Al Tarbet

Biography

I have a PhD in Classics with an emphasis on Ancient History from the University of Michigan. I study world folklore and philosophy at their oldest roots in the popular cultures of Africa - jokes, stories, tall-tales, games, riddles, sci-fi, and puzzles that are foundational to Greek philosophy. I'm especially interested in weird science, fiction, and folklore from the ancient world, such as bizarre tales about how the Pyramids were built. (Don't ask!) My current project is on graffiti and mythology as forms of political criticism in North Africa, especially the very cool contemporary Egyptian street artist Alaa Awad. I'm looking at some very similar stuff among the ancient Greeks who lived in that area.