My flight from Tel Aviv arrived in Munich on Sunday April 21 as scheduled and I took a train to Bamberg, arriving in the mid-afternoon. I had come to Bamberg for three days to meet people and get some work done in the library, before heading off to conferences. In particular I meet my colleagues Anja and Ilse to discuss our Bhimunipatnam project.
On Wednesday April 24 I took a train to Weingarten near Ravensburg to attend a conference on Sacrality and Deviance, sponsored by Erlangen University. That afternoon, with lovely weather, I walked around Weingarten and went to the archaeological Alamannen Museum and the City Museum im Schlössle. I found the plaster ornamentation on the ceilings there by Franz Schmuzer in 1728 especially attractive.
I also bought a book of Sudoku puzzles; I frittered away a considerable amount of time in the following days solving the puzzles.
The conference was on Thursday to Saturday April 25 to 27. There were a couple dozen other participants, all German academics. I gave my presentation about the Controversy over Images in Palestine in the 8th-9th Centuries on Friday afternoon. I gave my talk in German, the first time I have done so.
On Friday I joined the conference tour of the Basilica of Saint Martin, where some sacred blood of Jesus from the Crucifixion is housed as a relic. The façade of the basilica is under renovation, so in the meantime large cloth hangings with the image of the façade have been placed in front. I have not seen that technique of site presentation during a renovation before.
On Sunday morning April 28 I walked around the city of Ravensburg for a while, before taking a train to Mainz.
I arrived at the University of Mainz in the mid-afternoon and settled into my room in a dormitory hall for athletes on campus for the next week.
I had come to the University of Mainz to meet Johannes Pahlitzsch about preparing a renewed application for research funds for me to study early Christianity in southern Jordan. I met Johannes a couple of times, as well as Wolfgang Zwickel, the professor for Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology. I also spent some time in the Byzantine Studies reading room. On the evening of Thursday May 2 I went to a student performance of Shakespeare, Twelfth Night.
Near the university campus are remnants of a Roman aqueduct and a large municipal cemetery, which includes an interesting Jewish funeral hall.
After my week in Mainz, on Saturday May 4 I took a train to Berlin to attend the International Conference on the History and Archaeology of Jordan, sponsored by Humboldt University.
But first on Sunday May 5 I went to Potsdam, where I had not been before. I first went to Werder nearby, where a Tree-Blossom festival was underway – actually a street-fair with lots of booths selling food items – although a few streets with trees in blossom were nice.
I then went to the Sanssouci Park in Potsdam and took a tour of the New Palace, after which I walked around the Park.
I returned to Berlin in time for the start of the conference with an opening ceremony and reception at the Pergamon Museum.
The conference sessions were from Monday through Friday May 6 to 10. My presentation about the Archaeology of Early Christianity: The Jordanian Contribution was on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday evening was a dinner cruise on the Spree River for the conference participants. I joined the other Humayma project members Barbara Reeves, John Oleson and Craig Harvey.
It was especially useful for me at the conference to meet Basema Hamarneh, a Jordanian archaeologist whom I had not met for some years. I also talked extensively with Dino Politis about our future plans. I joined Basema, Dino, Ignacio Arce, Gaetano Palumbo and Anna Paolini for dinner on Monday.
On Friday I had lunch with Stefan Weber, the director of the Museum of Islamic Art in the Pergamon Museum. We had an important conversation about the on-going remodeling of the Islamic Museum in Jerusalem that he is involved with.
On Wednesday April 24 I took a train to Weingarten near Ravensburg to attend a conference on Sacrality and Deviance, sponsored by Erlangen University. That afternoon, with lovely weather, I walked around Weingarten and went to the archaeological Alamannen Museum and the City Museum im Schlössle. I found the plaster ornamentation on the ceilings there by Franz Schmuzer in 1728 especially attractive.
Ceiling ornamentation
Ceiling ornamentation
I also bought a book of Sudoku puzzles; I frittered away a considerable amount of time in the following days solving the puzzles.
The conference was on Thursday to Saturday April 25 to 27. There were a couple dozen other participants, all German academics. I gave my presentation about the Controversy over Images in Palestine in the 8th-9th Centuries on Friday afternoon. I gave my talk in German, the first time I have done so.
On Friday I joined the conference tour of the Basilica of Saint Martin, where some sacred blood of Jesus from the Crucifixion is housed as a relic. The façade of the basilica is under renovation, so in the meantime large cloth hangings with the image of the façade have been placed in front. I have not seen that technique of site presentation during a renovation before.
The tour guide with the altar of the sacred blood behind
The Basilica of Saint Martin, showing the hangings in front of the church
On Sunday morning April 28 I walked around the city of Ravensburg for a while, before taking a train to Mainz.
An interesting building facade in Ravensburg
I arrived at the University of Mainz in the mid-afternoon and settled into my room in a dormitory hall for athletes on campus for the next week.
I had come to the University of Mainz to meet Johannes Pahlitzsch about preparing a renewed application for research funds for me to study early Christianity in southern Jordan. I met Johannes a couple of times, as well as Wolfgang Zwickel, the professor for Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology. I also spent some time in the Byzantine Studies reading room. On the evening of Thursday May 2 I went to a student performance of Shakespeare, Twelfth Night.
Near the university campus are remnants of a Roman aqueduct and a large municipal cemetery, which includes an interesting Jewish funeral hall.
Remnants of the Roman Aqueduct
The Jewish funeral hall
After my week in Mainz, on Saturday May 4 I took a train to Berlin to attend the International Conference on the History and Archaeology of Jordan, sponsored by Humboldt University.
But first on Sunday May 5 I went to Potsdam, where I had not been before. I first went to Werder nearby, where a Tree-Blossom festival was underway – actually a street-fair with lots of booths selling food items – although a few streets with trees in blossom were nice.
Trees in blossom in Werder
I then went to the Sanssouci Park in Potsdam and took a tour of the New Palace, after which I walked around the Park.
Some flower beds at Sanssouci
I returned to Berlin in time for the start of the conference with an opening ceremony and reception at the Pergamon Museum.
The conference sessions were from Monday through Friday May 6 to 10. My presentation about the Archaeology of Early Christianity: The Jordanian Contribution was on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday evening was a dinner cruise on the Spree River for the conference participants. I joined the other Humayma project members Barbara Reeves, John Oleson and Craig Harvey.
The dinner cruise
It was especially useful for me at the conference to meet Basema Hamarneh, a Jordanian archaeologist whom I had not met for some years. I also talked extensively with Dino Politis about our future plans. I joined Basema, Dino, Ignacio Arce, Gaetano Palumbo and Anna Paolini for dinner on Monday.
Basema (left) and Dino (right) with Ignacio, Gaetano (hidden) and Anna in the Hackeschen Höfe
On Friday I had lunch with Stefan Weber, the director of the Museum of Islamic Art in the Pergamon Museum. We had an important conversation about the on-going remodeling of the Islamic Museum in Jerusalem that he is involved with.
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