Creatives, listen up! The Europeana #EdTech Challenge is open. You can win up to €30,000 for the best ideas reusing Europeana's content for innovative learning! Submit your proposal by 28 February and show us how to tackle educational subjects in a creative way. This blog is part of a series featuring openly licensed datasets and content picks. This week, we look at the topics of geography and archaeology to get you inspired.

Maps

The study of geography has the power of transforming learners of all ages into informed world citizens. Check out our Pinterest board dedicated to maps and discover unusual, colourful and historical maps that give you different perspectives on past events. For instance, the map below shows us the Battle of Blenheim, part of the 18th-century War of the Spanish Succession.

Slag bij Höchstädt, 1704; Plan de la Glorieuse Bataille Donnée le 13. Aoust Prés de Hochstett sur le Danube (...) Vianen, Jan van. Rijksmuseum. Public Domain.

Maps of the Balkans

In a classroom or using educational apps, pupils can study historical events with the help of geographic resources. Explore, for example, maps from the National Library of Bulgaria and our collection of 18th- to 20th-century maps and drawings from the archives of the Spanish Ministry of Defence. Probably published in 1913, the map below illustrates Bulgaria and its borders, as well as graphic portraits of four Balkan monarchs.

Map of New Bulgaria (...) 1914. National Library of Bulgaria. Public Domain.

Visit Europeana Maps and Collections to explore other openly licensed maps, globes, charts and more from collections across Europe!

Archaeology in 3D

A discipline that studies the material remains of past human life and activities, archaeology has gained a modern twist with the use of 3D models. Encourage young learners to discover other eras with our set of over 500 3D archaeological objects from the Politecnico di Milano - Computer Vision & Reverse Engineering Lab. See, for example, a 3D model of an anthropomorphic sarcophagus, a beautifully adorned coffin from ancient Egypt. On Europeana Collections, you can find 200 history-related 3D items ready for immediate download.

Vintage photographs of expeditions

Find the explorer in you with a set of over 300 archaeology-related photographs from the Etnografiska Museet. Take a look at the black-and-white photos below from the excavation of the Xolalpa ruin, a Swedish-Mexican Expedition that took place in 1932.

Survey, excavation (...) Linné, Sigvald. 1932. Etnografiska Museet. CC0

Survey, excavation (...) Linné, Sigvald. 1932. Etnografiska Museet. CC0

Archaeological Artefacts from the Institute of Balkan Studies and Thracology

Are you interested in the treasures of ancient civilisations? Discover artefacts from the Bulgarian Thracian (a group of Indo-European tribes who inhabited Eastern and Southeastern Europe). On Europeana Collections, you can find an openly licensed selection of around 500 archaeological artefacts, such as jewellery, pottery, vases and statues. Below, a beautiful golden rhyton (conical container for liquids) adorned by the figures of Greek gods Hera and Apollo.

Rhyton (...). 4th - 3rd century BC. Institute of Balkan Studies and Thracology. CC BY

Take a look at our Pinterest boards for more fantastic content - we have boards on comets, dragons and history in posters. Our special Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition could also serve as inspiration for education and learning!

Apply now for the Europeana Challenge

Check out the Europeana #EdTech Challenge terms and conditions and take part in our competition for a chance of accessing €30,000!

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