Apocalypse Fever Hits Turkey . . . Again

Just received this in the mail today!

As most of you know I study the Book of Revelation, which is also known as John's Apocalypse and which is the last book of the Christian Bible.  The Apocalypse, which was written in the first century CE as a response to the influence of the Roman Empire in Asia Minor (i.e. modern Turkey), was addressed to Christian congregations in seven cities, including Ephesus . . . one of the cities we will be visiting while we are abroad.  (FYI: I'm giddy over the thought of visiting Ephesus and when we get there you all might have to help me when I faint with excitement.)

Anyway, you all may be aware of the fact that the "Mayan Apocalypse" is predicted for December 21. And, interestingly, it seems that excitement over this apocalyptic scenario (which happens to be a product of European colonialism--ask me about that later) has spread to a little town near Ephesus!  It's like the Apocalypse has come home!

We'll definitely be talking some about the Apocalypse of John when we are in Ephesus (and Laodicea), in part because it shows how one group of people understood and tried to resist Roman imperialism. Also, since one of the aims of this course is to think about how particular fields of study engage in academic inquiry, Michael and I will be highlighting some of the ways that our disciplinary lenses and scholarly interests relate to what we are experiencing in Turkey.

(FYI:  If you're interested in a peak at some of my scholarship that kind of engages the ancient Roman world as it emerged in Asia Minor, you can check out an online article I've published here.  It's written for those in biblical studies, so it's pretty technical.)

Orpheus Returns

One of the issues related to the study of ancient cultures is the repatriation of art and artifacts.  In the past decade there has been quite a bit of effort by certain countries, including Turkey and Italy, to have ancient art and artifacts returned to their original historical contexts.  Such is the case with this mosaic of Orpheus, which has been housed in a Dallas museum (click here for article).  In some cases, such as this one, museums holding antiquities from ancient contexts, especially pieces whose procurement might be questionable, are taking the first step, returning pieces to their countries of origin.  This issue raises a number of questions, including who should be responsible for historical artifacts and what are the benefits of having artifacts "in situ."

Archeology, Conflict, and Lawrence of Arabia

T.E. Lawrence (left of relief) at Karkemish.

First, I will admit that Lawrence of Arabia, with all of its problems, is probably one of my all-time favorite movies.

This article is an interesting glimpse into the way archeology and conflict intersect.  In particular, the piece talks about an archeological site where Lawrence once worked as an assistant.  The site, Karkemish, is on the boarder between Turkey and Syria.

And, no worries, we will not be visiting Karmeish . . . even though it would be interesting!

Tourism, Preservation, and Economics

One of the issues that MVP raised last class was the struggle countries like Turkey face over preserving the past and the need for economic growth.  Should an archeological site be made "tourist friendly" in order to bring in the much needed funds that are required for archeological work and historical preservation?  What if these changes compromise the integrity of the site and the historical record?

A related question is what is the role of museums and other "interpretive institutions" in communicating an historical narrative and to whom should these interpretive narratives be directed?  Does a museum direct it's narrative to tourists who are bringing money into the country or those in country who might have a range of motivations for visiting a museum?

Anyway, these are questions that we will be asking while in Turkey and these are questions and issues that are "real" in Turkish decisions about where to direct money.  See Turkey Embraces Museum-Building Trend.