Staffordshire Hoard Is Wanted By The Pope And The Vatican

It has been described as the “stuff of dreams”. It brought one archaeologist to tears at the very sight of it. But the awe-inspiring Staffordshire Hoard, one of the most important discoveries of Anglo-Saxon treasure in British history, may be whisked away by the Vatican. That is the fear of experts who believe the haul of 1,500 artefacts, made of gold and silver and decorated with precious s

How The Nazis Stole Christmas

A Yuletide fir tree decorated with sparkling swastikas, apple- cheeked children in uniform eager to bake SS insignia-shaped cakes for the whole family, and festive Germanic candlesticks hand-crafted in a concentration camp – such were the dubious delights of Christmas under Nazi rule. Sixty-five years after Germans celebrated the last Christmas of the Third Reich, a new exhibition at Cologne's

It Has Happened - The Bleak Midwinter Has Been Breached

After the longest night of the year, this morning’s sunrise at the famous Neolithic monument at Newgrange, Co Meath, is, as always, welcome and rich in symbolism. The ancient ritual of greeting the rising sun, now acknowledged by modern man, marks the beginning of the end of winter; daylight will now slowly begin to reassert itself. Whether or not the sun decides to appear effortlessly today in

Winter Solstice Revellers Told: Stay Away From Stonehenge

People wishing to celebrate the winter solstice are being urged to stay away from Stonehenge today because it will not be open. The solstice is celebrated on the shortest day of the year, usually December 21, marking the first day of the season of winter. But this year the druid and pagan community will mark the ancient tradition on the morning of Tuesday, December 22, which is officially t

Winter Begins Today At Lunchtime

At 11:47 a.m. CST, the sun will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn — its southernmost point in its journey across the seasons — at 23.5 degrees south of the equator. Most people won't observe the winter solstice, but their bodies and dispositions might well take heed. And many holiday preparations are rooted in ancient rites associated with the year's shortest day. Daylight will be down t