The Site

Tell Tayinat is a Bronze and Iron Age site, currently being excavated by the University of Toronto. Here is the official website. They've made some amazing discoveries in the last few years, including a group of finds in the Neo-Assyrian temple on the site, and this season a monumental stone lion (pictures coming soon!). 

A view of the entrance way to the Neo-Assyrian temple on the site.

Last season they recovered a very important cuneiform tablet and an 

Assyrian glazed vessel on this platform within the temple.

The view from the temple. On the right is a shelter covering exposed mudbrick that has been excavated for several seasons and needs protection. 

Turkey (Reprise)

Back in Turkey, and long overdue for a blog update (sorry everyone). Things have been busy around here.

But to get right down to it, I am working this summer at Tell Tayinat, an excavation in south-central Turkey, near the Syrian border. A brief introduction to the dig house:

The courtyard, where artifacts are processed.

There is a lot of pottery to be dealt with...

Drink station, and the big table where everyone eats in the background.

I don't really have an explanation for this one.

Behind the house is an orchard of olive trees. 

More to come soon...

Set Visit

Ryan let me tag along with him to a commercial he was working on outside of LA. My first visit to a real set.

Farewell Classmates!

We had our final goodbyes and a happy hour celebration after our last class meeting of grad school.

I hate saying goodbyes.

  

Detour

Lunch at a Cuban food truck. Yum.

New Camera

I got a new camera for my birthday (Thanks Mom and Dad!). Here are a few test shots.

PRINCE

For my birthday, Ryan got me tickets to see Prince. I think these pictures sum it up fairly well, but nothing can capture the showmanship of a Prince concert. One of the best nights in recent memory. 

Notice the billowing silk shirt, caused by a mysterious breeze 

constantly following Prince around stage. 

By the third or fourth encore he had put on this gold leisure suit. 

With matching gold platform shoes. I adore Prince.