From My Fantasy Writing Desk:
I should say from my fantasy baking kitchen. I’ve been preparing for this weekend’s two launch signings at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale. Four trays of raspberry Linzer tart cookies stand ready to go. I’ve cut out daggers showing the red jam.
Perhaps I’ll call them swords Friday 7-8 pm for a night of “sword and sorcery” epic fantasy writers: Jen Lyons, Kel Kade and me.
Saturday, 2-3 pm, we’ll be a “murderous” crew of six authors across various genres, mostly murder mysteries, so I’ll sweeten up the crowd with these thematic pastries.
I hope to see you! 4014 N. Goldwater Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ
Archaeology I Enjoyed:
Excavating “the find of the century” in Egypt
A week or two ago I reported the extraordinary find in Egypt of a cache of sealed coffins that they’ve announced as “the find of the century”—which might be hyperbole, but nonetheless it’s impressive. I found this early article about it with photos that show the excavation in action. You can see the stacks of painted coffins piled directly on top of each other like logs in a wood pile. They are beautiful with similarly depicted faces and decoration. This is such a non-standard Egyptian burial treatment, but interestingly, it’s the one that escaped ancient looting. Click here for Archaeology News Network “Cache Of Sealed Coffins Discovered In Necropolis On Luxor’s West Bank”
Intriguing Battlefield Warrior Kit
A Bronze Age warrior’s “kit” has been excavated from a riverbed in what is now Germany. It’s a rare un-looted battlefield find because a river protected it. Most finds are from settlements, hoards or burials.
What I found intriguing was the mention that among the objects this warrior carried, “The fragmented bronze was probably used as a form of early currency.” In periods before coinage or when it was not widespread, there is always the question for me as a fiction writer how to have my characters “pay” for things, especially when they are traveling and not in their usual communities with established barter routines.
Uncoined metal seems the logical choice, but it’s nice to have this guess of mine supported by this excavation. This warrior appears to have some bits of bronze that he used for such.
At least some of the warriors in this battle also came from fairly distant southern parts of Central Europe to fight in “a massive violent conflict in the older Nordic Bronze Age (2000-1200 BC).”