In This Issue
Olympian Illusions
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New studies challenge traditional notions about Greek athletes and why they
competed. By Peter A. Young
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From the President
Kudos for Italian Archaeology
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A year in Rome and a recent trip to the Bay of Naples have shown me how dynamic
and productive today's Italian archaeologists are. By Stephen L. Dyson
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Letters
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Near Eastern Studies Crisis III; Old Mobile Correction; Diving Gas
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Insight
Space Missions and Ground Truth
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Satellite imagery has played an unexpected role in the detection of archaeological
sites in Greece, demonstrating the value of combing remote sensing from space
with direct observation on the ground. By James Wiseman
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At the Museums
Ghosts of 'Ain Ghazal
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Reassembled from thousands of fragments, the world's earliest plaster statues
will be on display at the Smithsonian Institution's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in
Washington, D.C., from July 28, 1996, until April 6, 1997. Discovered in 1985
at 'Ain Ghazal in Jordan, the largest Early Neolithic settlement in the Near East,
the statues date to ca. 6500 B.C. Reviewed by Angela M.H.
Schuster
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Books
Palaeolithic Masterpieces
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Two new books describe the Palaeolithic paintings of two caves in France:
Chauvet, discovered in 1994, and Cosquer, whose paintings were first noticed in
1991. Dawn of Art: The Chauvet Cave. By Jean-Marie Chauvet, Eliette
Brunel Deschamps, and Christian Hillaire. Epilogue by Jean Clottes. Translated by
Paul Bahn. 135 pages. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996. $39.95. ISBN
0-8109-3232-6. The Cave Beneath the Sea: Palaeolithic Images of Cosquer.
By Jean Clottes and Jean Courtin. Translated by Marilyn Gamer. 200 pages. New
York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996. $60.00. ISBN 0-8109-4033-7. Reviewed by
Brian Fagan
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Multimedia
Exposing the Holy Land
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Four tapes provide an excellent overview of the history of archaeology in the Holy
Land. The History of Palestinian Archaeology. 1991. A four-part video
series produced by AAI/Our Gang with research by Jeffrey Blakely. Color, 30
minutes each. Purchase, $250 from Eisenbrauns, P.O. Box 275, Winona Lake,
IN 46590-0275. Reviewed by Peter S. Allen.
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Forum
Murders Most Foul
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A half-dozen staffers of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology
and Anthropology conspired during a power failure to hold a symposium entitled
"Murder at the Museum," where mystery writers engaged physical
anthropologists and forensic specialists in discussions of murders most foul. By
Spencer P.M. Harrington
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