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Wu Mingren

Wu Mingren (‘Dhwty’) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods. He has been an active participant in archaeological fieldwork, and has been on excavations around the world, including the UK, Egypt, and Italy.

His interests range from ‘conventional’ to ‘radical’ interpretations of the archaeological/textual/pictorial data set. He believes that intellectual engagement by advocates from both ends of the spectrum would serve to enhance our understanding of the past. In addition, such discussions would serve to bring archaeology to a wider audience as well as to stimulate their interest, curiosity, and critical thinking of such issues.

History

Member for: 10 years 2 months

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Posts

Capuchin Catacombs and the 'Sleeping Beauty' mummy

12 November, 2021 - 18:00 dhwty

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo and Their Most Famous Mummy

Human beings have always had a fascination with death. In some cultures, the dead are never left alone, but continue to interact with the living. For instance, some set up ancestor cults to...

A view of Shibam’s mudbrick skyscrapers for which Yemen’s ancient mudbrick structures have earned the moniker “the Manhattans of the Desert.” Source: Jialiang Gao / CC BY-SA 3.0

10 November, 2021 - 13:56 dhwty

Ancient Skyscrapers: The Mudbrick Towerblocks of Yemen

Skyscrapers are a common sight in today’s cities. These modern structures trace their history to the late 19th century. Nevertheless, skyscrapers have precedents in earlier times, one of which being...

Medieval steel armor and iron gloved hands were products of Iron Age Europe. Source: Atmosphere / Adobe Stock

8 November, 2021 - 13:57 dhwty

Iron Age Europe: 2000 Years Of Change Rolls Across The Continent

The Iron Age is the name given to the third and last division of the Three Age System. The beginning and the end of the Iron Age varies according to region. Indeed, even in Europe, the Iron Age...

Al Brown of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center talks about the stone ring that makes up one of the different sites in the Gungywamp property in the woods of Groton, Connecticut. Photo source: Tim Cook / The Day

4 November, 2021 - 21:58 dhwty

Connecticut’s Gungywamp: Old Stone Chambers That Are Still A Mystery

Gungywamp is an archaeological site located in Groton, Connecticut, USA. The site is best known for its various stone structures. There is no consensus about the age and function of these structures...

Bran Castle in central Romania has a long history and relates to Count Dracula too! Source: Dobre Cezar / CC BY-SA 3.0 RO

1 November, 2021 - 14:00 dhwty

Bran Castle, Better Known As Dracula’s Castle, Has A Long History!

Bran Castle is a medieval castle located in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania. The castle was built during the 14th century, though an earlier fortification stood in the area during the preceding...

The Living Dead: Chinese Hopping Vampires

31 October, 2021 - 01:00 dhwty

The Living Dead: Chinese Hopping Vampires

The Hopping Vampires (jiang shi) are a type of undead creature found in Chinese folklore. Although its Chinese name is often translated as ‘Chinese hopping vampire / zombie / ghost), its literal...

Pazzi chapel, Santa Croce Florence, stills stands, but after the Pazzi Conspiracy against the Medici family, the Pazzis were banished and had to change their name. Source: adisa / Adobe Stock

30 October, 2021 - 23:00 dhwty

The Pazzi Conspiracy: How A Florentine Family Failed And Was Banished

The Pazzi Conspiracy was a plot during the 15th century to overthrow the Medici family, who controlled Florence at the time. The conspirators, led by the Pazzi family, aimed to achieve their goal by...

Aerial view of Fasil Ghebbi castle or fortress in Gondar, Ethiopia. Source: ondrejprosicky / Adobe Stock

29 October, 2021 - 02:00 dhwty

Fasil Ghebbi: The Magnificent 17th-century Camelot of Ethiopia

Fasil Ghebbi is a fortress located in the city of Gondar, in the north-western Ethiopian region of Amhara. The fortress was founded in the 17th century and served as the royal residence of the...

Totem poles

23 October, 2021 - 00:57 dhwty

Every Totem Pole Tells a Story

Totem poles are a type of monumental structure carved from the trunks of huge trees, especially the Western Red Cedar. These monuments are found in North America, specifically along its north-western...

Corvin Castle, also known as Hunyadi Castle or Hunedoara Castle, is a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, Romania. Photo source: Adrianstanica.ro / CC BY-SA 4.0

22 October, 2021 - 01:59 dhwty

Renaissance-Gothic Corvin Castle: One of the Seven Wonders of Romania

Corvin Castle is a castle in Hnedoara, a city in Transylvania, Romania. The castle dates to the 15th century and was built in the Renaissance-Gothic style. The builder of Corvin Castle was John...

Artifacts from the Cuerdale Hoard on display in the British Museum. Source: Ethan Doyle White / CC BY-SA 4.0

15 October, 2021 - 14:58 dhwty

England’s Viking Cuerdale Hoard Is The Second Biggest Of Them All!

There are Viking hoards and then there are amazing Viking hoards. England’s Cuerdale Hoard, discovered in the 1840s, is in the amazing category in more ways than one! In terms of weight and number of...

The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom forged its own Greek identity, far from Greece. Source: Ksenia Tassel / Adobe Stock.

9 October, 2021 - 01:39 dhwty

The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom: Alexander The Great’s Easternmost Legacy

Alexander the Great was one of the finest and most successful military leaders the world has ever seen. In the 4th century BC he carved out one of the largest empires in history, stretching from...

Derbent: Contested Ancient City Stronghold on the Silk Road

5 October, 2021 - 01:56 dhwty

Derbent: Contested Ancient City Stronghold on the Silk Road

Nestled between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, the Russian city of Derbent and its famed citadel tells the story of ancient power struggles to control the Silk Road trade route which...

This is what a Tuzigoot National Monument Sinagua living space would have looked like. This room is on display in the site’s excellent museum. Source: National Parks Service

3 October, 2021 - 14:38 dhwty

Arizona’s Tuzigoot National Monument: Ancient Legacy of the Sinagua People

The Tuzigoot National Monument is a small national monument located in the Verde Valley, in the southwestern US state of Arizona. The monument contains the ruins of an ancient pueblo village built by...

‘The gyri of the thinker's brain as a maze of choices in biomedical ethics.’ (Deriv.) An ancient Greek memory technique suggests imagining a pathway through a location to remember important information.

30 September, 2021 - 02:04 dhwty

Enhance Your Memory with this Ancient Greek Memorization Technique

In Greek mythology, Mnemosyne was the personification of memory. In ancient Greece, prior to being written down, stories were recounted orally. Due to that, memory played an important part in the...

The mostly silver Vale of York Hoard found in 2007 by two (father and son) metal detectorists. Photo source: Wikimedia.

28 September, 2021 - 14:47 dhwty

The Vale of York Hoard: The Finest Silver Viking Treasure Find In The UK

The Vale of York Hoard is a Viking hoard dating to the 10th century AD. The hoard, which consists primarily of silver coins, was discovered by a pair of metal detectorists in 2007. The objects in the...

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