Posts around the web I found interesting this week. A mixture of historical fiction and history/archaeology.
A.
Replacing preconceived notions of Marie Antionette. Interview w/ Juliet Grey on Erin Al-Mehairi’s great book blog Oh For the Hook of a Book Link here
B.
Historians Identify the oldest prayer book in existence. Called a “link” between the Dead Sea Scrolls and Medieval Judaism, this is one impressively old prayer book. Unfortunately it’s part of a private collection. I like museums myself. Should the artifacts of our communal histories be shared? Link here
C.
Archaeology, amazingly enough, is happening in Iraq. Legendary city of Idu discovered in the Kurdistan region. There’s a village on top of most of the ruins (apparently a site that has been continuously used since Neolithic times), so further digging may be indefinitely postponed, but in the “totally cool” finds department, there’s a cylinder seal depicting a hero facing off against a griffin along with a morning star representing the goddess Ishtar and other heavenly symbols. A cylinder seal, by the way, is rolled in clay to reveal the figures carved on the stone cylinder. They were used as a sort of signature to mark documents, storage containers, and other valuables that needed their ownership proven. The miniature artwork on them can be exquisite. I wish I could see this one. I have a special place in my heart for the mythical griffin, and Ishtar is the patron goddess of my “sleuth” Queen Puduhepa in my mystery-in-progress. I’ve included below a photo of a cylinder seal and its imprint from the Pergamum Museum in Berlin to show you what they look like. Link here
D.
A 4,000 yr old sewage system and tunnels to the Greek theater among this year’s discoveries at the ancient site of Iasos on Turkey’s Aegean coast. The city was buried by the volcanic eruption of Thera 3,600 yrs ago and thus is revealing startling finds. Turkey continues to be one of the richest archaeological areas in the world, revealing multiple civilizations of the ancient Aegean and Near Eastern worlds, Greeks, Romans and my personal favorite, the Hittites. Travel anyone? Link here
Thanks, for leading me to the review of, and interview with Juliete Grey. I heard a lecture this morning where Rose Bertin, Marie Antoinette’s modiste, was mentioned. Until today I’d never heard of her — a strange coincidence.
I haven’t yet read this final book in Grey’s s series but in the first her descriptions of dressing the queen were so elaborate I realized I’d have gone batty in minutes being French royalty! Grey has learned all the intricacies of life for Marie Antoinette.
Comments are closed.