The hounds of Turkish Kurdistan are tall, strong, and long- legged. They are run on gazelles, at least in the south, as well as hares, which would certainly select for size. All we saw were also smooth coated. To me they resemble the salukis of Arabia or (most) Iran, more than those of Central Asia, …
Turkish Landscape
We started in Ankara, headed south, and crossed the Taurus range. I think the landscape, though long- inhabited and bearing traces of human presence since the Neolithic, would seem more familiar to an inhabitant of the Amercan West than an Easterner or European. The strangest thing for me was the abundant groves of nut trees …
We’re Still Standing
While I was in Turkey, Libby got a crew (thank you Simon Armijo and Charley Wagner among others) to build two concrete –or “SEE- ment” as we say here– buttresses to hold up the crumbling east wall of our 120- plus year- old stone house, which regular readers may recall was dumping fist- sized lumps …
Back to the Blog!
Despite the fact that I am still on the “Model T ” iMac and its incredibly slow speed, I thought I had best jump back in before the world passes me by! I have a bunch of purely bloggish referrals i have collected in the past week, even a few which have gotten past the …
Ancient Irrigation in Peru
This news release describes archaeologist Tom Dillehay’s discovery of irrigation canals in coastal Peru that may date as early as 6700 years ago. Recent research keeps pushing the inception of agriculture and urban life in Peru back in time. The pace of research in this important region has increased due to the more stable political …
For Sale on eBay
You can have your very own two-headed snake, for sale on eBay. Minimum bid is $150,000.
Breakfast on the Trail with Frank Hamilton Cushing
A while back Steve said we should do more food-blogging, doubtless inspired by the good things our blog-sister Roseann Hanson puts up at Three Martini Lunch. So I wanted to pull my weight in that regard, though not to short myself, a few weeks ago I did post a coot recipe that Rebecca O’Connor told …
Archaeologist in New Orleans
This article in today’s New York Times about an archaeologist working with FEMA on Hurricane Katrina reconstruction is interesting as far as it goes, but leaves a lot out concerning the role that cultural resources (archaeology and history) play in those Federally-funded efforts. Much of the work that FEMA sponsors is considered Federal undertakings, and …
The New Middle Ages
I don’t agree with everything Eric Jager says in his LA Times op-ed piece, but I will second his strike at “presentism” or our predisposition to view contemporary times as the summit of knowledge and enlightenment looming above the ignorance and intolerance of past ages. I find this particularly irritating when public figures in past …
Photos from Turkey
Steve continues to experience computer problems that make it impractical to load posts into Blogger, but he does have e-mail. He was able to send me these dog and bird photos from his trip that I have loaded below. The dog photos were taken in rural Kurdish areas and the pictures of birds are from …