What is the point of Archaeology

[Wax]

Nah, watched too much 'Life on Mars'

"Oi Dorothy, shut it!"
-Gene Hunt

Ahh Life on Mars, made the telly liecence worth the price. Read Pincher Martin it is probably the first bit of literature to explore "mind creates own world with different movement of time in the seconds leading to death" Always thought that was what Donnie Darko was all about hence the song.

Dammn I have spoiled the plot for anyone reading Pincher

[P Prentice]

Is it just me, or does the author not understand the difference between dendro and c14 dating? If he can't get even that straight, he hasn't done the reading he needs to do.

i think you must be referring to 'dendrochronologically derived' dated from charred material, but i think he meant the calibration of c14 determinations so he is in fact correct

[kevin wooldridge]

Read Pincher Martin, it is probably the first bit of literature to explore "mind creates own world with different movement of time in the seconds leading to death" Always thought that was what Donnie Darko was all about hence the song.

Nah that would either be the Book of Revelation from the bible or Bible excluded, Dante's 'Inferno'....Donnie Darko - my favourite movie of recent years. Think the song was written before the movie though.

[P Prentice]

I suspect that he also does not understand two of the basic concepts of archaeological stratigraphy - assessing the degree of intrusiveness or residuality in any given context....the paragraphs suggesting that the best archaeology is that where finds and texts coincide is a little like saying 'It's always easier to date the finds when they come with a label detailing the best-before date' !!

i suspect the mundane never crosses his radar and that he is talking about stuff where texts have been found

[CARTOON REALITY]

Nah that would either be the Book of Revelation from the bible or Bible excluded, Dante's 'Inferno'

But Saint John and Dante both survive death . . . Unlike Donnie say.

Gilamesh? The Odyssey? Again the main character returns - so what was the first work where the main character doesn't make it back from the underworld?

[Wax]

Nah that would either be the Book of Revelation from the bible or Bible excluded, Dante's 'Inferno'....Donnie Darko - my favourite movie of recent years. Think the song was written before the movie though.

indeed, I have the original Tears for Fears Album late 1970s early 1980s. in answer to Mr C Reality there were various Greek heros who went to the underworld but I think they all came back except Orpheus' wife who he went to fetch he made the classic mistake of turning back to look at her hence sealing her fate for ever.

[CARTOON REALITY]

in answer to Mr C Reality there were various Greek heros who went to the underworld but I think they all came back except Orpheus' wife who he went to fetch he made the classic mistake of turning back to look at her hence sealing her fate for ever.

I had to look that one up -I can claim to be an Orphic virgin until today. I don't think she counts - she was already dead. I'm talking about a living person voyaging into the land of the dead and not returning.

This is getting a bit odd . . . perhaps we should return to the topic

Would Dinosaur care to date a topic bar?

[Dinosaur]

Not till I've had my teeth fixed - a month for a b****y apointment! !:face-crying:

Has anyone checked out Lovecraft? - right up his street.....

[CARTOON REALITY]

Yes Lovecraft, you might be onto something there . . . Have a look at this. It seems to tick all the right boxes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stateme...lph_Carter

[Dinosaur]

Main problem is that Lovecraft, Lumley et al are generally dealing more with the alien and the occult, rather than the dead (although that's the state many of their main characters wind up in) - Lovecraft had scary dreams, didn't he? :0