#14th century ce

[pan-pacifica]

Sivan Vahki, in Coolidge, Arizona, USA, is associated with the Hohokam culture. It was abandoned around 1450 CE.

Werowocomoco, in Jametown, Virginia, USA, is associated with the Powhatan, an Algonquin-speaking group. It was abandoned in 1609 after run ins with the Jamestown colonists.

Cahokia, in East St. Louis, Illinois, USA, is associated with the Mississippian culture. It was abandoned circa 1350 after several floods and a general collapse of the Mississippian world.

Teochtitlan, in Mexico City, Mexico, is associated with the Aztec. It was conquered by the Spanish in 1521.

Tikal / Yax Mutal, in Guatemala, is associated with the Maya. It peaked in the 200 to 900 CE period and was abandoned before the Spanish arrived.

Omahkoyis ("big tree lodge"), in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is associated with the Blackfoot, another Algonquin-speaking group. It was established by 3,000 BCE or perhaps as early as 12,000 BCE and was assimilated by British Canada in the early 19th century.

Qusqu ("boundary stone" or "navel"), in Cuzco, Peru, is associated with the Killke, Quechua, and Inca. It was conquered by the Spanish in 1532.

Uttewas ("white-slope village"), in Old Massett, British Columbia, Canada, is associated with the Haida. It was established during the last ice age (c. 14,000 to 19,000 YBP, or circa 17,000 to 12,000 BCE) and was partially assimilated by British Canada in the mid-19th century.

Pre-colonial Native American cities/settlements/meeting sites.

Sivan Vahki: just north of Casa Grande, Arizona, Sivan Vahki or Siwañ Waʼa Ki: was a large farming and trade network site of the Sonoran Desert people starting in the early 13th century.

Werowocomoco: With habitation beginning from the 13th century, Werowocomo was a village that later served as the headquarters of the werowance Wahunsenacah, Paramount Chief of the Powhatan confederacy.

Cahokia: Mississippian culture city dating from circa 1050–1350 CE, containing elaborately planned community, woodhenge, mounds, and burials.

Tenochtitlan: built atop a lake, Tenochtitlan was an Aztec altepetl, and was the largest city in the pre-columbian Americas at its peak. It is considered one of the most impressive cities in North America, and is today known as Mexico city.

Tikal: one of the most powerful ancient kingdoms of the Maya, and dates back as far as the 4th century BC, and may have had a population of up to 90,000.

Omahkoyis: Meeting place and trading and cultural hub for the Blackfoot, and later other tribes as well as settlers. The Blackfoot and their ancestors had inhabited the area as early as 12,000 BC, and would later also be known by other names. Colonizing efforts turned the area into a settlement, known today as the city of Edmonton.

Qusqu: also known as “Cuzco”, the city served as the capital for the Inca Empire from the 13th century up into the 16th century upon colonization. However, evidence shows that The Killke people occupied the region from 900 to 1200 CE, prior to the arrival of the Inca, and had constructed a fortress about 1100 CE.

Uttewas: later known as “Old Masset”, was one of the largest Haida villages on Haida Gwaii, and is home to a number of important cultural artifacts, such as numerous totem poles. Today its land is legally designated as Masset Indian Reserve No. 1.

[leroibobo]

etz hayyim (“tree of life”) synagogue in chania, crete, greece. the building dates to the 14th-15th centuries, and was originally a venetian catholic church. it was acquired by chania's jewish community and converted into a synagogue in the late 17th century. chania's jews were deported due to the holocaust in 1944, after which the building remained abandoned until restoration in the 1990s.

romaniote jews are the oldest jewish community in europe and one of the oldest in the world, thought to have lived in and around present day greece since before 70 ce. they have their own liturgy that is unrelated to the more commonly used european ones (ashkenazic and sephardic).

[buffetlicious]

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节), also known as the Mooncake Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is called the Mid-autumn Festival because the 15th day is the middle of a month, and the eighth lunar month is in the middle of autumn. In Singapore, mooncakes and lanterns are offered for sale as early as a month before the festival. These days, however, it has become more common to give mooncakes as gifts than to eat them during the festival. The custom of offering sacrifices to the moon has been replaced by celebrating the festival with family and friends. Moon-viewing parties is one way to enjoy the occasion, with family and friends sitting in gardens lit by paper lanterns, sipping tea, nibbling on mooncakes, and if so inspired, composing poetry in venerable Tang Dynasty fashion.

The Full Moon is considered a symbol of reunion, as such the Mid-autumn Festival is also known as the Reunion Festival. Shaped round like the full moon, mooncakes signify reunion. The Mid-autumn Festival is associated with the moon and “moon appreciation” (赏月) parties, particularly because the moon is at its brightest during this time. The festival also coincides with the end of the autumn harvest, marking the end of the Hungry Ghost Festival, which occurs during the seventh lunar month. The day of the Mid-autumn Festival is traditionally thought to be auspicious for weddings, as the moon goddess is believed to extend conjugal bliss to couples.

Among the Chinese, the most popular of all the tales connected with the Mid-autumn Festival is that of Chang-E (嫦娥), also known as the Moon Lady, and her husband Hou Yi (后羿). This myth is said to have originated from storytellers in the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), and even as far back as the time of Emperor Yao (2346 BCE).

Hidden Messages in Mooncakes played a major role in the liberation of Yuan China (1206–1341 CE) from the Mongols in the 14th century. Despite a prohibition against large gatherings, rebel leader Zhu Yuan Zhang was able to instigate a rebellion by placing secret messages in mooncakes. The rebellion took place during the Mid-autumn Festival, and the celebration of the festival and eating of mooncakes took on a different meaning thereafter.

Information from National Library Board. Bo Jio literally meaning “not invited” in Hokkien.

[whencyclopedia]

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.

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[elegantpersoncreation]

A 14th Century CE, door at Battle Abbey in East Sussex, England....

[tammuz]

Persian pottery fragment depicting King Bahram Gur hunting with Azadeh. The glazed fragment was originated in Kashan, and it dates back to the late 13th century and early 14th century CE. The Pergamon Museum, Berlin, GERMANY.

Photo by Babylon Chronicle

[friendswithclay]

“Head with "cat whisker" marks

Olokun Walode site, lle-Ife, Nigeria, c. early 14th century ce Terracotta; Height: 127 mm

Nigeria National Museums”

[city-of-ladies]

Sara de Sancto Aegidio (of St. Gilles) was a Jewish woman doctor who lived in Marseille in the 14th century.

The widow of a fellow physician named Avraham, her existence is documented through a contract dated August 28, 1326, between herself and her student, Salvetus de Burgonoro from Salon-de-Provence. According to this contract, Sara agreed to teach Salvetus medicine and to provide him with board, lodging, and clothing for seven months. In return, Salvetus was required to hand over all the fees he earned from treating patients during this period.

Likewise, another Jewish woman surgeon named Chava practiced in 15th-century Manosque. Around this time, four of the seven Jewish women doctors in Frankfurt were noted for their expertise in eye medicine. These women likely learned their skills from other practitioners or family members.

See also: Magistra Hersend, royal doctor during the 13th century.

Here is the link to my Ko-Fi. If you enjoy my content, your support would be much appreciated!

Further reading 

Decker Sarah Ifft, Jewish Women in the Medieval World 500–1500 CE

Taitz Emily, Henry Sondra, Tallan Cheryl,  The JPS Guide to Jewish Women

[baebeylik]

Jewish Ceremonial Wedding Ring. Possibly made in Italy. 13th-14th Century CE.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

[lionofchaeronea]

Depiction by an unknown Chinese artist of the birth of Mani (216-274 CE), founder of Manichaeism, a dualistic religion that portrays existence as a struggle between kingdoms of light and darkness. From its origins in present-day Iraq, Manichaeism spread westward into the Roman Empire (where it temporarily won over Augustine of Hippo before his conversion to Catholicism) and eastward into Asia. Though it died out in the West following intense persecution by the Christian Roman emperors, it is thought to have persisted in some parts of China into the 20th century, and perhaps still today.

Colors on silk, 35.6x56.9 cm (=14x22.4 in). 14th century (late Yuan or early Ming Dynasty). Now in the Kyushu National Museum, Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

[transgenderer]

The Cheraman Juma Mosque is a popular prayer centre in Kodungallur in Thrissur district. According to hagiographical legends, it is claimed that the mosque was built in 629 CE by Malik Bin Dinar.[1]

It is claimed to be the first mosque to be built in India.[2][3] It is claimed to be the oldest mosque in the Indian subcontinent which is still in use.[4][5][6]

The mosque was constructed in Kerala style with hanging lamps, making the historicity of its date claims more convincing.[7][better source needed][8][better source needed][9][better source needed][10][better source needed][11][better source needed][12][better source needed][13][better source needed] Other scholars are more skeptical and dated the structure to the 14th-15th century based on the architectural style.[14]

lol

[olrastrologytarot]

The History of Astrology: A Journey Through Time and Thought

Astrology, the study of the positions and movements of celestial bodies and their purported influence on human affairs, has been a fixture in human culture for millennia. Its evolution reflects a complex interplay between science, philosophy, and spirituality, showcasing how societies have sought to understand their place in the cosmos. This essay explores the historical development of astrology, from its ancient origins to its contemporary forms.

Ancient Beginnings: Mesopotamia and Egypt

The roots of astrology can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia, around the 3rd millennium BCE. The Babylonians, who were among the first to develop systematic astronomical observations, used these observations to create a form of astrology that combined celestial phenomena with predictions about earthly events. This early astrology was primarily concerned with omens and was heavily intertwined with the religious and political life of the time.

By the 2nd millennium BCE, Egyptian astrology had begun to emerge, blending Mesopotamian influences with local beliefs. The Egyptians, known for their advanced knowledge of astronomy and their intricate pantheon of gods, integrated astrological concepts into their religious and daily practices. They used astrology to forecast events and guide decisions, often linking the movements of the stars to the will of their gods.

Hellenistic Synthesis: The Birth of Horoscopic Astrology

The Hellenistic period (circa 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE) marked a significant transformation in astrology. With the expansion of the Greek empire and the subsequent mingling of Greek, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian cultures, a more sophisticated form of astrology emerged. This period saw the development of horoscopic astrology, which focused on creating individual birth charts based on the exact positions of celestial bodies at the time of a person's birth.

One of the key figures in this development was Claudius Ptolemy, a Greek astronomer and astrologer whose work, the Tetrabiblos, became a foundational text for Western astrology. Ptolemy’s system sought to systematize astrological knowledge and establish it as a coherent discipline. His work remained influential throughout the medieval period and beyond, laying the groundwork for modern astrological practices.

Medieval and Renaissance Astrology: Integration and Innovation

During the medieval period, astrology continued to thrive in both the Islamic world and Europe. Islamic scholars preserved and expanded upon Greek and Roman astrological knowledge, integrating it with their own astronomical observations and philosophical ideas. Figures like Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi and Al-Kindi made significant contributions, blending astrological theory with a more refined understanding of the cosmos.

In Europe, astrology gained prominence as part of the broader scholarly tradition. Medieval scholars, including prominent figures like Thomas Aquinas, debated the role of astrology within a Christian framework. Despite some resistance from the Church, astrology remained a respected academic discipline and was often used in conjunction with medicine, politics, and other fields.

The Renaissance period (14th to 17th centuries) saw a revival of interest in astrology, driven by a renewed fascination with classical texts and an emphasis on the relationship between the macrocosm and the microcosm. Astrologers like Johannes Kepler, who is also known for his contributions to celestial mechanics, attempted to reconcile astrology with emerging scientific principles, though his work ultimately leaned more towards astronomy.

Modern Perspectives: From Science to Personal Insight

The Enlightenment and subsequent scientific revolutions brought a shift in attitudes towards astrology. With the rise of empirical science and skepticism towards unverified claims, astrology began to lose its status as a scientific discipline. The 19th and early 20th centuries saw astrology increasingly marginalized by the scientific community, with many viewing it as a pseudoscience.

However, astrology did not disappear. Instead, it underwent a transformation, adapting to modern sensibilities and becoming a popular cultural phenomenon. The 20th century witnessed the rise of psychological astrology, which emphasized the role of astrology in personal growth and self-understanding. Figures like Carl Jung incorporated astrological concepts into their psychological theories, reflecting a broader interest in integrating astrology with modern ideas about the self and consciousness.

Today, astrology occupies a diverse space within contemporary culture. While it is not recognized as a scientific discipline, it remains a popular and influential practice, with many people finding value in its symbolic and interpretive frameworks. Modern astrologers often focus on personal horoscopes and guidance, drawing on ancient traditions while adapting to contemporary concerns and contexts.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Meaning and Reflection

The history of astrology is a testament to humanity's enduring quest to understand the cosmos and our place within it. From its origins in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to its modern incarnations, astrology has evolved alongside human thought, reflecting our shifting attitudes towards knowledge, spirituality, and the universe. While its scientific validity remains debated, astrology continues to offer a rich tapestry of symbolism and insight, underscoring the timeless human desire to seek meaning in the stars.

[artifacts-archive]

Bat-Nosed Figure Pendant

Coclé, 12th–14th century CE

The powerful Prehispanic rulers of present-day Panama and Costa Rica expressed their authority and status by the ostentatious display of gold ornaments in both life and death. Pendants that combine human form with those of various animals selected for specific behavioral characteristics were suspended from the neck by a thong or cord.

[stirringwinds]

friendship ended with 'kiku was a shy and lonely hermit for most of his life only until the meiji era', 'kiku was reasonably well-travelled regionally and a seasoned mariner who culturally has a deep relationship with the sea and who, centuries ago, learned advanced shipbuilding and navigation from yong-soo (who is also the old korean kingdom of silla and another reason the whole student backstabbing his teacher theme is a recurrent thing for kiku.) isolationist at times when domestic political turmoil constrained things, but also adventurous and ambitious, yearning to see what is further beyond. many facets of the same whole. he's an old mariner, and that's why when alfred forces the end of isolationism at the point of a gun(boat), for kiku it was like picking up a sword that he hasn't used in a while, but which he's very familiar with' is my best friend now:

5th century: Goguryeo–Wa conflicts (Korea and Japan)

6th century: Japanese embassies to Sui China

7th century: Baekje-Tang War (Korea, Japan and China)

9th century: Japanese embassies to Tang China

13th century: Mongol invasions of Japan (self-explanatory)

14th—16th century: Japanese wokou piracy

1565: Battle of Fukuda Bay (Portugal and Japan)

1582 Cagayan battles (Japan, China, Korea (pirates) vs. Spain)

1590s CE: Imjin War (Japanese invasion of Korea with the intention to also conquer China)

1609: Invasion of the Ryukyu Kingdom

1613: Hasekura Mission to Mexico and Europe

[whencyclopedia]

Wako

Wako (aka wokou and waegu) is a term used to refer to Japanese (but also including Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese) pirates who plagued the seas of East Asia from Korea to Indonesia, especially between the 13th and 17th centuries CE. Besides the disruption to trade, the devastation which befell coastal communities, and the many thousands of innocents who found themselves sold as slaves, the pirates caused significant tensions in diplomatic relations between China, Korea, and Japan throughout this period. Indeed, the pirates seriously damaged the reputation of Japan in the eyes of their East Asian neighbours in the medieval period. It was only after the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1582-1598 CE) had unified central Japan that the government was finally strong enough to effectively deal with the pirate scourge and put an end to their reign of terror.

Piracy on the High Seas

Wako translates as 'dwarf pirates' and although many were from Japan, the term was also indiscriminately applied to any mariners up to no good on the high seas and so could include pirates based on the coasts of Korea, Taiwan, and China, as well as Portuguese adventurers, to name but a few. There is even evidence that some pirates disguised themselves as Japanese to avoid detection as to where they sailed from. The Chinese called these pirates wokou and the Koreans waegu. Pirates had plundered ships across East Asia since at least the 8th century CE but it was the wako of the 13th century CE onwards that reached new depths of robbery, helped by the disruption in legitimate maritime trade which followed the Mongol invasions of Korea between 1231 and 1259 CE.

The most notorious pirate base was Japan's Tsushima Island (which also had legitimate ports) where there were plenty of easily-defended inlets. The island is rocky and mountainous so that residents struggled to provide enough food for themselves while the local feudal lords, the So, gained handsomely from sponsoring the marauders who seized goods on the high seas. Other important pirate bases in Japan were at Iki Island and Matsura.

At their peak in the 14th century CE, hundreds of pirate ships plagued the straits between Korea and southern Japan and made four or five major raids on the southern Korean peninsula each year. Many pirates even made it their business to plunder ships and coastal ports on the western side of the Korean peninsula, right up the northern island of Kanghwa. In the 15th and 16th century CE the coast of China became another target area. Pirates stole anything of value (for example, precious metals, swords, armour, and lacquerware) but especially bulk goods like cloth, grain and rice being shipped as tribute to the Chinese emperor.

Pirates would raid ports and coastal settlements with fleets of up to 400 ships carrying raiding parties of 3,000 men. Although they were only lightly armed - the preferred weapon being swords - they did form disciplined armies and they met little organised opposition. As the wako often seized innocents to be sold as slaves to feudal lords or Portuguese slave-traders, many farming communities withdrew further inland, even if this meant that the best agricultural land was abandoned. The risks to the wako, aside from a vigorous defence by rightful owners, included execution if they were caught by the authorities in China, Korea, or Japan.

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[shi-gu]

How do the Mayan years work on the calendar?

I appreciate your comics showing it in the CE years as well but I'm curious how they work

I'm afraid I know close to nothing about the particularities of Maya cultures, let alone their calendar. As for the rest of Mesoamerica, although with variations from region to region, they had two calendars: A sacred-ritual one that lasted 260 days, and a solar one with 365 days, which works just like ours. These two calendars matched every 52 years, which was considered a very special happening and some people dub that 52-year period as the "indigenous century." There's intense debate about the calendar, and whether it adjusted to take into account leap years or not, and it is a VERY complex topic to which many researchers dedicate their lives, so I can't claim to know the exact answers. Maybe your question was related to the naming convention though. The sacred calendar uses a system of 13 numbers + 20 day signs, with a total of 260 possible combinations (hence its duration). So for example, you start the year with day 1-Crocodile, then 2-Wind, 3-House, and so on. After number 13, the count goes back to 1 but with the 14th day sign: 1-Jaguar. From these 20 day signs, 4 were used for the years: House, Rabbit, Reed, and Flint, and also used 13 numbers. So you have a succession of years like 1-House, 2-Rabbit, 3-Reed, 4-Flint, 5-House [...] 13-House, 1-Rabbit, and so on. This count will only reset after 52 years when the cycle restarts.

Here's the 20 day signs (these are those used in Mixtec and Nahua calendars, but other groups like the Maya and Zapotec had different signs, although the calendars were all synchronized):