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82 INDIA — TAJ MAHAL

Details of Taj Mahal architecture on white marble background, Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, India
Closeup ofr front of Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
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© Architecture Lab | https://www.architecturelab.net/
p69_20_17.tif
New Delhi: After a long while, river Yamuna is flowing full and cleaner at this time of the year. Stretches of Yamuna that flows through Delhi, were sparkling blue, on Apr 5, 2020. The shutting down of industries due to the lockdown over COVID-19 pandemic has made all the difference to the river that accounts for 76% of the river’s total pollution. (Photo: IANS) CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 100

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81 PETRA, JORDAN

ancient temple of Petra, Jordan
Petra, Jordan; July 29, 2023 – Inside the carved out interior of the Urn Tomb in Petra, Jordan.
Petra, Jordan, September 24, 2023: Inside the Treasury, Petra, Jordan
The monastery in world wonder Petra, Jordan
Inside of one of the tombs in Petra showing the colorful stone of the mountain
Tomb Ruins (Rock Columns and Large Entrance): View from inside a stone tomb in the Ancient City of Petra – Jordan
A tourist taking pictures of the walls of the tomb of Silk Petra Jordan, Stunning swirls of different coloured rock.
A tourist rides a camel before the site of the Treasury at the ruins of the ancient Nabatean city of Petra in southern Jordan on on December 12, 2022. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP) (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images)
Petra Day Trip in a photo

Petra was built by the Nabataean Kingdom, an Arab trading civilization.

Major figures on the facade

Top central statue

  • Likely Isis or Tyche, goddess of fortune.

Figures beside the top

  • Possibly victory goddesses (Nikē).

Lower statues

  • The Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), protective twin gods in Greek mythology.

Decorative figures

  • Amazons
  • Eagles
  • Mythological guardians

Why the style looks Greek

The Nabataeans adopted Hellenistic artistic styles because they traded heavily with the Greek and Roman world.

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GK GENGHIS KHAN

GIA4787612 Portrait of Genghis Khan (Temudjin, 1167-1227), founder of the Mongolian Empire (wood engraving) by Chinese School; Private Collection; © Giancarlo Costa. All rights reserved 2025.
The 50-meter-tall giant stutue in the shape of Genghis Khan and the lower giant statue with a height of 30 meters in the shape of Kublai Khan are on display at a scenic spot in Xilingol League, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 3 June 2018.

A group of photos taken on Sunday (3 June 2018) showed “Genghis Khan” and “Kublai Khan” parading their 800 troops at a scenic spot in Xilingol League, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Genghis Khan, was the founder and first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia. After founding the Empire and being proclaimed “Genghis Khan”, he launched the Mongol invasions that conquered most of Eurasia. Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty in China as a conquest dynasty in 1271, and ruled as the first Yuan emperor until his death in 1294.
NUL121591 Genghis Khan (c.1162-1227) fighting the Chinese in the mountains, a scene from Ahmad Tabrizi’s ‘Shahanshahnama’, 1397-98 (vellum) by Persian School, (14th century)
vellum
British Library, London, UK
Persian, out of copyright
BAL51335 Genghis Khan in his tent by Rashid al-Din (1247-1318) by Islamic School, (14th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France; out of copyright
Illustration from 19th century.
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79 BUCKINGHAM PALACE — LONDON, ENGLAND

Screenshot
Koh I Noor Diamond
BANGALORE, INDIA: Executive Director of Jewels de Paragon (JDP) Pavana Kishore shows the “Koh-I-Noor” diamond on display with other famous diamonds at an exhibition intitled “100 World Famous Diamonds” in Bangalore 19 May 2002. The Koh-I-Noor diamond, which once belonged to Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, weighs 105.60 Carats and is part of the British crown jewels, stored in the tower of London. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
BANGALORE, INDIA: Executive Director of Jewels de Paragon (JDP) Pavana Kishore shows the “Koh-I-Noor” diamond on display with other famous diamonds at an exhibition intitled “100 World Famous Diamonds” in Bangalore 19 May 2002. The Koh-I-Noor diamond, which once belonged to Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, weighs 105.60 Carats and is part of the British crown jewels, stored in the tower of London. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 19: The Crown Of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1937) Made Of Platinum And Containing The Famous Koh-i-noor Diamond Along With Other Gems. (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
1990_5036_6071_0012, 27/10/03, 12:27 pm, 8C, 4926×3592 (759+2495), 100%, bent 6 stops, 1/20 s, R26.6, G26.9, B72.1
Screenshot
epa10170544 (FILE) – Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the Imperial Crown, walks in procession through The Royal Gallery on her way to give her speech during the ceremonial State Opening of Parliament in London, Britain, 13 November 2002 (reissued 08 September 2022). According to a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on 08 September 2022, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has died at her Scottish estate, Balmoral Castle, on 08 September 2022. The 96-year-old Queen was the longest-reigning monarch in British history. EPA/ADRIAN DENNIS *** Local Caption *** 52188756
2D3944T The 15th-century crown of Margaret of York – sister of King Edward IV of England and wife of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy – returns to the Tower of London, May 27, 2002, for the first time since 1468. [The crown, one of only two English crowns from the medieval regalia to have survived being destroyed by Oliver Cromwell is currently housed in Aachen Cathedral, Germany and will form part of an exhibition to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, marking her 50th year on the throne.]
2GF1BBA Vintage illustrations of the Crown: Emblems of Sovereignty worn by British Monarchs since The Conquest.
Continue Reading79 BUCKINGHAM PALACE — LONDON, ENGLAND

74 Boston, USA

Masterpieces of Egyptian Sculpture from the Pyramid Age at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Gallery 113 *Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Faces of Ancient Egypt at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Gallery 113A *Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
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