Dr Jay's Musings

        As promised, I have conducted my first test of a Matterport camera on on outdoor archaeological site.  We know it is good for tombs and the like but outdoors does pose some problems. I cannot wait to test it some more, but I did learn a few lessons.  Notes for use; 1) I shot the images at about 5:30am a perfect time.  By 6:30 the sun was starting to get strong and it was more difficult for the sensor to align the images. 2) I did it hasty so that means the halfa grass was thick, holes were hidden, and it was a bit treacherous.  When going about a formal non-test case, make sure you do the preliminary work of clearing obstacles and anything you don't want in the model.  Note my police escort appears in various places in the distance. 3) keep your points close, I think 1-2 m intervals. 4) Choose your elevation.  Because it is a large structure I set the tripod at a high level.  If you are more interested in t...

       Nubian acrobats were all the rage in the Roman Empire and it seems that a troupe paid a visit to Thmouis (Tell Timai).  A group of lamps, surely sold as souvenirs to the audience, were found in an offering pit or foundation deposit in the central tell...my speculation is that the gymnasium was in this area (note, there was a dedication stone for the gymnasium recovered early in the 20th century at Tell Timai, but we do not know from where. the stone is now at the newly re-opened Graeco Roman Museum ).  The baths are about 80m from the offering deposit, so not too far for men to run naked through the city to soak after a workout. For more details do see the Tell Timai publications in print due to the efforts of our figurine expert, Dr. James Bennett!  J. Bennett, A Troupe of Six Terracotta Acrobat Figurines found in a Votive Pit at Thmuis    J. Bennett, R. Littman, and J. Silverstein,  The Terracotta Figurines from Tell Timai: 200...