At the ISAC museum
The ISAC, formerly known as the Oriental Institute on the University of Chicago campus is one of my favorite places - and PK’s and Maeve’s too - we came on a little field trip today.
ISAC stands for the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures - quite a mouthful, but an apt description.
I have to admit, I like the old name better.
It was, I think, more evocative and romantic. But I also understand that it has become politically incorrect, especially as it relates to people vs, say, a rug.
However, as I mentioned the new name is a more accurate description for the museum as it concerns itself with archaeology and art from the Near East, rather than the Far East which is what most people think of when they hear the word ‘oriental.’
That’s because the meaning of the word has evolved over time. Originally, it included the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia.
But enough about the name…
My favorite piece in the museum is the colossal statue of King Tut.
It stands 17 ft tall and is made of quartzite with paint. There is a twin to this statue, both were found at the mortuary temple of Ay and Horemheb in Medinet Habu and excavated in the early 1930s. This statue was given to ISAC by the Egyptian government, the other statue resides in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Every time I visit the museum, I have a picture taken with it. Unfairly, over the years, King Tut doesn’t age, but I do ( just a little;)
Nefertiti?
In case you’re thinking, isn’t that the famous Nefertiti bust in the background next to Maeve?
Well, sort of.
It’s a copy, the original is in The Egyptian Museum in Berlin, Germany.
It was originally discovered by the German Oriental Society in Tell el-Amarna in 1912.
The one here is a cast replica made in 1923. The replica has the eye fully repaired as the original is missing its left eye.
So, we’re here today to get a little inspiration for the Murder in Mesopotamia play that I’m helping out with in the form of curating a collection of props.
They happen to have an intriguing number of photographs on display right now with lots of images of people, men and women, at work on a dig during the 1920s and onward, which is perfect.
We’ll wander around, but let me just leave you with the website for ISAC because if you are in Chicago, you should make it a priority.
The vibe here, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is very old school, Indiana Jones - if you saw this place in an Indy movie, you would think it fit right one.