October - 2018

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Moles and Me

Moles and Me

Hard to believe that all I remember of my first experience in a small American college was its moles. I was completing my graduate thesis and a professor encouraged me to get some teaching experience. Sure enough, he wanted me to take on his assignment at New England College, near Arundel (famous for its cricket ground). So, every week I motored along England’s south coast and lectured on something that I am blanking on now more than forty years later. The President liked my

Vetricella excavations: month 6

Vetricella excavations: month 6

A mixture of showers and long fine days is helping the digging as they move into the sixth month of excavation of this unusual lagoon-side early medieval centre in Tuscany. A few new elements are emerging, lending colour to our understanding of this place between the 7th and 11th centuries. The earliest period – between the 7th and early 9th century – now includes a substantial post-built structure. Quite what it was remains unclear. An enigmatic charcoal-filled kiln belongs

Kastro Apalirou, Naxos

Kastro Apalirou, Naxos

I climbed up to the mountainous peak of Kastro Apalirou in central Naxos eleven years ago. A decade later David Hill told me about the Norwegian Institute’s survey of the fortress, sending me sections of the monograph that is now just published (in Athens). Thought-provoked, and on my way to see Colin Renfrew’s excavations on Keros, re-tracing ‘my steps’ to see the archaeology of this Middle Byzantine stronghold was irresistible. Naxos and the Byzantine Aegean I parked near t

Pilgrimage to Keros

Pilgrimage to Keros

In 1963 a graduate student landed on the remote island of Keros and discovered a surface spread of broken Cycladic marble figurines. It was an extraordinary find. But other excavations and projects came along and he left Greek archaeologists to explore his Keros field of figurines. Within a decade Colin Renfrew had established himself as one of the most creative and original forces in world archaeology. Many excavations (all published) followed as well as ground-breaking book

Naxos – Chora

Naxos – Chora

I am passing through the Cycladic island of Naxos on my way to visit Colin Renfrew’s excavations on Keros. The little airport defines one Naxian vision. Its Lilliput size beggars belief. It belongs to another era. Yet in the 11 years since I was last here, entrepreneurs have given the island’s tourism a facelift. New villas; new shops; new restaurants all with giant screens to transmit international football. This said, I love the Cycladic authentic.. and take the new with a

Athens Elefthérios Venizélos Airport

Athens Elefthérios Venizélos Airport

Airports, according to the French philosopher, Marc Augé, are quintessential non-places. They are anonymous and essentially figments of globalization. The local plays little or no part in their personality. Instead, they are defined by commercial brands. But Athens’s not so new airport (it replaced an uncomfortable old airport around 2000) has made significant concessions to the local with a museum occupying a couple of halls on its uppermost floor. Here, en route, to McDonal

Vetricella: the third season

Vetricella: the third season

Our nEU-Med excavations at Vetricella, near Scarlino re-started four weeks ago and have benefited from blissful weather. Five months of open-area excavations now reveal what a complex and fascinating early medieval site this is. Vetricella's first (11th-century) woman The forensic excavation of the central tower within the three concentric ditches has now been completed. Thanks to gridded phosphate analyses we know there was a small hearth and perhaps a kitchen on the ground

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