28 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE

According to archaeologist Jo Anne VanTilburg-who is the founder of UCLA's Easter Island Statue Project and has studied the artifacts for nearly 30 years-about 95 percent of the statues were carved in the volcanic cone known as Rano Raraku. Over the centuries, however, visitors have discerned i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Smithsonian 2008-01, Vol.38 (10), p.78
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Archaeology
Cities
Climate change
Coral reefs
Darwin, Charles (1809-1882)
Houses
Housing
National parks
Residential areas
Tourism
Tragedies
Travel
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Summary:According to archaeologist Jo Anne VanTilburg-who is the founder of UCLA's Easter Island Statue Project and has studied the artifacts for nearly 30 years-about 95 percent of the statues were carved in the volcanic cone known as Rano Raraku. Over the centuries, however, visitors have discerned images as diverse as a tigress escorting her cubs across water and the Chinese character for "heart" or "mind." Since the anonymous designer left no explanation, the garden's exact meaning remains a mystery, which no doubt contributes to its enduring allure. Thepalazzo that houses the gallery was designed by architect and painter Giorgio Vasari and begun in 1560 for Cosimo I de'Medici, grand duke of Tuscany Originally built as government offices (uffizi), the building became a venue for the display of art in 1574, when Cosimo's son Francesco I transformed the top floor into a place "to walk in with paintings, sculptures and other precious things." Since the Uffizi opened to the public in 1769, it has survived World War II bombing raids and a disastrous flood in 1966. According to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul preached in Ephesus, prompting a riot led by silversmiths who crafted shrines to the goddess and feared for both their livelihoods and the future of the temple.
ISSN:0037-7333
1930-5508