A Ruinous Quiz

Answer: Begram

The ruins of Begram, the capital of the kingdom of Kush in the second century BC, can be found in modern-day Afghanistan. Abydos is in Egypt; Gedi is in modern Kenya, and Le Kef is in northern Tunisia.

Answer: Cahokia

This site, located near east St. Louis, has been proven to have been inhabited from AD 700 to 1400. Cahokia, named for the subtribe of the Illini, is the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization found north of Mexico. The ruins, located within a 2,200-acre tract, were designated a World Heritage Site in 1982.

Answer: Camelot

Of the many reputed sites believed to be Camelot, home of the legendary King Arthur, Cadbury is the most well-known. The ruins consist of a hill-fort of limestone and sandstone rising 500 feet above sea level. The first author known to refer to Cadbury as Camelot was John Leland, in 1542: "At the very south end of the church of South-Cadbyri standeth Camallate, sometime a famous town or castle...

The people can tell nothing there but that they have heard Arthur much resorted to Camalat." According to legend, every seventh year on either Midsummer's Eve or Christmas Eve, you can hear the spectral hoofbeats of the ghosts of King Arthur and his knights riding over the hilltop of Cadbury.

Answer: Hadrian

This large house, the country villa of the Emperor, was built between 125 and 138 AD. Although now in ruins, it's obvious from such details as the reflecting pool and intricate tiled floor that this was once a spectacular residence. Hadrian, born in 76, ruled as Emperor from 117 to 138. He is remembered as one of the "good", if somewhat insignificant, of the emperors.

Answer: Herculaneum

The seaside town of Herculaneum suffered less damage than its neighbor, which may account for its lack of recognition. Historians believe that the eruption of Vesuvius, which was the first to be recorded in detail, destroyed Herculaneum by means of a pyroclastic flow.

A pyroclastic flow is defined by the US Geological Survey as "a ground-hugging avalanche of hot ash, pumice, rock fragments, and volcanic gas that rushes down the side of a volcano as fast as 100 km/hour or more. The temperature within a pyroclastic flow may be greater than 500° C, sufficient to burn and carbonize wood. Once deposited, the ash, pumice, and rock fragments may deform (flatten) and weld together because of the intense heat and the weight of the overlying material".

Answer: Alexandria, Egypt

The port city of Alexandria in Egypt was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. The pillar, a 25-meter tall monument of red Aswan granite, is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria. It was constructed in memory of the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the end of the fourth century. There's also a rock formation known as Pompey's Pillar near Billings, Montana, USA.

Answer: Newfoundland

Most historians now believe that the Vikings were the first Europeans to land in North America. Nordic literature refers to the settling of Vinland, which is believed to be the place now known as Anse au Meadow on the Canadian coast of Newfoundland. For years, historians were misled by the term "Vinland", as they assumed that the word "vin" referred to grapes; however, historical detective work revealed that it meant "meadow", many of which are found in this part of Newfoundland.

The ruins of structures identified as Nordic have been found in the area, adding further support to the theory that the Vikings settled here around 1000 AD.

Answer: Apollo

Thebes was a city of ancient Greece, currently the town of Thivai. Settled by the Myceneans around 1000 BC, it was the chief city of the region of Boeotia. Ruins include the Temple of Apollo, the Elektra Gate, and the royal palace.

Answer: Sweden

Malaren Lake, Sweden's third-largest lake, was at one time connected to the Baltic Sea. The town of Birka was founded at the end of the eighth century as a trading center. About 700 people were thought to have lived there at its peak; the settlement was abandoned after 200 years. The town, graves, and hill-forts were made a World Heritage Site in 1993.

Answer: Orkney

Scotland's Orkney Islands, located in the North Sea, are the site of one of the most fascinating monuments in Europe. The village of Ska Brae is situated on the southern shore of Sandwick's Bay on the main island. The ruins of the stone houses were first discovered in 1850, and since then excavations have unearthed a total of eight dwellings. Radio-carbon dating shows the houses to be from the late Neolithic period, between 3200 and 2200 BC.

Answer: Karnak

The city of Karnak in upper Egypt is the site of the Temple of Karnak, dedicated to the Theben triad of Amon (or Amun), Mut, and Khonsu. The temple complex sprawls for 200 acres, withe the Temple of Amon alone taking up 61. The stone complex was built between 1530 and 323 BC.

Answer: Chanchan

The ruins of the city of Chanchan, or Chan Chan, are located on the Pacific coast of Peru near modern-day Trujillo. Chanchan was the capital of the Chimu empire, the chief state in Peru prior to the Incan establishment. The city, between 1000 and 1400 AD, was large, at eight square miles.

The ruins, which feature wide streets and walled compounds, were placed on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger in 1986.

Answer: Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, from 781 to 1290. It was the island nation's second capital, replacing Anuradhapura. Today the ruins consist of Brahmanic monuments erected by the Cholas and a magnificent garden city created by Parakramabahul I in the twelfth century.

Answer: Tintagel

The ruins of Tintagel, or King Arthur's, Castle on the north coast of Cornwall are yet another site associated with King Arthur. According to local legend, a great warrior king once inhabited a castle in western England, believed to be Tintagel. The ruins of the fifth-century fortress believed to be Arthur's were replaced in 1236 with another castle, the ruins of which can be seen today. Tintagel has its own web site: tintagelweb.co.uk.

Answer: Hippocrates

The Hippocrates Platanos, as the tree is known, stands at the entrance to the Castle of the Knights on the Aegean island of Kos. It is believed that Hippocrates, known as the Father of Medicine, taught his students in the shade of the tree, whose circumference is 12 meters.