From the Motor City to the Mediterranean: Travels of a Truck, a Sedan, and an Inquisitive Photographer, 1924-1926 [Paperback]

From 1924 to 1926, archaeologists from the University of Michigan roamed the Middle East and North Africa in two vehicles donated by Dodge to assist in pioneering archaeological projects. Driven and maintained by expedition photographer George R. Swain, these vehicles - a truck and sedan - navigated uncharted deserts, perilous mountains, and roadless terrains, bringing their passengers into contact with both the ancient past and the people living around its historic remains. From the Motor City to the Mediterranean transports readers into the heart of one man's journey alongside these intrepid vehicles. Using Swain's fascinating photographs and letters-some published here for the first time-author Lauren E. Talalay skillfully reconstructs his archaeological adventures of the 1920s, taking us to places rarely seen by the outside world during a decade of major social change after the Great War.From 1924 to 1926, archaeologists from the University of Michigan roamed the Middle East and North Africa in two vehicles donated by Dodge (a truck and a sedan). Using photographs and letters from the expedition's photographer/driver, this volume reconstructs those archaeological adventures of the 1920s.Preface Introduction Part I: The Age of Automobiles2. Horseless Carriages and the Michigan Cars 3. The Pioneering Brothers Part II: George R. Swain: The Man Behind the Lens (1866-1947)4. George R. Swain: A Brief Biography 5. Swain and His Cameras Part III: Back Roads, Lotus Eaters, and Monastic Life: The 1924-1926 Expeditions6. Life on the Road: Overview of the 1924-1926 Expeditions 7. Travels of 1924 8. Travels of 1925 9. Travels of 1926 Part IV: Observations a Century Later 10. Refocusing the Lens Acknowledgments Endnotes References Index About the AuthorLauren E. Talalay is curator emerita and former associate director and acting director of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan. She has written or collaborated o