Category Archives: Blog

“Loaded like donkeys with our new yoga mats — still in the plastic wrap — we hiked up the hill…”

Emily O'Dell bringing new yoga mats to help teach a yoga class for refugees in Beirut

To read my latest story “Refugee Yoga in Beirut,” posted on NPR’s blog for the inspiring program “On Being,” please go here.

Photo taken by one of the refugee yoginis of another yogini in the yoga class co-taught by Emily O'Dell in Beirut

“Though every yoga class ends in shavasana, it’s unsettling to lie in corpse pose in a refugee camp, with a war next door…”

Photo by Emily O'Dell

“It was nearly impossible to tell Ayatollah Khomeini from Ayatollah Khameini, as we sped past their cardboard cutouts over the highway…”

Photo taken by Emily O'Dell on the road to Baalbek

To read my latest story–about visiting the ruins of Baalbek in Lebanon–please click here.

Emily O'Dell with AUB students at Baalbek

Even though the government of Lebanon fell yesterday, my colleague and I were resolute in taking some students all the way to Baalbek to survey the impressive ruins.  And once again, I ran into some lions…

Professor Emily O’Dell at Baalbek in Lebanon

The students were given a map of the site, and encouraged to go explore the landscape on their own…they were also provided with old paintings by David Roberts, and different blocks and architectural features to find, in a scavenger hunt of sorts to keep their eyes open for inscriptions, tells, trenches, and temples…

Engraving by John Pye based on a painting by David Roberts

If you look at the image above, you’ll also recognize the same image below…

Emily O’Dell at Baalbek in Lebanon

And lurking behind those columns, is the marvelous temple of Bacchus…which we reached just as a giant rainstorm was also reaching the site…

Emily O’Dell in front of the temple of Bacchus at Baalbek in Lebanon

Students were provided with a painting by David Roberts, to compare the temple today with the way it was back in the 19th century…

Inside, we discussed what materials would have been used for the roof, and collectively wished they were still there–since just minutes upon entering, the rain began to descend upon our heads…

Emily O’Dell in the Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek in Lebanon

After a relaxing lunch in town, we got back on the bus, and headed back to Beirut.  Little did we know–the next day a spate of kidnappings by armed gunmen would be striking the Beqaa–and Baalbek–forcing the army to send in the troops…

To read more about it, please go here: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Mar-25/211347-army-deploys-in-baalbek-region-after-arsal-labweh-kidnappings.ashx#axzz2Oih1Pn9z

Emily O’Dell leading an African safari

This summer, I was very fortunate to lead a safari for Columbia University through East Africa, where we saw hundreds of elephants–from weeks-old babies to elderly matriarchs–in their natural habitat during the great migration.  Having witnessed these majestic mammals in person across the Serengeti-Mara, it is with a heavy heart that I’ve been reading about the increasing slaughter of elephants across Africa these past few weeks in articles like the ones below.

Photo by Emily O’Dell

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/opinion/sunday/slaughter-of-the-african-elephants.html

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2013/03/10/opinion/sunday/20130310-elephant-4.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/world/africa/chad-poachers-slaughter-more-than-80-elephants.html?_r=0

Photo by Emily O’Dell

There must be a way to stop this senseless slaughter–before it’s too late…

Professor Emily O'Dell with her AUB students on a field trip to Byblos in Lebanon

I took my students this past week-end to Byblos on an interactive field-trip to investigate Byblos’ cultural heritage…we started out in the legendary port, before hiking up the hill to the 12th century Crusader castle…

Professor Emily O'Dell with her AUB students in the Byblos royal tomb of Abi Chemu in Lebanon

In addition to our playful tomb-raiding, we deconstructed the site management planning, the area’s preservation status, and the ancient and modern landscape around us and beneath us…

AUB students in the tomb of Abi Chemu at Byblos in Lebanon on a field trip with Professor Emily O'Dell

The students, as you can see below, played the role of “tour guide” for different sections of the site–from the obelisk temple to the temple of the goddess Baalat Gebal and beyond.  They became fully integrated into the site as producers of knowledge–not just consumers of knowledge…

AUB students in front of the Crusader castle at Byblos on a field trip with Professor Emily O'Dell

In the Roman theater, the students listened to a presentation about the history of the theater of Byblos, and learned about what made this theater different from other ancient theaters of the time–particularly the fact that it was not built on a slope.  We’ll be viewing the missing theater mosaic of Bacchus in the National Museum in several weeks.

AUB students on a field trip at Byblos--where they "play" the role of tour guides for each other

The students were particularly intrigued by the site’s source well, which is surrounded by large sustaining walls of irregular stones.

Professor Emily O'Dell with her AUB students at Byblos

And our hunt for the elusive Persian lion, as you can see below, was successful–if you go to Byblos–we wish you luck in finding it–it’s well worth the hunt!  While the Persian period is often neglected in the study of the history of Byblos, we weren’t going to have our delicious sea-side lunch without paying our proper respects to the lion, and studying the ruins from the Persian era which tourists often miss…

Emily O'Dell with the Persian lion at Byblos

Of course, how could I not but think of my other favorite Persian lion–the one that almost ate me for lunch at Persepolis in Iran…

Professor Emily O'Dell at Persepolis in Iran

Or my rendez-vous with that stoic-faced lion in the Egyptian desert near Medinet Maadi…

Emily O'Dell in Medinet Maadi in Egypt

Or the real lions I spotted this summer when leading a spirited safari through the savannah in Kenya and Tanzania…here, kitty, kitty…

Emily O'Dell leading a safari through Kenya and Tanzania--see the lion feasting on a bloody kill just outside the window?

After my students and I congratulated ourselves on finding the camouflaged Persian lion of Byblos, we called it a day, and dined on shish taouk and fresh fish near the port…what better way for students to learn, than on the stage of history itself?  Perhaps it goes without saying that we’re already planning our next great escape…stay tuned to see where we end up…

Yesterday, I gave a public talk on “Transsexuals, Clones & Gametes: Adjudicating Bodily Difference in Iranian Islamic Jurisprudence,” at the Sexual Sovereignty: Citizenship, Governmentality, Territory Conference at the American University of Beirut organized by Dr. Jasbir Puar.  To read about this conference, please click here: http://www.aub.edu.lb/news/2013/Pages/sexuality-conf.aspx.

My article on this topic, which will soon be published and is a continuation of my post-doctoral research at Harvard, investigates the adjudication of transsexuals, clones and gametes in Islamic law, and surveys a range of opinions from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon on how these “othered,” “altered” and non-normative bodies should be conceived, assembled, reproduced, and judged in legal terms, fatwa documents, and physical reality.  Details on this stimulating conference are below…

Professor Emily O'Dell, AUB's Whittlesey Chair of History and Archaeology, with her students in the American University of Beirut's Archaeological Museum

The American University of Beirut’s Archaeological Museum, which opened in 1902, is the third oldest museum in the Near East, after Cairo and Istanbul.  With collections from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq and Iran, the museum has an array of fine antiquities for students and visitors to study and appreciate.  If you come to Beirut, make sure you come and see this unique collection!

Emily O'Dell co-teaching a yoga class to refugees in Beirut

“I offer you peace.  I offer you love.  I offer you friendship.  I see your beauty.  I hear your need.  I feel your feelings.  My wisdom flows from the Highest Source.  I salute that Source in you.  Let us work together for unity and love.” ~ Gandhi

This morning I helped teach a yoga class to refugees in Beirut…stay tuned to read an account of this powerful and transformative experience…

Emily journeyed to Jerash with the World Archaeological Congress for a tour of the site with archaeologist Jacques Siegne, formerly of the Institut Francaise du Proche Orient, who has overseen excavations at Jerash since 1982.

Emily O'Dell at Jerash in Jordan with the World Archaeological Congress

With its paved and colonnaded streets, impressive hilltop temples, awesome theatre, well-preserved plazas & baths, and stunning towers and gates, Jerash is not to be missed.

Emily O'Dell walking like an Egyptian near Egyptian granite at Jerash in Jordan with the World Archaeological Congress

Of course one of the most exciting things about seeing the site was exploring it with archaeologists from around the world, and with the archaeologist who has been responsible for excavating it for so many years.  Simply a dream come true!

Before touring the archaeological site of Jerash with archaeologist Jacques Siegne, formerly of the Insititut Francaise du Proche Orient, who has overseen excavations at Jerash since 1982, Emily explored the grounds of Aljun Castle– قلعة عجلون‎ — a medieval castle on Jabal Auf in Jordan built by the nephew of Saladin in the 12 century.

Emily O'Dell at Aljun Castle in Jordan with the World Archaeological Congress

As the base for the forces of Saladin in his battles against the Crusaders, it is an important site for military history, architectural history, and landscape archaeology.  Ajlun Castle dominated the three main routes leading to the Jordan Valley, and served as an integral link in the defensive chain against the Crusaders, who, unsuccessfully spent decades trying to defeat the forces inside the castle and capture the nearby village.

Emily O'Dell at Aljun Castle in Jordan with the World Archeological Congress

Emily O'Dell exploring Aljun Castle in Jordan with the World Archaeological Congress

From the top of the castle, on top of Jabal Auf, you can take in the beautiful view of the surrounding countryside–make sure to go see it on your way to Jerash!

 

Emily attended the World Archaeological Congress at the Dead Sea in Jordan from January 13th-19th, 2013.

Emily O'Dell at the World Archaeological Congress on the Dead Sea

In between giving papers and attending sessions, she found some time to take in the healing waters–and mud–of the Dead Sea!  What better way to end the day than soaking–and floating–at sunset in the sea…ahhhhh…

Emily O'Dell in the Dead Sea at sunset at the World Archaeological Congress

Winding through the rose-colored towering rocks of the siq towards the legendary entrance of Petra with its glorious treasury built into the sandstone cliffs builds an anticipation unlike any other…if you visit yourself, you might find yourself skipping down the siq with an unbridled excitement to finally behold the luminous facade of the Khazneh…

Emily O'Dell at the entrance to the siq at Petra with the World Archaeological Congress in Jordan

Emily O'Dell strolling through the siq of Petra with the World Archaeological Congress

Notice the way the light cuts through the narrow openings in the rock…

Emily O'Dell stopping in the siq of Petra with the World Archaeological Congress

And the ways in which the rocks change color from one part of the siq to the next…

Emily O'Dell in the siq of Petra approaching the Treasury

The giant opening above occurs just before one enters the final approach to the famed Treasury…

Emily O'Dell at the end of the siq of Petra with the facade of the treasury peeking through the narrow opening of the sandstone cliffs

Emily just attended the World Archaeological Congress at the Dead Sea in Jordan, where she presented a paper on the Taliban and cultural heritage in Afghanistan, and made new archaeological collaborations with colleagues in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.  Stay tuned for updates on her new archaeological projects in these regions.  While in Jordan, the Congress enjoyed a lovely tour of Petra together.

Emily O'Dell at Petra with the World Archaeological Congress

The marvelous tour of Petra included the entire site–somehow the Congress managed to fit in this adventurous fun in between all the stellar sessions and thought provoking papers!

Emily O'Dell in front of the Treasury at Petra for the World Archaeological Congress in Jordan

Emily had the wonderful opportunity to visit her colleagues from Brown in front of the “Great Temple” excavated by her former professor Dr. Martha Joukowsky.

Emily O'Dell at Brown University's excavation site in Petra

The site, of course, feels never-ending, and from the tombs to the theatre, there is no shortage of features and monuments to take in–if you haven’t been to Petra–put it on the list and go!

Emily O'Dell in Petra for the World Archaeological Congress

I have really been touched and inspired by my volunteer work at St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Center, and I’d like to use this post to salute the life-saving free treatment made available by St. Jude’s generosity, the extraordinary efforts of the doctors, nurses and staff to save so many children afflicted with pediatric cancer, and the strong and inspiring spirits of my new small friends!