Even centuries after the loss of the tapestry, there is mystery that people are trying to uncover. The completion the piece will provide a great deal of relief and reassurance, but it will also solidify history in a very physical manner.

It almost feels like they are describing the church as a human body. The nuances and echoes that that make up the identity of the church are so profound that even if the building no longer exist the sounds would survive. To me it represents a soul, which survives long after the physical being is gone.

I like the way that the article argues the different ways that these churches are an experience rather than just an architectural piece. The way that both sound and smell are so apart of the experience, suggest that the creators were intentionally trying to make these churches a universal space for anyone that entered them.

This has been the purpose of pilgrimages for centuries. Historically, large structures like Amatersu are used to gather people and connect them with culture and religion. However, more recently these places have become tourist attractions rather than a place to " get in touch with the Japanese spirit". While places like Amatersu are being persevered with care, the original purpose for their erection is being lost.

I find it so interesting how the primitive portrayal of women is vastly different from modern day ideals. The exaggerated breasts and stomach are signs of fertility and health. The women of Willendorf was the ideal for many years.

This shows that crop patterns are responsible for the deterioration of the civilization. Despite the theories that monsoon was the cause of damage, it quickly became apparent that the farming techniques were harmful to the soil. There are other examples of instance like this in history.

This is a very interesting statement. I like the idea that there are pieces of artwork that belong to our collective consciousness rather than belonging to a specific organization or country. I find this to be very true. The image of Nefertiti's is something that has historically been a universal piece of art.

This situation brings up the topic of ownership and entitlement. It is very hard to distinguish what property belongs to which country.

I agree, i think it would be interesting to see how the discussion evolved over time and whether or not there were parts of the arguement that were over looked. Furthermore, had either side not take such a strong position there might have been room for negotiation.

It is very interesting how much the economic state and insecurity of the country deeply effects every aspect of this process. The international relationship between Greek and other European countries seems to show that there exists immense tension.

This is an ambiguous task to take on, however, I see that the intention of this exhibit is not just to inform people about the historical implications of the Parthenon, but the curators are really attempting to make visitors feel as if they are stepping back in time.

I think that this is a very effective way to incorporate the historical context into a modern design. The display is situated similarly to the Parthenon, seeing as the glass case is centered in the middle of the building. I agree that this is done with the intention of making a political statement. The Parthenon was positioned on top of the acropolis to evoke a sense of power and dominance. The museum is trying to emulate the same sense of importance and power by displaying so centrally.

I find this to be a very admirable role that Abe has taken on. HIs desire to perserve Japanese culture and tradition while at the same time connecting it to the future is a very brave and commendable deed.

I found this quote to be particularly interesting. Although we live in a technologically advanced society, where everything is completed in an efficient and timely manner, this quote represents the fact that although this technique was established hundreds of years ago it is still valuable today. There is something to be said about art made by hand; there is no technology that compares.

I also found the way that architecture and sound are so closely intertwined very interesting. Gerstel makes several very good points about how the specific construction of a building can effect the sound and thus the atmosphere.

This statement, which almost condones the forging of histories for purchased works, is a large statement. To think that this act is commonly executed by art curators is somewhat disturbing. Not only does it diminish the credibility of the curator and the museum, but it also takes away from the true history of the piece.

It is interesting to think, that while True has experienced complete social and professional ostracism, Robert Hecht is being praised and rewarded for his even more illegal work. While there is no way to know if True is truly guiltly or not, it is clear that she would not have been subject to this much scrutiny had she been a man. Hetch, who was involved in several illicit museum deals, was never prosecuted and never questioned about his findings.

This brings up a bit of a moral controversy. While the mythical accounts of the caves ended up being legitimized by archeologists findings (to some extent), there were still some aspects of the story that were not completely factual. After archeologists were able to identify the flood, they became aware that the mythical interpretation could not have been fully true. This then becomes a moral question: Do you change the telling of a thousand year old story? With the advancement of technology, researchers are becoming more and more capable of fact checking ancient stories and myths. But does this mean that we have to change historical telling because of factual accuracy?