Now One Of The Most Popular Legends That Involves A Pearl

Throughout our world ' s history there have been many tales of pearls and their magnificence. Pearls have always been treasures of exotic jewelry and in many cultures they have been initiate as priceless gifts from the gods and goddesses. Trimmed in today ' s society the pearl and pearl jewelry are in control in great admiration and are convenient by many, many humans. by taking a look at the history of the pearl and all of the legends and stories that has involved the pearl we can see how other cultures well in demand and high-priced the pearl.

Now one of the most popular legends that involves a pearl would have to be a legend about two lovers and at the same time two of the greatest powers of their time. It is a legend about Marc Antony and Cleopatra. These two undying rulers at one time were verbal to have made a bet. This story has been handed down for centuries and was actually first recorded by a man named Plutarch who was basically a historian of the time. it is said that Marc Antony and Cleopatra had made a bet that Egypt was a far grander and far wealthier state than Rome could ever be. And for that reason Egypt could not be conquered by Rome.

So due to the bet Cleopatra that she would throw a grand banquet to prove this and in Marc Antony ' s honor the banquet was held. There was finery all through the hall as fitting a grand state such as Egypt. And on the banquet table where Marc Antony and Cleopatra would sit there was a an empty plate and a goblet filled with what is now said to be wine but was probably more like a vinegar that was set in front of them both. Cleopatra ' s servants came out and brought out the main course. That course was one of the largest and most amazingly beautiful pearls that were ever seen. The servants placed this pearl upon Cleopatra ' s empty plate and she then proceeded to crush the pearl and the place the dust of the pearl into the goblet of wine. After drinking down her exotic and vastly expensive concoction she then offered Marc Antony his portion of the dinner which was a pearl that was just as exquisite. He of course declined and said that the beautiful queen had won her bet and that Egypt should not be conquered. Of course there are many reports that say that Cleopatra and her land had already been conquered at the time that this legend is supposed to take place but it shows a great respect for the pearl and how highly it was prized. Marc Antony declined his dinner because to the Romans the pearl was priceless.

There are other stories about the pearl and Egypt that show that even though the pearl was highly prized also the Egyptians actually used the pearl for other purposes and it will even show how intelligent Cleopatra truly was. It is said that Cleopatra would actually take many pearls and dissolve them in a solution of vinegar and then drink the concoction down as part of her beauty routine. It was believed that the pearl would help with aging and keeping the gorgeous queen as beautiful as ever. Now this certainly shows her intelligence. You see she knew that Marc Antony held the pearl very highly and that he would find them priceless because in his land they were very hard to come by and only the richest of the rich could actually obtain these grand pearls. Where she just used them as her beauty regimen. Crushing a pearl for her banquet and her bet was no more to Cleopatra than her daily youth drink.

The History of Pearls - The World ' s Oldest Pearl Jewelry

In the 1970 ' s during an archeological dig in western Pakistan, the oldest piece of pearl jewelry in existence was unearthed. The site where the pearl and shell necklace was settle, is in what is now confessed as the ancient city of Mehrgarh.

Dating back more than 9000 years, the city of Mehrgarh is one of the oldest, structured settlements radically discovered; the mortals who lived in Mehrgarh dwelled in the world ' s first blush houses, grew the world ' s first barley, and farmed the first goats and sheep. In historical terms Mehrgarh marked the beginning of the ' Neolithic Era, ' otherwise known as the ' New - Stone Age; ' an extremely important milestone in our collective history, marking the very beginnings of organized society.

As the dig progressed, more and more evidence was uncovered attesting to Mehgarh being a large planned urban environment in existence for over thousands of years. Mehrgarh was fully equipped with water systems, drains, markets, trading businesses, clinics even the world ' s first recorded dentist! But perhaps the most remarkable insight, dental hygiene aside, was provided by tools and implements fashioned from copper ore; the world ' s earliest evidence to date of man ' s ability to work metals.

Unwittingly steering humanity around yet another corner in human evolution, the people of Mehrgarh with their extraordinary innovations in metallurgy marked our specie ' s earliest transition within the ' Neolithic Era ' to the ' Chalcolithic, ' or ' Copper Age. ' As more and more copper and bronze artifacts were uncovered from the city ' s foundations it also became apparent that artisans of Mehrgarh were extremely adept in the arts; particularly sculpture and jewelry.

The jewelry and metalwork casting techniques discovered at the Mehrgarh excavations proved beyond doubt that the people who dwelled there were far more advanced than any other civilization for thousands of years to come. Exhibiting astonishing prescience, the jewelers and metalworkers of Mehrgarh were discovered to have employed equipment such as stone and copper drills, updraft kilns, pit kilns and copper melting crucibles working from smelting workshops equipped with forges, very similar to a modern ' smithy. '

Throughout the excavations, ancient burial sites dotted in and around the city walls revealed a wealth of ornamentation and jewelry. The burial sites which revealed the largest amounts of artifacts were those of males, containing intricate goods such as terracotta and bronze figurines of women and animals, baskets, tools, beads, bangles, pendants and necklaces. Much of the jewelry discovered included gems like lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, turquoise, shells and pearls. These gemstones were not indigenous to the area, showing that the artisans of Mehrgarh traded throughout a wide area with the lapis lazuli and copper originating from the highlands of Afghanistan, carnelian and agate coming from Gujarat in India and the shells and pearls from Pakistan ' s southern coasts on the Arabian Sea.

What Attracts Tourists to Visit Pearl Harbor

If you are planning to visit the exciting and fun filled destination of Oahu Island on your next vacation trip, ergo do not blink to explore the historical Pearl Harbor. This butt destination has many attractions around it that offer and unforgettable doing to the visitors.

Pearl Harbor is one of the most visited and sharpened chump destinations on Oahu Island. ' Pu ' uloa ' another handle for Pearl Harbor is remembered for the Japanese drive on the US in the year 1941. It was on December 7th 1941 when Japan made a surprising rape on America that resulted in the US entry in the Second World War. If you are stirred in world history inasmuch as visiting this place will help you gain knowledge and leave a never ending image in your mind.

Pearl Harbor has significant history of the Second World War. As the Japanese were fed up of negotiating with the US, they made up their mind to attack the US Naval Base. Pearl Harbor was chosen by the Japanese as it was the nearest place from Japan that could be attacked. As per the plan, they reached the island across the Pacific Ocean and made a surprising attack on the morning of December 7th 1941. The Japanese were equipped with nine destroyers, two battleships, six aircraft carriers, a light cruiser, two heavy cruisers and three submarines. As a consequence of this shocking attack, the American ' s lost the battle with tremendous destruction to the harbor. Records say that more than 2, 400 Americans soldiers lost their lives, more than 188 US aircrafts were damaged and 21 ships were destroyed.

This historical relevance of Pearl Harbor creates an emotional corner in the hearts of every visitor. The place has now become the most frequently visited tourist destination in the US. Leaving aside history, you can also visit many tourist attractions in Pearl Harbor. Let us find out about some of them.

At Pearl Harbor, you can visit The USS Arizona Memorial, which is known as a place of tribute for the sailors who died during the Japanese attack. The memorial records that 1, 102 of the 1, 177 sailors were killed in The USS Arizona during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The memorial is designed in such a way that it can accommodate 200 people at a time. It is made in the form of a bridge, which you will find floating above a ship. The next tourist destination that you can visit is The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum, which is one of the major attractions of Pearl Harbor. The submarine that is exhibited for the visitors is one of the 15 submarines that were used during the Second World War. Moreover, The USS Bowfin submarine is famously known as " The Pearl Harbor Avenger ".

Once you are in Pearl Harbor, you can also visit The Pacific Aviation Museum, which is another famous tourist destination. Here the visitors can see many photographs of Ford Island and Pearl Harbor. They can also watch a documentary film that is being featured on the surprise attack by the Japanese. The next spot you can visit is The USS Battleship Missouri, where General Douglas MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender, which led to the end of World War II. In a nutshell, you can say that by visiting Pearl Harbor, you can not only learn, imagine but also experience the authenticity of the land.

You will never be at loss if you are planning to visit this place. For your convenience you can take the help of many reliable agencies that offer exciting packages for Pearl Harbor tours. Besides, you can also surf the Internet and find out the companies that provide a variety of tour packages and choose one depending upon your budget.

The writer of this article is associated with Royal Hawaiian Tour, an organization that provides exciting offers for Pearl Harbor tours Hawaii is the base of their operations.