The Forum

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With the last issue of Archaeology Odyssey, Jack Meinhardt, former managing editor, became editor. Did anyone notice?

The truth of the matter is that Archaeology Odyssey has been Jack’s baby since the very beginning. When I thought about launching a new magazine, I immediately turned to Jack and asked him if he would become its managing editor—and he agreed.

Now it is my pleasure to welcome him as the editor.

And I? I am the editor-at-large. No one is quite sure what that means. The closest we can come is that, much like a hummingbird, I hover without going anywhere.—Hershel Shanks

Ouch!

Your item on castration in the ancient world (“The Cruelest Cut,” Ancient Life, November/December 2004) was most informative and amusing, and I read it to my Roman civilization and Latin classes. I believe it is important to inform readers about such ancient practices, even if you offend some people.

Requiescat in Pace

I was deeply touched by your story of the discovery of the bones of two Christian martyrs in the basilica at Halmyris (Mihail Zahariade and Myrna K. Phelps, “Death at Halmyris: Two Christian Martyrs at a Roman Outpost on the Danube,” November/December 2004). The lovely photo of the two Orthodox priests who reburied the ancient bones shows so much tenderness.

A Trifecta

As my principal interests are (1) Roman history, (2) the history of the Danube River region and (3) early Christianity, “Death at Halmyris” was a triple winner for me!

Christians, not Idol Worshipers

Mihail Zahariade and Myrna K. Phelps write that the Christian martyrs Epictetus and Astion were first “buried at an unknown location; their remains were later brought to Halmyris and placed in a crypt, where the martyrs could be worshiped.” Christians do not worship the remains of martyrs. Today, as then, Christians venerate saints and martyrs and seek to emulate their actions, but worship is reserved for God. Theologically speaking, visiting the tomb of a martyr or saint is no different from visiting the tomb of George Washington.

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Kudos to the Builders

My thanks to Harrison Eiteljorg (“Antiquity’s High Holy Place: The Athenian Acropolis,” November/December 2004) for his wonderful description, history and praise of the craftsmen who built the Acropolis.

“Dear Father”

I was moved by the 2,000-year-old letters written by the young Roman soldier, Claudius Terentianus, to his father (“Dear Father… New Exhibition Features Letters from a Roman Soldier in Egypt,” November/December 2004, p. 10).

Do you know how I could see more of these letters?

Ten years ago the University of Michigan, Columbia University and Duke University made their collections of ancient papyri available online. The University of California at Berkeley, Princeton University and Yale University then joined the consortium, which is known as the Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS). Internet users can easily search for digital images, translations and catalogue records of published papyri (www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/projects/digital/apis/search); simply enter an appropriate keyword (“Claudius Terentianus” or “Claudius Tiberianus” would do the trick) in the search box.

Not So Fast!

The story “Hoary Hooch: Evidence of Earliest Wine Found in Georgia” (January/February 2005, p. 14) should have included qualifications regarding the chemical research that has thus far been carried out. Although we have run our standard battery of tests—infrared spectrometry, liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS) and spot tests—on 10 Neolithic jars and goblets from Georgia, the recovered ancient organic material was not sufficient to be definitely identified as tartaric acid/tartrate or tree resin.

Our preliminary results for vessels from Shulaveris-Gora, dating as early as about 6000 B.C., are encouraging, and we are now following up with a more sensitive technique in collaboration with Rosa M. Lamuela-Raventós in the Nutrition and Pharmacology Faculty of the University of Barcelona. Using this technique, Professor Lamuela-Raventós recently identified tartaric acid and a red pigment (malvidin) inside an amphora from the tomb of Tutankhamun (see Analytical Chemistry 76: 1672–1677). Until those and other analyses are completed, it would be well to reserve judgment about “earliest” wine. Other early Neolithic sites in the Middle East, particularly several spectacular sites in the Taurus Mountains of eastern Turkey, may eventually yield even earlier evidence of viticulture and winemaking than Georgia.

With the last issue of Archaeology Odyssey, Jack Meinhardt, former managing editor, became editor. Did anyone notice?