Skip to content
Home » Blog » Page 61

Blog

Two Ruins, Two Lessons

Two sets of ancient ruins—the graceful temple columns rising against the backdrop of shimmering desert sands in honor of the Mesopotamian god Bel, and a Persian mountain fortress containing a possible Zoroastrian fire altar—these disparate places, one in modern Syria and one in northern Afghanistan, reveal two sides of modern archaeology: the allure of beautiful and exotic locations that connect us to the past and the dangers archaeologists face while digging in the midst of wars and conflict.

A Plan or a Mystical Journey?

A blog post about Judith Starkston’s writing projects and a discussion of whether it’s better to work from a planned outline as a writer or go on a magical mystery tour into unknown territory. Also a link to an eloquent discussion of the subject by Alex Shakar.

Writing Fiction: Truth in Imagined Things

The process of writing fiction is an elusive process. The Wall Street Journal’s “Word Craft” column has once again delivered some excellent pearls about the layered truth and the unpredictable force of imagination in writing.

“Digging the Hits of Yesteryear”: The Archaeology of Ancient Music

Have you ever wondered what ancient music sounded like–Stone Age or a Greek bard? An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education reveals a hot new field in archaeology and some amazing discoveries you’ll even be able to listen to.

Carthage, Rome’s Greatest Enemy, Brought Back to Life in a New Book

A Wall Street Journal review of Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles looks at the social milieu of this great civilization, using excellent new archaeological finds to rebuild this empire’s lost history, wiped from memory by the victorious Romans.

Travels in the Ancient Worlds of Greece and Rome

Here are two travel memories. One, a comical, pastoral memory starring an ancient spring, an irate shepherd and two college girls. The second an inspirational memory from a first visit to the Acropolis in Athens. But perhaps these can’t compete with Francis Rocca’s lyrical article describing the joys of visiting the Roman Forum, a place “Where the Ancient Past is Palpably Present”.

A Recent Archaeological Find in Istanbul

Archaeologists have found an 8,000 year old skeleton in Istanbul, the oldest human remains yet found in Turkey. Incredibly, the wooden cover of the coffin was found intact, preserved by black clay below current sea level.

Enter the Bronze Age world of Minoan and Mycenaean Crete

Archaeology Magazine has a fascinating online “interactive dig” based on the Zominthos dig on the Greek island of Crete where there have been some pretty amazing Minoan and Mycenaean Bronze Age finds. Enjoy experiencing the ancient world of Crete almost first hand.

Rethinking “Us vs. Them” the Ancient Greek and Roman Way

Classics professor emeritus, Erich S. Gruen, offers hope that we can overcome our ingrained impulse toward demonizing the “other” through his analysis of Greek, Roman, and Jewish thought in his new book, Rethinking the Other in Antiquity. His argument is briefly laid out in a commentary from the Chronicle of Higher Education.