Episode 15: Alexander Bauer

An archaeologist who today digs on the northern coast of Turkey at the site of Sinop, Prof. Alexander Bauer of Queens College-CUNY reflects on ancient examples of sculptural desecration, and paints a vivid picture of the daily life of a scholar in a sun-drenched archaeological site revealing 4,000 year-old finds with trowel and brush in hand. We hear about the mechanics of archaeology as so-called controlled destruction, leading-edge technology in service of uncovering the past, the promise of well-preserved shipwrecks 2,000 meters below the surface of the mysterious Black Sea, and George Orwell’s sage assessments of the power of history in determining the future. Close observers will detect evidence of his exuberant young sons Finnegan, Felix, and Alex in the background, and all listeners will be repaid for time spent listening to his candid assessment of the future of archaeology.