A comment yesterday on Stanford’s decision to abandon the installation of the Oppenheim sculpture “Device to root out evil”. [Link] Why, might I ask, did you invite the Scotty (ed – Stanford’s Dean of Religious Life) into the process? What possible influence should he have on whether a work of art is or is not…
cultural politics
Cleveland Art Museum – another case of dodgy dealing in the art market?
Another major museum may well be supporting the illicit trade in dodgy (stolen, looted, even fake) works of art. (See my comment in February on the Metropolitan in New York and some major collections of Graeco-Roman art – [Link]) CLEVELAND (AP) – Some archeologists say the Cleveland Museum of Art may encourage smuggling and the…
“The massacre of Mesopotamian archaeology”
More reports of the damage done to cultural heritage in the Middle East in The Daily Star (Lebanon) NASIRIYA, Iraq: In the southern Iraq desert, the standing structures of ancient archaeological cities dot the horizon – majestic monuments to times long gone.? Untouched for thousands of years, historic temples, palaces, tombs and entire dead cities…
land, community, heritage and Wal-Mart at Teotihuacan
Great comment from Meg (Butler) on past-present relationships in Mexico. [Link][Link][Link][Link]
is ethnic identity genetic?
August 27 – DNAPrint Launches EURO-DNA(TM) 1.0 DNAPrint genomics has announced today that it has launched EURO-DNA(TM) 1.0, the world’s first genetic test for determining intracontinental subpopulation (i.e. “ethnic”) admixture. EURO-DNA(TM) 1.0 provides customers their percentages of Northern European, Southeast European (Mediterranean), Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry. Price for new customers – $399 –…
Apparatus of Scholarship
Thanks to the many friends and colleagues who have emailed me or commented on my piece about Jennifer Wallace’s new book Digging the Dirt – and particularly Jennifer for responding so thoughfully. [Link] The book is well-written and a good read. But Jennifer, I complained, doesn’t indicate her sources and complementary discussion of her topic…