by fljustice | Jul 24, 2011 | History in the News
History in the News:
Bible Stories, Recovered Artifacts and “Raiders” Turns 30
1C Relief in British Museum
You can’t kick a stone in the Middle East without uncovering an artifact. It’s an archaeologist’s paradise and a diplomat’s nightmare. When it comes to biblical-related stories, there’s always a furor. Does this artifact “prove” Jesus lived or does this inscription substantiate the story of David and Goliath? The past couple of months provided several stories touching on biblical narratives. The trend in returning looted artifacts to their rightful home is continuing with a couple of good news stories. Finally, it’s been thirty years since Indiana Jones made archaeology sexy in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” But Dr. Jones preferred a bull whip and pistol to scientific methods. We’ll see what scientific innovations have evolved since Indy’s time. First story in our lineup: the city of Shekhem; supposedly the final burial site of Joseph of the many-colored coat. (more…)
by fljustice | Mar 4, 2011 | History in the News
Ramesses II statue. Photo courtesy of Dr. Hawass’ site.
Several weeks ago, I posted about the chaos in Cairo and Alexandria and what was being done to protect the museums. The Egyptian people rose to the occasion and protected their heritage in the cities. But things are looking grim at the more remote archaeological sites. Here’s the latest report from Dr. Hawass: (more…)
by fljustice | Jan 21, 2011 | History, History in the News
History in the News:
Cleopatra’s Needle, New Human Cousins and Bog Bodies
Cleopatra’s Needle, 1901
One of the delights of living in NYC is Central Park. It’s not only a green space and refuge for weary urbanites, it’s the site of many monuments; some are gifts from other countries. One of the most magnificent is the 3,500-year-old granite obelisk commemorating King Thutmose III, commonly known as Cleopatra’s Needle, situated on a rise in back of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This ancient artifact is one of a pair originally situated in Heliopolis, Egypt. The Romans moved them in 12 B.C. to adorn a temple in Alexandria. In 1877, the Khedive of Egypt gave one of the obelisks to the US. It was erected in Central Park in 1881 after an epic two and half year journey. It has sat in the New York climate ever since. Zahi Hawass, the secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, recently posted on his blog a letter he sent to the Central Park Conservancy and Mayor Bloomberg, complaining about lack of proper care for the monument. He said, “I will take the necessary steps to bring this precious artifact home and save it from ruin.” The hieroglyphics are significantly eroded and many people believe the weathering occurred during the last century. The Conservancy denies that the monument has been neglected. This blog post uses photos to show the obelisk was already in poor shape when it arrived. Dr. Hawass is probably in error about when the erosion happened, but his complaint may spur the city and the Conservancy to make sure it doesn’t deteriorate further. I’ll update this post if the controversy continues. (Link to original article.) (more…)
by fljustice | Dec 1, 2010 | History in the News
History in the News:
Italy’s Woes, Roman Recycling and Forensic Genetics
The Gates of Nineveh
The recession is hitting our historical heritage hard. Governments all over the world are cutting back on staff, delaying maintenance on existing sites, allowing sites to “disappear” in the name of progress or jobs. National Geographic has a slide show of twelve ancient landmarks on the verge of vanishing. Many of the stories in this round-up are touched by the money factor. We’ll start with Italy’s woes. (more…)
by fljustice | Sep 21, 2010 | History in the News
History in the News:
Turkey’s Troubles, Looted Artifacts, and Climate Change
It’s another month and another History in the News Round-up. And yes, you read right–climate change is part of the picture, revealing artifacts frozen in glaciers and historical sites in drought-stricken lands. The stories in this installment all have a political aspect whether it’s a country petitioning another for a looted museum piece or a country’s proposals to destroy its own heritage over the objections of its citizens. We’ll start with Turkey’s troubles. (more…)
