#MAYAN CIVILISATION

[afrotumble]

[bernievm]

Imagine discovering that a vase you bought for a few dollars at a thrift store in US and is actually a priceless artifact from ancient Maya civilisation!

This is the incredible story of a woman from Maryland who stumbled upon an ancient treasure, hidden in plain sight among second-hand items.

The ancient Maya vase thrifted by chance is now returned to the Museum in Mexico City, shedding light on its significant historical context and value. Originating from the Maya Classic period (circa 250-900 CE), the vase exemplifies the intricate artistry and cultural richness of the Maya civilization. Such artifacts are invaluable for understanding Maya society, religious practices, and daily life. The repatriation of this vase helps preserve cultural heritage and allows scholars to study and display a genuine piece of history in its rightful home.

Read more at Smithsonian Magazine.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/woman-thrifted-this-ancient-maya-vase-180984618/

[ringhoarder]

Every time I see an ancient civilization being portrayed as barbaric I want to tear my hair out

[kimludcom]

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A post shared by Joachim Jones (@dr.botox_official)

[jagzii]

"Tell me why almost every time I learned about a new civilization growing up, I simultaneously learned about its destruction thanks to imperial expansionism. Because the first time I learned about the Mayans was in the context of the Spanish arriving in Meso-America in the 16th century and promptly fucking everything up. Finding out about that was so depressing that I never bothered to look any closer. All of that is changing today because it turns out the Mayan civilization had already experienced a collapse centuries before the Spanish arrived– known as the collapse of the Classic Maya civilization."

Read the rest here:

[blueiscoool]

Egyptologists Clash Over ‘Underground City’ Beneath Pyramids

Claims that an “underground city” exists beneath ancient Egyptian pyramids have caused a row among experts.

Researchers from Italy say they have uncovered giant vertical shafts wrapped in “spiral staircases” under the Khafre pyramid.

They said on Sunday that they found a limestone platform with two chambers and channels that resemble pipelines for a water system more than 2,100 feet below the pyramid, with underground pathways leading even deeper into the earth.

But the claims – which have not been published or independently peer-reviewed – were labelled “false” and “exaggerated” by fellow Egyptologists.

Researchers claim they have discovered eight cylinder-shaped structures below the Khafre - Khafre Project.

Prof Corrado Malanga and his team from the University of Pisa used radar pulses to create high-resolution images deep into the ground, similar to how sonar radar maps the ocean.

In a statement, he said: “When we magnify the images [in the future], we will reveal that beneath it lies what can only be described as a true underground city.”

The scientists have also said there is “an entire hidden world of many structures’’ and that “the Pyramid of Khafre might conceal undiscovered secrets, notably the fabled Hall of Records”.

The Hall of Records, a concept popularised in ancient Egyptian lore, is believed to be an ancient library beneath the Great Pyramid or the Sphinx, with vast amounts of information about the ancient civilisation.

Prof Lawrence Conyers, a radar expert at the University of Denver who focuses on archaeology, told the Daily Mail it was not possible for the technology to penetrate that deeply into the ground.

He said the idea that it proves an underground city existed is “a huge exaggeration”.

But he said it was conceivable small structures, such as shafts and chambers, may be present from before the pyramids were built.

He highlighted how “the Mayans and other peoples in ancient Mesoamerica often built pyramids on top of the entrances to caves or caverns that had ceremonial significance to them”.

The work by Prof Malanga and fellow researchers Filippo Biondi and Armando Mei was previously discussed during a briefing in Italy last week.

The project’s spokesman, Nicole Ciccolo, shared a video on Saturday of the trio discussing the findings that are yet to be published in a scientific journal.

Tomographic images could indicate internal artificial structures under the pyramid - Khafre Project.

The team focused on the Khafre pyramid, which, along with Khufu and Menkaure pyramids, make up the three in the Giza complex.

The pyramids are thought to have been built some 4,500 years ago and sit on the west bank of the Nile river in northern Egypt.

The vertical shafts identified below the ground were about 33 to 39 feet in diameter, located at a depth of at least 2,130 feet, the researchers said, adding that they may support the pyramid, which needs “a strong foundation, otherwise it may sink”.

The team showed an image created by using the pulses which they claim includes “a complex, luminous structure with distinct vibrations” they believe is “an actual underground city”.

“The existence of vast chambers beneath the earth’s surface, comparable in size to the pyramids themselves, have a remarkably strong correlation between the legendary Halls of Amenti,” Ms Ciccolo said.

A 3D model displays the structures inside the central part of the Pyramid of Khafre - Khafre Project.

Prof Malanga and Mr Biondi published a separate peer-reviewed paper in October 2022 in the scientific journal Remote Sensing, which found hidden rooms and ramps inside Khafre, along with evidence of a thermal anomaly near the pyramid’s base.

The new study used similar technology but with extra help from satellites orbiting Earth.

Radar signals from two satellites about 420 miles above Earth were directed into the Khafre pyramid.

The experts then monitor how they bounce back and convert the signals into sound waves, which allows them to “see” through the solid stone and map out underground structures in 3D.

Prof Malanga claimed the results had been “completely consistent” and using two satellites ruled out the chance of “misinterpretation”.

By Michael Searles.

View of the ancient crypt inside the Great step pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara. Cairo.

[notnocturne]

more academia things to research (since you guys seemed to like the last one);

each phase of the moon

the scarlet fever

letters of the printing press

the history of chanel

myrmecology; the study of ants

the salem witch trials

the bedroom of marie antoinette

indian mythology

how clay is made

the dancing plague

the mayan civilisation

dead languages

how spartans trained their children

the parts of a sewing machine

suzanne collins and her influence on literature today

love letters found in the pockets of dead soldiers

feminism in ancient egypt

the tea trade and its rippling effect

chemical reactions

warm vs cold lighting in interior design

medieval recipes for medicine

the concept of a human soul

the diary of anne frank

nature vs nurture argument

the mandela effect

[olowan-waphiya]

A huge ancient city has been found in the Amazon, hidden for thousands of years by lush vegetation.

The discovery changes what we know about the history of people living in the Amazon.

The houses and plazas in the Upano area in eastern Ecuador were connected by an astounding network of roads and canals.

The area lies in the shadow of a volcano that created rich local soils but also may have led to the destruction of the society.

While we knew about cities in the highlands of South America, like Machu Picchu in Peru, it was believed that people only lived nomadically or in tiny settlements in the Amazon.

"This is older than any other site we know in the Amazon. We have a Eurocentric view of civilisation, but this shows we have to change our idea about what is culture and civilisation," says Prof Stephen Rostain, director of investigation at the National Centre for Scientific Research in France, who led the research.

"It changes the way we see Amazonian cultures. Most people picture small groups, probably naked, living in huts and clearing land - this shows ancient people lived in complicated urban societies," says co-author Antoine Dorison.

The city was built around 2,500 years ago, and people lived there for up to 1,000 years, according to archaeologists.

It is difficult to accurately estimate how many people lived there at any one time, but scientists say it is certainly in the 10,000s if not 100,000s.

The archaeologists combined ground excavations with a survey of a 300 sq km (116 sq mile) area using laser sensors flown on a plane that could identify remains of the city beneath the dense plants and trees.

—

"The road network is very sophisticated. It extends over a vast distance, everything is connected. And there are right angles, which is very impressive," he says, explaining that it is much harder to build a straight road than one that fits in with the landscape.

The scientists also identified causeways with ditches on either side which they believe were canals that helped manage the abundant water in the region.

There were signs of threats to the cities - some ditches blocked entrances to the settlements, and may be evidence of threats from nearby people.

Researchers first found evidence of a city in the 1970s, but this is the first time a comprehensive survey has been completed, after 25 years of research.

It reveals a large, complex society that appears to be even bigger than the well-known Mayan societies in Mexico and Central America.

—

Some of the findings are "unique" for South America, he explains, pointing to the octagonal and rectangular platforms arranged together.

The societies were clearly well-organised and interconnected, he says, highlighting the long sunken roads between settlements.

Not a huge amount is known about the people who lived there and what their societies were like.

Pits and hearths were found in the platforms, as well as jars, stones to grind plants and burnt seeds.

—

Prof Rostain says he was warned against this research at the start of his career because scientists believed no ancient groups had lived in the Amazon.

[callester]

Observations made on Mission 104's storyline settings.

Mysterious Plant

• Features

The plant's features are a combination of a few carnivorous plants that inhabit the rainforests, which occupy lands near the Earth's Equator.

Stigma - Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)

Petals - Rafflesia (Rafflesia Arnoldii)

Body - Pitcher Plant (Nephentes Rajah)

• Geschocran (ゲツショクラン, getsushokuran)

Through a few attempts and references of finding out the possible Kanji words referred as Katakana characters in the flower's name, the possibilities are:

Getsu (月, ゲツ) - Moon

Shoku (植, ショク) - Plant

Ran (蘭, ラン) - Orchid

But since Japanese is not my first language and the interpretations done here could be a little off, it serves as an exercise in the learnt language.

• Witch's Crib (魔女の寝床, majou no nedoko)

The word "寝床" may translate as either a "bed" or a "crib", where if taken as literal had meant a witch's sleeping place.

Another take on the word "crib" in its archaic use would be "one's resting place", where it may refer to the place for those who lost their lives. Taking into consideration of the cauldron-like shape of the flower's body and it's carnivorous plants' inspired features, the flower's name may indicate the victims that fell into its trap and ended up being drowned in the said cauldron-like area (a shared trait of most carnivorous plants).

Ancient Builds, Chichen Itza

The snippet of the older civilisation's building shown resembles that of the Chichen Itza, with the Temple of Kukulcan on its centre.

In a possible symbolism, the snake that appeared in this chapter may refer to the said temple being dedicated to the Mayan Feathered Serpent deity, Quatzalcoatl.

Equinox's Sun Alignment

• Temple of Kukulcan

The setting sun during the spring and the autumn equinox casts a shadow illusion of the Feathered Serpent descending the temple.

• Angkor Wat

On a similar occasion of the spring and the autumn equinox, one could see the sun rising above the building's central lotus tower from the perspective of the western entrance.

Note: To some, this chapter may come off as bland. But to those who appreciate both geography and history, this release gives off an additional take on the author's skills in weaving the intricate details of realistic elements into his worldbuilding ventures that thus add in the depth of this series all while building up the main tale. And standing by the latter perspective, it's an impressive take by the author while expanding the series' characters.

[kncxsmy]

I’ve recently found myself on several occasions falling down a rabbit hole of lost civilisations — the lost city of Babylon; the Mayan civilisation; Rapa Nui of Easter Island; the Anasazi civilisation — how mind spinning that these civilisations disappeared and the knowledge they’d discovered that was lost with them. The residents of Babylon held knowledge of the cosmos over 1000 years ago that we don’t even have to this day. Fascinating.

[route22ny]

"Academic Danilo Brozović says studies of failed civilisations all point in one direction – today’s society needs radical transformation to survive."

For someone who has examined 361 studies and 73 books on societal collapses, Danilo Brozović’s conclusion on what must happen to avoid today’s world imploding is both disarmingly simple and a daunting challenge: “We need dramatic social and technological changes.”

The collapse of past civilisations, from the mighty Mayan empire to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), has long fascinated people and for obvious reasons – how stable is our own society? Does ever-growing complexity in societies or human hubris inevitably lead to oblivion? In the face of the climate crisis, rampant destruction of the natural world, rising geopolitical tensions and more, the question is more urgent than ever.

“More and more academic articles are mentioning the threat of collapse because of climate change,” says Brozović at the school of business at the University of Skövde, Sweden. The issue of collapse hooked him after it was raised in a project on business sustainability, which then led to his comprehensive review in 2023.

The field is not short of extreme pessimists. “They believe what we are doing will eventually cause the extinction of the human race,” says Brozović. Some say today’s challenges are so great that it is now time humanity comes to terms with extinction, and even build a vault containing our greatest cultural achievements as a record for some future – perhaps alien – civilisation. Others, using data on deforestation and population, rate the chance of catastrophic collapse at 90% or more.

Most scholars are more optimistic, if not actually optimists. Brozović says: “They say collapse for us will just be the end of life as we know it today. There will be less globalisation and a lower standard of life, affecting public health very negatively.”

This raises the question of what is meant by collapse: most agree it is the loss of complex social and political structures over a few decades at most. But by this definition, many classic collapses, misinterpreted in the rear-view mirror of history, may actually be better described as transformations. He says: “In the last 10 years or so, people are asking did the Rapa Nui society collapse or did it reinvent itself?” he says.

The search for explanations of societal collapse has been a long one, going back at least to Thomas Malthus’s An Essay on the Principle of Population and Edward Gibbon’s History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which blamed decadence and barbarian invasions.

Today, collapses are seen as the result of combined factors, such as environmental problems, disease, political or economic turmoil, religious crises and soil exhaustion, even if one factor might precipitate the collapse.

Brozović says: “But there is one theory of collapse that stands out as the most frequently invoked: Joseph Tainter’s theory of complexity.” Tainter’s theory was published in 1988 and has since been described as “peak complexity”.

Brozović says: “He says the main function of every society is solving problems by investing resources. But as society becomes more complex, the problems become more complex, so you have to invest more resources. Painter says at the end of this spiral, collapse is inevitable, because you cannot do this for ever. Technological innovations can simplify increasingly complex problems. But, again, this cannot go on indefinitely.”

After that came the sunk-cost effects theory of collapse. He says: “[Societies] are unwilling to abandon something – for example a settlement or the current global economy – if a great deal has been invested in it, even if future prospects are dim.” Others have blamed social hubris, he says, meaning excessive pride or arrogance led societies to ignore warning signs and block preventive action.

“It’s like being in a bad marriage,” Brozović says. “You know you should get out, but you have invested a lot of yourself and a lot of time, and it’s really hard.”

Growing gaps between the rich and poor also come up as a factor, he says. Research using big data to model historical societies has found that elites and inequality appear towards the end. “If it’s not a cause, it’s definitely a symptom,” he says.

There is a problem, however, in attempting to draw insight for the future: past collapses were local or regional. “But we live in a global and extremely complex society,” says Brozović. “[Nonetheless], one very important insight is that, regardless of the cause of collapse, how a society reacts seems crucial.”

In his 2005 book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, Jared Diamond identified two vital choices distinguishing societies that failed from those that survived.skip past newsletter promotion

The first, tackling the sunk-cost problem and political short-termism, is long-term planning: making “bold, courageous, anticipatory decisions at a time when problems have become perceptible but before they have reached crisis proportions”. Diamond cites Tokugawa shoguns, Inca emperors and 16th-century German landowners as positive examples, having faced and reversed disastrous deforestation.

The second, combating social hubris, is the painful process of overturning core values. Diamond says: “Which of the values that formerly served a society well can continue to be maintained under new changed circumstances? Which of these treasured values must instead be jettisoned and replaced with different approaches?” Here he cites Scandinavian settlers in Greenland during the medieval period as a negative example, saying they refused to jettison their European farming identity and died as a result.

Having extensively surveyed the study of societal collapses, does Brozović think the way humanity currently lives looks sustainable? “No, no – definitely not,” he says. “We have to do something – that’s the conclusion that arises from reading all this research.”

“At the end of the day, we have to radically transform society, and we have to do it fast,” he says. That means overhauling politics, policies and institutions, safeguarding food production and the natural world that supports life on Earth.

“That’s the recipe to mitigate collapse,” he says. “But nothing is really happening substantially. We are shifting the discussion of what is acceptable and what is not, and a lot of good, positive things are happening. But the question is, will it happen fast enough?”

Brozović’s review highlights a significant barrier to action noted by Paul and Anne Ehrlich: convincing people of the necessity of such measures, a task made even harder by the rise of online disinformation.

The idea that humanity’s fate is in its own hands is not new. In the mid-20th century, historian Arnold Toynbee, who had studied the varying fates of 28 societies, said: “Civilisations die from suicide, not from murder.” But Diamond channeled Winston Churchill’s thought on democracy to reach a more positive conclusion: “A lower-impact society is the most impossible scenario for our future – except for all other conceivable scenarios.”

[talonabraxas]

Hongos Sagrados. "Cure yourself with the light of the sun and the rays of the moon. With the sound of the river and the waterfall. With the swaying of the sea and the fluttering of birds. Heal yourself with mint, with neem and eucalyptus. Sweeten yourself with lavender, rosemary, and chamomile. Hug yourself with the cocoa bean and a touch of cinnamon. Put love in tea instead of sugar, and take it looking at the stars."

Maria Sabina (via the Santitos) 🍄 Mushroom stones dating from 3000 BC were used in ritual contexts across Mesoamerica and into South America. The majority were found in Guatemala in the highlands or in areas along the intercontinental mountain range which were heavily influenced in Pre-classic times by the Olmec culture. 🍄 The Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Aztec and Inca all used hallucinogenic mushrooms as a catalyst for spiritual insight, poetry and philosophy. To this day the Mazatec use them ritualistically and primarily to cure illnesses. Additionally, much like the early religions and philosophies of Eurasia and their sacred, mediating substance called Soma (see previous post on Scythians), these transcendental substances were undeniably at the very core of all world religions. 🍄 It is suggested that European ideas of heaven and hell may well derive from the same cult mysteries. Tlaloc, the mayan rain and mushroom god was created by lightening, so was Dionysus; in Greek folklore as in Mazatec, so are all mushrooms - proverbially called ‘flesh of the gods' in both languages. Tlaloc wore a serpent crown, so did Dionysus. Tlaloc has an underwater cave, so did Dionysus… 🍄 What all these cultural links seem to suggest is that entwined within the physical world is a realm concealed to ordinary sight. Just as Maria Sabina claimed that all her poetry was not hers but was given to her by the mushrooms, so too the most ancient living traditions claim that their knowledge is not their own but was handed down to them from much older civilisations - sometimes in the form of pure, non-material consciousness. art by Ventral is Golden

[kyndaris]

Peruvian Delights

Back in primary school, some of the books I'd read cover to cover were the Horrible Histories series by Terry Deary. Learning new facts about human history had always been fascinating to me (although, admittedly, most of them were fixated on British and European history). I'd pour over them, committing what I read to memory as best I could (alas, I don't have, and never will have, an eidetic memory). My desire to learn also extended to Horrible Science and Horrible Geography, which proved helpful in Year 7 where I was able to win a point of trivia because I was the only one in my class who knew about the San Andreas Fault.

One of the Horrible Histories books I remember enjoying very much was the one about Incans. And with the film: Emperor's New Groove releasing in cinemas during the early 2000s, I wanted to learn more about his seemingly ancient civilisation that only seemed to be rarely touched.

Admittedly, growing up, I did turn my attention to Aztec and Mayan societies because of the whole blood sacrifices and the removal of hearts, but if there was one place I wanted to visit (besides Egypt and the city of Petra in Jordan), it was Machu Picchu. That and the Nazca Lines, which have featured in many forms of media like Yu-Gi-Oh 5D, as well as in books like Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five series.

Unfortunately, I've not had the opportunity to travel to Peru. So, when the Australian Museum announced an upcoming exhibit of Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru, I was eager to attend. After all, there was so much I wanted to see and understand about ancient Andean societies. Especially when it came to how the people lived and their belief systems.

The only problem? Finding someone who would be amenable to attend with me.

While I'd initially planned to go on a weekend, Dikottir and I ended up attending on a Wednesday night. He'd, of course, looked up a few events adjacent to the exhibit and discovered Peruvian Nights wherein the Australian Museum would remain open until late with live music, free film screenings and have a smorgasbord of Peruvian-inspired snacks. Or so he had been led to believe.

Spoiler alert: most of his choices were taken from him and we both ended up with Pork sausages with tomato chutney. No beef pies or empanadas. Or even the Peruvian bowl. I mean, there was a salad. But what hot-blooded man, or woman, would choose a healthy salad for dinner?

With our stomachs not quite as full as we had hoped, Dikottir and I made our way into the actual Machu Picchu exhibit. Though we were a tad bit early for our appointed session, the staff were still able to scan our tickets. In, we went, settling down first for an informational video about the various Andean societies and their close ties to nature, before we shuffled off the first hall. Here, it was revealed that the cosmology of the Andean world had three worlds: the Upper World where birds soared and was inhabited by the Sun and the celestial gods, the Here and Now occupied by humans and non-human creatures, and the Inner World which was associated with the night and was where the ancestors lived.

The separation of the worlds was represented by steps. Considering the mountainous region many of them lived in, it was understandable why step designs were found everywhere. This also impacted how they grew crops, utilising constructed agricultural terraces to increase the amount of arable land. Of course, the Incans were not the only ones to use terrace farming. As an aside to Dikottir, I pondered aloud if the rumoured Hanging Gardens of the Babylon had not used similar technology. After all, it would make sense for a 'hanging' garden to, well, hang over the side.

From there, we looked around at the other artefacts on display. Most of it was pottery shaped into specific animals: snake, jaguar, owl and hummingbird. However, there were also ones showcasing hybrid chimaeras.

Given their close connection to nature, many Andean societies had shamans. These were individuals that were able to communicate between the Here and Now and the other worlds. More importantly, they were also bequeathed with the power of animals. This, they were able to channel with psychotropic drugs and/ or fancy headwear.

Of course, when it came to depicting shamans, most of the artefacts Dikottir and I saw showed them as half-man and half-beast.

Oh, to be a were-jaguar or were-owl.

Before we descended down into the Inner World, however, we did get to see several other statues. One, in particular, drew my eye. Like many a civilisation before, and after them, Andean societies put a lot of emphasis on fertility and male virility. A skull-like entity, next to a woman with a gaping hole right below her pelvis, had a huge erect phallus. One he was eagerly holding in his hands.

Next to it were two statues of the ancestors. Apparently, in the Andean afterlife, the ancestors continue to copulate. Their deaths not an end but a new beginning, bringing forth new life. But seeing an artefact titled 'Ancestors masturbating' certainly had the ten-year-old in me giggling. Especially when the woman was clearly doing most of the work as she worked her hand on her partner's appendage.

The Inner World brought us face to face with a shape-shifting hero of mythical proportions: Ai Apaec. A figure of Moche culture, he was a hero known for travelling to different worlds to ensure the continuation of nature's cycles. Along the way, he is gifted with the ability to transform into various creatures including a crab and pufferfish. Along the way, he had a loyal buzzard and a dog to keep him company on his travels.

On his quest to return the sun to the world, and to ensure crops rainfall for crops, he would also be decapitated, his head transforming into a veritable skull. Of course, he is later saved and brought back to life through the power of...um...well...sex. Sex brings him back to life. And it also brings back his ability to propagate.

Honestly, there needs to be a video game about this guy. The lore, his powers and the story itself just lends itself perfectly to the media. Sorrengail, if you're reading this blog post, THIS was the video game idea I was proposing to you. And you can even insert the 'MASSIVE DAMAGE' meme into it if you so chose.

And, best of all, he appears in pop culture! As a villain in the grander Marvel universe! Something almost akin to Ezekiel Sim, the villain of the less than stellar Madame Web film that came out in 2024.

From the Inner World we moved to a different section of the exhibit. This one was focused on the attire of the nobility and how the splendour of their outfits reflected their role and status in society. Even warriors wore impressive regalia made of gold and silver, especially those of high status and close connection to the gods. Of particular note were the nose ornaments and the coccyx protector as can be seen in the picture below.

It wasn't long before Dikottir and I reached the end of the exhibit, which highlighted Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, the information there was a little scarce on details. Though the fortress was not discovered by the Spanish conquistadors, it did fade into obscurity and was retaken by the surrounding jungle. Over the years, locals still retained knowledge of its location but it was brough to the attention of the wider world by a Yale professor, Hiram Bingham.

After we had seen our fill of the exhibit, we stopped by the gift shop. Both of us bought llama rubber ducks for friends we weren't sure we would catch-up with anytime soon. I also purchased a woven bookmark and an 'erotic humorous magnet.' Or so my receipt tells me. Dikottir, too, also bought a magnet. Supposedly as a gift for his mum who seems to share my sense of humour.

With that, our expedition to Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru came to a close. While we did enjoy some additional music, and dance, in the Australian Museum proper, we later headed towards Town Hall for some light dessert.

And so my date with Dikottir came to its inexorable end.

While I don't mind his company (we do share quite similar views in terms of politics), I'm not sure either of us are romantically keen on the other. We certainly haven't jumped on adding personal phone numbers or officially 'friending' each other on Facebook. Nor do we text on a daily or regular basis.

In fact, during our 'date', I'd find my attention wandering to the others also exploring the exhibit or who were simply at the Australian Museum and indulging in the Peruvian vibe. What surprised me the most whilst there were the number of sapphic couples I saw.

Maybe I'm more sensitive since the CaitVi brainrot, but I couldn't help but somewhat wish I had a woman keeping me company.

Alas, Hinge is now gone. And while I do still seem to have a squish/ crush on someone in my friendship circle, nothing has actually eventuated. Despite the advice I've given to friends, I, too, am a filthy coward.

Time will tell if I'll ever end up with someone.

There's still a Valentine's Day/ Lunar New Year celebration I'm attending soon (which will actually be a couple of weeks prior to when this blog post goes up) where I might meet someone (although it does seem to cater for heterosexual couples more). Until then, dear reader, I bid you adieu.

[m--rtyr]

Despite how much I dislike Marvel's rewriting of things one thing I will forever stand by is how they recreated Namor for Black Panther Wakanda Forever. Cause they changed nothing that is integral to his character, left his powers and his motivations alone but changed his culture to make even more sense.

I am from Texas and have lived in areas heavily dominated by Mexican Immigrants my entire life, I know a lot about their history of colonization. They wrote it so perfectly, and I have never seen someone make a cosplay faster than one of my Native-Mayan friends.

Cause they kept the character but changed his meaning. A lot of the fuck ups have been changing the core of the character, but not Namor, he's ✨️perfect✨️

I won’t say anything solely because I am down nasty for Namor and I can’t form a valid response. Like nooo don’t drag me to your underwater civilisation and make me your concubine noooo

[female-malice]

Researchers first found evidence of a city in the 1970s, but this is the first time a comprehensive survey has been completed, after 25 years of research.

It reveals a large, complex society that appears to be even bigger than the well-known Mayan societies in Mexico and Central America.

"This is older than any other site we know in the Amazon. We have a Eurocentric view of civilisation, but this shows we have to change our idea about what is culture and civilisation," says Prof Stephen Rostain, director of investigation at the National Centre for Scientific Research in France, who led the research.

"It changes the way we see Amazonian cultures. Most people picture small groups, probably naked, living in huts and clearing land - this shows ancient people lived in complicated urban societies," says co-author Antoine Dorison.

The city was built around 2,500 years ago, and people lived there for up to 1,000 years, according to archaeologists.

It is difficult to accurately estimate how many people lived there at any one time, but scientists say it is certainly in the 10,000s if not 100,000s.

Researchers first found evidence of a city in the 1970s, but this is the first time a comprehensive survey has been completed, after 25 years of research.

It reveals a large, complex society that appears to be even bigger than the well-known Mayan societies in Mexico and Central America.

[charring58]

#Tlāloc is a pan-Mesoamerican god of rain and earthly fertility. Principally recognised as a chief deity of the #Aztec (or Mexica), earlier Zapotec and Mayan civilisations worshipped a similar rain and fertility god, known as