All  

Store Banner Mobile

Store Banner Mobile

Primary tabs

dhwty's picture

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
Opt-in to Ancient Origins Newsletter (AC): 
No

Posts

A cylinder seal impression, ca. 2100 BC, sometimes interpreted as Ur-Nammu (seated) bestowing governorship on Ḫašḫamer, ensi of Iškun-Sin.

The Code of Ur-Nammu: When Ancient Sumerians Laid Down the Law, Everyone Obeyed

The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest surviving law code. This text was written on clay tablets in the Sumerian language and is reckoned to have been produced towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC...
Petit Jean State Park.           Source: Mitch / Adobe Stock.

Petit Jean State Park, Where Natural Beauty Meets Legend

Petit Jean State Park is a state park in Arkansas, USA. In addition to its beautiful natural landscapes, the park is also known for its many archaeological sites, especially rock art sites. Moreover...
‘Doge Pietro Loredan Beseeching the Virgin’ (detail). Source: Public Domain

The Doges of Venice: Venetian Rulers for More than a Millennium

The Doge of Venice was the highest office in the Republic of Venice. This office existed for about a millennium, from the 8th century AD till the 18th century. The title of this office traces its...
Who Was Shahmaran? Lover, Trickster, Ancient Persian Snake Lady

Who Was Shahmaran? Lover, Trickster, Ancient Persian Snake Lady

Shahmaran is the name given to a mythical creature found in the various cultures of the Middle East, in particular, those of the eastern Anatolian region of Turkey. According to the folklore of these...
The great scientist Isaac Newton dabbled in alchemy during the Great Plague of London. He “thought” toad vomit pills might be the cure and his notes on this have survived. Source: Maria Sbytova / Adobe Stock

Isaac Newton, Alchemy and His Toad Vomit Plague Cure

Sir Isaac Newton was one of the most influential scientists in world history. He is best-known for his three laws of motion, and his law of universal gravitation. Additionally, he made contributions...
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's famous painting of The Banquet of Cleopatra (painted 1743–44) shows Cleopatra's pearl above the tall glass of vinegar as Mark Antony looks on.	Source: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo / Public domain

Roman Historian’s Cleopatra’s Pearl Story: Is It Fact or Fiction?

“Cleopatra’s Pearl” is a story told by the Roman author Pliny the Elder in his famous long-read book Natural History . According to this tale, the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt, Cleopatra VII, drank...
Hanging out in the margin of an illuminated manuscript

Beautiful, Decorative, and Sometimes Crude: Illuminated Manuscripts and Marginalia

Illuminated manuscripts are manuscripts that are covered with painted ornaments presented under several forms. These documents are perhaps most commonly associated with the European Middle Ages...
Montezuma Castle: Arizona’s Strange Monumental Cliff Dwelling

Montezuma Castle: Arizona’s Strange Monumental Cliff Dwelling

Montezuma Castle is a national monument located in the western US state of Arizona. Although the name of the monument suggests a connection with the Aztecs, Montezuma Castle was in fact built by the...
A modern statue of Eunus, leader of the First Servile War, in Enna. Source: rachid amrous /Adobe Stock

Eunus: Slave ‘King’ and Leader of the First Servile War

The First Servile War was a large-scale slave revolt that lasted from 135 to 132 BC. The uprising, which broke out on the island of Sicily, pitted the rebellious slaves against the Roman Republic...
The Maccabean Revolt: The Jewish Rebellion Against the Seleucid Empire

The Maccabean Revolt: The Jewish Rebellion Against the Seleucid Empire

The Maccabean Revolt was a Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that took place during the 2nd century BC. Not long before the revolt, Jerusalem had been captured by the Seleucids. According...
King Sahure. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain.

King Sahure and His Beautiful Pyramid: A Rare Peaceful Pharaoh?

Sahure was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who lived during the Old Kingdom period. He was a ruler of the 5th Dynasty, and his reign was marked by peace and prosperity. Amongst other things, Sahure...
The ancient city of Kerma, Sudan.

The Forgotten Kingdom of Kerma and Its Incredible Deffufas

The Kingdom of Kerma was an ancient civilization that existed between 2500 BC and 1500 BC, located in what is today the northern part of Sudan. This kingdom was the first Nubian state, and its...
Swan Point Alaska’s Unique Stone Tools Are Proof of Beringia Theory

Swan Point Alaska’s Unique Stone Tools Are Proof of Beringia Theory

Swan Point is an archaeological site located in the Tanana Valley, in the US state of Alaska. The site is notable for containing evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 14000 years ago,...
Eilmer of Malmesbury: Did This Flying Monk Beat Da Vinci by 500 Years?

Eilmer of Malmesbury: Did This Flying Monk Beat Da Vinci by 500 Years?

Eilmer of Malmesbury was a Benedictine monk who lived in the 10th and 11th centuries AD. Eilmer is remembered today for his flight from the top of a tower. Due to this feat, the monk is considered as...
A baroque carved relief (at the Church of Saint Benedict in Venice, Italy) from the life of St. Benedict showing Totila, the king of Ostrogoths, on his knees. During the invasion of Italy, Totila ordered a general to wear his kingly robes to see whether St. Benedict would discover the truth. Immediately Benedict detected the impersonation. Impressed, Totila came to pay his respects to the man of the cloth. Totila was the leader of the Ostrogoths in the Third Siege of Rome. Source: Renáta Sedmáková / Adobe S

The Third Ostrogothic Siege of Rome: Byzantine Armies Battle the Ostrogoths

The Third Ostrogothic Siege of Rome occurred in 549-550 AD and was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Ostrogoths. The former was in control of the city, whilst the latter tried to seize the...
Bess of Hardwick: The Second Wealthiest Woman In Tudor England

Bess of Hardwick: The Second Wealthiest Woman In Tudor England

Bess of Hardwick was one of the most prominent women who lived during the Elizabethan period. Although Bess was born into a respectable family, they were not well-to-do. Nevertheless, through a...

Pages

Next article