wayneinkeywest on thu 18 dec 03
Watched a program on the History International Channel yesterday,=20
between waiting for the latest load of cookies to "come to cone" :>)
The archaeologists were digging somewhere in Britain in a field,=20
looking for ancient sites of Roman=20
cremation burials near Hadrian's Wall. Found them, and a Roman =
fortification
too. And some breathtaking impritaurs (sp?) made from the local noble's=20
rings impressed into clay at the time...first through second century AD.
Point of all this is simple. Paint and canvas fade with time. Bury =
them=20
and they rot, get carried off to be used as horse blankets=20
fish wrappers, or kindling by invading hordes. Won't be around in a=20
century without extreme care.
Pottery lasts! You should have seen the look of pure joy on the faces =
as=20
they dug carefully, revealing the urns, the shards. Each discovery =
greeted=20
like priceless gifts on Christmas Day. Handled oh-so-carefully,=20
supported by all available hands, as if diamonds made from Ivor's =
meringue.
After twenty centuries, still intact...in the dirt from which they came.
The connections to our history will never be made with photography,=20
wood carving, needlework or paint.
Only pots remain.
Keep 'em coming, folks, and remember that those who would disparage us,=20
look down their noses and claim "it's _craft_, not art!" well to heck=20
with them. In twenty centuries, hell, even two centuries, no one will=20
remember THEIR names, only ours...because ours will be on the pots!
Wayne Seidl
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