Archaeologist at Large: Memorialization

Peter Ucko

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:10:28 GMT

Maverick archaeologist who oversaw a revolution in the structure and outlook of his profession

Published: 21 June 2007

Peter John Ucko, archaeologist: born London 27 July 1938; Lecturer in Anthropology, University College London 1962-72, Director, Institute of Archaeology and Professor of Comparative Archaeology 1996-2006 (Emeritus); Principal, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies 1972-81; Professor of Archaeology, Southampton University 1981-96; died London 14 June 2007.

More @ http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2686806.ece

And more at the World Archaeological Congress site @ http://worldarchaeologicalcongress.org/site/peter_ucko.php

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Marks its 90th Anniversary

Sat, 19 May 2007 12:01:12 GMT

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorates its 90th anniversary on 21 May 2007.

The Commission was established by Royal Charter. Its duties are to mark and maintain the graves of the forces of the Commonwealth who died in the two world wars, to build and maintain memorials to the dead whose graves are unknown, and to keep records and registers of the casualties.

Today, the Commission commemorates 1.7 million men and women buried in 23,000 sites in 149 countries. The Canadian Agency of the Commission is responsible for the commemoration of 19,000 war dead in 3,300 cemeteries and on five Memorials in North America. Mr. David Stacey, Secretary-General of the Canadian Agency, states: "The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is extremely proud of its work within North America during the last 90 years and we will commemorate in perpetuity the Fallen of the First and Second World Wars."

"Canada's New Government applauds the tremendous care and service provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission," stated the Honourable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs. "I have had the opportunity on several occasions to visit cemeteries and memorials maintained by the Commission and I have been touched by the beauty and serenity of the final resting places of our Canadian heroes."

The Commission is highlighting its cemeteries and memorials in a 90th anniversary commemorative book. Remembered, published by Merrill Publishers. The book, available to the general public, features 200 colour and black and white photographs taken by renowned photographer Brian Harris with a foreword by Ian Hislop. It is the first major illustrated history of its kind in almost fifty years.

Visit the Canadian Agency's website for further details concerning our North American responsibilities at www.cwgc-canadianagency.ca or visit the Commission's main website regarding its worldwide tasks at www.cwgc.org.

Titanic Round Up

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:10:44 GMT

As some of you know one of my interests is memorializarion and the Titanic legacy is vastly interesting in this area.

With the 95 anniversary of the sinking on the 12th April the press has been full of stories, here are a few

Dinner on the Titanic, a recreation of a meal on the ship of dreams!

@ http://www.argusobserver.com/articles/2007/04/15/news/news01.txt

Relatives pay tribute to those who died on the Titanic

@ http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2452639.ece

Titanic's passenger list goes online

@ http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/B7569FA8DE50091ECC2572C0001AB1BC

Watch's made from Titanic' steel and coal go on sale-SICK

@ http://www.diamondvues.com/2007/04/from_basel_own_a_piece_of_the.html

On a more sensible note 'Explorer: Titanic must be preserved soon'

@ http://www.pekintimes.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/news3.txt

Cool Website

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:52:57 GMT

One of my interests is diasters and cultural events and how we remember them and I like to collect everything to do with the Titantic, I thought until recently I was the only archaeologist interested in such things, then I met a collegue who was crazy about Zepplins.

He got me looking around and this is one of the sites I discovered

Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen @ http://www.zeppelin-museum.de/firstpage.en.htm

Enjoy!

Halifax hosts Titanic's 95th

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:48:28 GMT

HALIFAX -- Maritime history buffs from Canada and Europe will gather in Halifax next year to mark the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

Hundreds are expected to attend a memorial service, lectures, a gala dinner and sightseeing trips this April.

A British Titanic Society website says a number of Titanic societies from countries including Switzerland, Sweden, Britain, Germany and Ireland will attend the event, which is planned for April 13 to 15.

The Titanic, an ocean liner thought to be unsinkable, went down on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg southeast of Newfoundland on its maiden voyage across the North Atlantic. More than 1,500 people died.

Ships from Halifax were sent to retrieve victims' bodies. Some 150 victims are buried in Halifax; about one-third remain unidentified.

The 95th anniversary will be the first time Halifax has hosted an international gathering of Titanic societies.

Millvina Dean, one of the last survivors of the tragedy and at 10 months the youngest passenger on the ill-fated ship, plans to be among the delegates attending the event.

More on this event @

Stargazers condemn laser light ‘vandalism’

By David Newble

http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/hampshirenews/display.var.1095000.0.stargazers_condemn_laser_light_vandalism.php

Titanic buffs to gather here for 95th anniversary

By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONEStaff Reporter

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/549444.html

Editorial: Memorials and cost: Are they worth the money?

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 20:59:34 GMT

A reader called The Herald-Argus Monday, concerned about the memorial on the National Mall planned for the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The caller was not concerned that a memorial is planned for King, but that its estimated cost is $100 million. Wouldn’t that money, he wondered, be better spent trying to improve the lives of impoverished African Americans?

It’s a valid question. One hundred million dollars could go a long way toward enhancing many, many lives. However, the answer is tough. In fact, there’s really no right or wrong answer -- it depends on one’s own point of view.

When you think about it, the question regarding the MLK memorial could be applied to any such memorial. Take the World War II memorial that opened on the Mall in 2004, for example: It cost $174 million. That’s a lot of money that could have gone toward veterans’ benefits and medical care.

One might argue that the WWII memorial is more worthy because it honors hundreds of thousands who gave their lives during the war. Good point. So let’s consider another memorial on the Mall dedicated to one man.

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial opened on the Mall in 1997. It is dedicated, of course, to the U.S. president who guided the nation through the throes of the Depression as well as the Second World War. The FDR memorial cost $48 million. Again, money that could have gone toward many other causes.

The point is that any type of monument or memorial built involves a lot of money that some might claim should have been spent in better ways. It’s always a valid argument. But often, particularly if the funds are generated by private sources, the memorial is worthwhile. Because it reminds people forevermore of a key person or event in history.

In the case of the MLK memorial, project organizers have so far raised $65.5 million of the $100 million cost through donations, mainly from corporate donors.

If we always argued the case that money devoted to memorials could be better spent elsewhere, there would be no Lincoln Memorial or Mount Rushmore or Soldiers and Sailors Monument or USS Arizona Memorial.

A wire story pointed out, “There are no memorials to historic African-Americans.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy needs to continue to shine brightly. Perhaps this privately funded memorial will help that happen.

Taken from http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=364732

Carols, pudding and football: a letter from the trenches on Christmas day in 1914

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:29:19 GMT

Often this is claimed to be a myth of history

A poignant description of the famous Christmas Day Truce in 1914, when young soldiers played football in No Man's Land and German and British troops who had been shelling one another hours earlier shook hands and swapped souvenirs, was bought by the singer Chris de Burgh at an auction in London yesterday.

The author is untraceable and it is not known what his fate was after the day of improbable gaiety, with carols, letters and presents from home, and a feast in the trenches of chocolate, oranges and hot Christmas pudding.

Historic documents experts at Bonham's auction house said the letter was a rare surviving example of a genuine original. It was clearly treasured and bears the marks of being read and reread and careful repairs to tears.

Story continues @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,1941940,00.html

Titanic the Musical

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:59:08 GMT

I heard about this a while ago, it seems in such bad taste

see what you think @ http://www.titanicthemusical.com.au/

Another Titanic story @ http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1938382.ece

Last British 'Titanic' survivor disgusted by salvagers selling off ship's treasures

By Anna Giokas

Published: 29 October 2006

The last British survivor from the Titanic has condemned the people plundering the ship's wreckage where the bodies of hundreds, including her father, remain.

Milveena Dean, 94, was shocked to learn that parts from the ship that is her father's grave are on sale on the black market as salvage companies and divers plunder the wreck.

Ban on roadside memorials and wreaths for car crashes` victims

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 21:31:04 GMT

this is one of my research areas, it has become a very political debate recently particulary in the US

Here's news of a ban in Russia, what do you think?

Officials of Chelyabinsk have started to tackle the problem of roadside memorials for car crashes` victims. A project of federal law which can count setting roadside memorials, wreaths or crosses an administrative offense has now been cut out. Deputies of the region are planning to put such memorials under a ban and eliminate the present ones. Moreover, Chelyabinsk`s authorities would like to spread this initiative over other Russian regions and add amendments to the federal law about administrative offenses.
At the present moment the State Standard of Russia requires droves, streets and pavements to be free of irrelevant objects. At the same time there is no law prohibiting memorials setting, while huge roadside advertising billboards stand along the roads.
Chelyabinsk`s authorities are sure that roadside memorials and wreathes hinder drivers. However, opinions about the idea have divided: some people claim such memorials spoil the city's image and cause oppressive impressions while others consider the forthcoming law aweless.

Plus also a ban on the cards in South Africa

http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=26316,1,22

Memories & Memorials

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 08:35:23 GMT

At the very last minute, Pamela Gould wasn't sure if she was ready to see the last hours of her father's life unfold in unflinching detail on the big screen.

It was no easy decision to make. Gould — whose father was Patrick "Joe" Driscoll of Manalapan — was among the hundreds of family members invited by Universal Pictures to attend a private screening of "United 93," a film that depicts the last day of the 33 passengers and seven crew members on board United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. Gould had, at first, resolved to make the very first screening.