The Aesthetics of Urban Places

A Conversation with Henry G. Cisneros, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary Henry Cisneros speaks with Jane Slate Siena about the role of the arts in urban revitalization and development. Secretary Cisneros describes his efforts to restore San Antonio while Mayor, and talks about his unique involvement with other cities in America since his appointment by President Clinton in 1993 as the country's foremost community development official. The Secretary discusses historic preservation, the need for a human dimension in urban design, and his commitment to making art and culture an integral part of the public environment. (26:30 minutes, VHS format, color).

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Archaeometry of Pre-Columbian Sites and Artifacts

Based on the 28th International Archaeometry Symposium jointly sponsored by the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Getty Conservation Institute, this volume offers a rare opportunity to survey under a single cover a wide range of investigations concerning pre-Columbian materials. Twenty chapters detail research in five principal areas: anthropology and materials science; ceramics; stone and obsidian; metals; and archaeological sites and dating. Contributions include Heather Lechtman's investigation of "The Materials Science of Material Culture," Ron L. Bishop on the compositional analysis of pre-Columbian pottery from the Maya region, Ellen Howe on the use of silver and lead from the Mantaro Valley in Peru, and J. Michael Elam and others on source identification and hydration dating of obsidian artifacts. The volume is edited by David A. Scott, Head of Museum Services at the Getty Conservation Institute, and Pieter Meyers, Head of Conservation at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. (448 pages, 93 b/w illustrations, 110 line drawings, paper).

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