#african ornaments

[timelessfineries]

Boucles d’oreilles africaines surdimensionnées (Timeless Fineries)

https://www.timeless-fineries.com/products/boucles-doreilles-africaines-zouloues-surdimensionnees

timelessfineries.etsy.com

[arthistoryanimalia]

#TurtleTuesday:

Pendant depicting a tortoise Senufo culture, Côte d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso Early/mid–20th century Copper alloy, H.: 5.1 cm (2 in.) Art Institute of Chicago 2006.121

"Ornaments made of copper alloys are generally commissioned by individuals on the recommendation of a diviner as a means to encourage spiritual intervention in the resolution of individual problems or goals. This ornament is in the form of a turtle - an animal thought by the Senufo to have special ties to the spiritual world. The large round eyes and circular feet add emphasis to the neatly coiled rings of the turtle’s body. The flat, broad tail looks more like that of a fish than a turtle, but it probably made the object easier to grasp."

[thebotanicalarcade]

n5_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: Curtis's botanical magazine.. London ; New York [etc.] :Academic Press [etc.]. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/435580

[tiktokparrot]

Are Christmas Trees Dangerous for My Parrot?

Keep your parrot safe this holiday season! Learn how to avoid Christmas tree hazards and ensure your feathered friend enjoys a festive, worry-free Christmas.

[erving-goffman]

there's people on etsy selling blatantly ai-generated mass-printed african american christmas ornaments. like okay the selection is sparse enough in regular stores now you have to drown the handmade/vintage stuff too

[ophelias-lamentation]

Dothraki Hairstyles

I based the hairstyles on Mongolian and Plains Native American hairstyles, as some North African hairstyles. Their hat ornaments are made from horse bone, leather, and in the case of a very few high ranking members silver. We also know from the books that they oil their hair, this a common practice for south Asians as well as North Africans, so this means that a number of different hair textures are possible.

Requested by @dead-dolphins

[cliozaur]

Hauteville House. Part 1

I’ll start with the oriental motifs in the interior of Hauteville House. Hugo was one of the intellectual founders of orientalism: though he never travelled to the East, he held strong opinions about it and was never shy in sharing them. The entire house is a curious mixture of oriental and gothic elements. He had a particular love for low divans inspired by Muslim interiors—they’re everywhere. But the strongest sense of oriental influence is felt in the so-called Red and Blue Rooms, both designed as sitting rooms.

The Red Room evokes a theatre and was partly inspired by Hugo’s childhood in Spain, but it also features African figures and Asian ornaments. The Blue Room, on the other hand, is covered with damask and adorned with chinoiseries. Hugo and his son scoured shops on Guernsey and in England for various pieces of Chinese furniture. A beautiful set of blue and gold glass-bead embroideries, originally bought for his lover Juliette Drouet (who lived next door), adds a stunning touch to the room’s decor.

This mixture of oriental and gothic aesthetics is present throughout: a medieval mirror against Chinese wallpaper, and Chinese figures above the entrance of his eclectic Delft-style dining room.

A gift from Hugo’s close friend, Alexandre Dumas, a bronze scent burner.

My favourite orientally-inspired piece is the two wooden panels in Hugo’s private room. He personally carved a story of a knight and a dragon (reminiscent of St. George's legend) for his grandchildren. The dragon itself is very oriental—it was inspired by another piece of Chinese furniture on the ground floor of the house. He used to tell his grandchildren stories about the dragon, and then he carved and painted it. The panels feel strikingly modern, almost Art Nouveau. You can even see Hugo’s initials carved in the lower corner.

[valtsv]

it makes me kinda sad when i think about all the interesting friends and acquaintances my parents used to have who they just... don't talk about anymore, let alone talk to or spend time with, because they went off the deep end with facebook conspiracy theories and antivaxx bullshit and generally turned into weirdo conservatives. like the slavic orthodox monk who used to play football with me and my brother when he came to visit sometimes, or the japanese photographer whose parents sent us cultural exchange gifts every christmas, or the polish woman who toured the world with a dancing/theatre troupe when she was young and later moved to spain and started her own olive farm business, or the american jewish family who lived down the road when we were kids who my mom was best friends with, or my brother's godfather the polish biker gang priest who rode a harley davidson to sermons, or my south african godmother who collected incredible wood carvings of dragons and giraffes and elephants and filled her house with beautiful jewel-colored paintings and ornamental bird cages and brightly patterned and bejewelled throw blankets and rugs and told me about growing up during and post-apartheid and helped me to understand important historical events and social issues we never covered in school and was one of the most unconditionally kind and helpful people i've ever met, or the german family my mom used to spend hours talking to on the phone, or the woman my mom was friends with whose son was trans and who supported my own struggles with gender and sexuality and encouraged me to express myself. i can't even get in touch with most of them because i never got their contact details, and i can hardly ask my parents now. it's just so thoroughly depressing how much life and culture my childhood was filled with and how my parents destroyed that before i was even old enough to fully appreciate it.

[robotpussy]

i was just about to watch this video by Cheyenne Lin

Avatar and the Wh*te Imagination (or lack thereof)

about the limits of white imagination and how evident it is in the Avatar movies, and it just reminded me that james cameron worked with an ethnomusicologist, Dr Wanda Bryant, to make music for the na'vi because he wanted something that "would sound like nothing we’ve ever heard on earth" then he decided what was made was too otherworldly and decided that their music should just be what white people would call "alien" and ethnic, aka, whatever music exists in African, Asian and Native American cultures (and that was the final result).

Originally there were many influences coming from all over the globe, but when Cameron listened to the demos, he claimed it was too recognisable as well as too 'weird', albeit for white people and just pushed for a more 'down to earth' version. Avatar is evidence of the continuation of generalized exoticism and stereotyping still being a driving force in Hollywood

[IMAGE ID: A screenshot of a segment from the journal entry written by ethnomusicologist, Dr Bryant discussing the process of creating the music for the avatar films that reads:

"In our initial phone conversation, Horner asked me to find unusual musical sounds that “no one has heard before,” by which he really meant sounds not readily recognizable by the average American movie-goer as belonging to a specific culture, time period, or geographical location"

/END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A screenshot of a paragraph from the journal entry written by ethnomusicologist, Dr Bryant discussing the process of creating the music for the avatar films that reads:

"Through a process of elimination we came up with 25 workable possibilities, including examples of Swedish cattle herding calls, folk dance songs from the Naga people of Northeast India, Vietnamese and Chinese traditional work songs, greeting songs from Burundi, Celtic and Norwegian medieval laments, Central African vocal polyphony, Persian tahrir, microtonal works by Scelsi, the Finnish women’s group Vârttinä, personal songs from the Central Arctic Inuit, and brush dances from northern California. None was an exact blueprint of what we were seeking, but each had at least one interesting musical device or characteristic that we could utilize. In some cases, it was a timbre that we might hope to mimic; in other cases, it may have been a song structure, an ornamentational style, or interesting intonation."

/END ID]

[IMAGE ID: A screenshot of a paragraph from the journal entry written by ethnomusicologist, Dr Bryant discussing the process of creating the music for the avatar films that reads:

"Horner then met with Jim Cameron for his input on our musical ideas. Cameron is a very hands-on director and wants to be kept in the loop about all major decisions. Most of the ideas we presented were dismissed by Cameron out of hand, rejected with appropriately blue language as either too recognizable (“Oh, that’s Bulgarian”) or just “too fucking weird!” Half a dozen examples were approved as possibilities."

/END ID]

You can read the full article here:

There is also a video by sideways that discusses this (if you don't want to read):

[soy-soi-si]

Beastmen au - specific species inspired by @a-twistedheartslonging :)

Heartslabyul

Riddle Rosehearts : Netherland Dwarf Rabbit

Trey Clover : Shire Daft Horse

Cater Diamond : Sun Conure Parrot

Ace Trappola : Norwegian Forest cat

Deuce Spade : tibetan mastiff

Savanaclaw

Leona Kingscholar : Cape lion

Ruggie Bucchi : Spotted hyena

Jack Howl : Dire wolf mixed polar wolf/African Gray wolf

Octavinelle

Azul Ashengrotto : Giant Pacific octopus (Size) mixed Caribbean Reef Octopus. (Color)

Jade Leech : Channomuraena vittata (Chinese moray)

Or Giant moray mixed ribbon.

Floyd Leech : Channomuraena vittata (Chinese moray)

Or Giant moray mixed ribbon

Scarabia

Kalim Al-asim : Bengal Tiger

Jamil Viper : Coral snake (Color)

Mixed Reticulated python (Size) /Black mamba (Venom)

Pomefiore

Vil Schoenheit : Trumpeter swan

Rook Hunt : Braque Francais

Epel Felmier : Honey badger

Ighnyhide

Idia Shroud : Burrowing spider mixed Gooty Sapphire Ornamental

Ortho Shroud : Spotted Frog/Robot

Diasomnia

Malleus Draconia : Aether Dragon/ Darkness dragon Mixed Storm/lightning dragon. (Komodo dragon esc)

Lillia Vanrouge : Vampire bat

Mixed With Old World fruit bat

Silver Vanrouge : Sloth bear

Sebek Zigvolt : Sebecosuchia Crocodilian Mixed Human

[timelessfineries]

Boucles d'oreilles africaines zouloues ::: Timeless Fineries

[death-mothblog]

Cowrie or cowry is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

The term porcelain derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similar appearance.

Cowrie shells have held cultural, economic, and ornamental significance in various cultures. The cowrie was the shell most widely used worldwide as shell money. It is most abundant in the Indian Ocean, and was collected in the Maldive Islands, in Sri Lanka, along the Indian Malabar coast, in Borneo and on other East Indian islands, in Maluku in the Pacific, and in various parts of the African coast from Ras Hafun to Mozambique. Cowrie shell money was important in the trade networks of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia.

In the United States and Mexico, cowrie species inhabit the waters off Central California to Baja California (the chestnut cowrie is the only cowrie species native to the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of the United States; further south, off the coast of Mexico, Central America and Peru, Little Deer Cowrie habitat can be found; and further into the Pacific from Central America, the Pacific habitat range of Money Cowrie can be reached) as well as the waters south of the Southeastern United States.

Some species in the family Ovulidae are also often referred to as cowries. In the British Isles the local Trivia species (family Triviidae, species Trivia monacha and Trivia arctica) are sometimes called cowries. The Ovulidae and the Triviidae are other families within Cypraeoidea, the superfamily of cowries and their close relatives.

The shells of cowries are usually smooth and shiny and more or less egg-shaped. The round side of the shell is called the Dorsal Face, whereas the flat under side is called the Ventral Face, which shows a long, narrow, slit-like opening (aperture), which is often toothed at the edges. The narrower end of the egg-shaped cowrie shell is the anterior end, and the broader end of the shell is called the posterior. The spire of the shell is not visible in the adult shell of most species, but is visible in juveniles, which have a different shape from the adults.

Nearly all cowries have a porcelain-like shine, with some exceptions such as Hawaii's granulated cowrie, Nucleolaria granulata. Many have colorful patterns. Lengths range from 5 mm (0.2 in) for some species up to 19 cm (7.5 in) for the Atlantic deer cowrie, Macrocypraea cervus.

[thebotanicalarcade]

n2_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: Curtis's botanical magazine.. London ; New York [etc.] :Academic Press [etc.]. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/485122

[enderthefrog]

The Frog Zone is woefully bereft of frogs. Do us a kindness, and please assign each Termina contestant a species frog or toad. The Funger and amphibian fandoms alike will laud your contribution to them.

CONSIDER IT DONE.

Pav is a Pac-Man frog. Very vocal, very bitey.

Henryk is the Greening’s Frog. Secretly venomous.

Levi is a waxy monkey tree frog. He just feels like one.

Marcoh is an African bullfrog. 2nd largest frog in the world, huge teeth, they literally suplex eachother in the wild. Kinda like his outward appearance. They’re also known as pixie frogs

Abella is the Australian Giant Burrowing Frog just Look at it they’re buff as hell. Also have just. A very sweet face

Olivia is a poison dart frog of some variety. Maybe this strawberry dart frog

O’saa is a crested forest toad because I think they’re really cool. Very ornamented frog kinda like his outfit if I’m making any sense at all

Tanaka is a pumpkin toadlet. I’m so sorry my guy. But it’s true. They’re the ones that are just TOO DAMN SMALL TO JUMP PROPERLY

Samarie is a starry night toad. Critically endangered, thought to be extinct for 30 years

Marina is a Canyon Tree Frog, just a vibe similarity

Karin is a Japanese Common Toad aaand I have hit the image limit

Daan is a Malayan leaf frog. Pointy triangle face with constant >:( expression

August is the Dotted Humming Frog specifically because of their relationship with tarantulas. They’re best friends with giant tarantulas.

Caligura is a cane toad. Invasive populations specifically. I love cane toads but he’s unfortunately one. Alternatively he could be the Scrotum Frog (titicaca water frog)

[theadaptableeducator]

New Faces #1 & #2 (Faces)

As you might now see, I'm a little obsessed with faces that look like a cross between Tiki Gods and tribal African Masks. (Sorry for the generalization... there are very, very big distinctions between regions and villages when it comes to African Masks. I apologize for not being specific; I gathered inspiration over decades of looking at masks and they melded together into my subconscious.)

Most of the "Faces" series are pulled together spontaneously from slab scraps left over from other projects... well, the faces are... They were almost all done with a stoneware clay body called Sheba Raku, which is flexible to use, dries slowly enough to work over time, and resistant to heat and cooling of the Cone 6 electric firing (thanks to the grog in the clay). They are all done between 2005 & 2008.

These are both about the same size: H-12" (30cm) x D-5"(13cm) x W-4"(10cm)

There were a few more from this batch. Some ended up as garden ornaments, some stolen, some given... I don't know where any needed up. Hopefully, they are still wandering around the world...

[glitchdecay]

Birthday Flowers of FFXV: The Chocobros

(according to 季節の花300, a Japanese flower website) [x]

———

Ignis Scientia (February 7)

Thunberg fritillary (Fritillaria thunbergii, previously Fritillaria verticillata var. thunbergii) [x]

(image credit: titanium22 on Flickr via Wikimedia Commons)

A member of the Liliaceae (lily) family native to Central Asia. The bulb of this flower 浙貝母 (zhè bèi mǔ) is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to relieve coughs and reduce phlegm, among other indications.

Hanakotoba (Japanese flower language): A modest heart.

———

Gladiolus Amicitia (April 2)

Reeves' spiraea (Spiraea cantoniensis) [x]

(image credit: KENPEI via Wikimedia Commons)

A member of the Rosaceae (rose) family native to China. Known as ko-demari (小手毬) in Japanese as its clusters of small flowers look like the patterns on temari, children's handball toys that are also symbols of great loyalty and friendship.

Hanakotoba: Friendship. (You know what else means "friendship?" Gladio's last name.)

———

Noctis Lucis Caelum (August 30)

Tiger lily (specifically Lilium lancifolium) [x]

(image credit: Maja Dumat via Wikimedia Commons)

A member of the Liliaceae (lily) family native to China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East. The species name, lancifolium, refers to its leaves looking like polearms (i.e. lances). Its showy black-spotted orange flowers have made it a popular ornamental plant.

Hanakotoba: A wise person.

———

Prompto Argentum (October 25)

African milkweed (Gomphocarpus fruticosus) flower [x]

(image credit: Bernard Dupont via Wikimedia Commons)

A member of the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family. Native to eastern and southern Africa, the plant is also found in Australia and New Zealand, where it is known as narrow-leaved cotton bush. Its thorny fruit pops when mature in late fall, producing cotton-like seeds.

Hanakotoba: A hidden ability. (I see what you did there, Square Enix!)