Here are some posts I enjoyed this week from around the web:
For those of you who enjoy using legal, free photos of beautiful art or historical treasures for your blog posts, etc, a good friend cued me that the Met has shifted a huge portion of their collection photos into open use. For example, one of my favorite objects of all time, which I’ve always had to link to but not include the actual photo of in blog posts, is now available. For those of you who’ve read Hand of Fire, you’ll recognize the stag libation cup I put in Briseis’ hands at the festival where she has a vision of Telipinu/Achilles. The stag is one of the key animals associated in Hittite religion with protective gods and goddesses. Here’s the link to the Met’s open collection. Click here for the Met Museum’s image policies and catalogue
The secret chamber in King Tut’s tomb: the search continues. This time Italians from Turin will be on the job. (Turin has an amazing Egypt museum, so they might be the guys for the job.) Will Nefertiti’s untouched possessions come to light? Only the wildest hype can tell. But I do love all of this. Click here for Archaeology News Network “Investigation Using Next Generation Radar Technology To Look For Secret Chamber In Tutankhamun’s Tomb”
Archaeology Magazine has a fascinating article rethinking the Pueblo Revolt against the Spanish. Previously this period was viewed through the lenses of Spanish historical reports with little to no Native side of things incorporated. Now a series of archaeological digs in New Mexico has brought about a rather different way of thinking about those events. Not surprisingly, including Native viewpoints shows a much more powerful and robust response to the Spanish, especially during the decade or more period after the Spanish were driven out and had not returned. I find the relationship between written records and archaeological evidence a fascinating balancing act. It’s just as vital with the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean and Near East. We think of the written word as somehow definitive, but, of course, it’s usually fragmentary and one-sided. Click here for Archaeology Magazine “The First American Revolution”
Amazing what history has to teach us (if by history you mean the balance of history and archaeology together as investigative tools). The traditional “wisdom” re Egyptian history has been that there was a disruptive period in the purity of Egyptian rule when an obscure race called the Hyksos invaded and ruled with an unwelcome hand until the true Egyptians threw them out and restored the proper order. Read this intriguing ASOR blog post to find out how mistaken that view is. Instead the truth lies in a gradual, mutually beneficial economic and cultural interplay between Levantine peoples and Egyptians. The false, violent, and racially hateful version came into being from jealous victors. In our current time, we are seeing many persuaded by a mythology of invading foreigners, both in Europe and the US. We are being told that new economic and cultural input by immigrants somehow equals loss to some perceived racially or religiously superior group. Truth in ancient Egypt turns out to be far, far more complicated and socially beneficial. It’s only taken us a couple millennia to get it sorted accurately… I recommend a careful read. We all owe it to ourselves to use the past as a nuanced, intelligent roadmap to a productive, mutually respectful future. Click here for the American School of Oriental Research blog “Invaders of an Obscure Race: Understanding the Hyksos”