Editors’ Page: Come Learn with Us

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You might suspect that I intend to make a virtue of my ignorance. Well, you’re right. For 23 years, I have edited a magazine called Biblical Archaeology Review. When I started I knew very little about archaeology and the Bible. I never had a course in archaeology or in the Bible. But what a way to learn! Edit a magazine. I’m still no scholar, but I’ve certainly learned a lot.

Now I would also like to learn about other ancient civilizations. The names roll out like great chords—Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Etruscans, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Hittites—and, yes, Israelites—and many more.

A number of these peoples, for me, are little more than romantic names from the distant past. But I’m eager to learn. As a rule of thumb, I believe that if it’s interesting to me, it’s likely to be interesting to you. And I’m going to be thinking about the kinds of questions you would ask if you were looking over my shoulder—as indeed you will be.

We will find the experts who know more than anyone else about their fields; and we will work with them, helping them to express their expertise in a language we can all understand. You will also get their depth of knowledge and their concern for accuracy.

I’m also going to assume that you want Archaeology Odyssey to be engaging—and, yes, fun. That’s what we will be delivering. We have a wonderful new staff, several, like myself, brought over from Biblical Archaeology Review.

Although it may not be “politically correct” to say so, we will be examining the roots of Western Civilization. In many respects, Archaeology Odyssey’s territory is where we have come from; this affords the magazine, to my mind, a natural reason for being.

There are a couple more “althoughs”: We’ll have fun, but we’re also going to be serious. We see no contradiction here. We intend to make serious things—like the recovery of the past—enjoyable.

And although we’re going to learn together, we’re not always going to give you the answers. You’ll often have to make up your own mind. What we will give you are all responsible sides of the controversial issues we treat. For example, in this premiere issue, we present both sides of the debate about who invented the alphabet—the Semites or the Greeks? Read both arguments and make up your own mind.

We also intend to cover other controversial issues: How to stop site looting (Iraqi antiquities are being raped wholesale, but it is going on in other places, too). Is the antiquities market good or bad? Or a little of both? What about the antiquities dealers? Should antiquities taken from their country of origin—like the Elgin Marbles—be repatriated? How is archaeology supported? What part should you play? How about the government? Are archaeological museums really doing their job of educating the public?

We look forward to our journey together. Please let us hear from you—the good and the bad. We do believe we’re very good, but, with your help, we intend to get even better.

You might suspect that I intend to make a virtue of my ignorance. Well, you’re right. For 23 years, I have edited a magazine called Biblical Archaeology Review. When I started I knew very little about archaeology and the Bible. I never had a course in archaeology or in the Bible. But what a way to learn! Edit a magazine. I’m still no scholar, but I’ve certainly learned a lot. Now I would also like to learn about other ancient civilizations. The names roll out like great chords—Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Etruscans, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Hittites—and, yes, Israelites—and many […]