David Soren (archaeologist)

Last updated
Dr. David Soren and his dog Lana Dr.DavidSorenandLana.jpg
Dr. David Soren and his dog Lana

David Soren (born Howard David Soren on October 7, 1946) is an American archaeologist and former vaudeville performer.

Archaeology, or archeology, is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts and cultural landscapes. Archaeology can be considered both a social science and a branch of the humanities. In North America archaeology is a sub-field of anthropology, while in Europe it is often viewed as either a discipline in its own right or a sub-field of other disciplines.

Vaudeville genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s

Vaudeville is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 18th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a kind of dramatic composition or light poetry, interspersed with songs or ballets. It became popular in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s, but the idea of vaudeville's theatre changed radically from its French antecedent.

Contents

Early life and early entertainment career

Soren was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 7, 1946. He began his career in the entertainment business at the age of eight, and a year later was the youngest cast member of CBS television's The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour . Subsequently, Soren performed in vaudeville and road shows with members of the Philadelphia Eagles football team, Pete Boyle (father of actor Peter Boyle) and, regularly, with local children's program hosts Sally Starr and Chief Halftown. He is included in the Encyclopedia of Vaudeville. [1]

<i>The Horn and Hardart Childrens Hour</i>

The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour was a variety show with a cast of children, including some who later became well-known adult performers. It had a long run for more than three decades. The program was sponsored by Horn & Hardart, which owned restaurants, bakeshops and automats in New York City and Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Eagles National Football League franchise in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. In the 2017 season the team won Super Bowl LII, their first Super Bowl win in franchise history and their fourth NFL title overall, after winning the Championship Game in 1948, 1949, and 1960.

Peter Boyle American actor

Peter Lawrence Boyle was an American actor. Known as a character actor, he played Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and the comical monster in Mel Brooks' film spoof Young Frankenstein (1974). He also starred in The Candidate. Boyle, who won an Emmy Award in 1996 for a guest-starring role on the science-fiction drama The X-Files, won praise in both comedic and dramatic parts following his breakthrough performance in the 1970 film Joe.

Archeology and natural history work

Switching gears in his late teens, Soren received a B.A. in Greek and Roman Studies from Dartmouth College, then an M.A. in Fine Arts and a Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology from Harvard University. During this time he directed archaeological investigations for the Smithsonian Institution at Utica, Thuburbo Majus and El Djem in Tunisia.

Dartmouth College private liberal arts university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States

Dartmouth College is a private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is the ninth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded as a school to educate Native Americans in Christian theology and the English way of life, Dartmouth primarily trained Congregationalist ministers throughout its early history. The university gradually secularized, and by the turn of the 20th century it had risen from relative obscurity into national prominence as one of the top centers of higher education.

Harvard University private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with about 6,700 undergraduate students and about 15,250 post graduate students. Established in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, clergyman John Harvard, Harvard is the United States' oldest institution of higher learning, and its history, influence, and wealth have made it one of the world's most prestigious universities.

Smithsonian Institution Group of museums and research centers administered by the United States government

The Smithsonian Institution, founded on August 10, 1846 "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge," is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of the United States. The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. Originally organized as the "United States National Museum," that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1967.

He taught at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri for 10 years from 1973, becoming department head in the Art History Department and directing excavations at Miróbriga, Portugal, where he co-designed a large room of the Santiago do Cacem Museum with Star Wars production designer Harry Lange. He was also Guest Curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City from 1980 to 1988. Soren moved to the University of Arizona in 1983, first as department head in Classical Studies, later being appointed Regents Professor of Classics and Anthropology.

University of Missouri American public state university

The University of Missouri is a public, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It was founded in 1839 as the first public institution of higher education west of the Mississippi River. The state's largest university, it enrolled 30,870 students in 2017 and offered over 300 degree programs in 21 academic divisions. It is the flagship campus of the University of Missouri System, which also has campuses in Kansas City, Rolla, and St. Louis. There are more than 300,000 MU alumni living worldwide with over one half residing in Missouri.

Columbia, Missouri College town in the U.S state of Missouri

Columbia is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the county seat of Boone County and home to the University of Missouri. Founded in 1821, it is the principal city of the five-county Columbia metropolitan area. It is Missouri's fourth most-populous and fastest growing city, with an estimated 121,717 residents in 2017.

Miróbriga Roman city in Lusitania

Miróbriga is an ancient Roman town located near the village and civil parish of Santiago do Cacém, in the municipality of the same name in the south-west of Portugal. Archeology revealed that the town occupied the site of an ancient Iron Age settlement that existed since the 9th century B.C.

Soren is known in archaeology primarily for three discoveries. His archaeological excavations at Kourion, Cyprus were designed to identify the epicenter of the famous Mediterranean earthquake of July 21, 365 A.D. He located the epicenter of this mega-disaster offshore approximately 25 miles southwest of the town of Kourion. Brian Fagan described this discovery as one of the 50 most significant in world archaeology. [2] His second discovery was the identification of Plasmodium falciparum malaria as a significant contributor to the downfall of the Roman Empire. This was done through analysis of DNA of infant bones from a cemetery he excavated at Lugnano in Teverina, Umbria between 1987 and 1991 [3] – the first such use of DNA evidence on an archaeological site. [4] The third discovery was the site of the famous Roman fontes Clusini or Springs of Chiusi, a healing sanctuary featuring a cold water spring said by the poet Horace in his Epistles to have cured the gravely ill emperor Augustus from his stomach pains in 23 B.C. Soren discovered the largest cold water ancient spring and sanctuary in Italy, near Chiusi in the Tuscan town of Chianciano Terme. The ancient spring he found was still flowing and the water contained large amounts of calcium sulfate which functions as a strong laxative. [5]

Kourion

Kourion or Latin: Curium, was an important ancient city-state on the southwestern coast of Cyprus. The acropolis of Kourion, located 1.3 km southwest of Episkopi and 13 km west of Limassol, is located atop a limestone promontory nearly one hundred metres in height along the coast of Episkopi Bay. The Kourion archaeological area lies within the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia and is managed by the Cyprus Department of Antiquity.

365 Crete earthquake earthquake which occurred on 21 July 365 AD in the Eastern Mediterranean, with an assumed epicentre near Crete

The 365 Crete earthquake occurred at about sunrise on 21 July 365 in the Eastern Mediterranean, with an assumed epicentre near Crete. Geologists today estimate the undersea earthquake to have been a magnitude 8.0 or higher. It caused widespread destruction in central and southern Greece, northern Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, Sicily, and Spain. On Crete, nearly all towns were destroyed.

<i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> species of malaria parasite

Plasmodium falciparum is a unicellular protozoan parasite of humans, and the deadliest species of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans. It is transmitted through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. It is responsible for roughly 50% of all malaria cases. It causes the disease's most dangerous form called falciparum malaria. It is therefore regarded as the deadliest parasite in humans, causing 435,000 deaths in 2017. It is also associated with the development of blood cancer and is classified as Group 2A carcinogen.

He has also staged museum exhibitions for the American Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium.

Biographical writings and cinematic work

Soren has also written numerous books on film, including biographies of director Dorothy Arzner, dancer Vera-Ellen, and Belgian filmmaker Harry Kumel.[ citation needed ]

He has served also as creative consultant for NBC's Lost Civilizations and History International's Where Did It Come From?. He also directed portions of Arts and Entertainment's Human Sacrifice, hosted by Leonard Nimoy. For his cinematic work he won a Cine Golden Eagle Award along with director David McAllister. He is currently directing and producing two archaeological documentaries about ancient Rome for the Oxford University Press and directing the institute he founded in Orvieto, Italy, for the University of Arizona.

Cultural references

Soren has been the subject of television specials by the BBC, RAI-1 in Italy, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Soren has been married to Noelle Soren, a former archaeologist, writer and photographer, since 1967.

Related Research Articles

Pseudoarchaeology Scientifically insubstantial theories interpreting archaeology

Pseudoarchaeology—also known as alternative archaeology, fringe archaeology, fantastic archaeology, or cult archaeology—refers to interpretations of the past from outside of the archaeological science community, which reject the accepted datagathering and analytical methods of the discipline. These pseudoscientific interpretations involve the use of artifacts, sites or materials to construct scientifically insubstantial theories to supplement the pseudoarchaeologists' claims. Methods include exaggeration of evidence, dramatic or romanticized conclusions, and fabrication of evidence.

Kazimierz Michałowski Polish archaeologist and egyptologist

Kazimierz Józef Marian Michałowski was a Polish archaeologist and Egyptologist, art historian, member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, professor ordinarius of the University of Warsaw as well as the founder of the Polish school of Mediterranean archaeology and a precursor of Nubiology.

Brian Murray Fagan is a prolific British author of popular archaeology books and a professor emeritus of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Hylates

Hylates was a god worshipped on the island of Cyprus who was later likened to the Greek God Apollo. His name probably derives from ὑλακτέω [ʰylaktéō] „barking“ or ὕλη [ʰýlē] „forest“, which is why Lebek calls him Apollo of the woods. He was worshipped from the 3rd century BC until the 3rd century AD.

The year 2000 in archaeology included many events, some of which are listed below.

Sir Cyril Fred Fox was an English archaeologist.

Chiusi Comune in Tuscany, Italy

Chiusi is a town and comune in province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy.

Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli Italian archaeologist and art historian

Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli was an Italian archaeologist and art historian.

<i>Boxer at Rest</i> Hellenistic Greek bronze sculpture of a sitting nude boxer at rest

The bronze Boxer at Rest, also known as the Terme Boxer or Boxer of the Quirinal, is a Hellenistic Greek sculpture of a sitting nude boxer at rest, still wearing his caestus, a type of leather hand-wrap. It has been given various dates within the period of about 330 to 50 BCE. It was excavated in Rome in 1885, and is now in the collection of the National Museum of Rome, normally displayed in the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.

Chianciano Terme Comune in Tuscany, Italy

Chianciano Terme is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Florence and about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Siena. It is located between the Valdichiana and the Val d'Orcia.

Capitoline Venus

The Capitoline Venus is a type of statue of Venus, specifically one of several Venus Pudica types, of which several examples exist. The type ultimately derives from the Aphrodite of Cnidus. The Capitoline Venus and her variants are recognisable from the position of the arms—standing after a bath, Venus begins to cover her breasts with her right hand, and her groin with her left hand.

Suburban Baths (Pompeii) Buildings in Pompeii

The Suburban Baths are located in Pompeii, Italy. Pompeii was destroyed on August 24, 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the entire city and consequently preserving them.

National Archaeological Museum (Florence) archaeological museum of Florence, Italy

The National Archaeological Museum of Florence is an archaeological museum in Florence, Italy. It is located at 1 piazza Santissima Annunziata, in the Palazzo della Crocetta.

The Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology is an official board of the Vatican founded in 1852 by Pope Pius IX for the purpose of promoting and directing excavations in the Catacombs of Rome and on other sites of Christian antiquarian interest, and of safeguarding the objects found during such excavations. In 1925, Pope Pius XI declared that the Commission was Pontifical and its competencies were defined in detail and reaffirmed recently in the conventions between the Holy See and the Italian State.

Florence–Rome railway railway line

The Florence–Rome railway is part of the traditional main north-south trunk line of the Italian railway network. The line is referred to by Ferrovie dello Stato as the Linea Lenta to distinguish it from the parallel high-speed line. The Linea Lenta is now mainly used for regional services, for the InterCity services — rather than the faster Le Frecce trains — between Florence and Rome and for the majority of freight trains. Some types of passenger train are routed on the line to serve smaller stations not served by the high-speed line or in order to improve traffic flow during peak periods or other periods of congestion.

Gino Vinicio Gentili Italian archaeologist

Gino Vinicio Gentili was an Italian archaeologist.

Terina (ancient city)

Terina was an ancient city of Magna Graecia on the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Euphemia, about 20 km (12 mi) from Lamezia Terme in Calabria. The site of the city was allegedly found in 1922 by the archaeologist Paolo Orsi near the modern village of Sant'Eufemia Vetere, but a systematic archaeological investigation was only started in 1997 and it is only based on coins found there. Coins, inscriptions and other artefacts retrieved from the site can be seen in the Museo Archeologico Lametino in Lamezia Terme. However, the actual collocation of the ancient city is in Nocera Terinese where the original location is situated on top of a hill called Piano di Tirena. This hill is surrounded by two rivers merging, Savuto and Grande, and it perfectly matches the description provided by the Greek historian Strabo in his major work Geographica, which was first published around 20 AD.

Roman Cyprus Roman provincia

Roman Cyprus was a minor senatorial province within the Roman Empire. While it was a small province, it possessed several well known religious sanctuaries and figured prominently in Eastern Mediterranean trade, particularly the production and trade of Cypriot copper. As it was situated at a strategically important position along Eastern Mediterranean trade routes, Cyprus was controlled by imperial powers throughout the first millennium B.C. including: the Assyrians, Egyptians, Macedonians, and in particular the Romans. Cyprus was annexed by the Romans in 58 B.C., but until 22 B.C. when Cyprus became an official senatorial province, control over the island fluctuated between the Romans and the Ptolemaic Empire. From the Battle of Actium in 31 BC until the 7th century Cyprus was controlled by the Romans. Cyprus officially became part of the Eastern Roman Empire in 293 AD.

Roberto Gagliardi is an Italian-born art dealer based in London. He has a gallery in London and has founded as well as curated a temporary exhibition in Chelsea Old Town Hall called London Art Biennale. His art collection is housed in the Museo d'Arte di Chianciano Terme in Chianciano Terme, in Tuscany, central Italy; which since 2009 has organised the Biennale di Chianciano in the town.

References

  1. Frank Cullen, Vaudeville Old and New (Routledge, 2007) page 1056
  2. Brian Fagan (editor), Eyewitness to Discovery: First-Person Accounts of More Than Fifty of the World's Greatest Archaeological Discoveries (Oxford University Press, 1996) pages 206 – 213.
  3. David and Noelle Soren, A Roman Villa and a Late Roman Infant Cemetery at Lugnano in Teverina, Italy (L'Erma Bretschneider 1999)
  4. David Soren, "Can Archaeologists Excavate Evidence of Malaria?," World Archaeology, vol. 35, no. 2 2003 pages 193 - 209.
  5. An Ancient Roman Spa at Mezzomiglio: Chianciano Terme, Tuscany Vols. I and II (British Archaeological Reports, Oxford, 2006 and 2010)