I know it's been awhile, but I'm much better at this when I'm not bunkered down doing research, preparing for conferences, or writing papers... the activities that dominate my life during the semester. I'm much more inspired to update everyone when I'm traveling, and right now I'm making my way across central Turkey toward the site I'll be working on for the next two months or so. So here I am in Istanbul, hammering out an update by my laptop's glow. My guesthouse has wireless internet. Life is good.
Istanbul, or at least the parts of it I've seen over the past two days, is awesome. Public transportation gets you close to walking distance of wherever you want to go. The streets radiate around the main centers, so although few of them are labeled, attentiveness and a good map suffice to for finding most places. So far I've trounced around Sultanahmet, the Great Bazaar, and Tatahnate... all on the European side of the city.
Yesterday I followed the Topkapi Palace wall around the Marmara Sea shortly after I arrived at my guest house. A narrow street runs along side the wall down toward a train station. It reminds me vaguely of some of the Italian highways I had to dart across in Rome. The street was clear for the most part, though the sidewalk stopped and picked up on the other side, so I had to cross back and forth as I made my way up and down the hills. This brings me to my next point; Istanbul is hilly. It was built along 7 hills, some say for luck. It's also chock full of cats. This I don't mind so much. As I sat listening to folk music and watching a dervish show, several cats joined me at my table. Most were disappointed that I didn't have any food and left, but one stuck around to get his neck scratched. As I walked along the side of the Great Bazaar, I saw a man dressed all in white, with golden spectacles and a cat perched on his shoulder like a parrot on a pirate. Awesome.
Of course there are downsides to tons of cats. Last night, as I tried to sleep off the jet lag, a couple got in a fight outside the window. Cats fight very loudly.
That's all for now. Tune in sometime in the next couple days for more musings on Istanbul.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
another blow
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/us/25raid.html?em&ex=1201410000&en=3e94b0754efe6511&ei=5087%0A
This has been quite a month for antiquity repatriation. It's unfortunate that such heavy-handed tactics are necessary in order to deal with the swelling illegal antiquities market, but this is a victory none the less. The objects will return to their countries of origin, where they can be appreciated by the people whose heritage they represent, as well as visitors to the region who can now explore these countries' past as they explore its present. Ultimately, moves like this shrink the market for illegal antiquities, which is good for preserving everyones' heritage.
This has been quite a month for antiquity repatriation. It's unfortunate that such heavy-handed tactics are necessary in order to deal with the swelling illegal antiquities market, but this is a victory none the less. The objects will return to their countries of origin, where they can be appreciated by the people whose heritage they represent, as well as visitors to the region who can now explore these countries' past as they explore its present. Ultimately, moves like this shrink the market for illegal antiquities, which is good for preserving everyones' heritage.
Friday, January 11, 2008
repatriation
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/arts/design/11voge.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is returning a famous ceramic vessel to Italy. It's a positive step. Hopefully the other objects from the Cerveteri tomb will be reassembled in time, and researchers will one day be able to study these artifacts in one collection. Context reveals information that objects alone can never provide. Who used the vessel? For what purpose? How was it lost, and why?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is returning a famous ceramic vessel to Italy. It's a positive step. Hopefully the other objects from the Cerveteri tomb will be reassembled in time, and researchers will one day be able to study these artifacts in one collection. Context reveals information that objects alone can never provide. Who used the vessel? For what purpose? How was it lost, and why?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
faux pas?
My friend was in town. I had rushed back to New York in order to meet him during the tiny window his miserly student budget allowed him to visit. He wanted to see Times Square on New Years Eve. Couldn't blame him... you have to do it once right?
We stood their for hours, arriving early to ensure good spots. Well, as good as any considering there are no bathrooms and the cops coral you into dense people-blocks where everyone has to move and breath as one. Still, it's quite a sight. A million people packed into two(ish?) city blocks. On the asphalt beneath those teaming masses a material record of the event accumulates... first bits of souvenir hats and horns join the normal day-to-day litter of times square. As the night goes on, food wrappings and water bottles full of alcohol-induced urine join the mess... a testament to the biological rigors of celebration without restrooms. Finally, it is all topped by a sprinkling of confetti, marking the conclusion of the event, and forming the most visible debris as the horde of revelers begins making its way back to the subway station.
The event was spectacular, though it was clear that the festivities were organized for the viewers at home, and not for the bajillion people waiting patiently for the (actually quite small) ball to drop. The main stage was behind you (if you were facing the ball), and the screens only selectively showed you what was going on. I was struck by the blaring performance (or, unfortunately, advertising) opportunity that was being missed. Imagine, all those screens projecting portions of a larger art piece. Or, more likely, portions of one huge, mind-boggling advertisement. The first suggestion would have been preferable, but even the latter would have been better than a night of the same 3 commercials looping over and over. Too bad; they had quite captive audience.
On the subway back to my apartment, a woman inquired about our funny hats and balloons. She was shocked that I actually lived in New York. "Don't you know that your broke the first rule of being a New Yorker! Only tourists go to Times Square..." Ah well... don't tell anyone.
We stood their for hours, arriving early to ensure good spots. Well, as good as any considering there are no bathrooms and the cops coral you into dense people-blocks where everyone has to move and breath as one. Still, it's quite a sight. A million people packed into two(ish?) city blocks. On the asphalt beneath those teaming masses a material record of the event accumulates... first bits of souvenir hats and horns join the normal day-to-day litter of times square. As the night goes on, food wrappings and water bottles full of alcohol-induced urine join the mess... a testament to the biological rigors of celebration without restrooms. Finally, it is all topped by a sprinkling of confetti, marking the conclusion of the event, and forming the most visible debris as the horde of revelers begins making its way back to the subway station.
The event was spectacular, though it was clear that the festivities were organized for the viewers at home, and not for the bajillion people waiting patiently for the (actually quite small) ball to drop. The main stage was behind you (if you were facing the ball), and the screens only selectively showed you what was going on. I was struck by the blaring performance (or, unfortunately, advertising) opportunity that was being missed. Imagine, all those screens projecting portions of a larger art piece. Or, more likely, portions of one huge, mind-boggling advertisement. The first suggestion would have been preferable, but even the latter would have been better than a night of the same 3 commercials looping over and over. Too bad; they had quite captive audience.
On the subway back to my apartment, a woman inquired about our funny hats and balloons. She was shocked that I actually lived in New York. "Don't you know that your broke the first rule of being a New Yorker! Only tourists go to Times Square..." Ah well... don't tell anyone.
Monday, January 7, 2008
tourism
I haven't lived in New York very long. I still have trouble finding everything I need at the store, haven't quite mastered the art of buying just enough groceries to get by, and when it comes to navigating the non-gridded urban labyrinths outside of downtown Manhattan, well, forget about it. I have been here long enough to have out-of-town guests, and I think that simple fact is starting to transform the towering buildings and yellow-traffic-chocked streets into something familiar.
Until I had guests, the hustle and bustle of graduate life kept me hopping around the city, never familiarizing myself with what made New York New York. But as friends and family began visiting, I became a tour guide. And in becoming this de factor teacher, I became a student of the big apple as well. I had to describe what made this street special or that monument interesting, tempering my own impressions with those from my guest. I suppose I became a tourist of sorts, but not just any tourist. Someone much wiser than me said that teaching makes you a better student. So there it is. Sweet.
Until I had guests, the hustle and bustle of graduate life kept me hopping around the city, never familiarizing myself with what made New York New York. But as friends and family began visiting, I became a tour guide. And in becoming this de factor teacher, I became a student of the big apple as well. I had to describe what made this street special or that monument interesting, tempering my own impressions with those from my guest. I suppose I became a tourist of sorts, but not just any tourist. Someone much wiser than me said that teaching makes you a better student. So there it is. Sweet.
new years resolution
Here we go again, a second shot.
I started this thing back in July to bring you guys thoughts on whatever was on my mind at the time. Unfortunately, things like moving to a new city, starting graduate school, and beginning research took me away from that most noble endeavor before I ever really got rolling.
Luckily, I'm not easily beaten back. It's another year, and I think it's gonna be a good one. I've found my legs, and I'm ready to hit the ground running. My candidate is doing well in the primaries, research is moving right along, and more so that ever my new city feels like home. So welcome back, readers, for a second iteration of my blog. See you guys shortly....
-Adam
I started this thing back in July to bring you guys thoughts on whatever was on my mind at the time. Unfortunately, things like moving to a new city, starting graduate school, and beginning research took me away from that most noble endeavor before I ever really got rolling.
Luckily, I'm not easily beaten back. It's another year, and I think it's gonna be a good one. I've found my legs, and I'm ready to hit the ground running. My candidate is doing well in the primaries, research is moving right along, and more so that ever my new city feels like home. So welcome back, readers, for a second iteration of my blog. See you guys shortly....
-Adam
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
mineral or vegetable?
Hello again everyone...
Over the past week or so, I've been reading and processing the first few chapters of Bruce Trigger's A History of Archaeological Thought (2nd Edition, 2006). It came recommended to me from some colleagues I met while traveling through South Asia, and I figured I'd try to knock it out before classes start in the Fall.
Anyway, I finished up the chapters on the inchoate periods of archaeology, when Classical Studies was king, and the idea of studying artifacts was novel and tenuous.
North American archaeology has it's roots in the antiquarianism of the pre-Enlightenment post-Renaissance period of Europe. During this period, artifacts that weren't of classical origin were often placed in the same category as crystals and trilobites. Though it varied depending on what specific part of the world you're talking about, arrowheads were generally so different from contemporary material culture that people believed they were of natural origin and had sprouted forth from the ground. Some even believed that elves had left them behind.
Long story short, thanks to the onset of colonialism, European scholars came in contact with people from all over the world. Some of these people used the same sorts of tools that had been recovered from sites in Europe. After a couple of centuries of analyzing stone tools from at home and abroad, pre-prehistory antiquarians finally concluded that objects like stone tools were definitely not of natural origin, and had been made by people in the past.
This is all very interesting from a contemporary perspective... it took so long for archaeology's forebears to decide that some artifacts were even artifacts. What sorts of patterns are we musing over that will appear elementary by future scholar's standards? Time will tell.
You can find Trigger's book at: http://www.amazon.com/History-Archaeological-Thought-Bruce-Trigger/dp/0521840767/ref=sr_1_1/102-6355922-1256906?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186509479&sr=8-1
Over the past week or so, I've been reading and processing the first few chapters of Bruce Trigger's A History of Archaeological Thought (2nd Edition, 2006). It came recommended to me from some colleagues I met while traveling through South Asia, and I figured I'd try to knock it out before classes start in the Fall.
Anyway, I finished up the chapters on the inchoate periods of archaeology, when Classical Studies was king, and the idea of studying artifacts was novel and tenuous.
North American archaeology has it's roots in the antiquarianism of the pre-Enlightenment post-Renaissance period of Europe. During this period, artifacts that weren't of classical origin were often placed in the same category as crystals and trilobites. Though it varied depending on what specific part of the world you're talking about, arrowheads were generally so different from contemporary material culture that people believed they were of natural origin and had sprouted forth from the ground. Some even believed that elves had left them behind.
Long story short, thanks to the onset of colonialism, European scholars came in contact with people from all over the world. Some of these people used the same sorts of tools that had been recovered from sites in Europe. After a couple of centuries of analyzing stone tools from at home and abroad, pre-prehistory antiquarians finally concluded that objects like stone tools were definitely not of natural origin, and had been made by people in the past.
This is all very interesting from a contemporary perspective... it took so long for archaeology's forebears to decide that some artifacts were even artifacts. What sorts of patterns are we musing over that will appear elementary by future scholar's standards? Time will tell.
You can find Trigger's book at: http://www.amazon.com/History-Archaeological-Thought-Bruce-Trigger/dp/0521840767/ref=sr_1_1/102-6355922-1256906?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186509479&sr=8-1
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