Intellectual Burpees
Digital Engagement and R.H.’s New Direction.
I’ve been thinking about how to write about the last couple of weeks. My mind, my thoughts, and aspirations have been stretched to the point of extreme exhaustion. I’ve been performing a form of intellectual burpees, where the results come slowly and painfully. It has been a whirlwind tour of museums, digital consumption and numismatic research. At the Agora, I continue to collect data. So much data. The scope of the project is massive, and the deeper I dive in, the more I become enchanted and conflicted by the collection, which will be lightly touched on in this post.
Joan! I’m still doing a form of burpees.
Next, I travelled to Thessaloniki for three days to do some observational research. What exactly do I mean by this? Simple, I walked around the city and its museums and watched how people interacted with archaeological features, landscapes and museum exhibitions. SUPER SCIENTIFIC! The Museum of Byzantine Culture was magnificent and how they incorporated coins into their exhibits was the best I have seen, thus far. I plan to write a post dedicated to this topic soon. However, it was the sheer size and breadth of the fortification wall that cuts through the city which blew me away. The way the wall intersects, intercepts, repels, and negotiates with modern architecture is fascinating.
Fortification Wall: Imposes itself and the road is forced to navigate around. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Fortification wall intercepted by a modern home. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Another section where the modern adapts to the past. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Wonder what it feels like to drive through a fortification? Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Beautiful, isn’t it? However, it is within the digital world where I am exercising the most. Coach, that damn inner voice, keeps pushing my mind to do more intellectual burpees, and I cannot say no (unlike in the gym). I cannot believe I am saying this, Joan, but I am enjoying these types of burpees.
In the digital realm, I continue experimenting with Reflective Transformation Imaging while diving deep into coding, blockchain, NFTs, and Twitter Spaces. At this juncture, I feel a shift in my approach with Rogue History is needed. The site was meant to make archaeology and history more engaging and accessible to the public. But I think that pictures and words displayed digitally are not enough. Some read this blog, fewer even engage with it. Then again, reading is a form of engagement, so I shouldn’t complain, but do my words grab you enough? Pull you in? Enchant you?
Do you see what I see? Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Reuse, reuse and more reuse. Notice the archway and… Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
There it is! Reuse of stone with Christian Cross. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
As you walk through this entrance way. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
A commanding presence at the summit. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Most times, I feel I don’t have the words to describe the scale and beauty of what I am experiencing here in Greece. My words do not do justice to the grand architecture on display in Athens and Thessaloniki. Regarding the fortification wall in Thessaloniki, the reuse of material from Greek to Roma and throughout the Ottoman period is staggering. There are little easter eggs everywhere in the fortification structure, like this little nugget to the right. You would overlook the masonry unless you walked almost directly under it. From a distance this piece of stone sticking out from the wall is not nothing noteworthy, but with further inspection, the reuse of previous architecture with beautiful masonry is eye-catching.
“Whoa! Back up. Did you say Twitter Spaces?”
Yes, I did and here is why. Writing has been a difficult journey for me. One part is because of fear. The fear of exposing one’s emotional and intellectual self to the world; the other is articulation. Finding the words to express what I have experienced thus far is a difficult task. I think I am getting better, but it is a craft that must be practiced. And if I want to engage more people with the past, with archaeology, with history, and with academic institutions and museums, I need to do more than writing and posting pictures. (Maybe if Margaret Atwood was writing my posts I could draw more interest. Are you listening, Margaret? Can I even call you Margaret?) Or do I just need to step up my SEO game? Maybe the blog is not getting enough exposure? Who am I kidding? I have no clue what to do about this site’s SEO nor the time to figure it out.
Agora of Thessaloniki. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
However, what Twitter Spaces has taught me is a desire and hunger for knowledge about the past is wanted. People want to learn no matter what that History is, even if it is ancient and medieval numismatics. People love archaeology. When I am asked about what I do, what my profession is and I tell them, there is a weird collective gasp that a person like me is even in Twitter Space. Some need further confirmation. Then the questions pour out. Now, I am not tooting my own horn, but it appears I have a knack for oral storytelling. Many people have said that my passion for my subject comes through my voice which the my audience wanting more storytelling. Maybe I am just good at audio performance? Perhaps I should start a podcast, or Tik Tok videos? Perhaps I should continue with little mini-History sessions on Twitter Spaces. Either way, people asked questions, they became digitally engaged. After all, Twitter Spaces is a digital space.
One of these coins does not belong! Do you see it?
Here is a hint: It’s the coin where St. Demetrios is being impaled by spears! WTF! Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
So, why am I on Spaces in the first place? First, to support my brother’s NFT project, Dracattus.com, (Shameless plug. Deal with it.) and learn from the fantastic minds in these ‘Spaces’ about Blockchain and NFTs. Some of you may be skeptical about what I can learn in Twitter Spaces about Blockchain and NFTs, or how you can trust those in these ‘Spaces’ (especially since many use aliases)? However, thanks to my brother’s tech and coding background, and his network of colleagues and friends, I am being steered down the correct paths. I was introduced to many great minds in their respective fields who have become friends and have graciously instructed me on the very basics of NFTs and Blockchain. Furthermore, I see potential in Blockchain and NFTs for public engagement with archaeological and historical data in Museum and Academic spaces because I am learning the backend of its development. The economic markets might not be great, but the backend infrastructure is what I am interested in. So for all intents and purposes, this is where I will focus Rogue History’s attention. I still intend to write about my academic endeavours. However, I think I will switch gears with RH’s method to achieve its ongoing goals.
I AM GOING ROGUE!
Digital Intellectual Burpees to the Extreme!
Arch of Galerius. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
PICTURE BREAK!
More architecture from Thessaloniki.
Some of imagery on the Arch of Galerius. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Inside Church of Saint Demetrios. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
The Rotunda, Thessaloniki. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
SO MANY GORGEOUS CHURCHES.
The Church of Panagia of Chalkeon. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Church of Saint Demetrios. Notice the ruins in foreground. Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.
Learning all of the jargon and tech behind Blockchain and NFTs is a MASSIVE learning curve, but one I am enjoying. And I will provide a better explanation of what each is once I get comfortable with the lingo and better understand the backend infrastructure. That said, I continue to learn how to code, I am always working with the coin collection, and all of this can help inform my comprehensive exams in some way or form. Furthermore, despite the recent market crashes, I see an educational value and a massive potential for public engagement with these technologies in Museums.
I intend to explore these potentials, whether in success or failure, with you going forward in Rogue History. Until next time, here is a pic of me discovering the “STABBY COIN,” as I call it.
THE ‘STABBY COIN’
SELFIE!! Me being an idiot! Photo: Scott Coleman, 2022.