buried.  The mainly Jewish graveyard is where the Jews wait until the Messiah comes to take them home. 

The finding of a Christian Cross type headstone is what all the fuss is about.  This is so unusual, and had gone unnoticed for so many years; until a visitor noticed a stone hidden by an olive tree at the site.  When they carefully moved the olive tree, they found a white cross with the Greek inscription, To The God Jesus Christos. This same inscription was found in a ruin adjacent to Megiddo prison in Israel, where a mosaic floor also had written in ancient Greek, “To the God, Jesus Christo.”  Some say it may be the burial grounds of the rabbi Jesus himself, but the Christian scholars were quick to point out, that it couldn’t be, as Jesus left on a cloud, as witnessed by Peter, and possibly other disciples, and this was collaborated by two strangers who were present at the time of Jesus passage from earth.  YX is the Ancient Greek Inscription for Jesus Christ. 

The Christian scholars are interested in the find, but both agree that the finding of the possible prepuce of Jesus is a much greater find.  Jesus, being Jewish, and of devout parents would have had his ritual circumcision on the 8th day after his birth.  The prepuce would have been expected to be kept by his Mother Mary, as only she knew for sure he was the son of God.  They surmise she may have buried Jesus prepuce in a ritual box, and in a location where Mary felt it would be safe.  This only remnant of Jesus left on earth, is a subject of great interest to scholars.  What will the DNA reveal and what does this mean for Christian’s worldwide?