Some of the Umayyads found themselves charmed by the cultures which they had conquered, so that archaeologists in Palestine and Syria have revealed an astonishing flourishing of Christian-style figural art under their rule.

[…] as for the distance between [the roads], it varies according to the strength of the army and the nature of the ground, the essential point being not to leave between them obstacles acting as separatives, such as rivers, &c.

Pictures of fish carved on stone and inscriptions recording the conditions of the Yangtze during drought years were found by archaeologists on White Crane Ridge in Fuling county of Szechwan province.

The April 29th dinner will be an Austrian Maifest, with a special menu including Gefullter Pragerschenken and Paprikahuhner and a choice selection of Austrian wines. Suitable music will be piped in for the occasion.