I traveled last week to Baltimore and DC, seeing a number of our core American “famous locations,” including one starring George Washington. I found a timely reminder as well as an enjoyable experience. So this week I’m leaping forward in history from my usual Bronze Age posts.
My review of a sub-genre of historical fiction that I don’t usually read. From the bare-chested cover and the mention of a duke in the title, you may have guessed this is Regency romance, but with a shapeshifter fantasy twist. A light and humorous read for fun.
The Ishtar Gate of Babylon is one of the more iconic archaeological features of the ancient Near East. Built in the 6th century BCE, it has taken on a variety of meanings over the centuries. And it depicts a gorgeous procession of lions, bulls, and dragons. Check out how one monument provides so many different views.
Significant differences between the DNA of the men and women excavated on the Orkney Islands reveals a possible answer to why Bronze Age life came when and how it did to these islands off Scotland. The tales bones tell!
In Secrets of the Nile, Tasha Alexander brings readers another twisty plot on a trip up the Nile in a troubled Egypt during British colonial rule. A Victorian whodunnit that keeps the pages turning. I had fun with this review.
Amalia Carosella, one of my favorite authors working in the genre of mythic retelling, has just launched a novella, The Lion of Troezen, that focuses on Aethra, the often forgotten mother of Theseus, and her affair with Poseidon. I’m giving her the stage today with a guest post that reveals how passionate Amalia is about Greek mythology and the gods.
Some of the most beautiful ancient artifacts are cosmetic containers and utensils. The “swimming-girl spoons” from Egypt have always appealed to me for their grace, so I was delighted to find out what their mythic significance might have been and their ongoing legacy. I wish my dressing table had anything this lovely!
Here’s my review of an outstanding historical novel that I read with an especially alert writerly eye, for reasons I explain in my post. The Wool Translator involves characters from medieval England, Paris, Bruges, Granada, and elsewhere who, at first, seem impossibly unrelated. Part of the enjoyment of this book is how they all come together into one plot, even though everyone wants to keep them apart. This is a good one.
Feeling like some yummy lamb recipes? I created these with ingredients available to my Bronze Age characters.
I’m struck by how often in my research–like when I read about this 5,000-year-old tavern in Mesopotamia–I discover signs that ancient people share a lot in common with us today. Moreover, this seemingly ordinary tavern’s excavation wreaked havoc on the prevailing theory of social structure in this ancient city. So much came from 19″ below the ground!
