A view of the construction site of the Chateau de Guedelon near Treigny in the Burgundy region of France, September 13, 2016. Blacksmiths, stonemasons and quarry men are hard at work in a Burgundy forest building a 13th-century-style castle using the most basic tools and materials, replicating the methods used hundreds of years ago to better understand them. (Photo by Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)

Do you think that history is a science? Well, not exactly. First, and foremost, history is the state's “legend of wars”, it’s official regalia. Of course, public historians are not interested in scientific truth – quite the opposite. In this respect, any attempt to present a state’s history as altruistic and benevolent as possible is welcomed and encouraged – as opposed to any revisionism attempts that may be more accurate. In this matter, Chinese have surpassed us all – they revised in highly creative manner (but rather shamelessly) the technology already invented by Europeans, a process that resulted in oldest state on the planet. Here is an interesting paradox: ask any sinologist about the Middle Kingdom during second century B.C., and he will describe it to you in such a vivid manner as if he has been living there all his life – but as soon as you will ask him to describe Chinese history in the 19-20th centuries… let's say, his eagerness will be greatly diminished. However, we will discuss China in a different article, and in the meantime we will try to understand how exactly historic “legend of wars” is formed and functions – based on a specific and well-known example. A great example is Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world.

Without mincing words we would like to present a feature: Self-Publishing, let's call it Samizdat. :-) Sure we aren't Flickr, StumbleUpon or add_whatever_you_like, we're really small in comparison with these giants but we have constant, very attentive and grateful audience. All we can offer you is a place on the main page and attention of all our visitors to your posts, the things that are hard to achieve on numerous social services. Who knows, maybe tiny and humble indie project like AvaxNews will be much more helpful in searching of your audience than facebook for example. %-)

Luna emerging Argentine Artist Luna Portnoi has been developing her practice in Buenos Aires for over five years. Her work is deeply connected to themes of color, nature, astronomy, childhood, magic, ancient civilizations, collaboration and the passions, openness and emotions we experience as children that are often left behind in adulthood. Already well known in Buenos Aires, the Artist has also received international press coverage.

People caress a horse during the traditional “El Tope” end-of-year parade in San Jose on December 26, 2023. Cowboy hats and boots, in the purest “wild west” style, flooded the streets of downtown San José to proudly display the horse culture in Costa Rica. (Photo by Ezequiel Becerra/AFP Photo)

Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.

Luna Portnoi emerging Argentine Artist Luna Portnoi has been developing her practice in Buenos Aires for over five years. Her work is deeply connected to themes of color, nature, astronomy, childhood, magic, ancient civilizations, collaboration and the passions, openness and emotions we experience as children that are often left behind in adulthood. Already well known in Buenos Aires, the Artist has also received international press coverage.

Luna Portnoi emerging Argentine Artist Luna Portnoi has been developing her practice in Buenos Aires for over five years. Her work is deeply connected to themes of color, nature, astronomy, childhood, magic, ancient civilizations, collaboration and the passions, openness and emotions we experience as children that are often left behind in adulthood. Already well known in Buenos Aires, the Artist has also received international press coverage.