Idrimi

[theyellowhobbit]

I have a paper on the Idrimi inscription/text due on Wednesday, October 31st. Knowledge of what the Idrimi text is is not required to understand this post, but you can wikipedia it if you feel like it.

I have 2 primary sources and 7 secondary sources that I need to use in the paper. Mind you, this is a 6-8 page paper. I'm about halfway through the sources, I think.

I was reading a source today that at one point said something along the lines of "This argument is really compelling, even though it relies heavily on the archaeological evidence." WTF? Since when was reliance on archaeological evidence a bad thing? It's archaeology. You don't mess with archaeology. Needless to say, I was annoyed.

The article was also published with many typos. Dr. M corrected a few in his book which he photocopied it from to give to us. I ran into Dr. M. in the library today and asked him about the article (actually I had it with me since I was working on it right then) and if he was proofreading it prior to publication. He said they were just his notes, and I could use them if I liked. I also told him about the insult to archaeology (which would have been a footnote in my paper had I not run into him at that time).

Seriously, you text people need to respect the archaeology. We're the ones who find you your documents. We give them context (which you ignore). We see the bigger picture (ditto). We get hot, sweaty, and dirty¹while you sit in your air-conditioned office in your pristine tweed suit-jackets (which you wear despite the fact that it's 80 degrees out). And then we publish articles, but you're the real scholars, since texts are always superior to archaeological finds because texts have words (even though these words are usually misleading).

Also, I noticed that most of the articles we're reading for this class are written by males. I really am starting a career in which I will be the minority. But that means my dating odds are better (assuming the male archaeologists/Near Eastern scholars are approximately my age, single, and Jewish). And then the odds will be good, but the goods will be odd.

¹ Not to say that I don't enjoy the sweaty, dirty, ickyness. I totally love it (provided I'm not getting injured). I'm just saying that text people take archaeologists for granted.

Comments

[hatam-soferet.livejournal.com]

I like archaeologists...you guys are cool...

[sen-ichi-rei.livejournal.com]

Yay! We totally are awesome. Archaeology is a "sexy" field of study.

[platypuses.livejournal.com]

Awesome last sentence.

[sen-ichi-rei.livejournal.com]

:)

They're not as bad as engineers. Even if I was told not to date an archaeologist by an archaeologist. Maybe said archaeologist is the exception to his own rule since he managed to get married.

[boroparkpyro.livejournal.com]

Seriously, you text people need to respect the archaeology. We're the ones who find you your documents. We give them context (which you ignore). We see the bigger picture (ditto). We get hot, sweaty, and dirty1while you sit in your air-conditioned office in your pristine tweed suit-jackets (which you wear despite the fact that it's 80 degrees out). And then we publish articles, but you're the real scholars, since texts are always superior to archaeological finds because texts have words (even though these words are usually misleading).

LOL, great imagery there