Dr. Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, chairman of the Swedish Skeptics Society, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.
Here's an idea for bloggers with an archaeological bent. I'm thinking of putting together a one-off carnival about people's nearest archaeological sites. You go to the nearest site you're aware of, snap a picture of it and explain (in as many or few words you like) the site's significance and life-history in a blog entry. Then you send me the link, and when I've got a fair number, I put them together in a link-fest, plug it on Reddit & Co, everybody votes for it and we all get a traffic spike. You don't need any formal qualifications to contribute.
Sound like fun? Please leave a comment if you're interested.
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Comments
I'm interested....
Posted by: Natalie Bennett | June 23, 2007 06:17 AM
Good one Martin, btw, when do you want contributions by?
Posted by: Tim Jones | June 23, 2007 06:17 AM
Sounds like a great idea! But can it wait until after the summer? I will be going to Ireland in July, and there we have lots of nice sites - medieval churches with graveyards are especially common.
Posted by: paddy | June 23, 2007 06:19 AM
I guess I'll want the submissions ASAP, and when I've got nine (which will make ten with my own piece) I'll put the carnival on-line. Later submissions can then be added as they pop up.
Paddy, I don't know when it'll be, but I'll happily link to your entry after the summer if you just give me a nice pic. Also, I'm sure you'll be able to find a broadband connection somewhere on the Green Isle.
Posted by: Martin R | June 23, 2007 10:02 AM
I'm in!
Posted by: Kris Hirst | June 23, 2007 10:14 AM
Good idea! Do you mind if I copy your call for contributions on the American Presidents Blog? Also, I am going to China and would love to cover the Great Wall of China. It is not close to me normally but will be as I travel in July...Is that OK?
Posted by: Michael Lorenzen | June 23, 2007 11:01 AM
Sure, the more the merrier!
Posted by: Martin R | June 23, 2007 11:25 AM
Count me in, but I'll have to think further on how to do it. Sites aren't the problem - plenty of those - but there are a lot of people here who think (erroneously, I believe) that advertising sites amounts to opening them up for looting. You're not asking for site locations, I know, but believe it or not, it's more of a sensitive issue than many might realize - some people (including tribal folks) seem to think that if you don't bring any attention to sites, no one will bother them. Personally, I firmly believe that being more open about our archaeological resources with the public does more in the long run to preserve and protect them (and that issue itself would be a good one for we archaeologists to hash out in the blogosphere). So, of course, I think Marin's idea is great and I intend to participate...
Posted by: Christopher J. O'Brien | June 23, 2007 11:45 AM
Sweden has a generous definition of what constitutes an archaeological site. Most of our sites contain nothing whatsoever that would be worth a looter's while.
As for knowing where the sites are, Swedish standard maps available in every bookstore have had the best (most lootworthy and scenic) sites marked on them for half a century. This is to protect the sites from inadvertently destructive land development, which poses a far greater threat here than looting. People can only preserve and appreciate their cultural heritage if they know about it.
Posted by: Martin R | June 23, 2007 12:11 PM
I'm doing an REU program in Arizona right now, we've seen some great sites, I'd definitely like to participate if you've still got room. Do you want an e-mail with the picture and write-up, or just a link to the blog post?
Posted by: Anne-Marie | June 23, 2007 12:35 PM
Just a link! You know, an important purpose of a blog carnival is to shunt the reader stream to the participants' blogs.
Posted by: Martin R | June 23, 2007 12:40 PM
I'm in.
Posted by: Henrik | June 24, 2007 06:38 AM
Sounds like fun! Depending on time I'm in!
Posted by: Magnus W | June 24, 2007 06:50 AM
The nearest "archaeological site" to me is, unfortunately, the Kensington Runestone site. Maybe a Swede would appreciate it, though...
Posted by: PZ Myers | June 24, 2007 09:54 AM
PZ, that may be your nearest famous site, but chances are you have some more nondescript settlement site or cemetery only a few hundred meters from your house. Anyway, the Kensington site is a fine piece of 19th century archaeology. (-;
Posted by: Martin R | June 24, 2007 10:41 AM
I went out last night to take pictures of the surviving mounds in my county for you...mostly took pictures of the drought. They will be up on www.deltaarchaeology.us soon.
Posted by: Mary | June 24, 2007 03:32 PM
I'm in...there's plenty of archaeo sites around here (Athens)!
Posted by: Daphne | June 25, 2007 03:29 AM