The Rockefeller Museum

I finally got to go to the Rockefeller Museum today. I've been wanting to go for ages but just didn't have the time last semester. Admission is free right now, I believe because the Israel Museum is close (or partially closed) so that was nice.

It's a beautiful building.
James Leslie Starkey, the excavator at Lachish, was on his way to the opening of this museum almost exactly 70 years ago, when he was murdered. That's a sad story. He is also buried in our back yard.

Probably the best part of the visit (or one of the best) was when we walked into the first room in the musuem. It had a variety of items from a variety of times, but almost the first think I saw was sort of a crown-like circle of bronze. And I said to myself, "Hey, that looks like the crown-like things from the Chalcolithic period that they found in that cave in the Judean Wilderness." And then I looked at the information card near it, and it was. So that was pretty cool. :) I always enjoy recognizing things we've talked about in class. A lot of the remains were from the Persian, Helenistic, and Roman times, and later. I haven't learned much about those (yet) so I wasn't quite as interested, but they also had some good stuff from the Chalcolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages, so I enjoyed those. They had some good examples of Tell el-Yehudiah ware that I enjoyed. I also liked seeing some Egyptians remains from Beth Shean. Hopefully I'll be able to visit it again some time.

We weren't allowed to take pictures in the Museum, but I did get a picture of the courtyard (for Katie)
and of some bright red flowers with purple-blue centers that were outside in the parking lot area.

There is also a library in the museum which had amazing ancient warnings against book theives posted which I will attempt to reproduce here for your edification. :)

1. He who fears Anu, Enlil, and Ea will return [this book] to the owner's house the same day.
2. He who fears Anu and Antu will return [this book] to the owner's house the next day.
3. He who fears Marduk and Sarpanitum will not entrust [this book] to [others'] hands.
4. He who entrusts [this book] to [others'] hands, may all the gods who are found in Babylon curse him!
5. He who fears Anu and Antu will take care of [this book] and respect it!
6. This book by order of Anu and Antu is to remain in good condition.
7. In the name of Nabu and Marduk, do not rub out the text!
8. Who rubs out the text, Marduk will look upon him in anger.
9. He who fears Anu and Antu will not carry [this book] off by theft.
10. He who carries [this book] off, may Shamash carry off his eyes.
11. He who carries [this book] off, may Adad and Shala carry him off!
12. He who breaks [this book] or puts it in water or rubs it until you cannot recognize it [and] cannot make it be understood, may Ashur, Sin, Shamash, Adad, Ishtar, Bel, Nergal, Ishtar of Nineveh, Ishtar of Arbela, Ishtar of Bit Kidmurri, the gods of heaven and earth and the gods of Assyria, may all these curse him with a curses which cannot be relieved, terrible and merciless, as long as he lives, may they let his name, his seed, be carried off from the land, may they put his flesh in a dog's mouth.

So there you go, don't steal library books!