Mount Sandel: The Earliest Human Settlement in Ireland
Wrote this paper on the Mesolithic site of Mount Sandel several years ago, and have been meaning to update it for quite some time. Basically, the site is about seven little huts built about 9000 years ago on the river Bann in county Derry. Still is not a lot on the web about this site, however, although I did find some images of the stone tool assemblage and a reconstruction of the huts.
Tags:
Archaeology
Ireland
Mesolithic
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
The Seattle Times: Local News: Octavia Butler, brilliant master of sci-fi, dies at 58
The Seattle Times: Local News: Octavia Butler, brilliant master of sci-fi, dies at 58
Octavia Butler was one of my personal heroes. As an African American female science fiction writer, she was one of a kind and faced an uphill battle to be who she was, full stop. I loved her scifi series, one on a walled utopian community under seige (Clay's Ark, etc), and one on the family of a vampire (Patternmaster); both were of the social science genre and both dealt with emotional and physical slavery, although that word isn't quite right.
But mostly, I loved her essays. In one published in Blood Child in 1996, she wrote describing her career choice and the objections of her friends and family who felt she was wasting her talents. "Positive obsession is about not being able to stop just because you're afraid and full of doubts."
And oh boy did she ever nail it. I'll miss her greatly.
Tags:
Octavia Butler
Science Fiction
Writers
Octavia Butler was one of my personal heroes. As an African American female science fiction writer, she was one of a kind and faced an uphill battle to be who she was, full stop. I loved her scifi series, one on a walled utopian community under seige (Clay's Ark, etc), and one on the family of a vampire (Patternmaster); both were of the social science genre and both dealt with emotional and physical slavery, although that word isn't quite right.
But mostly, I loved her essays. In one published in Blood Child in 1996, she wrote describing her career choice and the objections of her friends and family who felt she was wasting her talents. "Positive obsession is about not being able to stop just because you're afraid and full of doubts."
And oh boy did she ever nail it. I'll miss her greatly.
Tags:
Octavia Butler
Science Fiction
Writers
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Caribbean Rum: A Social and Economic History - Book Review
Caribbean Rum: A Social and Economic History - Book Review
I reviewed this book on my About site, and even though it is clearly a revised dissertation by Frederick Smith, it's a fascinating study of the history of rum and it fits into the Caribbean social milieu. Smith is an archaeologist, and he was working at a site in Barbados about a decade ago when they stumbled across a burial. The workers wanted to pour a libation to keep away the spirits of the dead (called duppies), and Smith was off and running.
Tags:
Archaeology
Caribbean
Alcohol
History
I reviewed this book on my About site, and even though it is clearly a revised dissertation by Frederick Smith, it's a fascinating study of the history of rum and it fits into the Caribbean social milieu. Smith is an archaeologist, and he was working at a site in Barbados about a decade ago when they stumbled across a burial. The workers wanted to pour a libation to keep away the spirits of the dead (called duppies), and Smith was off and running.
Tags:
Archaeology
Caribbean
Alcohol
History
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Sureyya's Journey: A Bump in the Road to an Archaeology Career
Sureyya's Journey: A Bump in the Road to an Archaeology Career
This is the third installment of a series I'm calling Sureyya's journey. I met Sureyya Kose through my bulletin board. She's an IT engineer in Melbourne, Australia (of Turkish descent), who got sucked into archaeology by the interesting things that we find. She's also an interesting writer, and I like encouraging those kinds of folks.
She's been struggling on her own trying to get into archaeology, but not talking to professionals. This month she got a huge setback when she applied to university and was turned down, because she had no coursework outside of IT. I keep trying to get her to contact the local professionals, but I think she's a little afraid to commit.
But, as I say, her level of enthusiasm is pretty high, and her writing is vivid and interesting. I have my hopes that, if she ever actually gets over the 'shock and awe' of talking to real archaeologists about a 'real' career in archaeology, she may indeed enhance our profession.
This is the third installment of a series I'm calling Sureyya's journey. I met Sureyya Kose through my bulletin board. She's an IT engineer in Melbourne, Australia (of Turkish descent), who got sucked into archaeology by the interesting things that we find. She's also an interesting writer, and I like encouraging those kinds of folks.
She's been struggling on her own trying to get into archaeology, but not talking to professionals. This month she got a huge setback when she applied to university and was turned down, because she had no coursework outside of IT. I keep trying to get her to contact the local professionals, but I think she's a little afraid to commit.
But, as I say, her level of enthusiasm is pretty high, and her writing is vivid and interesting. I have my hopes that, if she ever actually gets over the 'shock and awe' of talking to real archaeologists about a 'real' career in archaeology, she may indeed enhance our profession.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Blogging for Archaeology Outreach
Blogging for Archaeology Outreach: The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project Blog
I did a quick interview over the weekend with Aren Maeir, director of the Tell es-Safi project (Biblical Gath), and his new venture - a blog describing the progress of excavations and laboratory analysis. It's difficult for me to believe that no one ever thought of doing this before--but blogging seems like a great way for an excavation group that relies so heavily on volunteers can keep themselves visible.
I did a quick interview over the weekend with Aren Maeir, director of the Tell es-Safi project (Biblical Gath), and his new venture - a blog describing the progress of excavations and laboratory analysis. It's difficult for me to believe that no one ever thought of doing this before--but blogging seems like a great way for an excavation group that relies so heavily on volunteers can keep themselves visible.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Super-Aerial Archaeology
Super-Aerial Archaeology
The Super-Aerial Archaeology blog entry is to a news story about using satellite imagery to find archaeological sites in jungle settings, something that is becoming more common these days. But, the San Bartolo site mentioned here is very familiar to me, because it was the basis of the first article I've ever had published in ScienceNow, on January 6th of this year.
San Bartolo contains a pyramid built in at least six stages between about 400 and 100 BC. The murals recovered from the walls of the pyramid are in absolutely beautiful shape, and one of the earliest (if not the earliest) string of Maya characters was found there. I should be able to post something more substantial on San Bartolo within the next few days.
The link to my article at ScienceNow is posted here, but you have to be a subscriber to read it today:
Maya Writing Got Early Start
Tags:
archaeology
maya
The Super-Aerial Archaeology blog entry is to a news story about using satellite imagery to find archaeological sites in jungle settings, something that is becoming more common these days. But, the San Bartolo site mentioned here is very familiar to me, because it was the basis of the first article I've ever had published in ScienceNow, on January 6th of this year.
San Bartolo contains a pyramid built in at least six stages between about 400 and 100 BC. The murals recovered from the walls of the pyramid are in absolutely beautiful shape, and one of the earliest (if not the earliest) string of Maya characters was found there. I should be able to post something more substantial on San Bartolo within the next few days.
The link to my article at ScienceNow is posted here, but you have to be a subscriber to read it today:
Maya Writing Got Early Start
Tags:
archaeology
maya
Archaeology Books in Progress
Seriously, the stack of books on my shelf waiting to be reviewed is overwhelming. Right now I'm reading Brian Fagan's book, "Writing Archaeology", Todd Bostwick's biography of Byron Cummings, and Frederick Smith's book on the culture and history of Caribbean rum. All interesting, and only a fraction of the stack.
And why I think blogging this will make me feel better about the slow progress is anybody's guess...
And why I think blogging this will make me feel better about the slow progress is anybody's guess...
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Artful Surgery
Artful Surgery
Once every couple of months I get an email from Archaeology magazine about their new postings. Almost every one is worth a look, and it makes me wish I could stretch them out, one every few days or something, to make them last.
But of course, Archaeology magazine would prefer that we all be enticed into buying their latest copy. I, like all good public archaeologists, am a long-time subscriber and fan.
This first post is on a cool little project on a burial in ancient Thrace, where evidence of surgery has been identified dating to the 7th century BC.
Once every couple of months I get an email from Archaeology magazine about their new postings. Almost every one is worth a look, and it makes me wish I could stretch them out, one every few days or something, to make them last.
But of course, Archaeology magazine would prefer that we all be enticed into buying their latest copy. I, like all good public archaeologists, am a long-time subscriber and fan.
This first post is on a cool little project on a burial in ancient Thrace, where evidence of surgery has been identified dating to the 7th century BC.
Baltic Amber Trade
Baltic Amber Trade
I caught the special on the PBS channel NOVA last night hosted by David Attenborough on amber, something I've always thought was a intensely fascinating substance. It reminded me I had a tiny glossary entry on About Archaeology that doesn't really do justice to the amber trade. Several years ago, I saw a baltic amber necklace on sale in a junk shop, but couldn't come up with the money to buy it. I've regretted it ever since.
Baltic amber was one of the most important trade items for much of prehistory, the reasons for which become very clear in Attenborough's program.
I caught the special on the PBS channel NOVA last night hosted by David Attenborough on amber, something I've always thought was a intensely fascinating substance. It reminded me I had a tiny glossary entry on About Archaeology that doesn't really do justice to the amber trade. Several years ago, I saw a baltic amber necklace on sale in a junk shop, but couldn't come up with the money to buy it. I've regretted it ever since.
Baltic amber was one of the most important trade items for much of prehistory, the reasons for which become very clear in Attenborough's program.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Persepolis Stairway Revealed
Persepolis Stairway Revealed
I just started listening to CAIS in the last couple of months; it seems as if Iran is stepping up their archaeological reporting, because they report new stuff at least once a day. This photo is from archaeologist Shirley Schermer, who gave me gobs of photographs of Persepolis from a trip she took a couple of years ago. Someday I'll get time to get those photos posted.
I just started listening to CAIS in the last couple of months; it seems as if Iran is stepping up their archaeological reporting, because they report new stuff at least once a day. This photo is from archaeologist Shirley Schermer, who gave me gobs of photographs of Persepolis from a trip she took a couple of years ago. Someday I'll get time to get those photos posted.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Reporters Find Science Journals Harder to Trust, but Not Easy to Verify - New York Times
Reporters Find Science Journals Harder to Trust, but Not Easy to Verify - New York Times
This story in the NYT is something to consider; a report based on the fallout from the Dr. Hwang Woo Suk cloning scandal. It points out that the newspapers and science journals are being duped, and recommends that science reporters start building in a layer of scepticism; what we called 'crap detecting' when I took mass communications in college.
This is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to exercise. How many science reporters know enough about a topic to write accurately on a subject in the first place? I know as I begin to write on broader and broader subjects outside of my expertise in archaeology, I can only rely on what background and good sense I have to figure out what makes a good story, and then chase down appropriately external reviewers for their comments. But if the journal editors and outside sources are also taken in by studies, how are we, your humble science reporters, to know?
The interesting problem is, as one scientist said to me recently, there are already fewer and fewer scientists who are willing to talk to science reporters because of a lack of trust. This scandal may increase the difficulty in getting good science stories into the public domain.
Ah well. Nobody said science journalism was going to be easy. Maybe this is a signal for the need to increase niche reporting.
This story in the NYT is something to consider; a report based on the fallout from the Dr. Hwang Woo Suk cloning scandal. It points out that the newspapers and science journals are being duped, and recommends that science reporters start building in a layer of scepticism; what we called 'crap detecting' when I took mass communications in college.
This is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to exercise. How many science reporters know enough about a topic to write accurately on a subject in the first place? I know as I begin to write on broader and broader subjects outside of my expertise in archaeology, I can only rely on what background and good sense I have to figure out what makes a good story, and then chase down appropriately external reviewers for their comments. But if the journal editors and outside sources are also taken in by studies, how are we, your humble science reporters, to know?
The interesting problem is, as one scientist said to me recently, there are already fewer and fewer scientists who are willing to talk to science reporters because of a lack of trust. This scandal may increase the difficulty in getting good science stories into the public domain.
Ah well. Nobody said science journalism was going to be easy. Maybe this is a signal for the need to increase niche reporting.
Yeti Researcher - Society for Cryptic Hominid Investigation
Yeti Researcher - Society for Cryptic Hominid Investigation
Thanks to my brother for passing along this issue of McSweeney's. This faux journal about big foot research is a real hoot for archaeologists and paleontologists of all stripes, with articles in it referring to real archaeology studies such as Flores Man (the Hobbit) and Russ Ciochon's Gigantopithecus studies.
The Yeti Researcher is just one of several parts of McSweeney's Issue 17, which is apparently the contents of Sgt Maria Vasquez's mailbox in August 2005.
Thanks to my brother for passing along this issue of McSweeney's. This faux journal about big foot research is a real hoot for archaeologists and paleontologists of all stripes, with articles in it referring to real archaeology studies such as Flores Man (the Hobbit) and Russ Ciochon's Gigantopithecus studies.
The Yeti Researcher is just one of several parts of McSweeney's Issue 17, which is apparently the contents of Sgt Maria Vasquez's mailbox in August 2005.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Kilwa Kisiwani - Medieval Trade Center of Africa
Kilwa Kisiwani - Medieval Trade Center of Africa
I wrote this article on Kilwa, geeze, years ago, but it continues to get pretty good traffic. So, I thought, in honor of Black History Month, I'd get it out, dust it off and take a look at it again. With a pretty groovy 16th century map from the Historic Cities Project at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I'd seen their website before, but had forgotten just how useful it is!
I wrote this article on Kilwa, geeze, years ago, but it continues to get pretty good traffic. So, I thought, in honor of Black History Month, I'd get it out, dust it off and take a look at it again. With a pretty groovy 16th century map from the Historic Cities Project at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I'd seen their website before, but had forgotten just how useful it is!
Thursday, February 09, 2006
New Kingdom Tomb Found
New Kingdom Tomb Found
Nicole Hansen is doing an incredible job keeping on top of this New Kingdom tomb story, lots of chat on her forum on the news items leaking out of the Arabic press.
Nicole Hansen is doing an incredible job keeping on top of this New Kingdom tomb story, lots of chat on her forum on the news items leaking out of the Arabic press.
The First Africans....
I just finished editing a report for Archaeology at About on a site in the town of Campeche in the Yucatan peninsula. One problem I have is trying to get feedback from academics who are already too busy, and often times the feedback comes after I've published. I really need to figure out what is a fair amount of time to wait for feedback.
Africans in the New World
The main difference between the article as I published it and the article today, is that instead of calling the article "the first African Americans" it is more properly "Early Africans in America". Fact is, the site is still (as far as I know) the first skeletal remains of African people who can be proved to have been born in the Americas. It's a matter of semantics, of course--but...
I've already heard from folks who want to argue that the Olmec civilization is descended from Africans, which I'm afraid is still not proven archaeologically. It's one of those alternative archaeology theories I'm not entirely comfortable discussing. Am I a scientist or a public archaeologist? Who knew there was (has to be) a difference?
Africans in the New World
The main difference between the article as I published it and the article today, is that instead of calling the article "the first African Americans" it is more properly "Early Africans in America". Fact is, the site is still (as far as I know) the first skeletal remains of African people who can be proved to have been born in the Americas. It's a matter of semantics, of course--but...
I've already heard from folks who want to argue that the Olmec civilization is descended from Africans, which I'm afraid is still not proven archaeologically. It's one of those alternative archaeology theories I'm not entirely comfortable discussing. Am I a scientist or a public archaeologist? Who knew there was (has to be) a difference?
Why in the World Would I Do This?
Aren't there enough blogs in the world about archaeology? Ah, but here I plan to wage war against my own nature and chat more personally about what writing for the public about science, specifically but not limited to archaeology, means to, uh, me.
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