If you live in Arizona and are looking for something fun and bookish to do this weekend, come down to the Tucson Festival of Books. I’m moderating three panels:
Saturday 1-2 Another Time, Another Crime with Donis Casey, Tom Holm, Robert Knott
Sunday 11:30-12:30 Reimagining the Past with Lynn Cullen, Talia Carner, Charlie Lovett
Sunday 2:30-3:30 A Novel Approach: Where to Begin? with Elizabeth Evans, Julie Iromuanya, Becky Masterman
Here are some posts I enjoyed around the web this week.
These newly found mosaics are in the region of Turkey I set my upcoming book, but, of course, being from the Roman period, these gorgeous mosaics are considerably later. There’s already a large mosaic museum there that hadn’t quite opened yet when we were there. These are beautiful and will add to the appeal of this generally ignored area of Turkey for tourists, which will please the government no end. That is the often the driving motivation for archaeology in Turkey. Less about the new information than the new revenue stream. But these are worth going to see.
Stunning 2200-Year-Old Mosaics Discovered in Ancient Greek City
If you can recognize Greek letters (you don’t have to know Greek language) and want to decipher an ancient papyrus, you can participate in the Ancient Lives project to speed the translation of the 500,000 papyrus fragments excavated in 1897 from what turned out to be a garbage dump in Oxyrhyncus. Volunteers decipher the Greek letters from online photos of the papyrus, then a program checks accuracy and does the translation. You might be working on anything from a lost Sappho poem or Sophocles play to a marriage license or a grocery list—papyri date from the 1st century BC to the 7th century AD. So far between 1897 and 2012 only 5,000 had been completed. The new program has greatly sped production. Sound fun to you? Click here to go to information about the Ancient Lives deciphering project
More Etruscan treasures uncovered: an amber necklace and a golden Egyptian scarab, both fit for a princess. Precious materials worked by artisans certainly did travel from one corner of the ancient world to the other. Click here for “Tomb Excavations Uncover Treasures of an Etruscan Princess”
Excavations at tel Kabri continue to be exciting. This is the Middle Bronze Age (1950-1550 BCE) site in Israel where many storage jars with wine residue were found. Now during the 2015 dig even more rooms of storage jars were found and circumstances indicate this extensive palace might have had its own winery. Bones from choice cuts of sheep and goat along with these wine stores (the value of which would take a laborer at the time 150 years to earn) emphasize the importance for the rulers in this palace of banqueting as a means of solidifying power and influence. So the next time someone wines and dines you to buy your support, you’ll know you are following a truly ancient tradition. Anyone want to win my undying loyalty? Click here for Haifa University “For the first time in excavations of ancient near eastern sites winery found in Canaanite palace”
Everyone tells a writer to avoid loading the beginning of a book with back story. But it’s more complicated than that. When back story belongs and how to add it by Lisa Cron on Writers Unboxed Doesn’t this make so much sense? I love her examples from novels
Hello Judith, I love your site. The information this week is absolutely exciting. Those mosaics are stunning!
I wish I had known about the Tucson book fair. I live in California,so next time I hope! If you know of other fairs or historical societies gatherings, Middle Ages around 12th century in particular, could you let me know?
Thank you, Daniella
I don’t follow Middle Ages gatherings or even know if such specific book fairs exist, so I’m probably not so handy for you. The Tucson Book Festival happens each year in the middle of March, so put it on your calendar for next year if it sounds fun to you. There isn’t any special historical emphasis at the festival–all kinds of books,from childrens to thrillers, etc. including a number of wonderful writers of historical fiction each year. Off hand, I don’t think there was anyone writing 12th century there this year, but I may not be remembering accurately. Just type Tucson Book Festival into your search and you can subscribe to their newsletter to remind you about it.
The Ancient Lives site is down at the moment, but it sounds like something I might be interested in. I taught myself the Greek alphabet to be able to read the translations of Mycenaean Greek names from Linear B.
If you were able to sort out Mycenaean names, I’m guessing you’d be good with this 🙂
No, I can’t quite sort out Mycenaean Linear B names. It’s just that when scholarly articles refer to Mycenaean names that have been reconstructed, they always give the name in Greek, so I taught myself the Greek alphabet to be able to read the names. I’m not sure I could memorize Linear B signs except for a few, my memory is so bad.
Just published a new book this week.
Congratulations on the new book. If you want to put together a short post about it, I’ll happily post it here. Your books are right in the interest area of my readers.
No, I can’t quite sort out Mycenaean Linear B names. It’s just that when scholarly articles refer to Mycenaean names that have been reconstructed, they always give the name in Greek, so I taught myself the Greek alphabet to be able to read the names. I’m not sure I could memorize Linear B signs except for a few, my memory is so bad.
Just published a new book this week.
Congratulations on the new book. If you want to put together a short post about it, I’ll happily post it here. Your books are right in the interest area of my readers.
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