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The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece. It contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. Much of the site was constructed in the fifth century BC, under the ambitious plans of the Athenian statesman Pericles, as a tribute to thought and the arts.

37.971667°, 23.726111°

Source imagery: Maxar

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Frog vessel, Colima, Mexico, 2nd century BC - 3rd century AD

from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Artwork for 'Bat Out Of Hell' by Meat Loaf, 1977 (Richard Corben)

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Porcelain turtle with snake, China, 11th-12th century

from The National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian

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Remember, an easy way to distinguish whether a dwelling is H3 or H4, even though it might really be just a big, fancy house, is how many sinks it has.

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I don't know, people definitely need places to vent, but I feel at a certain point... Picking at a wound feels good, right? There is a certain morbid pleasure to be gained from it. But it's bad for you. Stop it.

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chinese courtyard by 小雅采薇

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Order of the Garter

The Most Noble Order of the Garter is the highest order of knighthood in Britain and the most exclusive with traditionally only 24 knights as full members at any one time, along with the reigning monarch and the Prince of Wales. Created by Edward III of England c. 1348 CE, the chivalric order was one of the first of a growing trend where rulers and noble knights sought to differentiate themselves from the increasing number of knights in the late medieval period. The order’s annual gathering at Saint George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, with its magnificent procession of members and retainers in full regalia, maintains the traditions of pomp and pageantry for which the Middle Ages are rightly famous.

Origins

The Order of the Garter was created by the English monarch Edward III (r. 1327-1377 CE) around 1348 CE and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint George. The king was still in a celebratory mood after England’s famous victory over a much bigger French army at the Battle of Crécy in August 1346 CE and was eager to further emphasise the nation’s martial prowess by creating an elite order of knights. In addition, by the 14th century CE, the number of knights had greatly increased so that the upper ranks of the nobility began to look for some way in which they could differentiate themselves from other knights and create a sort of private members club. These elite brotherhoods were designed to also pull together the greatest fighters and most useful military knowledge and experience so that in times of war the order would prove a useful part of the army’s command structure. Finally, such secular chivalric orders were a good way for a sovereign to ensure the loyalty of their best knights who otherwise may have joined an order whose members, instead, swore allegiance to the church (the then-defunct Knights Templar being an example of such an order).

The Order of the Garter was the first of such chivalric orders in England, but there had been several already formed elsewhere, notably the Order of the Sash by King Alfonso XI of Castile and Leon (r. 1313-1350 CE) and the Order of Saint Catherine in France, both founded during the 1330s CE. The pomp and ceremony of the Order of the Garter was something more, though, and it would spawn many other famous orders at home and abroad such as the Order of the Golden Fleece, created by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy (1419-1467 CE) in 1430 CE.

Just like the legendary Round Table of King Arthur, the order of the Garter was, from the outset, intended to be a very exclusive club indeed. Its first two members were Edward III himself and his son, Edward the Black Prince and Prince of Wales. Alongside this pair were 24 knights, known as Companions of the Order of the Garter, all of whom had fought at the Battle of Crécy. Each member was granted the right to wear a dark blue garter as a symbol of their membership and new rank. A specific coat of arms was created for the order, which includes the flag of Saint George enclosed in a circle made up of a garter. Besides the knights, there were 26 priests and 26 ‘poor knights’ (faith and charity being great chivalric ideals) who were expected to pray for the souls of the more illustrious full members, although they did receive free clothes, food, and lodgings at Windsor castle.

Continue reading…

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Mixtec gold ring with a feline’s head flanked by two snakes, dated to c. 1200-1521. Found in Mexico. Source: British Museum.

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Bioware should make another Jade Empire game. For the fun of it.

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Why is the Eastern Cape getting snow in November??

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Art by Simone Ferriero

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