#Rescue archaeology

[ancientstuff]

Rescue archaeology to the rescue. An amazing find, one of only 3 in existence.

[ochipi]

Two beauties together

Love you Archaeology Kitty 🐈‍⬛

[dieletztepanzerhexe]

my old prehistory professor promised me earlier that he would soon take me on a trip to the Beskid Mountains, where he wants to fix one of sins from his youth.... but then he went silent. so i reminded him about it, and he just sent me an email that he is planning to leave on tuesday morning and that i have to decide quicklu if i want to go bc it's "high time we bough tickets and booked a place in the mountain shelter" xD we will climb the highest peak there to verify a potential archaeological site :3

i love that despite being over 70yo he still has a very youthful spirit <3 and all his plans look like this, made in the very last minute

[libertalia]

why do so many fics say steven grant works at the british museum </3

[niteshade925]

Saw these tags in a reblog of my Chinese museum posts, and thought I have to make a response just so everyone is clear on how archaeological studies are carried out in China:

^Well, the Shaanxi Archaeology Museum is a Chinese museum displaying artifacts found in China, it's not the British Museum lol.

But anyway just so everyone knows, modern Chinese archaeology has a rule, which is that unless it's absolutely necessary, an ancient tomb/mausoleum should not be disturbed. This means that many of these artifacts in the museums are found in a few main ways:

Tombs that absolutely had to be excavated because there were clear signs of grave robbing present, for example when tunnels left by grave robbers were found near a known tomb. This is called "excavating to rescue" (抢救性发掘), it's done by teams of archaeologists, the artifacts found will then be studied and eventually find a home in museums in China. In comparison, actual grave robbers would steal artifacts and sell them for money; many stolen artifacts would end up in auctions, mostly outside of mainland China. This is why there is no "general positive sense" in the phrase "grave robbing with grant money" when it comes to archaeology in China. Modern Chinese archaeology and grave robbing are simply not comparable in any way whatsoever.

Tombs that absolutely had to be excavated because new infrastructure will be built in that location. Such exacavations are also included in excavating to rescue. Examples include tombs in Xi'an city that had to be excavated because a metro was being built. Since Chinese people and Chinese culture are native to China, there are no ethical problems whatsoever, this simply a question of what matters more, the welfare of living Chinese people or the abstract afterlives of ancient Chinese people. Obviously, the welfare of living Chinese people is a more important matter. As for the argument of "but this goes against traditional culture", first, a culture is only alive if the people of that culture is alive and doing well, otherwise that culture is as good as dead; second, a major part of traditional Chinese culture IS focused on the welfare of descendants (ex: the belief that the spirits of ancestors will protect their descendants), so I'm sure our ancestors would be proud to see us doing well.

Tombs that were excavated because archaeologists were absolutely sure that artifacts discovered within would make major contributions to the study of Chinese history. This is pretty much the only exception to the rule of "excavating to rescue", and it is very rarely allowed. An example is the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project (夏商周断代工程), where the main focus is to gain a clearer picture of the timeline of ancient Chinese history, when dynasties began/ended, when major events may have happened, etc.

Artifacts that were found when arresting grave robbers. These are called "recovered artifacts" (追回文物).

Artifacts that returned to China from foreign countries, these are called "returned artifacts" (回归文物). A big portion of these artifacts ended up in foreign countries precisely because of grave robbers, and another big portion were and are still lost for the same reason as why the British Museum has so many artifacts from around the world.

Artifacts that were discovered scattered throughout China. There are three facts to consider here: 1) China has a long history and as a result, there are vast amounts of existing artifacts; 2) tombs are material things and thus are subject to the elements; 3) not everyone is an archaeologist. Combine these, and you have situations were valuable artifacts were found in places like the chicken coop of a farmer (this is how the eagle-shaped pottery ding was found).

Donations. Some artifacts were family heirlooms that were donated to museums.

[cowplant-snacks]

Sim Request 2 | Friends, Families and Neighbors Needed!

This is a call for vanilla-ish sims based on any of the provided prompts. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to use all the submissions, sorry! And I may feel the need to alter the sim to fit my gameplay style, but if you’re comfortable with these caveats, please submit! 

I adored the sims I received previously, so here's ROUND 2!

Deadline: CLOSED

Prompts and more info below the cut

General Notes:

I adore when you can tell which world a sim is from based on aspects of their style/dress.

I welcome background notes/details or any other information you want to share about the sim(s) you make.

I am open to sims that come with pets and/or family members.

Please no sims that have been used with Crystal Creations gameplay or have cheated college degrees. If you want the sim to have a degree let me know and I'll add it. These make my game very, very cranky.

I have all the packs.

And lastly, please only one submission per person. Tag me and use the #friendsofBB

Prompts: 

A sim that refuses to go to the beach without a metal detector. Sometimes brushes his teeth, you know when they really need it. And is pretty sure they've seen at least 1 mermaid, well almost certainly, probably. I envision him with a dog. Sim should definitely have skin damage. Other Details: up to you.

DONE -A family where at least one sim runs and owns a veterinarian clinic in Brindleton Bay and they have at least 1 child aged sim who is male. Other Details: up to you. My preference is for this family to Black.

DONE -A tourist who never left Brindleton Bay. Suggested by the one and only @irrewilderer Age: Adult -Elder. Other Details: up to you.

DONE -Members of a local sailing Yacht club. Would love for these sims to be diverse. Preferably Sims of color. Ages: Adult - Elder. Other Details: up to you.

DONE -“A retired local teacher turned mystery novelist who solves crimes everywhere she travels 😌 … oh wait that’s Murder She Wrote." Suggested by none other than @whyeverr Age: Elder. Other Details: up to you.

DONE -Education staff - Would love a principal and a few elementary teachers who live and work in Brindleton Bay. Other Details: up to you.

DONE - A retired badass fisherperson who is female. Age: Elder. Other Details: up to you. I envision her with a cat.

Local singles who live in Brindleton Bay. Suggestions: a baker, a vet clinic staff, a local tackle shop owner, a doctor who works at the small clinic, or the owner of the local thrift shop, antiques store owner, animal rescue staff, etc. Age: preferably adult - elder and sims of color. Other Details: up to you.

BONUS - Vlad could still use a fellow archaeology enthusiast who can tolerate, or is a vampire. Also, worth noting Vlad is proper, cheerful (shocking I know it was earned through gameplay), a reader and loner who cherishes his daily session at the pipe organ. This one is left over from #gregneedsfriends, please use that tag. Preferably age is Adult -Elder.

My Defaults & CC: this is what I have in my game and you're welcome to use or include.

teeth - WightSpider's set (Unfortunately, she only uses CF)

skinblend - Aloe Vera + soft tummies 1 + 2 + masculine nipples

eyes - Pondskater

feet - Jius - paywalled but here

BOD-E II + TIT-E - Luumiasims

eyebrows - purplebex's Toddler Brows For All Ages

skintones - lamatisse BARE [genetic]

vampires - teeth vampiricby: cerberusus

occult skintones - FrenchieSim

werewolves - skin, tails & feet

fingernails - WightSpider's Natural Nails or UrbanNails or feel free to use what's in the game.

teen preset - Mmauto's shorter teen (MTS link)

Other CC that's also okay to include:

2D eyelashes (such as 1 2 3 or 4) 

Disability related CC

Hairlines (such as 1 2 3 or 4) 

Please no other : CC skin details, overlays, make up, presets, sliders, or other CAS items etc...

[relgnira]

More pmdau :3 Keralis and XB and Jizzie!! Goooooooodddd i love them

XB is an underwater rescue specialist, while Keralis used to be a fairly well-known rescuer. Now he prefers to do quiet work as the groundskeeper/gatekeeper for the Hermit guild!

Joel and Lizzie are an exploration team with several notable discoveries. Lizzie is the more daring of the two and tends to do more actual discovering, but Joel is more knowledgable about archaeological ethics and preservation. They make a good team!

[kabr0ztrousers]

dubcon/noncon scenario, fem!reader on a wildlife sightseeing tour in Africa, getting separated from her tour group and fucked silly by a group of humanoid crocodilians (they’re bigger and stronger than her, chubby, and have cocks bigger than anything she has ever taken), and the tour group doesn’t notice her absence and leaves without her, so nobody’s coming to rescue her from her captors (or their numerous friends that they share her with)

Wow, re-reading this prompt, I may need to add it to my "revisit in case of emergency" list, because what shook out doesn't quite fit... Having said that, here's

Kabr0z Writes episode 87: Crocodilian

Find the rest of the Kabr0z Writes anthology here!

CWs: noncon; kidnap; oral sex; group sex

A/N: All hail Sobek! Lord of semen!

Having said that, I realise that my Egyptian geography is about 2000 years out of date. So expect some weirdness with that

#######################################

Kayaking up the Nile. It's been on your bucket list for years, and now you're finally here. You'd already ticket Alexandria off the list, then Cairo, Luxor and and now you're on the way South to Heirakonpolis, hitting all the important bronze age archaeology on the way to Abu Simbel.

Of course, you'd left the glittering cities behind in the Nile delta. This far south the riverbanks fade between farmlands and overgrown nature. You'd learned the hard way that farmers aren't keen on random tourists portaging their boats and pitching their tents on their land, so you found some relatively solid ground to drag your kayak onto, set up the pop-up tent in your pack and crawled into your sleeping bag,

You woke to a tearing sound, the thin canopy of the tent rent open. Three men stood over you, crocodile-headed and well-built. Each had a spear in one hand, a shield in the other. You went to scream. The butt of a spear hit you in the head, and you were silenced.

A cold stone floor beneath you. Shadows flickered on massive sandstone blocks, cast from flames you could hear in the corners of the room. You tried to look without being spotted, turning your head ever so slightly. One of the men noticed you. He yelled something. You don't know what he said, you'd never even heard that language before. Two sets of footsteps echoed down the hall, hurrying towards you. Strong hands lifted you, carrying you between two of the men as they walked.

Measured, perfectly drilled steps took you out of the room. The chamber you found yourself was huge. A ceiling at least thirty feet above you, held up by pillars as wide as a man is tall, decorated with fern leaf motifs. A statue stood at the end of the room, presiding over the altar you were being carried to. Twenty feet tall, at least. A man, tall and thin, in that way that Kemetic statues are. A tall crown sat atop the head of a crocodile. One hand clutched an ankh, the other a staff with topped with a feather.

Sobek.

Your mind raced. You weren't an expert on the Kemetic religion, but they were generally good natured gods. Human sacrifice is rare, normally it's bread or something related to the god's domain. Sobek was the god of the Nile, he dictated the ebb and flow of the yearly floods. There was something else as well, something you couldn't quite...

Oh. Yeah. That's how he controlled the floods. Legend has it that every year, Sobek would masturbate into the Nile, the river swelling with his semen. Indeed, in years where the flood was too low, the Pharaoh would ceremonially jack off into the river to try and appease him.

Suddenly, this all made a little too much sense.

The men lay you on the altar. You shivered from the sandstone under you, looking between the reptilian chin of the one above your head, and the maw of the one holding up your ankles, spreading you apart as his hips rubbed his cock against your pussy.

The one above you removed his loincloth, baring his cock to you. It hung over you, scaled and ridged. He pinched your nose, holding it shut as you tried not to breathe, not to give him the opportunity.

You failed. Instinct took over and your mouth opened to take a breath. It filled with cock instantly. You tried to bite down on it but he didn't seem to notice, the scaly skin unbothered by your teeth. He took it slow, crooning gently at you as he pushed himself into your mouth.

The other had finished rubbing himself against you, bracing his tip against your entrance as he leant gently on you. Your body let him in and you whined as every hard ridge and bump massaged the inside of your cunt.

It was like his cock was made for you, every move stimulated you in just the right way to raise goosebumps on your skin despite the tropical climate. You moaned slightly, the sound muffled by the cock in your mouth.

They both sped up, moving just out of sync so one pushed in a moment after the other. The third stepped up beside the altar, chanting to the god looming over you, cock erect and throbbing. His hands caressed you, one holding your right breast, rolling the nipple under his thumb, the other massaging your clit as his comrade fucked you without pause.

Your cunt clenched and wept, the sound of your arousal audible over the steady Kemetic chanting of the men. Your legs shook, one hand on your tits, the other holding the scaled wrist of the one in the middle. You bucked your hips against the cock in you, tongue rolling around the one in your mouth. Sticky precum coated your tongue as it worked on the length pistoning into your mouth. You drank it down, every gulp warming you.

The third one let go of your tit a moment, just long enough to guide your hand to his already dripping member. Your fingers closed around it, pulling him off in time with his chants.

The prayers grew in intensity. Every syllable brought you closer to your peak.

The cocks pulled out of you. All three pulsing over you, spurting hot cum as your hand rubbed your clit. You wailed in orgasm as the crocodile-men covered you in a stream of sacred cum, coating your skin, getting into your hair.

You fell back, exhausted, stroking the scales of the men standing over you.

Above you, an ancient god smiled

###############################################

Well. The next time I think to myself "I'll leave it here tonight and finish this part before I start my shift tomorrow" please slap me.

This won't interrupt regular posting, you'll get Episode 88 tonight, as scheduled. For now though, I'm playing some Stellaris.

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

"Ram in the Thicket" Statuette from Ur (Iraq), c.2600-2400 BCE: this statuette is made of lapis lazuli, shells, gold, silver, limestone, copper, and wood

This sculpture is about 4,500 years old. It was unearthed back in 1929, during the excavation of the "Great Death Pit" at the Royal Cemetery of Ur, located in what was once the heart of Mesopotamia (and is now part of southern Iraq).

Sir Leonard Woolley, who led the excavations at the site, nicknamed the statuette "ram caught in a thicket" as a reference to the Biblical story in which Abraham sacrifices a ram that he finds caught in a thicket. The statuette is still commonly known by that name, even though it actually depicts a markhor goat feeding on the leaves of a flowering tree/shrub. Some scholars refer to it as a "rampant he-goat" or "rearing goat," instead.

It was carved from a wooden core; gold foil was then carefully hammered onto the surface of the goat's face and legs, and its belly was coated in silver paint. Intricately carved pieces of shell and lapis lazuli were layered onto the goat's body in order to form the fleece. Lapis lazuli was also used to create the goat's eyes, horns, and beard, while its ears were crafted out of copper.

The tree (along with its delicate branches and eight-petaled flowers) was also carved from a wooden base, before being wrapped in gold foil.

The goat and the tree are both attached to a small pedestal, which is decorated with silver paint and tiny mosaic tiles made of shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone.

This artifact measures 42.5cm (roughly 16 inches) tall.

A second, nearly-identical statuette was also found nearby. That second sculpture (which is also known as the "ram in the thicket") is pictured below:

There are a few minor differences between the two sculptures. The second "ram" is equipped with gold-covered genitals, for example, while the first one has no genitals at all; researchers believe that the other sculpture originally had genitals that were made out of silver, but that they eventually corroded away, just like the rest of the silver on its body.

The second "ram" is also slightly larger than the first, measuring 45.7cm (18 in) tall.

Both statuettes have a cylindrical socket rising from the goats' shoulders, suggesting that these sculptures were originally used as supports for another object (possibly a bowl or tray).

The depiction of a goat rearing up against a tree/shrub is a common motif in ancient Near Eastern art, but few examples are as stunning (or as elaborate) as these two statuettes.

Sources & More Info:

Penn Museum: Collections Highlight

Penn Museum: Ram in the Thicket

Expedition Magazine: Rescue and Restoration: a History of the Philadelphia "Ram Caught in a Thicket" (PDF version)

The British Museum: Ram in the Thicket

A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Art: Statuary and Reliefs

World Archaeology: Ram in the Thicket

Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Colour in Sculpture: a Survey from Ancient Mesopotamia to the Present (PDF excerpt)

Goats (Capra) from Ancient to Modern: Goats in the Ancient Near East and their Relationship with the Mythology, Fairytale, and Folklore of these Cultures

[ochipi]

Today I was on sieving duty at the office. I stepped outside to prep everything, and I found a pigeon lying next to the sieve. She tried to flee but couldn’t manoeuvre right. I managed to catch her and give her a check up. I found that she had a wound on her belly that was bleeding a little.

We called in a rescue centre and got approved to bring the bird in. She most likely hit high voltage electricity wiring which runs above our office. It had to have happened shortly before I found her and we brought her in. The wound isn’t too bad and she was still very active which is a good sign.

A few days from now we can send an email asking for a check up on the pigeon. I hope she will be alright!

[dieletztepanzerhexe]

im so happy that there are no job interviews in archaeology, you have no idea. all of you guys who have to suffer throuigh this you have my respect and ccondolences... at this point i find it difficult to imagine having to endure it. my last job interview took place.... umh almost six years ago xD i forgot how it is. all it takes is one phone call and you have the job. but also it's manual labour that pays worse than construction work xDD

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - November 28, 2023

🐑 - Why did Fiona the sheep become a mountaineer? She was tired of the "baa-d" jokes at sea level!

1. Pope Francis dines with transgender women for Vatican luncheon

Pope Francis hosted a group of transgender women — many of whom are sex workers or migrants from Latin America — to a Vatican luncheon for the Catholic Church's "World Day of the Poor" last week.

The pontiff and the transgender women have formed a close relationship since the pope came to their aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were unable to work. Now, they meet monthly for VIP visits with the pope and receive medicine, money and shampoo any day, according to The Associated Press.

2. New York just installed its first offshore wind turbine

The first wind turbine installation at South Fork Wind, New York State’s first offshore wind farm, is complete.

The 130-megawatt (MW) South Fork Wind will be the US’s first completed utility-scale wind farm in federal waters.

3. Anonymous businessman donates $800k to struggling food bank

But this Thanksgiving, a longtime prayer of food bank leaders was finally answered: an anonymous benefactor donated the full $800,000 they needed to move out of a facility they've long outgrown. That benefactor, however, preferred to stay anonymous.

"Very private company, really don't want attention," said Debbie Christian, executive director of the Auburn Food Bank. "It's a goodhearted person that just wants to see the work here continue, wants to see it expand."

4. Empowering woman saving hopes and mental health of suffering Ukrainian kids

Kenza Hadij-Brahim is at the forefront of promoting Circle of Toys

Hadj-Brahim is helping to launch the Circle of Toys initiative. A project that provides Ukrainian children in need of some normality with preloved toys. This new initiative connects people with old toys they might otherwise throw away, with Ukrainian families in need who want to provide some comfort to their children in this distressing time.

Find Refuge said : “The endeavour is driven by a sincere purpose: spark joy, foster play, and bring a hint of normalcy back to the young lives in Ukraine.”

5. TWO LOST CITIES HIDDEN FOR CENTURIES WERE JUST DISCOVERED IN BOLIVIA

Researchers have found these areas not only housed structures and pyramids but it has been uncovered that there were advanced irrigation systems, earthworks, large towns, causeways, and canals that cover miles.

Dr. Heiko Prümers from the German Archaeological Institute, who was also involved in the study comments that “this indicated a relatively dense settlement in pre-Hispanic times. Our goal was to conduct basic research and trace the settlements and life there. The research sheds light on the sheer magnitude and magnificence of the civic-ceremonial centers found buried in the forest”.

6. Sheep dubbed Fiona rescued from cliff in Scotland where she was stuck for more than 2 years

And at last, some positive climate news:

7. Three positive climate developments

Heating

When the Paris Agreement was adopted, the global reliance on fossil fuels placed the world on a path towards a 3.5C rise in temperature by 2100. Eight years on, country commitments to reduce their carbon footprints have pulled that down slightly, putting the world on a path for a 2.5C to 2.9C by the end of the century.

Peak emissions

Annual greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change have risen roughly nine percent since COP21, according to UN data. But the rate of the increase has slowed significantly. Recent estimates by the Climate Analytics institute find global emissions could peak by 2024

Rising renewables

Three technologies—solar, wind and electric vehicles—are largely behind the improved global warming estimates since 2015.

---

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation here:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog this post with your friends.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1970 Dodge Challenger T/A

1970 Dodge Challenger T/A Sitting for 45 Years Is a Rare Barn Find in Sublime Green

Introduced in 1969 on the then-new E-body platform, the first-generation Dodge Challenger was a big hit, moving nearly 77,000 units in its first year on the market. And while it may seem rather common, the 1970 Challenger lineup included a few rare gems.

Nearly 73% of the cars were ordered in standard trim, leaving only 18,512 R/T models. Most of the latter left the assembly line with the 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, and just 6,231 units were specified with the larger 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB and 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI mills.

The HEMI is arguably the rarest 1970 Challenger, with only 356 examples made. Just 60 were also ordered with the SE package, and only nine were convertibles. The 440 Six Pack version is also rare at 2,035 examples, while the regular four-barrel 440 found its way into 3,840 vehicles.

But Dodge also built a small-block gem that saw daylight in limited numbers. I'm talking about the Challenger T/A. Developed to homologate the Challenger for the SCCA Trans-Am series, the T/A was available for only a few months in 1970. And its short stint on the assembly line resulted in only 2,399 street-legal models being built and sold.

The T/A packs several unique features, including a low-restriction exhaust system with side-exiting pipes, a larger air scoop, a fiberglass hood, and a heavy-duty suspension. The stripe package is also unique to this car, as is the 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8 with a triple two-barrel carburetor setup.

An upgrade over the more common four-barrel 340, the Six Pack layout gave the T/A 290 horsepower to play with. And even though it's nowhere near as powerful as the big-block cars, the T/A has a solid advantage in terms of curb weight and handling.

Come 2023, the T/A is one of the most desirable versions of the 1970 Challenger. And while many cars are still around as restored gems, some are rotting away in junkyards and barns, often missing vital components. The Sublime green example you see here is one of them. But unlike other abandoned T/As, this survivor got a second chance at life, and it's roaming the streets again.

Documented by YouTube's "Auto Archaeology," this T/A spent most of its life off the road. According to our host, the Challenger was parked for unknown reasons sometime in 1977. So that's only seven years on the road and more than four decades in storage.

Parked with a four-barrel carburetor instead of the Six Pack setup, it remained in storage in Memphis and Arkansas until 2022. That's when the car was sold and dragged out of its barn. And surprisingly enough, the T/A emerged in surprisingly solid condition.

Sure, the Sublime paint has faded away, and the black vinyl top is long gone, but the body is straight and almost rust-free. There's some rust on the trunk floor, but it's an easy fix with a regular Challenger pan, which is relatively easy to find.

The engine bay was empty at the time of the rescue, but the car still had the original block. And even though the Six-Pack carb was gone, it came with a period correct unit. The driveshaft, air cleaner, automatic gearbox, and the original wheels (which are very rare) were still with the car.

Speaking of which, the automatic makes this T/A one of 1,410 vehicles built with this drivetrain combo. The vinyl top decreases that number even more. It's unclear if it came with a V1G gator grain top, but if it did, it's one of only 33 T/As built like this.

But the really good news about this Challenger is that it has since been revamped and put back on the road. It hasn't been restored just yet, but it's not a solid survivor that's no longer rotting away in a barn. And that's a win in my book.

[archaeologyinbulgaria]

Massive Hoard of 500 Antiquity Coins Found at Eastern Gate of Ancient Philippopolis in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv

Part of the some 500 Antiquity coins discovered in the rescue digs near the Eastern Gate of Philippopolis in the Old Town of Bulgaria’s Plovdiv. Photo: Radio Plovdiv A massive hoard of some 500 Antiquity coins from different time periods, some of them going back 2,500 years, has been discovered by archaeologists doing rescue excavations close to the eastern gate of the ancient city of Thracian…

[beecarmine]

Findings from reading Gerald’s journal (spoilers!)

• The journal was supplied to Abraham via an “Archival and Requisition Department,” and was signed “-T”

• Gerald had two sons: one was interested in robotics, the other in archaeology

• Project ARK had other funding outside of the United Federation

• Experiments were being conducted on a chaos emerald on the ARK, which was simply “acquired” at some point

• There is a direct reference to Ifrit from Sonic Rivals 2

• Emerl was found “in a warehouse” by Gerald’s archeologist son.

• Emerl may very well have eradicated The Fourth Great Civilization

• Maria was diagnosed with her illness later in life and was, presumably, not born with it

• Maria was moved from Earth to the ARK with the begrudging/unsure consent of her parents

• Maria is officially referred to as being the “adoptive daughter” of everyone aboard the ARK

• Maria had to use mobility aids

• Abraham Tower was the result of an accidental pregnancy

• Gerald refers to the pursuit of immortality (as requested by the president) as being “as intangible as a shadow,” and that he can use that pursuit to “chase [the] shadow” of finding a cure for Maria’s illness

• The Chaos-inspired robots were Gerald’s first answer to GUN’s demand for weapons, though their original intention was for search and rescue

• Chaos Drives were invented as a way to infuse Chaos Emerald energy into living tissue safely, as direct contact with the Chaos Emerald proved too dangerous

• Lizards (salamanders) were chosen as the first test subjects of the newly invented Chaos Drives for their regenerative properties and “manageable size.”

• Early Chaos Drives were also given to GUN’s mechs to power them

• Gerald felt incredibly guilty about the biolizard, and tried to keep it as comfortable as possible knowing that it was in tremendous pain

• Gerald may or may not have lied to Maria about what happened to the salamander

• Gerald was fiercely protective of Maria and had no tolerance for anyone who doubted the validity of her illness

• Gerald equates his agreement with Doom as being a deal with the devil

• Somehow, the development of a “small, sturdy biped” (hedgehog) was born out of necessity, and not to imitate other bipedal hedgehogs

• “Project Shadow” was named by Gerald with “scorn and mockery,” but it took Maria to help him realize that “A shadow tells you which way to go to find the light.”

• Gerald wanted Shadow to be “A champion of life and hope”

• “Gizoid” means “everything”

• The Gizoid (Emerl) establishes an unbreakable, protective link with whoever can exhibit the most power

• Gerald established a “link” with Emerl by firing multiple model guns in front of him

• The stress Gerald was under is reflected in his journal entries becoming more rushed and erratic

• Emerl was handed over to the government when they threatened to shut down Project Shadow

• Gerald created the Eclipse Cannon in response to Emerl not being “flashy” enough, and deliberately made it so that it would be impossible to use on a single enemy without destroying the world

• The Eclipse Cannon was meant for Shadow to deal with the Black Arms; as in, “This is Shadow’s cannon. My gift to him in a battle he never asked for.

I’m so sorry.”

• Maria helped design Shadow’s accessories to help ease the strain of the chaos power in him (specifically his shoes and rings)

• Gerald’s sons started to drift apart, divided in their relationship with their father

• Shadow and Maria’s relationship rekindled some hope in Gerald and what he was working towards

• Maria’s parents had another daughter, and Gerald felt it was a sort of “replacement” for her. No indicator to how Maria may have felt

• Emerl rampaged the ARK after having a new link established and learning enough to become “A god of wrath,” as described in ancient stone tablets

• Emerl’s rampage turned the Artificial Chaos to behave erratically and dangerously

• Both Shadow and Emerl are “equipped with heart”

• Gerald became so distraught from Maria’s death that he completely lost all sense of self

• Gerald left “everything” to Shadow

• In the last paragraph, Gerald seems to refer to Shadow using “it” and “he” interchangeably, but it’s a bit unclear if he’s referring to Shadow exclusively

• The journal has an Eggman sticker on the back, marking it as “Property of the Eggman Empire”