DNA on parchment

Sarah Zang writes briefly about using DNA in old books and parchment to study the past, “The Lab Discovering DNA in Old Books” in The Atlantic. It’s frustratingly short, but interesting: The team has since sampled 5,000 animals from parchment…. They’ve found that a type of ultrafine parchment, sometimes purported to come from squirrels or… Continue reading DNA on parchment

Contemporary fakes and native American artists (hyperallergic)

In the cultural world we don’t always consider the living artisans and artists whose livelihood is undermined by fakes.  World’s Largest Native American Art Forgery Ring Distributed $12M of Fakes US government attorney supports 18-month sentences and fines for the accused, but in many ways the damage is done, casting both real and fake Native… Continue reading Contemporary fakes and native American artists (hyperallergic)