I’m on my way back from a climate change workshop in Venice concerned with the social consequences of climate change. I was the only archaeologist there, my task to provide a historical background for a series of what turned out to be pretty esoteric presentations about such issues as climatic change and education. Many fo them went way over my head. When I first agreed to speak, it was mainly because I had never been to Venice, and, in fact, I spent almost more time wandering through a rain-soaked theme park that is the city—and, let’s face it, Venice is a wonderful one. But I was struck how some of the speakers picked up on some points about adapting to ancient climate change that I stressed—the necessity of efficient infrastructures for distributing food, the success of decisive leadership, the increasing vulnerability of urban societies to major climatic events. In fact, the delegates seemed surprised that archaeology has so much to offer. Again and again, I’m reminded that precious few people really know what archaeologists actually do, nor do they realize that we really can contribute perspectives to contemporary issues based on lessons from the past.

The plane is filled to the gills with people commuting from Venice to London. We are all soaked, thanks to an exceptionally high tide that flooded St. Mark’s Square and a torrential deluge that lasted all day. But the city was still magical. I’m glad I was not a Doge. The ducal palace was bone-chillingly cold on a wet February day! We are about to land at Gatwick, so I desist. .  . .