One piece wedged itself in Jack’s left thigh, slicing through the Kevlar exoskeleton and embedding itself in his flesh. Splinters of ice began to shear off the tunnel walls, rocketing through the water like shrapnel. We’re…” Costas’ words were drowned out by a terrible shrieking noise.
Light the menorah contraption maker series#
“Probably just a wobble in the machine, but I need to stop to make sure.” Just then there was a horrifying creaking noise, followed by a series of wrenching vibrations that set Jack’s teeth on edge and sent an uncontrollable tremor through his body. I’m getting a warning reading on the seismograph,” Costas said. “Runes!” Jack’s heart was racing, and he was sucking the oxygen hard from the rebreather. Look at these.” Costas twisted the axe round so Jack could see the other side. “We’ve just found one of the most famous weapons in history, a battle-axe of the Varangian Guard.” “That makes sense. He paused, then looked through his visor at Costas, his eyes lit in wonder. It’s the imperial symbol of the Byzantine emperor.” One head signifies the old Rome, the other the new Rome, Constantinople.
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Here, too, he laid up the vessels of gold from the Temple of the Jews…
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Affixed to a pedestal was a central shaft, from which there extended slender branches, arranged trident-fashion, a wrought lamp being attached to the extremity of each branch of these there were seven, indicating the honour paid to that number among the Jews…The triumphal ceremonies being concluded and the Empire of the Romans established on the firmest foundation, Vespasian decided to erect a Temple of Peace…into that shrine were accumulated and stored all objects for the sight of which men had once wandered over the whole world, eager to see them severally while they lay in various countries. These consisted of a golden table, many talents in weight, and a lampstand, likewise made of gold, but constructed on a different pattern from those which we use in ordinary life. The spoils in general were borne in promiscuous heaps but conspicuous above all stood out those captured in the Temple at Jerusalem. The factual backdrop is discussed in the author’s note at the end. Any resemblence to actual or other fictional events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, institutions, places and incidents are creations of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. To Angie and to Molly with much love for our trips to Stamford Bridge and the holy isle of Iona, and to LNG for having been there too. To Steve Aitken and Tom D’Entrement for my first dives under ice, at the very outset of my diving career, and to my brother Alan for diving with me in the Yucatán and for his technical expertise. To the crew of RV Akademik Ioffe for taking me into Ilulissat icefjord in Greenland, a truly unforgettable experience, and to Parks Canada for opening the L’Anse aux Meadows site. To the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara for a travel scholarship that allowed me to study the Golden Horn in Istanbul, and to the chair of the NATO Life Sciences and Technology Committee for inviting me to Kiev. To my parents for many trips to Hereford Cathedral as a child, and for accompanying me years later on a memorable study tour in Rome. As with my previous novel, Atlantis, the settings in this book are based on first-hand experience, and I owe much to those who have made this possible.
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WITH HUGE THANKS TO MY AGENT, LUIGI BONOMI OF LBA, to my publishers, Bill Massey and Caitlin Alexander at Bantam Dell and Harriet Evans at Headline, and to Tessa Balshaw-Jones, Gaia Banks, Jenny Bateman, Alison Bonomi, Sam Edenborough, Mary Esdaile, Nicki Kennedy, Colleen Lawrie, Rebecca McEwan, Tony McGrath, Amanda Preston, Rebecca Purtell, John Rush, Poppy Shirlaw and Ann Verrinder Gibbins.