On April 21, 2020, the Enigma Shipwrecks Project( ESP) team revealed the discovery of a dozen ancient trading ships in the Levantine Basin, the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, a popular ancient shipping route. Even more exciting, the shipwrecks (遇难船)comprise a mix of boats dating from between the 3rd century B. C. and the 19th century, providing historians new insights into the evolution of trade along one of the world's most popular ancient shipping routes along the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Sean Kingsley, one of ESP's lead archeologists, said:" This is truly the most incredible discoveries under the Mediterranean. ” The shipwrecks, lying in the seabed about 1.2 miles below the surface, were discovered in 2015 by ESP's remote -controlled robots. Since then, the archeologists have been using technology to map, record, and carefully collect the well-preserved items the ships were carrying. "It's painstaking, slow work—it's two hours just for the robot to go down to the sea bed. ”

The researchers say the oldest shipwreck dates back 2,200 years from Alexander the Great's death in 323 B. C. to 31 B. C. , when Roman troops conquered the last of his land. The discovery of religious objects on its deck has led them to assume the ship sunk while the crew was praying. The most significant find was a 43-meter-long trading ship, large enough to accommodate two merchant ships on its deck. Believed to have sunk around 1630, while sailing between Egypt and Istanbul, it was filled with goods from 14 cultures and civilizations.

Though there was initially some concern that the artifacts may be the property of the Cyprus government, it has now been proved that the shipwrecks were in international waters. Therefore, the objects belong to ESP which plans to share them with the world. Kingsley says, "We want to make sure this gift ends up in a public museum so everyone can enjoy it.”

Collector’s Corner

People collect a wide variety of things, from the obvious ones like stamps or coins, to the less common ones, such as beer bottles. Some collectors spend hours looking through junk shops and build a collection for a few pence per object, while other collectors might spend thousands of pounds on antiques (古董), fine china or rare paintings.

Some people collect for money, but most people do it for fun.Collecting is basically illogical. If you simply want to listen to a singer’s first record, you can get a copy at most record shops. A collector, however, will want to own an original 1955 disc, and will be willing to pay for it.

What makes an item valuable? Rarity and conditions are the most important factors. A coin or stamp which is worth hundreds in perfect condition might be worth only a few pence in average or poor conditions.

What should you collect? Most collectors begin collecting things which interest them, and as the collection grows, knowledge of the subject grows. If you want your collection to grow in value, it is probably best to avoid things which are sold especially for collectors. Nearly everybody who buys a set of new coins or stamps will keep them in perfect condition, so that the new coins or stamps will never become rare. The most valuable items are often things that were widely available but were usually thrown away after use, such as toy cars. An interesting collection can be started very cheaply.

Street art is visual art created in public places, usually outside of traditional art venues. The term became popular during the graffiti(涂鸦)art boom of the early 1980s. The average person on the street would associate street art with run-down urban centers and New York's graffiti explosion of the 1970s and 1980s. During that period, graffiti artists often painted subways, benches, and other urban surfaces. But artists who choose the streets as their gallery often do so because they prefer to communicate directly with the public at large and be free from the confinement of the formal art world. Therefore, most major cities now have what is called a "wall of fame"-a public space where street artists come to paint, compete, and connect with other artists

Located near Dubai International Airport, Dubai Festival City, for example, was host to street art from 2007 to 2011. At an event sponsored by Montana, a popular spray paint brand, a wall was designated as a canvas for international artists to work on. After the event, officials allowed the wall to remain, and creative art workers would get together there every weekend. Since then, Dubai has made a name for itself in the art world. It has a respected annual art fair called Art Dubai, which, having celebrated its thirteenth year in March 2019, is widely regarded as one of the highlights of the Middle East's art calendar.

The street art scene in Dubai operates with the approval of the authorities. Planned works on buildings or murals painted on wood panels are beginning to pop up on blank walls and at art events all over the city, thanks largely to the support of art galleries and institutions. Corporate collaborations, though frowned(皱眉)upon by some artists, are also helping to make street art more visible in Dubai.