2007

2007, Jordan Selection

Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, 2nd century, Jerash, Jordan

Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, 2nd century, Jerash, Jordan

Ancient Verticality, Jerash.

Under the intense blue of the Jordanian sky, the columns of the Temple of Artemis soar with an elegance that has defied millennia.

Built in the 2nd century AD (around 150 AD) in the heart of the ancient city of Gerasa (Jerash), this temple dedicated to the city’s patron goddess is a masterpiece of Corinthian architecture. This low-angle shot highlights the delicate acanthus leaves carved into the capitals, but it also hides a secret of Roman engineering: these massive columns were designed to sway slightly to dissipate the energy of earthquakes. Today, despite the passing centuries and tremors, these stone giants remain standing, offering a vertical testament to the grandeur and ingenuity of a vanished civilization.

2007, Mainland France Selection, Reptils and Amphibians

Common toad (Bufo bufo)

A toad eagerly awaiting in his hole

The bufo bufo is a nocturnal animal. This animal spends the day hidden in a hole he dug, in abandoned burrows or simply under a stone or a dead piece of wood. This hiding place serves also as base for hunting. Indeed, the common toad hunts mainly on the lookout. He stays at the exit of his hole until a prey (fly, caterpillar, slug…) passes nearby. Then, he can catch the prey with his sticky tongue.

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