The Great Big Blog of Everything

This is going to be a sort of reference and resource repository/database for everyone to use, and a place to ask questions relating to just about anything other than math. Feel free to ask, I'm willing to help.

[nephbit]

[greek-museums]

Archaeological Museum of Patra

Another detail from the mosaic with the fishing cupids This pair stands on a boat, and is drawing a net with their catch. (introductory post here)

From the atrium of a Roman villa in Patras. In the centre of the atrium there was an octagonal fountain of green marble. A large part of the mosaic was destroyed by a subsequent grave, probably Early Christian.

A mosaic of exceptional artistic quality, it is distinguished by its subtle tesserae (mosaic tiles) which create a pictorial effect.

The scene is surrounded by floral and geometrical decorations. In the middle there are representations of sea life - with fish and crustaceans. Three cupids can be seen fishing. One of them on the left is riding a dolphin, restraining it with a rein, while holding a trident on his right hand. The other two cupids on the right are standing on a small boat and fishing with nets.

2nd-3rd cent. A.D

Some of the geometrical details framing the scene:

And now a word from your sponsor about the process of photographing these exhibits. You might be tempted to think there is flash involved in all of the photography but lol absolutely not - because a) flash is forbidden it does damage to the exhibits and b) flash is forbidden and the museum guard will kill you without trial if they see you use it.

All of these, especially works of “painting” who are very delicate, are usually exhibited in the dimmest of lights, and I work for several hours on each to restore the white balance and enhance the colors in such a way where the overall image comes through clearly without altering the hue or the value of the colors. And I do that, so that the final photograph can be usable to the study of the exhibited artefact. 

In some photography, I also choose to preserve some of the museum ambience and for authenticity’s sake I also try to preserve the discoloration and chromatic damage.

I am saying that so that you will never try to use flash with an archaeological exhibit because you might think I am using flash, or any other special lighting, and to also let you know that working on the content of this blog is an arduous process and novelty beverages make this ten times better.

So consider chipping in my bubble tea fund: https://ko-fi.com/isabia

[lionofchaeronea]

Marble relief of a physician named Jason, also known as Decimus, treating a patient.  Artist unknown; 2nd cent. CE.  From Athens; now in the British Museum.  Photo credit: Carole Raddato.

[greek-museums]

Archaeological Museum of Patra:

Mosaic floor with a representation of the goddess Aphrodite in the centre.

From a room in a Roman villa, located at Psila Alonia Square in Patras. The marble threshold to the room has also been preserved and can be seen on one of the long sides (at the right).

The goddess Aphrodite is depicted in the centre of the mosaic floor. She is holding a mirror decorated with the head of Medusa on the outside, which she has taken from an open box on the table. A pair of doves, a symbol of love and fidelity, are depicted on a parapet above the table. At the feet of the goddess a cupid is bending over in order to serve her. Behind her, a curtain attached to a pillar can be seen blowing in the breeze.

The whole scene is surrounded by a wavy band, with a chain of lozenges along its two long sides. Geometrical patterns of overlapping circles above and below, as well as symetrically placed squares complete the decoration. An arbor can be seen on the right, while the whole  floor is surrounded by guilloche pattern.

Aphrodite’s naked body was covered with a dress, after new work was carried out on the mosaic during early Christian times*.

It dates from the 2nd cent. A.D

* A lot of mosaics from Patra appear to have been reworked at some point, which indicates that a building was preserved for a long time in Patra, and that it could belong to multiple generations - Patra, like Athens is one of those cities with continuous human presence through history.

What fascinated me when I first saw this mosaic was its stylistic likeness to paintings from the School of Fontainebleau (16th century)  - particularly scenes that evoke Venus at her Toilet, you can find several such mosaics from the Roman period of the Mediterranean. 

The thing is we always knew that during  the Renaissance, a new interest in the past and archaeology brought about secular painting, but not only did artists figuratively mine antiquity for its subjects. They did so literally, by observing scenes of ancient painting from newly discovered artifacts and burrowing their visual glossary.

At some point Venus became any beautiful woman, and the beautiful woman became the personified Vanity in the moralizing scenes of the 17th century and on. Three or four constants appear throughout the tranfiguration of the same scene: the nude woman, the mirror, the box, the stooping servant. 

Some paintings from the School of Fontainebleau for reference:

Consider supporting this blog - for even more rad takes: https://ko-fi.com/isabia

[gahdamnpunk]

How you gonna loan something that doesn’t belong to you in the first place? Peak caucasity

[kaijutegu]

A lot of people who are reblogging and commenting on this don’t understand what’s happening here. The term “loan” in museum parlance doesn’t mean what you think it does. As someone who’s worked in museums on repatriation (giving stuff back) projects, let me demonstrate why this isn’t audacious caucasity, but is actually going to be highly beneficial for the Nigerian museum in the long run and will probably lead to more looted objects given back to their African countries of origin.

This is going to be a long post, but it’s important because this is the kind of thing that really needs public support. It’s not “oh, let’s compromise! we’ll share! ;).” It’s the first step in a multi-step process that is going to likely end in total repatriation for most (if not all- Britain, as per usual when it comes to artifacts, is being a shit) of the looted bronzes.

So. Why short-term loans and not just giving stuff back? Well, the first thing you need to realize is that this going to set a multinational legal precedent. This can’t be a quick process because that leaves more room for error in favor of the European institutions- which we know can happen because that is what happened with some of the repatriation laws in the US. When NAGPRA, the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act, was passed in 1990, museums were given five years to inventory their collections and identify which of the federally recognized tribes objects originated from. As a result of this short timeline, massive quantities of Native American artifacts were labeled as being culturally unidentifiable and as such technically immune to repatriation. That means a lot of Native American artifacts and even remains, despite being federally required to go back, have been loopholed into staying in museums. It essentially created a legal way for museums to ignore the law, and some museums have really abused the hell out of this loophole. This needs to not happen with the European repatriation practices. If repatriation is going to happen in the best way, you have to take careful steps. 

The loan agreements are best summed up by this quote from the Benin Dialogue Group: “This event occurs within a wider context and does not imply that Nigerian partners have waived claims for the eventual return of works of art removed from the Royal Court of Benin, nor have the European museums excluded the possibility of such returns.”

People are missing this, I think, because they don’t understand what repatriation actually is and how it works. There’s a lot of moving parts! Museum repatriation isn’t just “hey we took these, now here you go.” Repatriation takes into account fragility of the artifacts- if we ship them back now, will we be handing their actual owners a pile of dust?- as well as who actually has the best claim to them. That doesn’t mean “which European museum claims them,” it means “hey, Europe and America REALLY FCKED UP AFRICAN SOCIOPOLITICAL GROUPS due to chattel slavery and the way the Scramble for Africa divided the continent.” But more on that in a sec. First, there’s something really important to understand about European museums.

In many European countries, there’s not actually a protocol in place for giving stuff back. There should be, but there isn’t- and as such, this is something that’s very new for a lot of museums. In fact, in some cases, it’s illegal for museums to divest their collections, which is not a fair set of laws- but it means that loans are a way around this. Isn’t the most important thing getting the objects back in their place of origin so that the artists’ descent communities have access to them? (I personally think that’s the most important thing. Possession is nine tenths of the law, so once the bronzes are home, then we can argue the law.) 

This also isn’t a case of giving something back to an individual- it’s giving something back to a country and the culture from whence it came. You can’t just go to the Nigerian embassy and hand the first staffer you see a bunch of art and artifacts- museum people have to be very careful about the transfer. This is true on both sides of the equation. Repatriation also has to take into account who the stuff should belong to. 

For instance: Why are the Benin bronzes going back to Nigeria, when Benin the country is still extant? Because they were looted from Benin City, which is in modern-day Nigeria, which happened because African national borders are also relics of colonialism. Country lines were, by and large, not decided by African peoples; they were settled by Europeans during their pillaging of the continent for resources. Loans mean that these items can be displayed in Africa, for African people, while the details of permanent homing are figured out.

That leads us to the next thing people aren’t getting: These loans aren’t like borrowing a book from the library. Items aren’t being loaned to an individual, and there’s not a due date. In many cases, loans are actually more convenient than artifact transfers. There’s a lot of big-picture stuff to look at here, and for a brand new institution that’s not even built yet, loans make so much more sense than an actual transference of ownership for the first couple of years. Why? Logistics. 

The Nigerian museum will be brand new, and as such, will be in the process of establishing its collection protocols, including rules about preservation (how will they store and care for the artifacts that aren’t on display? if you’re a new museum, you gotta decide that for yourself!), cataloging, and information coherence. Part of the point of museums is to keep information together. Every museum has its own system for this, and if they just straight-up adopted a European database system, they’d be using systems of categorization are based on colonial ideas of classification and hierarchy, using ethnic/social affiliations decided by European colonizers and largely bare of the language that African peoples describe themselves with. (I’ve seen these databases. It’s not pretty.) So they’ll adapt their own system, and then that’s where we get to the data entry part- which can take literal years for even a small collection. See, once something enters a museum collection, data’s attached to it- who put it there, where they got it- and as it continues to exist in a museum collection, data accumulates. “Loaning” stuff back for a short period actually takes some of the burden off the Nigerian museum because the stuff will remain in the European museums’ system while the Nigerian museum builds up its database. Give the Nigerian museum some time- as they grow physically and develop their systems, they’ll be better equipped to permanently house these artifacts. Which they will.

And this really is literal, I can’t stress that enough. This isn’t a “Oh, the African museum won’t have the resources, we’d better hold on to the stuff for them” patronizing thing, this is a “literally this museum is not finished yet, decisions about cataloging and storage have not yet been made” thing. 

Physical storage is another Big Deal for why the European museums are agreeing to loans rather than outright repatriation. There is a TON OF LOOTED STUFF. The three-year rotating loan system means that for the first time, the looted artifacts will be able to be seen at home. But the looted artifacts aren’t going to be the only thing in this museum! Nigerian art didn’t stop happening after the 1800s- this museum is going to be a celebration of modern African art as well, and pre-1800s art. Loans mean that while the museum is building that storage space, they can display different objects without worrying about where to put them when they want to cycle in new bronzes. Museum buildings don’t spring out of the ground overnight. Safe, climate-controlled storage doesn’t blossom with the dew. Like, give them some time. These loans are a two-way street. If the Nigerian art museum didn’t like the terms and conditions, they wouldn’t have agreed to them. France was willing to give more- hell, the French side of the consortium has put new legislation in place to sidestep French laws about museums not being allowed to divest their collections so that they could just give things to Nigeria instead of doing loans. But the new Nigerian museum had agency and made decisions, too. They want these loans. 

And then another thing: Different European museums and countries have different opinions about cooperation. This is one of the most complex repatriation cases to ever exist because we have multiple international governments who all contributed to the looting, and all of whom have different ideas about what they’re responsible for.  France is leading the charge here- both their government and the French museum world considers it a major priority to permanently return West African artifacts. On the other hand, the British Museum and the V and A don’t treat repatriation as something worth doing, let alone a priority. Is this fair? Nope. It’s another miserable piece of the British Empire’s legacy, but realistically speaking- who can make them give stuff back? It took substantial public outcry to get the British museum on board with this, because colonizers are the ones who make the rules about what they do with the stuff they took. Germany, too, is agreeing to permanent loans, but there’s a definite sense of colonial expectations and arbitrary standards for what African museums “”“”“”“deserve”“”“”“” to have artifacts back. The idea of loans makes true repatriation more palatable to these old institutions- which I know a lot of people think don’t deserve to exist- but they do. They do exist, and they need to be held accountable for what they’ve done and what they’re doing. Even if you don’t like the term loan, this is an incredible step towards returning looted objects to their places of origin permanently. If the three-year rotating loan system works, it will be proof of concept that European museums can give things back in an equitable way.  Loans of this nature are new and unprecedented, and are more than just borrowing things or patronizingly pretending to return items- but really, they’re still the colonizers’. These loans are the first step forward towards equitable looting restitutions. Even though the language- just the term “loan”- is upsetting to some, these loans have the potential and likelihood to turn into something permanent and quite wonderful.

[archaeologistproblems]

So I bring up OSHA sometimes not to be pedantic but because archaeologists have literally died due to unsupported soil profiles. If you are being asked to dig past what you feel is a safe depth, please ask your employer to install safety measures. In Canada, do not dig beyond 1.2m (4ft) vertically without stepping back 1.2m or sloping the sides. In the U.S., it’s 1.5m (5ft). In Canada, you are legally permitted to refuse unsafe work and your employer is not allowed to punish you for doing so. Hopefully the same is true in the States.

[chaotic-archaeologist]

It’s not something that your employer is supposed to do, but they rely on your sense of dedication and loyalty when asking you to do so.

[archaeo-geek]

As an archaeologist with 10 years experience, 4 of which have been as the company VP in a supervisory capacity, let me tell you - if an employer asks you to do something with a serious but preventable risk, and does not take steps to reduce the risk to minimal first, that employer is a dick. Know your rights!

[archaeo-geek]

And by the way I’m speaking as a consultant archaeologist here. If there’s an unsafe work condition, I don’t ask someone beneath me to work through it - I go to my client who has hired me, tell them the risk, and explain to them either why the work can’t be completed in these conditions and the plan needs to be altered, or why I will need to charge extra for additional safety equipment for my crew (trench support, asbestos masks, environmental monitoring equipment, etc). If I am hired by a company to do their job, then they are my employer, and it’s also their legal responsibility to ensure that I an my staff can do the work safely.

[archaeologistproblems]

Reblogged this to the personal blog by accident. Reblogging here so I can grump about safety to a wider audience. :) 

[mylordshesacactus]

welp

might as well make my shame public

I just (FINALLY) got the audio to work so. I have submitted this. To my Humanities professor. For a grade. On purpose.

[mylordshesacactus]

Do y’all remember this. I just got my grade back and this abomination unto god and man earned me a 90% in an academic college course at a respected research university.

I finished the class with a 97%.

This video earned me my Fine Arts graduation requirement.

[mylordshesacactus]

It’s been a long time since I brought back Gilga’mesh Darkness Dementia Raven Way: Humanity’s First OC and I had an emotionally exhausting day and I figured, why not be fucking weird again and chase away all the followers I’ve gotten over the past several years.

[allthingslinguistic]

“Folks, there’s nothing left from the Linguistics division. We lost all the indigenous languages collection: the recordings since 1958, the chants in all the languages for which there are no native speakers alive anymore, the Curt Niemuendaju archives: papers, photos, negatives, the original ethnic-historic-linguistic map localizing all the ethnic groups in Brazil, the only record that we had from 1945. The ethnological and archeological references of all ethnic groups in Brazil since the 16th century… An irreparable loss of our historic memory. It just hurts so much to see all in ashes.”

— Cira Gonda, translated by Diogo Almeida, about the fire at Brazil’s National Museum.  

[aelin-lovelace]

This is a tragedy. I know I have some folks that are indigenous or who work with indigenous languages and cultures. The Brazil Natural Museum folks are trying to reach out to anyone that might have pictures, documents, anything, in hopes of being able to rebuild at least something.

Mutuals, can you please reblog this even if it’s not really in line with your blog theme? This is really important and deserves to get spread around. Information and knowledge like this should not be lost, and this, well, I can’t think of a better word except tragedy. :(

[archaeologicalnews]

Scan technique reveals secret writing in mummy cases

Researchers in London have developed scanning techniques that show what is written on the papyrus that mummy cases are made from.

These are the decorated boxes into which the wrapped body of the deceased was placed before it was put in a tomb.

They are made from scraps of papyrus which were used by ancient Egyptians for shopping lists or tax returns.

The technology is giving historians a new insight into everyday life in ancient Egypt.

The hieroglyphics found on the walls of the tombs of the Pharaohs show how the rich and powerful wanted to be portrayed. It was the propaganda of its time.

The new technique gives Egyptologists access to the real story of Ancient Egypt, according to Prof Adam Gibson of University College London, who led the project. Read more.

[archaeologicalnews]

Iraqi Kurdistan site reveals evolution towards the first cities of Mesopotamia

Researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have revealed the latest archaeological discoveries on the origins and consolidation of the first farming societies in Upper Mesopotamia, in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The research is the result of a project conducted by an interdisciplinary team under the leadership of professors Anna Gómez Bach and Miquel Molist, from the UAB Department of Prehistory. The area had been closed off since the 1990s to archaeological research and the UAB is the only research team from Spain participating in the dig.

After many years working in Syria and Turkey, where all work was halted due to the military instability of the area, the research team coordinated by professor Miquel Molist continues to study the origins and consolidation of the first farming societies, in this case in the most eastern part of Upper Mesopotamia. Read more.

[thetwistedrope]

Dictionary of dead language complete after 90 years - BBC News

A full dictionary of the extinct language of ancient Mesopotamia has been completed after 90 years of work.

Assyrian and Babylonian - dialects of the language collectively known as Akkadian - have not been spoken for almost 2,000 years. The entire dictionary costs $1,995 (£1,230; 1,400 euros), but is also available for free online - a far cry from the dictionary’s low-tech beginnings.

[geminusrufus]

Well there goes my plans for the next always

[viohra]

I MUST HAVE

[yuk-tepat]

Hold on - I can pay $2000 or have it for free?

[archaeologicalnews]

Miniature 'Hobbit' Humans Had Even Smaller Ancestors

Ancestors of the mysterious extinct human lineage nicknamed “hobbits” may have been discovered, a new study finds.

The newfound individuals may have been even littler than the hobbits, and date much further back in time (from some 700,000 years ago), scientists added. This suggests these ancestors may have shrunk rapidly after reaching the islands where the hobbits lived, the scientists said. Those islands include Flores, where the hobbit remains were originally found.

“These are priceless treasures that provide the first real insight into the evolutionary history of the mysterious ‘hobbits’ of Flores,” said Adam Brumm, an archaeologist at Griffith University in Nathan, Australia, and co-lead author of one of two studies on the new finding published in the June 9 issue of the journal Nature. Read more.

[alphacaeli]

Cave Women: Jill Heinerth and Elen Feuerriegel, The Conversation - BBC World Service

Two women who go deep underground in the name of science and discovery

Jill Heinerth and I talk about the challenges of caving, the spirit of scientific exploration, and Homo naledi with Kim Chakanetsa on BBC The Conversation. Jill is one of the world’s leading cave divers and pretty much the coolest person on this planet (or under it!) in my opinion, so talking with her was an incredible honour.

Check out The Conversation’s other podcasts to listen to women from all walks of life talking about what they do best.

(Run time: 27 minutes)

[anthropologydaily]

The MEGA Anthropology Tumblr List!

Please add your own anthropology based blog to the list :)

Anthropology Adventures

Anthropology Stories

Anthropology, My Dear Watson

Archaeoart

Archaeological News

Colorado State University Anthropology Department

Fuck Yeah Anthropology!

Fuck Yeah Forensic Anthropology

Gwebarchaeology

L’Enfant Sauvage

Musings of an Anthropology Student

Society for the Anthropology of Europe

The Anthropology Chronicles 

The Archaeological Society of South Carolina

The Bearded Archaeologist

The Geek Anthropologist

Theolduvaigorge

Virtual Artifacts

[anthmusings]

I was about to add mine but was very pleasantly surprised to see I am already there. Some very fantastic blogs on here, if you enjoy the little bits I post you should definitely check out some of these too. 

[zomganthro]

I’m actually a little disappointed in this list; you forgot so many great ones. Well, of course I have to add my favourites! (sorry if I forget you)

zomganthro

literaryethnography

Oosik (Arctic and zooarch bias)

valdantherthal (also personal)

trowelblazers (includes paleontology and geology)

alphacaeli (also personal)

theladygoogle (also personal)

archaeoillustration

drkristlynn (paleoanthropology and also personal)

ancientart

anthrocentric

victoriafolgueria (conservation studies)

ROMkids (all things museum with some anthro)

arcticmuseum (obviously arctic bias)

ruralarchaeologist (fieldwork photos/vlog and grad school)

jangojips (zooarch bias and personal blog)

processarch (CRM bias)

redintoothandclaw (personal blog with arctic and native bias)

westerndigs

This is just a list of who I’m following at the moment. Please add more!

[nathanlents]

Could I humbly suggest my blog: www.thehumanevolutionblog.com 

It’s more about biology and evolution, but always with an eye toward human origins, the most fascinating subject (to me) of our time. Anthropology, the study of humanity, would could be more relevant and interesting???

[random-anthropology]

Reblogging because I was looking for this list a few weeks ago.

Adding my blog to the list: http://random-anthropology.tumblr.com/.  I treat it as my personal blog but I reblog articles relevant to the four sub-fields of anthropology: cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology, and linguistics. I have a bias towards First Nations cultures and archaeology…and foxes.

[ruralarchaeologist]

whenever this list comes up again it makes me smile

[anthrocentric]

Likewise :D Follow the anthro community! Let us all be friends.

[archaeologicalnews]

Pre-Roman tomb unearthed in Pompeii

A rare pre-Roman tomb has been unearthed in Pompeii, shedding new light on life at the site in the fourth century BC.

The tomb dates to the time of the Samnites, an Italic people living in south-central Italy who fought against the Romans. It was found by surprise during a dig led by a French archaeological team from the Jean Bèrard centre in Naples.

The team have already made several notable discoveries – including an exceptionally well preserved pottery workshop - but this latest could outdo them all.

“It is an exceptional find for Pompeii because it throws light on the pre-Roman city about which we know so very little,” said Massimo Osanna, the archaeological superintendent of Pompeii. Read more.

[lasterfox]

a 4,000 year-old astronomical table found on the underside of a coffin lid in egypt shows deities of the skies and offerings to gods in the center. the flanking columns each list stars that astronomers monitored during a given week of the year. 

– “stars of the dead,” scientific american, october 2015 issue

[lesbianvioladewynter-moved]

when in doubt, blame orlais

commvndershepvrd (via commvndershepvrd)