Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 August 2

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Today's featured article
Egyptian temples were built for the official worship of the gods and commemoration of pharaohs in ancient Egypt. Within them the Egyptians performed the central functions of Egyptian religion: giving offerings to the gods, reenacting their mythological interactions through festivals, and warding off the forces of chaos. These rituals were seen as necessary for the gods to continue to uphold the divine order of the universe. Most of the populace was forbidden from entering temples' most sacred areas, but temples were still important religious sites for all classes of Egyptians. Temples are among the largest and most enduring examples of Egyptian architecture, with their elements arranged and decorated according to complex patterns of religious symbolism. A large temple owned sizable tracts of land and employed thousands of laymen to supply its needs. Some temples have become world-famous tourist attractions that contribute significantly to the modern Egyptian economy. Egyptologists continue to study the surviving temples, as they are invaluable sources of information about ancient Egyptian society. (more...) Recently featured: Parasaurolophus – Definition of planet – Horses in World War I Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the 103-year-old Oregon Slough Railroad Bridge (pictured) is one of only two surviving swing-span bridges in the Portland metropolitan area? ... that wildfires are beneficial to the herb Nelson's checkerbloom? ... that during a hurricane in November 1861, a man charged two cents per ride to transport passengers by boat to and from a popular New York City bar surrounded by floodwaters? ... that ERC, included with GNU Emacs since 2007, is one of a handful of IRC clients available for the text editor? ... that Calcinus tubularis is one of only two known species of hermit crab whose males and females inhabit different types of shell? ... that science fiction and horror author Jane Rice had been a professional author for over fifty years before the publication of her first book, The Sixth Dog? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Yani Tseng Yani Tseng (pictured) wins the Women's British Open, becoming the youngest golfer to win five major championships. A series of attacks, believed to be by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, occurs in China's Xinjiang region, two weeks after similar attacks. U2's 360° Tour, the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour of all time, concludes. Tropical Storm Nock-ten causes 41 deaths in the Philippines and the evacuation of more than 27,000 people in China. Ollanta Humala is inaugurated as President of Peru. Horn of Africa famine Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
August 2: Day of the Republic in the Republic of Macedonia 1610 – English sea explorer Henry Hudson sailed into what is now known as Hudson Bay, thinking he had made it through the Northwest Passage to reach the Pacific Ocean. 1897 – Anglo-Afghan wars: The Siege of Malakand ended when a relief column was able to reach the British garrison in the Malakand region of colonial India's North West Frontier Province. 1923 – Calvin Coolidge (pictured) became the 30th President of the United States after Warren G. Harding suffered a fatal heart attack. 1932 – At the California Institute of Technology, Carl David Anderson proved the existence of antimatter when he discovered the positron. 1989 – The Indian Peace Keeping Force began killing 64 minority Sri Lankan Tamil civilians over a two-day period in Valvettiturai, Sri Lanka. More anniversaries: August 1 – August 2 – August 3 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now August 2, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

A Russet potato and the cross-section of another. Potatoes are the world's fourth-largest food crop. They originated in the area of present-day southern Peru and were domesticated 7,000–10,000 years ago. The Russet is the most commonly grown cultivar in the United States and Canada.

Photo: ZooFari

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