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Map of Kavvadias's excavations on the Acropolis
Map of Kavvadias's excavations on the Acropolis

Panagiotis Kavvadias (1850–1928) was a Greek archaeologist. He was responsible for excavations of the city of Epidaurus, of the Acropolis of Athens (map pictured), and on his native island of Kephallonia. As Ephor General, the head of the Greek Archaeological Service, from 1885 until 1909, Kavvadias oversaw the service's expansion and the introduction of Law 2646 of 1899 which increased the state's powers to prevent illegal excavations and antiquities smuggling. Credited with completing the modern transformation of the Acropolis into a historic landmark, he uncovered many of its monuments. He oversaw the opening of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens and organised its first collections. He was also a professor at the University of Athens. Regarded as energetic, centralising and autocratic, he was criticised by native Greek archaeologists, and removed from office in 1909. He returned to public and academic life in 1912, and remained active in Greek archaeology until his death. (Full article...)

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Ama Dablam

Ama Dablam is a mountain located in the eastern Himalayas in Koshi Province, Nepal. The main peak is at an elevation of 6,812 metres (22,349 feet) above sea level, and the lower western peak is at 6,170 metres (20,243 feet). The name means 'mother's necklace' in Sherpa; the long ridges on each side are thought to resemble the arms of a mother (ama) protecting her child, and the hanging glacier is the dablam, the traditional double-pendant containing pictures of the gods and worn by Sherpa women. For several days, the mountain dominates the eastern sky for trekkers to South Base Camp on Mount Everest. Due to its soaring ridges and steep faces, Ama Dablam is sometimes referred as the "Matterhorn of the Himalayas". The mountain is featured on the Nepalese one-rupee banknote. This photograph of Ama Dablam as seen from Chola Valley was taken in October 2009.

Photograph credit: Vyacheslav Argenberg

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