A standard-looking Roman bust was purchased in a Texas thrift store by an unsuspecting culture fan called Laura Young. What initially cost just $34.99 for an impressive piece of carved stone turned out to be an authentic Roman era antique. The 2000-year-old piece of artistic masonry was identified as the real article with help from Sotheby’s. The art dealing experts clarified that the piece was indeed from ancient times and had been once part of a Roman building.

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It's unsure who the bust is made to resemble, however from historical sources the face seems to look like Sextus Pompey, a well-regarded military leader. Similarities can be found between the face on the bust and the face of Pompey the Great, the father of Sextus. Pompey the Great is depicted on several coins and busts from that period.
 
During WWII, the bust was on display in a reconstruction of a Pompeii house. The famous situation that was preserved under a mountain of ash was a perfect archetype for Roman life. Furnishing the replica house with genuine artefacts from the time undoubtedly helped to fortify the experience. As the bombs fell on Germany, the bust was removed and stored somewhere for safe keeping. At some point, probably during the 1950s, an American soldier must have smuggled the bust out of the country.
 
The head is currently on display in the San Antonio Museum of Art. In May, it will be returned to its rightful owners in Germany and begin its permanent residence at the Glyptothek in Munich.
 
Via CNN

Statues from times past have been in the news a lot recently, thanks to a set of creatively confident young children. When their supervisor handed them some crayons to keep them occupied, they chose the two-hundred-year-old face and body of the nymph Sabrina. This mythological woman, with breasts on show, has been covered in the familiar tones of scribbled blue pencil. Hopefully, the mess can be rubbed off without too much fuss.

Quality Artist pencils and more from Art Discount

As the two titans of tyranny squabble over the right to hard power over the general population in Sudan, the work of science and archaeology continues to maintain cultural expression. Discovering and preserving rare finds from times gone by is one of our noblest causes as the artefacts enrich our story and bring new characters and chapters to the book of human civilisation. Sudan is a melting pot of human culture, with people living in this area since before written history. The world religions have made their mark, too, and in this way have sculpted the ethos and social structure of the populous over time.
 
Since the 1960s, a team of Polish archaeologists have been painstakingly uncovering the lost buildings of Old Dongola. This once forgotten destination was home to Sudanese people during a medieval period when the land was known as Makuria. A trade city, Old Dongola was a meeting place for Christians and Muslims. The two cultures that flourished on either side of one another would mingle and trade goods and knowledge in this central and welcoming part of the world.
 
The team of archaeologists had begun to work on later buildings that could be dated back to the 16th to 19th centuries when they discovered an ornate wall painting. Within a small hidden room they discovered the likeness of a Nubian ruler, thought to be King David, being protected by Archangel Gabriel. The mother of Christ is also shown with her child. What is considered unique is that the pictures are thought to be asking for protection over the city during a time of unrest. The hidden network of painted rooms depicts religious symbolism in what could be a gesture of hope and faith. Were people hiding in there for their religion or their nationality?
 
King David of Nubia was the ruler during the 13th Century. His rule saw the beginning of the downfall of the nation of Makuria with his actions leading to the ransacking of the city by the Mamluk Sultanate. It is now believed that these hidden chambers were originally produced during this time and that they had been built over by the later constructions. Art produced in a desperate way in a hope that God will protect the people is an unusual use of religious art in Christian society. It’s easy to imagine how frightened these people must have been. The largest religion in the area at the time was the Church Of Jesus and it is now accepted that this art can be attributed to this sect.
 
Discover Meeting God In The Middle, the new book from the author of Alternative Fruit

Via Artnet
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Regular readers of Alternative Fruit will know that I have written and published lots of inspiration and education over the years. It's been a long journey since the concept was created back in 2012. The domain has changed a couple of times but the author has remained the same. That is, apart from the multiple sources of education and growth in the field that have taken place. Needless to say, there is a lot of buried treasure on this site that might go unnoticed unless drawn attention to. 

Here I will list a few of the most recent and useful things that may become more difficult to find over time.

​Trust Me, I’m An Artist – How To Make Your Network Resonate

Hello World, You Inspire Me! Where Does Creativity Come From?

Freeing The Radical – Why Young People Choose Extremism And What Can We Do About It?

Intuitive Design – When Psychology And Culture Work Together

Creativity, Conflict, and Connection - How Cross Community Communication Requires More Than Simple Respect

How To Bring Out the Best in You to Generate Inspired Creativity

Creativity With Intelligent Design Is All A Matter Of Perspective

What Are You Like? How Branding Gives Art A Voice

Enabling Spontaneous Creativity With Easy Lifestyle Choices You'll Love

Science Is Good But Without The Humanities It's Dangerous

Lucid Leadership by R. B. Colver - A course in holistic and progressive leadership.

The Three-Fold Sciences Of Art And Creation

The Pedagogy Of Methodical And Creative Problem-Solving

Vanity Or Sanity? Finding Purpose In Your Creative Journey

Creativity For Quality Of Life – Making The Most Of Your Time On Earth

When Creativity Matters Most – Future World Modern Problems

How Daydreaming Is Beneficial To Well-Being And Human Progress
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​What Is The Museum Effect And How Does It Help Us Flourish?

What Is Romanticism And Why Does It Matter More Than Ever?

How Can Art Bring Out The Best In You By Inspiring Authenticity?

Exploring The Triangle Of Happiness, The Zone, And Personal Discipline

On The Plus Side – How Developmental Trauma Survivors Learn Key Life Skills

Ten Tips For Creative Success

Beat The Critics With These Inside-Out Evaluation Principles

Getting Things Done With Better Effectiveness By Using These Principles

Stop Looking For A Manager By Being Your Own

From Writer's Block To Creative Alcatraz – How To Find Inspiration

Leading With Care – Three Leadership Qualities That Define A Great Role-Model

Motivation Comes In Four Types, Which One Do You Prefer? 

​Future-Proof Leadership Qualities That Work Anywhere

Subway Scene - Subculture Sociology Course

Revolutionary Creativity In Practice – How To Change The World 

How To Motivate Then Finish What You Started

​How Education And Mental Health Go Hand In Hand

​Morale Matters – Here's How To Cultivate Happiness and Why

The Four Corners Of Progressive Leadership​

How To Write A Press Release That People Will Read

Get More Out Of Doing What You Love With These Easy Steps

Simplifying The Complexity Of Team Dynamics

Nurturing Respect In The Creative Arena

How To Write With Purpose

Society Changes And So Should You. How To Discover Your Creativity

Nurturing Positive Change In Your Creative Method

Meditate, Innovate, Create – Why sitting in introspective silence ultimately increases productivity

Light The Way With These Key Leadership Skills

Which Organisation Style Works Best For What Situation?

How To Be More Sensitive As A Creator

Square The Circle With These Four Corners Of Effectiveness

Why not bookmark this list so you can cover it over a time that feels reasonable, and share it with your networks to help Alternative Fruit grow even bigger. Thanks!!
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And why not include a list of other places where you can get professional and up-to-date education in thousands of things for free or for less than you think.

​Future Learn

John Academy

Khan Academy

ECourses4U

Open Culture

Academic Earth 

Udemy

​Alison

iTunesU

Open Yale

Stanford Online

Knightsbridge Trading Academy (Forex etc.)

UC Berkeley Central

Harvard Extention

Univeristy of London

University of Oxford

MIT Open Courses

Carnegie Mellon Open Learning

Code Academy

Code

Ted Ed
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“Can this Cock-Pit hold within this Woodden O, the very Caskes that did affright the Ayre at Agincourt?” Henry V Prologue.
 
That wooden O, the venue for the audience when the play was first performed, was in fact The Curtain Playhouse in Shoreditch. This popular place for Tudor people to visit and experience stories and art was part of the local community for many years. Who would have thought that the particular play-write on show that day would one day become the icon for all British play-writes to follow. Theatres were purposefully built in London for the first time around the time of Shakespeare, perhaps as the jousts of Henry VIII came to an end the public wanted something more relevant and attainable.
 
The theatre was lost to time during the 17th Century. When it closed at the beginning of that time, the four-hundred years that passed saw countless rebuilds and changes of purpose on what was the original site. In fact, there were two theatres next to one another. The neighbouring venue, simply called The Theatre, also saw works of Shakespeare within its walls. This too was eventually lost. The good news is that both of these historical meeting places have been discovered thanks to work carried out by the Museum Of London Archaeology.
 
The fascinating find that surprised most people was that what was described as an O was actually a rectangle. Drawing on images of Roman coliseums with their oval shape perhaps was an effort to conjure images of brutality and pitting men against men. To enter the theatre, in Tudor times, spectators would have to pass through a tavern. No-doubt business was good when popular plays were on show and the audience would have been suitably warmed by ale before the performance. With different layers of spectator area, the theatre would have housed better-off people in the seating area and the sixpence a head crowd in the yard section on their feet.
 
When the theatre was uncovered, archaeologists discovered all kinds of old things that people left behind when the venue closed down. Dropped belongings such as coins, buttons, pins, and pipes were littered all around and even the clay pots for ticket receipts that would need to be smashed at the end of the night were found laying around. The site has been rescued and restored for the modern day with a new museum in honour of William Shakespeare. An entire experience can now be had in the place where his plays were first witnessed. Visitors can explore the old Curtain Playhouse and see where the magic happened plus learn all kinds of things about the writer, his ideas, and the things people have said about him.
 
Via The Art Newspaper
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During the recent war in Syria, the city of Palmyra was bombarded and pillaged as part of the battle for territory. Within the walls of this ancient city were several ancient artefacts of priceless value. Sadly, many of these precious items were destroyed and damaged in the fighting. In a bid to rebuild and paint over the mistakes of the past, twenty salvageable pieces were rescued and shipped to Prague for regeneration.
 
As part of the custody deal, the expert curators and restoration artists of the Czech National Museum in the capital were tasked with making them as smart as they could. The work to bring these objects back to life was undertaken under the watchful eye of the general public. An intriguing process of art and design has been played out in real life over the past few years. Now, the work is complete, and the rare artefacts are able to safely return home.
 
According to the director of Prague’s National Museum, Michal Lukes, (ArtNews) the damage is caused by not only fighting but by deliberate destruction through malice and breaking pieces off to sell. In the chaos and excitement of war, undoubtedly people let their impulsivity get the better of them. According to the museum, the works they were requested to renew were smashed with a hammer.
 
No strangers to the restoration of ancient relics, Prague’s National Museum has previously been tasked with mending works rescued from Sudan and Afghanistan. At the end of May, the museum will close its exhibition and safely return everything they were given in much better condition. Maybe we can learn from this exchange of culture and expertise, with plenty of works out there that might be better with the cleaning and preservation that institutions can provide. 
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As an author who has made brilliant use of Amazon, for their publishing and distribution service, I am aware of the compromise we sometimes make when doing good business. As empowering as the platform is for sellers and writers, some of us have serious complaints. The way they treat their workers, for example, is often in the news. Excessive targets are not good for self-esteem unless you happen to fit the premium statistic for their purpose. Taxes too are often seen to be unpaid, with the company siphoning profits into low tax international jurisdictions that do not put a fair share back into the economy that employed it.
 
With healthy and relevant complaints around, it’s a genuine deal to know that there are other options available. For an equally as good service and a fantastic array of new and second-hand books, you can try Alibris. They do sell on the Amazon marketplace but if you want to do your bit for alternative companies, then go directly to them. Their selection is easily comparable to other major bookshops, and even if they don’t have that supermarket feel of Amazon, their niche of reading material can’t be faulted.
 
We all love sifting through a great bookshop and with the way Alibris is presented, it’s as if we are there in person. The only thing between you and that new book aroma is the wait for postage, which you can get free. Find another read and thank yourself when you’ve finished it. 

Visit Alibris now to get your next book.
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