Posted by: Rebecca Durkin
Burke archaeologist Peter Lape’s research has taken him all around the world.
In a new display in the Burke Museum lobby, you’ll learn about his work in East Timor studying how climate change has impacted the Timorese over the past 1000 years.
Among the archaeological highlights you’ll also find a “tua arak bottle” on display, which Lape hilariously captions:
This bottle was filled with distilled palm liquor called tua arak, black rice, and the spit of the clan elder for the Ira Ara site...
The liquor protects us from harm from disturbed spirits. I keep the empty bottle near my computer to guard against viruses and hard disk crashes.
- Rebecca
