The Antique Archaeology Game

With the success of the show American Pickers on History Channel, it seems every amateur archaeologist is jumping on the antique archaeology band wagon. This isn't a new concept, however. People, even myself, have been digging through flea markets and rummaging at estate sales to find that perfect item to resell on eBay or to a private buyer.

It usually starts with frequenting antique stores where the prices are too high, but you can still find hidden gems which will still make you a few dollars. You do have to start somewhere and antique stores open you up to items you may know nothing about, but at least you'll start picking up some knowledge.

Once you start gaining a bit more know how on different items, their manufacturing dates and who made them, it's easier to become a better picker.

If you've never even begun to think about where to start, here are some ideas that helped me start collecting.

How To Start Collecting

1. Every weekend I would get up super early and drive around my neighborhood looking for garage sales. I never really wasted time looking online for scheduled garage sales because so few people actually take the time to do that. Furthermore, for many people it's a last minute decision.
   
2. Does your town have a fairgrounds? Typically, a larger fairground is used for a one day flea market during the week. This is by far so much better than flea markets. Antiques can be found in large numbers if this venue is actually available in a town near you.
   
3. I don't know about you, but flea markets have really become wholesale clubs full of mass produced garbage. I don't waste my time anymore. There are exceptions, however. Flea markets up north tend to still cater to the antique picker.
   
4. Where's that strip of antique stores in your state or town?   There's has to be at least one. I use to frequent junk stores in the antique districts along with the larger venues. Larger meaning about three stories high where vendors rent out booths.  My biggest finds were porcelain, sold in sets, but worth so much more in individual pieces. Those pieces I sold on ebay made me close to a $1000.00 profit. Furthermore, booths rented on the top floor are a bit inaccessible for most people, so hidden treasures can always be found if you look hard enough.
5. My biggest pick was at an estate sale. There were over a dozen sets of porcelain dinnerware and I happened to pick up 2 sets for only $100.00. You may be wondering why I bother with dinnerware, right? For me, it's one of the easiest picks to resell since people are always looking for a piece they may have broken or they may just want to add to the set.
6. Go to the library and research. It sounds like going into the archives a hundred years ago since people rely so heavily on the internet now. Libraries are a treasure trove of antique archaeology knowledge. I have spent hours copying porcelain stamps and crests, writing price lists up, and so forth and so on.
7. Visit  Estatesales.net . This site has an up to date listing of sales in every state and every major city. I try to hit up an estate sale at least every other weekend. Deals can be found the last day of the sale in the morning. Remember to bring cash, and lots of it, and leave your purse or bags at home. Besides porcelain, there other items I always pick up are brass plates with Indian designs. At the last sale, I picked up two peacock brass plates for $.50 each and sold one for $100.00. 
8. Craigslist can also be a helpful tool if you're looking for larger items such as antique cars or furniture.
9. Antique auctions, whether online or live, can be another source you can utilize for finding larger items. Just watch out for the taxes and fees they tack on after you commit to buy.
10. I've never been able to find much at pawn shops, but I suppose it depends on the pawnshop you visit. If you're able to haggle on an item such as jewelry, you can turn around and double your money.

Tips For Antique Archaeology Picking

• Look for items you'll enjoy as well. Why? You may be stuck with them if you can't sell them right away.
• Try to focus your attention and time on one type of antique in the beginning. Why? Picking can be overwhelming for the novice, as we saw with Danielle on her first big pick. You have to know what you're looking for. 
• Be willing to negotiate with owners. Learn how to haggle, but also learn not to offend with a low offer that will turn the owner off.

I realize there are hundreds of ways to acquire archaeological antiques, some of which I have yet to try. On American Pickers, Danielle is always furnishing leads to Mike and Frank. How she actually finds these amazing sites is unknown to me, but with a bit of digging, I'm sure you can figure it out.

Odd Radioactive Readings At Bosnian Pyramids in the Ravne Tunnels

As innocent as the Bosnian Pyramids appear, something odd has appeared in radioactive readings. During the summer of 2010, more than 500 volunteers and 45 archaeologists from 30 countries embarked on one of the world's most impressive archaeological projects.

 The footage in this video takes you deep into the Ravne Tunnels. Some of the tunnels themselves are bizarre to say the least. Barely big enough for a child to slip through the hole. Who were the people taking refuge done here? How and what did they use to navigate this labyrinth of tunnels?

Monday Ground Up: History Comes Alive At Ripley's In Gatlinburg

Robert Ripley was an eccentric man and an avid traveler. He took the world by storm visiting far off lands and unblemished territories and cultures. Places like India and the Orient were unconventional areas for the American traveler during the 19th century, however Ripley's obsession drove him to these areas to study the local customs and speak with people in the area.

His favorite location to visit was China, and considering the amount of oddities from that particular country in the museums, it surely shows his passion for the country. Over the years, Robert Ripley collected an amazing collection of oddities and stories that serve to entertain the public even today.

“I have traveled in 201 countries and the strangest thing I saw was man”
— Robert Ripley

Merry Christmas To All

Instead of the usual Christmas glitter graphic , I decided to compile some of my best shots and videos from the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies into a video. The music and composition is by my wonderful and dear friend Mary Gunderson of 1149 Productions. If you like to check out more of 1149 production's latest work, scroll down to the world music section.

I'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. You, my readers, are what make Ancient Digger so special.

Ripley's Aquarium In The Smokies: Day 3

Day three in the Smokies and I'm growing restless. Don't get me wrong. Looking at the lovely peaks from our wrap around deck is amazing, but the 458 pictures I've captured of them is good enough for now.

I decided to drag the crew to the Ripley's Aquarium. I had previously read it was one of the, if not the, best aquarium in the country. I'm an enormous Ripley's fan and I never fail to hit one every time I visit out of state, however I never realized Ripley owned an aquarium. What a nice surprise. I was thinking I was going to run into some pretty outrageous specimens. I certainly did!



Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies has over 10,000 exotic sea creatures. There are more than 350 individual species throughout the squarium.. There are more fish in this aquarium than there are people living in the entire town of Gatlinburg.

Although Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is hundreds of miles from the ocean, the scenic beauty and the abundance of water all around make the town of Gatlinburg a “natural” location for a world-class aquarium, America’s most fun aquarium.

The Penguin Crawl Tube And One Specimen That Couldn't Help But Give Me His Best Angle

Inside the Penguin Crawl Tube from Ripley's Believe It or Not! on Vimeo.

The penguins of Ripley's Aquarium were more than entertaining. At one point, there was one close to the glass making very small corrections in his body language. A model penguin? Who knew!

The Colossal Crab

By the time I made it up to the case to take a gander at this monstrous beast I was thinking,"does anyone have some drawn butter? A bib? Fork? Anyone?"

Poison Dart Frogs

Cuttlefish

Sea Urchin

All pictures © Ancient Digger. Copying pictures is strictly prohibited without consent.

Smokey Mountain Sleet and Sliding: Day 2

After coming off a rough day and a horrible ice storm, we woke up to the sound of crackling branches and fog as thick as the eyes could see. Even so, I put on my new coat, ski cap, and gloves, and sat down on a chair over looking the Smokies with my coffee in hand. At this time I was thinking, I need to check my emails and maybe blog a bit. After all, I can't very well go anywhere with the drive frozen over. It was in the process of melting, but I didn't want to take any chances.

I opened up my laptop and searched for a connection. Awwww, NO WIFI! You have got to be kidding. Now I know I'm in trouble. I live for the internet and my websites, so this just won't do. I had to think of something.

I located a Starbucks 6.7 miles away in Pigeon Forge and figured, I'll head there later after the snow melts.

While I was patiently awaiting my time to leave, Kelly went outside to the truck. I was thinking he was going to start it up and let t run for a while. I went outside, and before I knew it, he was turning the truck around to face forward. Why? I have no idea. By the time he made it forward, the truck's back tires hit an ice patch and the truck went sliding down the mountain. At this point I'm thinking, "you're in God's hands now, or gods".

The truck did a 360 and bounced back and forth between the trees. Let me just remind you, the cabin was at 1992 feet and the drop is close to a 75 degree angle. I was yelling every profanity in the book. I had to trek down the slope in my Columbia hiking shoes as fast as I could. I never fell so these shoes were a great investment(not a review, just the truth).

By the time I got to the bottom, Kelly was laughing and still in the driver's seat. Well, at least he made it easy for me to leave *smile*.

A few hours later I left to check my emails at Starbucks. I had about one hour before I had to go back. Making it up the mountain was nearly impossible after dark and in the snow, so I had to rush and basically chug my Caffe Latte.



I made it home by 5:30 sharp, while I was exhausted and ready to sit down, the rest of the cabin company insisted I make my famous chile. I could have settled for a jello cup, but no, let's make the person that paid for the vacation cook our meals. I'm bitter, that's the sleepiness kicking in.



After dinner, I practically locked myself in the bedroom and uploaded my shots for the day. I was in bed by 8:00pm. 

Back From the Smokey Mountains of Gatlinburg Tennessee: Day 1

If you haven't noticed, ok I'm sure you have, the posts died down a bit. I didn't want to leave you with a post that stated I wouldn't be posting this week due to the fact I'd be the Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg Tennessee freezing my tail off. Yes, this Florida girl bundled up in three layers to brave the harsh weather of the mountains.

To be truthful, I miss it now that I'm gone. We were at an elevation of 1992 feet overlooking some of the most spectacular mountains and cabins I've ever seen. I needed a view after the time we had actually getting there. You know the saying "Everything that could go wrong did go wrong"? It was worse than that!!!!

Kelly and I purchased a Garmin GPS at Target before we left so I was thinking, we can't get lost that bad. For this price this thing has got to work!! So, we didn't get lost, but the smug lady on the GPS took us down some back-roads I didn't want to go down in the snow. I even programmed the GPS to not go off roading. She must have been ticked at me for some reason because we got stuck in a neighborhood, after sliding backwards on a hill "in our Dodge RAM mind you" (trading it in as we speak lol).

Kelly being  Kelly got out in his socks and sandals (yes, I said sandals) and bit it on the drive, hitting his head and back. I told him to lose the sandals, but no, men are just too proud and too stinkin stubborn. Ok, not of all you, but Kelly was the entire trip.

By the time we got to the neighborhood we were supposed to be in, the roads were covered with sleet and snow. I haven't driven in this stuff in years so I was super apprehensive. We followed the directions to the cabin and of course got lost at about 1500 feet. We were sitting at the bottom of this road, Deerfoot I think, and Kelly got out of truck again to walk to the top to see if this was our cabin. By this time I'm thinking he has changed his shoes and was prepared to trek up the hill.


Here we go again! The sandals may have gotten him to the top of the mountain where our cabin  wasn't located, but they slipped on the ice and down goes the stubborn man on the hard drive. Again! This time he lost his wallet in the snow and almost started to cry (He's going to kill me if he finds out I'm telling you this). He was in Army though. Aren't you guys supposed to be tougher than this?

By the time he slide down the drive on his butt, I was in the driver's seat. I took that big RAM truck and barrelled up 500 feet to our cabin, sliding and fishtailing every which way with the radio blasting Usher's new song "Dance, dance like it's the last last night of your life". That's not the title, but I got up the mountain dancing in my car and sliding the whole way. I almost yelled Ya Hoo!

As I got out of the truck and made my way to the front door, I could smell the cedar on the cabin. I unlocked the door and looked straight out our wrap around glass windows to see, wow, an entire panorama of peaks. This is the closest to the heavens as you can get!

Monday Ground Up: Cultural Innovation and Imitation-Historic Roads to Economic Stability

This is a guest post contributed by Lisco Johnson.



Throughout the millennia there have been thousands of individual cultures – from small tribal groups to cultures that spread across the globe. Just 100 years ago, “The sun never set on the British Empire” with Britain’s expansive commonwealth spread from Australia to India to South Africa across the Atlantic to Canada. Today, the UK, while still an chief player on the world stage, no longer maintains a global empire.

Cultures are born, grow, thrive and die out for numerous reasons. Between 1000 and 1300 AD, the Mayan culture covered most of current-day Central America and large portions of modern Mexico. The Maya, it could be argued, were the greatest world culture during its Golden Age, yet the magnificent temple cities constructed by the Maya were deserted by the time Europeans arrived in the region in the mid-1400s.
There are many theories why this one-time cultural innovator disappeared – dispersed into the jungles, and then into villages and cities where modern day Mayans still live today. Cultures rise and fall.

Cultures evolve and devolve. All we have to do is glance at the history of humankind to see that even the greatest civilizations rise and fall.

Is there a single characteristic anthropologists turn to attempting to decipher what makes great societies thrive? 

What makes a culture great? In fact there are many, but when given careful scrutiny, we can see case after case of great societies that were innovators of new ideas and new technology, and societies adapting the ideas and technology of “outsiders” for the benefit of the people who comprise the imitative society.

Innovation

Mayan astronomers created a calendar so precise that, once decoded, amazed modern day science. This culture studied the heavens, charted movements of celestial bodies and developed an intricate system of mathematics to record time and events.

At about the same time, European culture was mired in the Dark Ages when innovation was replaced by the simple need to survive. Indeed, there were learning centers in London, Paris and other medieval cities but innovation wasn’t part of the culture in general.

Instead, innovation was taking place on the Yucatan Peninsula and throughout the Middle East where innovative thought led to the creation of algebra (al-jabria) and fundamental social sciences. Idn Khaldun (1332-1406 AD), a great thinker of the time, is credited with the creation of the sciences of economics, the philosophy of history and the scientific method itself.

Khaldun, in his most important writing, The Muqaddimah (1377), lays out testing standards that are still used today in modern research. While Europe was studying pseudo-sciences like astronomy and alchemy, the Middle East was laying the foundation for the work of Sir Isaac Newton in moving forward the world’s body of science.

Innovation occurs during the early days of the great Greek Empire. This was a culture that valued learning and pondered the things its members saw around them. Archimedes defined “displacement” while sitting in a public bath and ran through the streets shouting, “Eureka. EUREKA!” that translates into “I found it.”

Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Aristophanes and other great minds and great artists moved world culture forward during Greece’s Golden Age of Learning. However, de facto, innovation alone does not sustain a society. And all societies are not innovators. Some have mastered the art of imitation to create sustainable and even robust economies.

Imitation

For centuries Japanese culture demanded of its people an unquestioning acceptance of a strong social contract. The people obeyed orders. They followed instead of led. Individuality was frowned upon. “Fitting in” was woven into the fabric of Japanese society for thousands of years.

The leaders of Japan discouraged innovation and even feared it. This can be demonstrated by the strained history of Japan’s early engagement with the West. In 1853, Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived in the land of the Shogun. The Japanese referred to these ambassadors as “hairy barbarians.” Instead of embracing the innovation engagement with the West would deliver, Japan remained a closed society until the outbreak of World War II.

After the war, the U.S. pumped billions of dollars in building new factories for the Japanese economy. The U.S. also sent its most innovative, creative minds to Japan to teach this isolationist society modern manufacturing and business development techniques. The Japanese took these assets and, in a single generation, built an economy that provides high-tech electronics, automobiles, heavy equipment and ships to a global market.

However, the Japanese continue to discourage innovation. Fitting in and not making waves is still the centerpiece of Japanese culture. Japanese universities, for example, lag in the implementation of technology on their campuses. Few universities have local access networks in place, though other innovative societies have LANs in secondary schools to encourage the exchange of information essential for innovation.

China serves as another example of a nation that imitates rather than innovates. Prior to engagement with Europe and North America, China was a society based on a cult of personality. The Red Guard, the hope for China’s future, waved Mao’s Red Book as they marched in unison before the reviewing stands. Mao’s Great Leap Forward sent university professors to work in the rice paddies. Innovation was absent.
Today, 35 years later, China’s economy ranks just below the U.S. economy in gross domestic product (GDP) and some economists project that China will overtake the U.S. in GDP by the year 2015.

Yet, China does not innovate. It imitates. It adapts business practices employed in Western business communities. It employs technology imported from the EU and U.S. to build computers, manufacture clothing, build consumer electronics and, soon, Chinese- made cars will be sold in the U.S., adding to an already competitive market. In 2009 the U.S. government had to prop up one-time car giant, Chrysler, to prevent one of the “Big Three” auto makers from collapsing under its own weight.

A Country’s Greatness Is Defined By Innovation

China is certainly a powerful country. However, can it be called a great country?

The Chinese government discourages dissent, thus lessening the free exchange of ideas. Search engine giant, Google, no longer serves the Chinese market, pulling out after government censorship became more than Google would tolerate.

Indeed, foreign investment and foreign innovation is welcome throughout China. Many innovative companies from innovative cultures maintain a business presence in this major influence on global economics.
However, China’s government has also declared “internet addiction” to be a mental disorder and has established over 300 “re-education” camps to treat the illness called curiosity. The Chinese people follow. They don’t lead.

China’s power comes from its endless supply of low-cost labor, NOT from its learning centers or cultural centers. The cultural mores of the past remain firmly in place and the government functions in constant fear of another Tiananmen Square uprising among the people.

Countries that foster innovation will continue to grow, though at a slower rate in difficult economic times. These countries produce the tools of tomorrow while those countries that discourage innovation are destined to follow through imitation.

Both innovation and imitation have led to successful, expanding economies. However, looking back through history from an anthropologic perspective, clearly those cultures that encouraged innovation lasted longer and moved the body of world knowledge forward.

Imitation-based cultures have always lagged. They may be powerful. However, it is the fostering of innovation that makes a culture great.

This is a guest post contributed by Lisco Johnson, a history & fitness lover who owns a website offering free tips & articles on how to build muscle

Picture sources


 ©Kassus Statue d'Ibn Khaldoun sur l'avenue Habib Bourguiba à Tunis (Tunisie)

Sunday Round Up: Top Archaeology and Anthropology Stories

An archaeologist takes an animal bone out of an unearthed bronze tripod on Friday, December 12, 2010. 2400-year-old Bone Soup Unearthed in China.	Humans May Have Lived in the Persian Gulf, Study Says "Submerged under the waters of the Persian Gulf may have been where humans once lived about 8,000 years ago, when it was still above sea level, a study found."
Mexican Archaeologists Say Tonina Ballgame Court may Be the One Described in Popol Vuh .	When development meets the past: Just outside the church’s large, arched, multi-colored 19th-century stained glass window lies William C. Cleland.
Rescued USS Monitor steam engine returns to Civil War appearance.	New exhibition offers healthy dose of philosophy. Şen, who left Turkey only months before the 1980 coup, confesses that his art was not understood or appreciated in his home country at that time.
First Yule Lad Arrives at National Museum of Iceland. Today, December 12, the first of the 13 Yule Lad brothers, Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod), comes to town. His first stop is the National Museum of Iceland where he will entertain visitors at 11 am.	Software engineer Andy Carol has constructed a Lego device that performs the same calculations as the Antikythera Mechanism, dubbed the world’s oldest computer. The Guardian has You Tube video of the Lego device in action, in addition to information on the original Greek instrument. ~Archaeology.org

Do you have Archaeology or Anthropology news? Are you a professor hosting a new field school? A website with a new discovery or exhibition? Let me know and it will be featured here on Sundays.

The Hilarious Eddie Izzard Pokes Fun At Archaeology

Close to three hours ago, I finished my last final. I can't even tell you how relieved I am. I was actually at the  point my brain was starting to shut to down and I didn't the know the difference between Neanderthals and Homo Erectus. One had a big nasal aperture. One left Africa close to 1.8 million years ago. One has a bad reputation for pulling his ladies across the dirt, all while swinging a club in his other hand. Ok, so the last part may not be true, but I needed a laugh.

So here I am, calmly sitting in the library after my exams, buying some last minute gifts on Amazon, and planning my trip to the Smokey's next week. Low and behold, I found myself on YouTube looking for humorous archaeology videos. Why? Well, sometimes archaeology can be mundane. Yes, I said it. I didn't want to write about lost civilizations or another discovery found after a year of digging. I wanted fun. I wanted laughter. I needed a break! Awwwww




Archaeologists will dig for three weeks at a time, turning up maybe one millimeter of top soil that they dated to two weeks ago. Yes, sometimes it's that slow and unexciting. Leave it to Eddie Izzard to give archaeologists a reason to shake their head in agreement. Why do we does this? Because we are nuts that's why!

Just a warning! I couldn't stop laughing at this video and I was in the library with hundreds of people studying for their finals. Opps! lol

Monday Ground Up: The Roles of Folklore in Primitive Societies

This is a guest post contributed by Edward Khoo of EdwardKhoo.com
 

Source

For decades, anthropologists have studied the folklore of various cultures, large and small, to learn how different populations view the world and their place in it. Folklore consists of myths and legends, tall tales, epics and sagas, nursery rhymes, lullabies and other “literature” of the people, the “folk.”

Anthropologists turn to folklore because, within every society – from ancient to contemporary – folklore provides critical information about the people who make up societies. Folklore is, in many cases, the foundation of a unified society. So what roles does folklore play in defining a cohesive group of people (a society)? There are many roles played by tales told around countless, warming fires throughout the ages.

Folklore Explains Why We Are Here

Almost every culture has some form of creation myth – a story that explains how the Earth and people were created in the distant past.

Christian folklore puts forth the notion that the Earth and all things were created by a single god in just seven days. And because Christianity is pervasive across the globe, this creation myth is believed by millions of people. On the other hand, the Ainu culture that originated in Japan and parts of present-day Russia believe that the world was created by Kamui, the Creator god, who made the world and placed it on the back of an enormous fish. In Chinese folklore, Earth was created by Pan Gu who used a mighty ax to break out of an egg-like object to begin Earth’s creation.

Creation myths have existed since prehistoric times to “explain” how people came to live on our planet before they knew Earth was a planet. Across all continents and across time itself, creation myths provide a context for the existence of Earth and the people who live here.

Folklore Explains The Unexplainable

Humans are, by nature, curious. We want to understand the things that go on around us, even though we lack the data needed to provide answers to natural phenomena.

The Norse cultures of Northern Europe attributed lighting to one of their many gods, Thor, whose mighty hammer generated thunder and lightening. Because this primitive society lacked the science to explain these common natural occurrences, folklore was used to explain that which could not otherwise be explained.

Why does the sun rise and set each day? Why does it rain? What causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? Why is there evil in the world? Early cultures lacked the science needed to explain everyday phenomena. Folklore provided answers to questions that people had.

Folklore Teaches Right From Wrong

There are numerous instances of folklore that defines good and bad, right from wrong, acceptable behaviors from the unacceptable. In the Greek poet, Homer’s, epic The Odyssey, Odysseus is prevented from returning to his homeland because he showed a lack of respect for the Greek gods and so, his boat and crew endured punishment that lasted for years.

In the English folktale of Lady Godiva, who rode naked through the town of Canterbury on horseback in exchange for lower taxes, the townsfolk agreed to avert their eyes to protect Lady Godiva’s modesty. However, one man named Tom was struck blind when he peeked out his shuttered window. From this tale, the English language has a term for people who peek into the windows of others – Peeping Toms.
Because this member of the community broke an agreement, he was blinded and forever associated with bad behavior.

Folklore Instills Societal Values

Different cultures value different attributes, characteristics and aspects of the physical world and of humanity.
Native American folklore emphasizes the importance of Mother Earth, the giver of all things. Indigenous Americans gave thanks to the game they killed to eat and survive. The Plains Indians of America would thank the buffalo they had just killed, while simultaneously thanking the Earth for providing food for another day.

When Europeans made their way westward across present day America, millions of buffalo were slaughtered, almost to the point of extinction. Buffaloes were hunted for sport because these newcomers didn’t value the life of a buffalo the way the Plains Tribes did. Different cultures possess different values, expressed in it’s folklore.

Value systems have been passed down from generation to generation through the use of folk tales and legends that often became institutionalized in the form of religious belief. The ancient Greeks and Romans incorporated numerous gods and goddesses into a poly-theistic religion comprised of gods who possessed characteristics remarkably similar to human characteristics.

The Greek god, Zeus, showed anger, weakness, jealousy and revenge. The Norse protector god, Thor, was thought to drink too much mead – the alcoholic beverage of the Norse people. The Christian god shows anger, jealousy, and a mean spirit in the Old Testament of the Bible. It was this god who demanded that Abraham sacrifice his son, Isaac, to prove Abraham’s belief in the Christian god. This tale is part of the folklore of the three major Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism, indicating just how ingrained folklore is in diverse societies with differing value systems.

Because these gods and goddesses acted like humans, the myths that surround these deities teach what is important to the culture, from personal sacrifice to unshakeable loyalty to the tribe or society.

Folklore Protects the Innocents

Many folk tales revolve around the dangers of the world and how to stay safe in an unsafe environment. Western civilization tells the story of “Little Red Riding Hood,” a young girl sent to deliver food to her ailing grandmother, and warned not to speak to strangers as she walks through the woods.

Little Red Riding Hood meets a wolf and tells the scoundrel where she is headed and why. The wolf arrives at the grandmother’s house, dresses in the grandmother’s clothes and eats the young girl who’s only saved when a woodsman opens the belly of the wolf to free the young girl. It’s a gruesome warning – a cautionary tale – that tells young people to avoid strangers – a lesson we continue to teach today around the globe.

Folklore Is Entertainment

In primitive societies, story tellers, minstrels and others who created folklore, were held in high esteem. The tribe or clan would gather around the story teller who would weave intricate, interwoven tales that entertained. There are numerous instances of humor in folklore.

Tall tales, for example, contain exaggerated figures, often with super powers. Mystical, mischievous jinn who play tricks on humans are common in much cultural lore. The Americans, travelling west, created numerous, humorous characters including Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill and Old Storm-along. The objective was to tell the most outrageous exaggerations about these characters. So, the Grand Canyon –a natural wonder – was created by Paul Bunyan dragging his axe across the flat land, or by Pecos Bill’s spurs as he rode his wild stallion.

The objective of tall tales was simple – to amuse.

Conclusions

Much folklore has been replaced by modern science, though the myths are still told, the lullabies still sung, the tall tales repeated to the next generation. However, in many cultures, folklore still defines values and serves as cautions to young people. Folklore isn’t myth or legend among millions of believers today.

The importance of folklore in shaping a culture and ensuring the survival of that culture continues today, even in the face of empirical scientific data. Why?

People created folklore because they needed it. Today, folklore continues to serve many valuable purposes, which is why the stories are still told every day.



This is a guest post contributed by Edward Khoo of EdwardKhoo.com

Survey Archaeology: DePauw University Seeks A Cache

The College of Wooster, Millsaps College, Rhodes College and DePauw University have begun an extensive initiative to study the technique of survey archaeology. Survey archaeology studies the physical landscapes and the change over long periods of time.

Pedar W. Foss, dean of academic life and associate professor of classical studies, is the faculty CGMA representative at DePauw.

Foss says "Survey archaeology is usually non-intrusive and non-destructive – recording what appears on the surface over large areas. "

It’s also mapping the area and trying to find developmental patterns historically for large regions. In recent decades – with the advent of satellite imagery – we can get at what’s underneath without actually digging with a kind of landscape mapping that satellites have made possible.

Check out the entire article appropriately named A Hunt for Cache via DePauw University

Dinosaur Exbibits in America

One of my first recollections of a dinosaur exhibit has to be the American Museum of Natural History when I was a child. Of course, you can never forget the large whale floating above your head as you peruse the natural history that surrounds you on every side, but something just draws you in to the dinosaur exhibit. I think this is the case with many natural history museums. It's a childlike fantasy to come face to face with one of these dinosaurs, and as adults, we can still understand the fascination, as we peer into the eyes bones of these massive creatures.

1. Museum of the Rockies T-Rex Dinosaur Exhibit

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Located in Bozeman, Montana, the Museum of the Rockies hosts an impressive dinosaur fossil collection, found in the mountains of Montana from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Jack Horner, a paleontologist and curator who served as the science advisor for the Jurassic Park films, leads the area dinosaur digs and restoration process at the museum. The exhibit has on display a T-Rex, Triceratops, and Deinonychus, among others.

2. Natural Museum of Los Angeles County Saber-Toothed Tiger Exhibit

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Currently, the Natural Museum of Los Angeles County hosts a well-regarded dinosaur collection, but it will soon expand its exhibit when its Dinosaur Hall opens this coming summer. According to a Business Wire article, the new Hall will make the Los Angeles museum a world leader in dinosaur exhibits, featuring over 300 fossils and 20 full-body specimens. The museum endeavors to make the public more aware of the process of excavation and preparation, as well as to shed light on how dinosaurs lived, by way of interactive media. Especially notable is its T-Rex adult, Thomas, one of the most complete specimens on the planet.

3. Cincinnati Museum Center A View From The Front

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Although only on display until January, Cincinnati Museum Center debuted an awe-inspiring collection of dinosaur fossils found in the north-central region of China by Chinese paleontologists in 2006. The most exciting part of the exhibit is a rare nest of fossilized dinosaur eggs. For more information, check out this Washington Post article

4. Utah Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Exhibit

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UMNH has a wonderfully diverse range of dinosaur specimens, mostly from the Late Jurassic period. Many of its fossils were found in the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Emery County, Utah, which possesses the densest concentration of Jurassic fossils in the world. The latest additions to its stunning collection are two new species of iguanadonts—a Hippodraco and an Iguanacolossus. Iguanadonts are large, beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period. The skull of the Hippodraco will be on display at UMNH early next year.

5. Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian is the veritable granddaddy of American dinosaur exhibits. It dinosaur collection was begun way back in the 1850s. Some of the museum's more interesting and complete dinosaur fossils are its Triceratops, which was for a long time one of the most complete fossils of its kind in the world, its tyrannosaur Gorgosaurus, and a saurapod, Diplodocus.

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This guest post is contributed by Alvina Lopez. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez @gmail.com.