squirting cucumbers

On Trip IV, we'd often encounter these plants which we called "squirting cucumbers," as they'd squirt when you stepped (or jumped) on them. Fun times.

(squirting cucumbers at Tiryns)

I've just learned that they're actually called Ecballium elaterium, and I ran across a reference to them in Vivian Nutton's Ancient Medicine:

"Even the squirting cucumber, whose purgative properties are well established, may have been used as an emmenagogue or an oxytocic as much for symbolic as for practically evaluated reasons: its capacity to eject its seeds forcefully made it an appropriate plant to use when wishing to expel an unwanted conception, an afterbirth or a suppressed menstrual period."

So there you have it. I wonder what a "suppressed menstrual period" is? And according to Wikipedia, the squirting cucumber is today used in Turkey to treat sinus problems. But I think they're best for jumping on - the archaeologist's version of a water balloon fight, perhaps?

Aigai, Turkey

I'm sometimes captivated not by the sites we visit, but by the landscapes that they overlook. How would these worlds looked to the ancient peoples living there? I don't think it's coincidental that the ancient built high up on hills - not to make us grad students gasp for breath, hiking up them thousands of years later, but so that they'd be well-protected and also have phenomenal views.

I'm working my way through Turkey photos from Day 4, and found this gem from Aigai - an amazing site, to be sure, but also with some breathtaking views.

Rainy Pergamon

I'm far, far behind on my posting, but one of my goals for April - now that Winter Term is over - is to start posting more often (no April Fool's joke).

We've just returned from 15 days in Western Turkey, which was largely centered around Ionia and Caria, with a little bit of Anatolia thrown into the mix. It was probably the best trip of the year - exhilarating, exhausting, and enlightening, all in one.

For now, a picture of me at Pergamon, as I sort through the nearly 4,000 photos I took in two weeks:

America in Color

Today I came across this photo essay about America in Color from 1939 to 1943. It's a collection of color photographs from an era that was largely shot in black & white.

As a photographer, I love these images, of course. But I'm even more intrigued by the things I think about while looking at them, including:
- the style of dress & shoes
- the architecture
- the cars, the furniture, etc.
- the interactions of people
- the signage & symbols
- the landscape and its cultivation
- the acknowledgment of time (i.e, some photos are of uncertain date)

And I think to myself, I never would have thought this way had I not studied Classics. Classics teaches you to think about history in new ways: as a living process, as something that is recorded and the ways in which we document it: through photographs, through material culture, through language. Through words and images.

I find it hard to believe anyone can find little value in Classics when it teaches one to learn to think like this - and to think like this about a subject that isn't even related to what I study.

on the auction market

An interesting tidbit in yesterday's news:

Roman Imperial Marble Bust Sells for a Staggering $23.8 Million at Sotheby's

The title of the article really says it all. What it doesn't say is how astounding it is that the art market still holds so much sway, despite what we know about the problems of private collections for the understanding of archaeological context. Where did this sculpture come from, exactly, beyond the private collection of Clarence Day?

In other news, we're preparing for a week ahead of a massive number of strikes in Greece, the worst being the closing of the airports on Wednesday. I leave next Sunday, and hopefully by then they'll be all finished striking. So much is on strike - public transportation, lawyers, journalists, newspapers, banks, museums, airlines, etc., that it's hard to keep track of. This page is really excellent for continuous updates on the situation(s).

Celebrating Hanukkah

We had a Hanukkah celebration here in Loring Hall tonight, as three of our lovely members are Jewish. It was my first time trying latkes, the traditional potato pancakes, made by Nitzan. And they were delicious! In many ways, they reminded me of one of my favorite Greek dishes, kolokithokeftes - say that three times fast! - which are fried spinach balls, only latkes are made from potatoes.

In any case, great fun was had by all, about 25 of us, including Director Jack Davis and his wife, Shari! One striking absence tonight, however, was my camera: I had thought it would be a small celebration, and I would just drop by. Yet it turned out to be a great dinner, with good friends, songs, and the lighting of the menorah. It never fails, whenever I forget/fail to bring my camera along, I miss all kinds of picture opportunities.

But I digress. In lieu of photos, I leave you with this Hanukkah Song for Classicists, marvelously written and performed by some of last year's ASCSA members:

tempis fugit

The very fact that I hadn't even realized that I have not updated in 12 days is testament to the fact that the time is moving all too quickly. The weather's turning, gray skies predominate today in Athens, and we depart for Trip III on Monday. My presentation is "in the works" but not quite there yet, and there are plans for an epic party tonight. In the meantime, more later...just hopefully not 12 days later!

On Trip II

Well, I haven't been the best at blogging these days. We're on Trip II, after a mere 4 days inbetween coming home from Trip I and leaving for Trip II. But I can honestly say that the highlight of this trip so far (besides the archaeology, of course) has been the lovely little Hotel Dimitsana. Though without internet for the fourth night a row, this morning we awoke to warm bougatsa (an absolute favorite), croissants, and REAL, honest-to-goodness orange juice, next to a cozy fire. I thought I was in heaven.

Arkadia was heaven. It seems to be a pretty poor region of Greece, with many old, abandoned homes and small villages. The topography is amazing, though: steep, rocky cliffs, enshrouded in early morning fog. The landscape is lush, but large parts of Arkadia bear the effects of the Greek fires three summers ago. The landscape here is charred, barren, but with signs of life peaking through. It's stunning, really.

I hope to post some more pictures soon. Until then, tonight (and for the next two nights), we're in Pylos, in my first "repeat" hotel (ie., I stayed here for the summer session). It's right on the Bay of Navarino, and tomorrow, we'll cover Pylos, the Chora Museum, and Sphakteria. So much to do, so little time. The Autumn term is just flying by!

Trip I Schedule

We're about to kick off on our first trip to Western and Northern Greece. It's a trip that will last 12 days and cover a lot of ground. This is our schedule:

Tuesday, 9/21: Nafpaktos, Kalydon, Oiniadai, Garden of Heroes
Wednesday, 9/22: Thermon, Agrinion, Stratos
Thursday, 9/23: Nikopolis, Ephyra, Kassope
Friday, 9/24: Arta, Horraon, Dodona
Saturday, 9/25: Ioannina, Aiani, Vergina
Sunday, 9/26: Mieza, Leufkadia, Pella, Thessaloniki (Archaeological Museum)
Monday, 9/27: Thessaloniki: Agora, Churches, Rotunda & Arch of Galerius; Byzantine Museum
Tuesday, 9/28: (Potidaea), Temple of Ammon Zeus, Olynthos, Poligyros Museum, Stageira
Wednesday, 9/29: Thasos, Aliki quarries
Thursday, 9/30: Thasos (Akropolis, Walls & Gates)
Friday, 10/1: Philippi, Amphipolis
Saturday, 10/2: Dion, Dion Museum, Thermopylae

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. There are a few places on this list that I've been to, such as Vergina, Pella, and Thessaloniki, but even more that I have never seen, and even a few of which I've not heard. Right now, I'm busily preparing my first report topic, which is on the Derveni Krater - a great opportunity, I think, to talk about not only iconography but also the burial context.

Lykavittos Walk

Part of the tradition of the American School is to take a walk up Lykavittos, the hill that looms above the School, at the start of the program. I did it for the Summer Session back in 2007, and again last night as a newly inaugurated Regular Member. It was a fairly hazy evening, though cool, and I brought along my nifty 55-200 lens to give it a test run. Here's a picture of the Acropolis, run through the wonders of PSE:


Mount Lykavittos sits far outside the ancient city limits, but you'd hardly notice today as Athens radiates out from it, its white-washed buildings spilling up into the surrounding hillsides. The name Lykavittos may perhaps be etymologically linked to that of a place of wolves - λύκοι - though this is not certain. And, it's a great climb to look at the topography of both the ancient and modern city, as well as watch a lovely sunset, even if on a cloudy day.



I am, of course, wearing the t-shirt of my friend Lael's funny and cute comic, The Book of Lael. Check it out!