Quiz Time...

Carol, what info do you have on the wheel? You said Iraq/Mesopotamia was wrong.

"Based on diagrams on ancient clay tablets, the earliest known use of this essential invention was a potter’s wheel that was used at Ur in Mesopotamia (part of modern day Iraq} as early as 3500 BC. The first use of the wheel for transportation was probably on Mesopotamian chariots in 3200 BC. It is interesting to note that wheels may have had industrial or manufacturing applications before they were used on vehicles.

A wheel with spokes first appeared on Egyptian chariots around 2000 BC, and wheels seem to have developed in Europe by 1400 BC without any influence from the Middle East."

"Most authorities credit the ancient Mesopotamians (Sumerians) with the invention of the wheel at about 4000 BC, with an independent invention in China at around 2800 BC."

 

What can I say....I adore camels! I've been on camel treks into the desert while in Pakistan, India and Egypt and loved every single minute to include the snorting, the yelling, the rolling motion like a ship at sea! And then when I was in China I actually got to ride one of the two-humpers! Now that was quite an experience and a more comfortable ride too.

But among my unique experiences was in Pakistan...this old man was atop his camel (and of course his camel was very colorfully decorated and tattooed). He started singing while atop the camel and I swear, the camel danced. It got up on its hind legs and performed a jig! I was told that it is very common for a close bond to form between a camel and its owner -- especially in the Bedioun world.

If anyone needs a quick camel fix, the petting zoo in Reston has a few there!

 

Good for you....I like the way you answered the questions naturally!

Marianne, I think you did alright! When we gave the quiz during our Arabian nights party we had the groups divided into teams and the winning team had a total of 7 correct!

 

I think you just got 3 gold stars! I'm impressed...I always seem to forget about Comoros!

 

The Egyptian museum lays claim to the wheel being invented in Egypt...and Jeopardy also cites the wheel as being invented in Egypt.

Now this is specifically in context to being used for transportation and not necessarily like a potters wheel.

 

Okay....we've got correct answers to all except number one...what is the oldest city in Saudi Arabia. Many believe it to be Mecca but actually it is another city. Don't worry about being stumped...during our Arabian nights party even 2 Saudi diplomats did not get the correct answer but once they heard the name of the city they did remember then that it is in fact the oldest.

 

Since we're down to only one question unanswered who is going to present the next challenge?

 

Boomer,

just had a discussion with my spouse. He advised that Egypt is credited with the development of a ROUND wheel which was used for transporting the large stones during the building of the pyramids. But the mesopotamians invented a square shaped wheel which was not used as what we recognize as todays wheel.

Egypt is credited with the invention of the wheel for transportation as prior to the invention of the round wheel, the ancient Egyptians were using carpets to drag the large stones to the pyramids. This was not efficient hence they started on creation of the round wheel. Egypt was also the first to use a wheel for carriages and chariots.

The above is compliments of my spouse who does not like to type so I'm solely the messenger here.

 

Carol, from my brief research on the web, I am in agreement with Boomer. Most "experts" credit the wheel AND chariot to the Sumerians. The first known chariot is dated from 3500-3000 BC. The first known Egyptian chariot is from 1500 BC. I could find no site that credits the Egyptians with either.

 

After my postings I also did some web searches and probably found the same sites as you. I showed these sites to my spouse but he still remains true to his view. After the research, my suggested diplomatic compromise is that is appears the original wheel should be credited to the Sumerians and the more modern day wheel to the Egyptians! [8D]

 

Jeddah

 

Sounds like your husband is a stubborn man =)

 

Good guess but not correct! Of course the answer to this can be found by a google search, but i know noone here would want to do that! [8D]

 

He's an Arab...what more can I say!

 

Taif or Medina????

 

No, but those are also excellent guesses!

 

does it still exist?

Here's a few guesses:

Al Bilad
Tabuk
Duba
Ha il
Bakkah (old Makkah?)

So is it really true that non-muslims can't visit Makkah?

 

Yes, it does still exist but it is not any of your guesses below!

Yep...non-Muslims are prohibited from visiting both Mecca and Medina. There are actually checkpoints as well as prominent signs indicating which way non-Muslims should travel! It's not as if one would really be aggresively challenged though. As my spouse explained to me, if a non-Muslim were to claim to be Muslim, they would not be challenged as to whether they were really a Muslim although the Saudi official would likely ask to see documentation to ensure that it's correct (ie, valid visa, passport, photo id).

I guess in a small way this is similar to the Mormon church where non-Mormon's cannot enter the Temples in either Bethesda or Salt Lake City. I'm not sure but I -think- that not just any Mormom could freely enter the Temple either.

 

DARYIA [?]

 

Sorry...'fraid not!

If we do not have a correct answer by Wednesday, I'll go ahead and post the answer.