Selim I: Did you mean...?

This medieval caravanserai located in present-day Armenia is located on the ancient Dvin Partav international trade route, which included the Selim Mountain Pass. (It was part of the ancient Silk Road.) Built from basalt in 1332 CE, it is...

The Abbasids were an Arabic dynasty that initially ruled over most of the Islamic empire (save some western parts) after assuming the caliphate in 750 CE, later on, their empire fragmented, however, they retained spiritual supremacy as caliphs...

Scythian warfare used state-of-the-art recurve bows and hit-and-run tactics against set infantry formations. Working from nimble horses, Scythian warriors could unleash a cloud of lethal arrows. Known, too, for their innovative use of scale...

The oak trunk about to be cut down was read by the Viking shipbuilder not only for its straightness but also for the degree of twist in its fibres. By looking at the bark, the builder could understand whether the wood had grown in a twisted...

As the rough boards were prepared, it became clear which pieces would serve for the Viking ship's keel, the strakes, and the internal frame. The timber yard was not only a storage area but also the first place where the ship’s wooden parts...

The tree for a Viking ship was felled with long-handled axes rather than saws, and the fall was carefully directed. After it fell, the trunk was roughly cleaned, and useful curved branches and forked sections were set aside. Charcoal illustration...

In Viking shipbuilding, tar served not only to cover the fibre between the planks but also gave the outer hull additional protection. A mixture of wood, tar and linseed oil coated the outer surface, slowed water absorption, and gave the boat...

The broad-bladed axe was the Viking shipbuilder’s most important tool, and had been designed to turn oak logs into thin boards. Using these axes instead of a saw preserved the grain structure of the wood and allowed clinker hulls to remain...

When selecting the trunk, the Viking shipbuilder considered not only the main section for the long boards, but also the naturally curved parts in the crown, since these bends could be valuable for ribs and other internal members. Charcoal...

In the end, the Viking ship was born through the successive joining of wood, iron, wool, tar, oil, and human labour. The trunk in the forest had become timber in the timber yard, a shell in the shipyard, and finally, an elegant vessel was...