Posts I enjoyed from around the web this week:
Archaeology’s latest issue has a big spread on cuneiform and the many kinds of documents written on these tablets, although they don’t mention the Hittite detour of cuneiform. My favorite sub-article is the one on the inscription on King Idrimi. I think everyone should publish their life story on a huge sculpture of themselves. Although such memoirs would be hard to take on a plane to read. Click here for Archaeology Magazine “Cuneiform: The World’s Oldest Writing”
2 seals from 1st Temple period found in Jerusalem (2,500 yrs old). Most interesting, one is a woman’s seal, Elihana bat Gael. The archaeologists note that she is identified as the daughter (bat) of Gael not by her husband. They think this indicates her elevated status came from her family not her husband, and they think it might imply that she had property rights and financial independence, but they note the laws of Judah of this time are not known sufficiently. I think that’s reading a lot into the presence of a female with sufficient power to warrant placing her “signature” on things. And they also note on almost all the women’s seals the identifier is as daughter, not via husband. Given that this is still a common means of personal identification in Hebrew, I’m not really sure why they read so much into this. But I do wish I knew more about Elihana, Gael’s daughter. Click here for “2,500-year-old seals unearthed in Jerusalem”
This is a hilarious account by mystery writer Adrian McKinty of the Worse. Reading. Ever. Thanks to Janet Rudolph for bringing us the fun. It really does sound like the worst ever and he kept his sense of humor for every second. That’s a pro! Feel free to share any worst readings ever you have witnessed or experienced. Click here for Mystery Fanfare “Worst. Reading. Ever.”
The mystery of the many Roman skulls (no bodies, just heads) is solved. The Walbrook River did it. Since the 19th century a peculiarly large number of disembodied skulls have turned up in the Walbrook valley. All kinds of delicious theories developed. Roman soldiers’ trophies, Boudica’s decapitated victims when she sacked Londinium, the Iron age “cult of the head.” (Can’t say that I’ve ever heard of this gruesome cult…) But it turns out it’s just a washed out graveyard way up the river. Leg bones and such sink like stone. Heads bob along their merry way and end up miles from their respectful burial spot. Next time you hear a particularly wild sounding archaeological explanation, remember the disembodied skulls of Walbrook! Any juicy historical theory bloopers you want to share? There are so many good ones. Click here for “Solving the Mystery of the Walbrook Roman Skulls”