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February 17, 2010 - The Earliest Chapel: Historical Archaeology at the Royal Presidio of Monterey
What do sealed crypts, buried monuments, ancient frescoes, pirate raids, 18th century coins, a king's ransom in centuries-old relics, and the excitement of discovery all have in common? If you answered archaeology, then you are in part correct! In this instance, the archaeology of the Royal Presidio Chapel, or San Carlos Cathedral, would have put you hot on the trail of some of the most important archaeological and historical discoveries on the Monterey Bay in recent years. Called upon in 2006 to clarify the archaeology and historic significance of the former Presidio Real de San Carlos de Monterey, our speaker, Dr. Rubén G. Mendoza, was initially hard- pressed to learn all that he could about the archaeology of this bastion by the Bay. Excavations in the fall of 2006, the summer of 2007, and then, fortuitously, the summer 2008, resulted in the discovery of the original southern perimeter presidio defensive curtain or wall, the Missionary's
Quarters of 1778, the Soldiers Barracks of 1778, the original cut stone Baptistery of 1810, the adobe Sacristy of 1811, the earthworks and defensive Terrace of 1780- 90, and significantly, the Second Royal Presidio Chapel attributed to Serra in the guise of the first formal Christian house of worship erected in California in 1771. Soon thereafter, Dr. Mendoza and his crews recovered the remains of the original stockade, Missionary's Quarters, and First Royal Presidio Chapel erected by Commander Gaspar de Portola, Fray Junipero Serra, and their compatriots in 1770. This latter finding thereby constitutes the earliest such Christian house of worship attributed to Fray Serra north of the US-Mexican border. This presentation will feature images, artifacts, and other specimens from the momentous discoveries in question.
A founding faculty member of the California State University, Monterey Bay, Professor Mendoza has directed major archaeological investigations and conservation projects at Missions San Juan Bautista, San Carlos Borromeode Carmelo, and Nuestra Señoradela Soledad, Ex Convento la Limpia Concepcion Nuestra Señora among others. In addition, Mendoza’s long term archaeology and mapping efforts at Old Mission San Juan Bautista recently resulted in the discovery of the long-lost original Chapel of 1797 at that site. His work with the Mission Solstice Survey has in turn resulted in the discovery of astronomically and liturgically significant solstice, equinox, and feast day solar illuminations of mission church altars and sacred objects throughout California, the US Southwest, and Mesoamerica. Mendoza has published some eighty manuscripts and scores of images.
The Schedule for March below is correct and is reversed from the schedule shown in the February/March Conductor
March 3, 2010 - Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Bertolt Brecht
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No other 20th century writer influenced the theater both as dramatist and theorist as profoundly as Bertolt Brecht. Rejecting European naturalism that had dominated the theater after Ibsen, he substituted for the “theater of illusion” one that was designed to elicit not emotional involvement but thought and action. He called his new kind of drama “epic theater,” and it used the concept of verfremdung, “making strange,” to alienate audiences from
The Caucasian Chalk Circle, written while Brecht was in America in 1944, perfectly illustrates epic theater. It concerns the lives of two Russians shortly after World War II: Grusha, a kitchen maid, and Azdak, a village recorder. Their lives and stories run on separate episodic tracks until they meet in the play’s climactic scene, in a court room where the famous story of Solomon
ordering a baby to be divided in half to identify the child’s real mother is retold with a few modern and surprising Brechtian twists. The play is being performed at A.C.T. in San Francisco from February 18 to March 14.
Grant Voth was Gentrain Coordinator and Literature Instructor at MPC from 1978 to 2003. Since retiring, he has taught in MPC’s Older Adult program and served as a lecturer for the Carmel Bach Festival. In December he completed his second course for The Teaching Company—a course on world mythology—due for release in May of 2010.
March 17, 2010 - Coins - An Expression of Their Society; A Personal and Irreverent Look at Interesting Ancient and U.S. Coins
Gentrain and MPC History Instructor Tom Logan will talk about what coins mean and how they are used as propaganda. This talk will be based on Tom's personal coin collection so will focus on the birth of coins in ancient Lydia, their development by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines and on U.S. coins.
Some of the questions we will try to answer are: What was Washington's reaction to having his portrait put on a coin? Why is FDR on the dime? Why is a non-president on the $10 bill? Does our (historical) order of copper penny, silver dime, and gold dollar have antecedents? How did the obverse of the dime subtly change? What U.S. coin had to be changed because Miss Liberty looked like she had a bad hair day?
There will also be some coins available to look at.stage action sufficiently to maintain critical distance and judgment.
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