Framing History

[browngirl]

So, last night cheshyre took me out to dinner, and I don't have the proper words to describe how wonderful this was. She told me about the trip to Italy that she and xiphias recently went on, and gave me an armful of wonderfulness: she lent me a novel about Artemisia Gentileschi (and I should write the title here, but the book is currently in my bookbag), gave me an artist's beautiful catalogue and a postcard from Rome, and, from Farthingcon, a 5000 year old potsherd. It was brought back by an archaeologist (whose name I unfortunately forgot) from Early Bronze Age Israel; the pot it's from was made when Memphis and Ur were the bustling metropoleis of the day, Knossos was an up-and-coming town, and someone was looking at Stonehenge and thinking it was time to replace the standing timbers. Just... five thousand years of history in the palm of my hand. It brings to mind certain words of Blake's.

So that sherd named this entry, needless to say, and I need to figure out where and how to best display it. And keep an eye out for what nice thing I will find for cheshyre, when it presents itself to me.

Meanwhile, eustaciavye and temima came over for dinner and gaming, but rather more dinner than gaming happened. Still, it was really nice to come home and hang out with them, too. Not least to show off my fragment of history!

Comments

[redbird]

The archeologist is dhole. I came home, this time, with a fragment of malachite that is archeologically worthless, because lacking context--unlike your potsherd--but pretty.

[cheshyre]

Thanks. You know, I hadn't put together his RLname w/an LJname before...

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I went and thanked him.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

five thousand years of history in the palm of my hand.

Yup. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Makes you wonder about some future human holding a chunk of our civilization five thousand years hence.

[cheshyre]

Another tidbit dhole mentioned which you might appreciate -- apparently, archaeologists can track the shipping routes by looking at the sea floor for trails of the sailors empties. Not much recycling back then, so like boaters of any age, after finishing their drink, they just tossed the bottles overboard...

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

That makes sense, but how do they find stuff that small on the bottom of the open sea?

[cheshyre]

If it's a major sea route (which is what they're finding in this manner) there are a *lot* of empties -- enough to make it possible.
[Keep in mind, we're also mostly talking about the Mediterranean here, not transoceanic voyages.]

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

I figured they were talking about the Mediterranean, but I figured even that was wide and deep enough to make looking for the kind of debris you're talking about difficult.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

that is one of those simple, brilliant things i'd never have thought about!

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Makes you wonder about some future human holding a chunk of our civilization five thousand years hence.

So true.

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

The last of the 3-foot-tall pygmy mammoths were still holding out on an island off the coast of what would someday be Russia 5000 years ago.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

This is inexpressably cool to know. I'm not sure how if ever I'll use it, but it's really cool!

[cheshyre]

Filling in a couple of the blanks, the novel is simply Artemisia by Alexandra Lapierre (translated from the French by Liz Heron).

redbird answered the ID question. At the time, I wrote down its period as "Early Bronze, 2800 - 3300"

The stuff from Italy is from both xiphias and I (I think he spotted the art gallery 1st, fwiw)

I really don't need anything in return (except time, but nobody these days seems to have a surplus of that)

[cheshyre]

Oh and reminder of 2 other things I mentioned:
 • Solup Shoes in Malden Center, and
 • Worldcon 2009 in Montreal: appropriately titled Anticipation

[cheshyre]

Oh, and Anticipation is August 6-10, so hopefully that won't conflict with your school schedule. :)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I should be able to make that; now to get the gumption to start planning and saving.

Thank you, you know. For everything.