Book Launch at The Poisoned Pen, In Archaeology: King Tut tomb conservation & ceramic horses in Israel

From my Fantasy Writing Desk:

Sunday Feb 24, 2-3 pm Priestess Book Launch at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore

I’m celebrating the publication of Priestess of Ishana with my Phoenix area readers by hosting a book launch party at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore.

I hope you will join me from 2 to 3, Sunday afternoon, February 24.

Beth Cato, author of two knock-out steampunk fantasy series, will join me for an entertaining conversation about books, history, and numerous magical, fantastical topics, moderated by the Pen’s Pat King.

Since both Beth and I (and my husband) are known for our baking, there will be delicious goodies. Everyone is invited. I want to see you there!

Poisoned Pen Bookstore is located at 4014 N Goldwater Blvd #101, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.

Archaeology Posts I enjoyed:

King Tut’s Tomb gets a Makeover

This is refreshingly happy news: The Getty Conservation Institute worked out a preservation plan for King Tut’s tomb. The wall paintings, remaining mummy, gilded coffin and sarcophagus are all going to be a lot safer and long-lived now.

Too many visitors to the small tomb, too much carbon dioxide, humidity and wall bumping caused wreckage. It’s pretty cool to read about all the study they conducted, and then the measures taken to protect the tomb and its contents. Hurrah for the Getty, working in partnership with Egyptian antiquities authorities. I have never been to Egypt (how you might wonder, but it’s true), but I would so love to experience this place.

Click here for Live Science “3,000-Year-Old Tomb of King Tut Finally Restored”  

Ceramic Horse Head Figurines in Israel

Look what the rains washed up in Israel: Hikers looking for mushrooms found an Iron Age, 2,800 years-old, ceramic horse head. Another hiker discovered a 2,200 Hellenistic ceramic horse head with harness and mane.

Both quite lovely, although I like the Iron Age one’s expression (you’ll have to click through to the photo because I don’t have rights to display it). This tiny horse looks full of life and ready to gallop, or maybe if we had the whole body it was caught racing along.

Such horse figurines were apparently common in 1^st millennium BCE Israel and reflect an increase in use of horses. I wonder what the figurines represented to their makers? Ideas? Guesses?

Click here for Times of Israel “Driving rain uncovers 2 rare horse statues, 2,000-years-old, in north of Israel”