There is a difference between a sci-fi movie, and a science future movie. The former does not need to be concerned about the actual constraints of reality or science as we know it, it can just let its imagination run wild. But a science future movie on the other hand is supposed to have a certain degree of plausibility to it, like something that can barely be seen on the horizon, but is nonetheless within reach in the not so... Read more

There is a very nice collection of largely Egyptian (and Sumerian) artifacts in the Kunst Museum, including a recreation of the ceiling and feeling of an Egyptian royal tomb, in the room see above. Hieroglyphics are always interesting and here is a stele about an Egyptian priest of the god Ptah. There is in addition a sarcophagus of a priest as well of black onyx, inscribed almost everywhere. Here we have perhaps the oldest manuscript in all of the museum,... Read more

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Never say there is no profit in going to an art museum. Here in fact are busts of lots of famous Biblical prophets. These busts were made of the seven (OT) prophets by the delle Masegne brothers in Venice in about 1400. There are too many spectacular renderings of various Biblical scenes including especially the passion of Jesus, in too many media, to show them all to you, but here are some of the most impressive… First the archangel Michael... Read more

There is a lot of interesting things in the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna, not least its Christian art collection and substantial Greco-Roman and ANE holdings. This post will deal with the former of these. Certainly one of the most famous paintings in the museum of relevance to Biblical studies is the painting by Bruegel of the Tower of Babel. Bruegel had visited Rome in 1552-53 and studied that other major symbol of hubris (from a Christian viewpoint), the Roman colosseum... Read more

An important though relatively small part of the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna is the Ephesos wing of the museum. It has two main features…. statuary remains from the Greco-Roman period and friezes from that period, and a reconstructed temple front. In addition it has an excellent recreated layout of the Ephesos site, which frankly should be in the museum in Selcuk— they need one this clear. We will begin with the model with is a 1 to 500 scale model,... Read more

Everything wears out, It all fades away, Even time passes Day by day. Nothing lasts, For very long, Your favorite food, Your favorite song. We grow weary, Tired of routine Let’s be honest, And just come clean. Our fear is evident That it will be true That we are not permanent Like all things new. We visit the graveyards Where our loved ones lie We wonder what it’s like To suddenly die. Is death another change Another temporary thing That... Read more

There is a little village in the shadow of the mountains by the Wolfgangsee (lake really), which is the birth place of Mozart’s mom. It’s name is St. Gilgen, which is the equivalent of St. Giles, a rather odd name for an Austrian town. Mozart actually never visited the city, though the tourist rhetoric associates him with the town, to get tourists to come. It is worth a visit all by itself anyway, as it is beautiful, rather like a... Read more

Ever been to a truck stop? Ever sampled the food there. Well let me tell you, the truck stops on the interstate in Austria are a horse of a different color. Yes, you can get gas there, of both sorts. Admittedly, the old gasthaus gang was a little rustic. Well, they don’t look that way any more. Not at Landzeit toll road plazas! And as for the food they serve… it’s all top drawer, as the British would say…. and... Read more

Praha is a city of large squares, open boulevards, narrow winding streets, and decorated clock towers, guild halls, and generally fascinating architectural styles of many different period. First, lets look at some views from one of the hills on the new town side of the river looking towards both the old city walls, and the new car and train tressel. The cars run on top of that bridge, the trains under the under hang. Here we see a unique twin... Read more