#prehispanic universe

[ioryogi-takumi]

Binni Záa, Cap. 5 Coqui Xee - Señor del Tiempo

[rairacrow]

Pocahontas Maya.

Un artista llamado 9gagger se encargó de editar frames de algunas películas de princesas para cambiar su nacionalidad a modo de What If. ¿Y yo? Yo amé tanto su trabajo que quise hacer lo mismo como homenaje y por diversión (esto no lo hago por ser inclusiva ni nada, las princesas ya eran inclusivas por si solas). ............ Comencemos hablando de Meeko, no pensaba cambiarlo pero tenía tantas ganas de dibujar un ajolote que no me pude resistir. Y sí, sé que los ajolotes no son así de grandes, pero vamos, estamos hablando de una película en la que hay un árbol que habla y tiene cara de anciana ¿Por qué no podemos tener anfibios deformes?

En cuanto a Pocahontas, corté su cabello y lo hice castaño en lugar de negro, también agregué un maquillaje prehispánico que no podía faltar.

El fondo se ve diferente, lo sé, pero tuve que cambiarlo para quitar las secuelas del cabello original.

[kinardgo]

Congrats on your graduation! If you’re okay with answering, can I ask what drew you to archeology and how you knew that was the field you wanted to work in/study? Sorry for asking, I’m just real nosy and interested when it comes to ppl sharing their studies lol

hello! sorry that this is latest possible response but thank you so much for your congratulations!

my mum was a hobbyist archaeologst when she was younger, and she used to make me watch time team as a child to get me to sleep (which, if you're not familiar, is just a bunch of british archaeologists going around doing insane things to heritage sites. there's lots on youtube, i recommend it). i maintained an interest in history but i didn't consider it as a career in the slightest until i went to south america when i was 21, and i visited the cementerio de chauchilla while staying in nazca, which is a 7th century (i think?) prehispanic burial site. someone gave us a tour of the area, and he told us that he was studying archaeology for his post grad and he chatted to us for ages about it, and when we went back to the place we were staying in, i looked up university courses straight away. it was a very lightbulb moment for me. i dropped out of college a few years before so i could help my parents pay the bills, so i had to go through a bunch of shit to get into uni at all, but its been the only constant in my life, ever haha.

i cant explain why i had such unshakable faith in the field, because i have wanted to do a lot of different things in my life, but when i realised i could actually be an archaeologist, it's been the only thing ive wanted ever since. my interest is particularly in maritime archaeology and early modern european expansion, but i've studied a huge range from early human evolution, prehistoric vietnam, right through to colonial america and late victorian industrial. im planning on doing my postgrad next year in maritime archaeology, and working in academia hopefully!

[caminatacolombia]

Field School to Colombia

Day 1

Huerta Santa Helena and movement workshop

We started the day with a body movement workshop led by Prof. Oscar Mauricio Moreno. He started with a few exercises inspired by the Teather of the Oppressed (OdT), originally created by the Brazilian dramaturg Augusto Boal (1931-2009). The first approach of the movement helped us break the ice among students and have a sense of the university campus Gorge Tadeo. This workshop informed my final project since it deeply made me think about embodiment and space. Considering a sensorial and physical approach to social engagement. I was really happy to experience this workshop.

Afterwards, we visited the Huerta Santa Helena in the San Martin downtown neighbourhood. The urban farming project was led and founded by Helena Villamil, who was born and raised in the La Perseverancia neighbourhood. In this urban oasis, she developed an urban farm where workshops and food banks happen. Originally conceived as a restaurant serving organic produce, the project evolved into what is nowadays a space of resistance and agricultural activism. She welcomed us by giving a brief introduction to her philosophy and history with the lot, which is resisting the gentrification process, which is rapidly evolving through tall buildings surrounding the garden. She prepared a meal where all the food was organically produced, and from this holistic perspective we learned more about how she started 13 years ago.

First, she cultivated tomatoes and corn, which started her intimate process of learning and understanding food not only as a source of nutrition but spirituality. By communicating with the soil, the plans as silent but living beings that carry wisdom. She expressed her mission to liberate the seeds, not through a bank but through a depository that can be disseminated and shared with the population, making and developing urban farming. She does not depart from an industrial perspective but from a domestic approach where individuals can be more conscious about their relationship with food and the personal cultivation of herbs, veggies, and fruits. For me, this was one of the most significant activities since Prof. Oscar and her are collaborating on a project involving embodiment and farming as a holistic approach to connection with the earth. Ecologically speaking, it proposes a factual action of sustainability that exercises activism from the bottom to the top and from the micro to the macro.

DAY 2

Museums and historical downtown visit

On the second day, we visited the Oro Museum in Bogota, Colombia. The museum shows the use and manufacture of gold from prehispanic times until the contemporary use of the mineral. It also explains the geographical use of this mineral in the South Region of America while explaining the cultures that evolved shaping goldsmith techniques.

The most interesting section was the timeline historical comparison between different continents. It showed their technological advances and how they informed and evolved due to communication, migration, and travel.

On this timeline, we can see that the Teotihuacan in Mexico started in 1-650 D.C, simultaneously with Cleopatra and the construction of the terraces in Cairo, as well as 105 DC, started the elaboration of paper in China.

The exhibition also featured the prehispanic technique of goldsmith, which was developed with a technique that involved sophisticated tools casting over bee wax, making precise and sharp forms. These forms were inspired by animals with a religious representation.

For me, the most interesting artifact was the musical and sonorous instruments that evolved: Pan flutes, which were performed in pairs as female and male, water clay flutes, and metal chimes. These instruments represented a sacred form of understanding music and its translation into the sonic culture of the Pupialies, Noriño, in 1000 dc.

Several sacred offerings were displayed in the museum, which made me think about the colonial need to gather symbols and objects outside of their context and display them in museums. I had questions related to the extractivist gesture of grabbing these objects from their original context when, in fact, they are still significant and sacred for the cultures and indigenous groups to which they belong. And if taking them from their original context the museum is deleting their magical and symbolic significance.

For me, the most interesting floor was the 5th floor, where the archive and anthropology were explained and proposed to the public from an open and didactic perspective, making the archive not a passive but a more active form of engagement.

The second museum we visited was a big complex of different museums, including The Botero Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Moneda Museum. Its complex and beautiful architecture made me explore the different areas and halls. For me, my favourite hall was the contemporary art

[jonescrysstal]

New Contributions to The Chronology of The Prehispanic Occupation of The Eastern Piedemonte of The Sierra San Javier (Tucumán-Argentine): First Absolute Dates

Among the pending issues in the archeology of the lowlands of the province of Tucumán, the construction of chronologies based on absolute dates stands out, which allows the elaboration of more reliable Pre-Hispanic occupation sequences to have a more precise temporal control of local social developments. Despite having registered dozens of archaeological sites in these jungle and forest environments, most of them do not have absolute dates. One of the cases that manifest this situation is the archaeological record of the eastern foothills of the Sierra San Javier, located in the central portion of the Tucuman pedemontana area. After decades of research [1-4] there were still no absolute dates in this sector. One of the main reasons can be attributed to the fact that most of the studies were short-term and with little funding - carried out by students of the Career of Archeology at the National University of Tucumán in the framework of final professorship or thesis-, which were generally not included in research projects or programs with higher subsidies.

Read more about this article:

https://lupinepublishers.com/anthropological-and-archaeological-sciences/fulltext/new-contributions-to-the-chronology-of-the-prehispanic-occupation-of-the-eastern-piedemonte.ID.000141.php

Read more Lupine Publishers Google Scholar Articles:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=w-I2_wEAAAAJ&cstart=20&pagesize=80&citation_for_view=w-I2_wEAAAAJ:dQ2og3OwTAUC

[thewhizzyhead]

a non-filipino's guide to trese: ep 1

So some of my mutuals decided to check out Trese aka the Netflix adaptation of the Filipino horror comic book series that I keep rambling about here and then since well um most of my mutuals aren’t from the Philippines fshfs I decided to make a long-ass post that basically consists of me rambling about the cultural context present in Trese with fun little tidbits about Filipino folklore. I’m not an expert on Filipino mythology so um I just typed out the stuff that I know and the stuff that I looked up on Wikipedia so um take this with a grain of salt aaaaa I’ll save the extensive google scholar research ramble on folklore present in Trese for another day.

I’ll try to find the sites where I got some of the information from cause um yea I kinda had a bit of a hard time finding the other shit so um once again, take the stuff here with a grain of salt. Also, feel free to add more info if you guys got any!

SO ANYWAYS ENJOY ME RAMBLING ABOUT EPISODE 1 OF TRESE WOO

+ MRT and LRT (Manila Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit) are train systems in NCR (the capital region) and yea them suddenly stopping and malfunctioning in the middle of the goddamn rail is a daily occurrence and we have been trying to deal with this bullshit for years but alas, corruption and negligence are sweet sweet drugs.

+ When the MRT broke down, you'd see a red bee in the flashing billboard right? Well that's Jollibee and that's probably the most well-known fast food restaurant chain here heck there are even branches of it abroad!

+ According to many youtube comments along with other social media posts that I am way too tired to link here, the opening theme is an Ifugao ethnic song called Balluha'd Bayyauhen but with modern accompaniments and I think the song is about a fruit called a balluha that the character in the song tries to it but cannot swallow. (someone please correct me if I’m wrong here fjkfs)

+ The first um monster that we see Alexandra interact with is the White Lady of Balete Drive. White Ladies or “Kaperosa” are a type of female ghosts typically dressed in ghostly white dresses or similar garments. According to legend, she died in a car accident while driving along Balete Drive (a two lane street formerly lined with Balete Trees which are said to be a home for spirits and mysterious creatures) in Quezon City while other accounts say she died waiting for the arrival of her lover; others also say that she was a teenage girl who was run over and killed by a taxi driver at night and then buried around a Balete tree while another variation of the tale claims that a student from the University of the Philippines was sexually assaulted and killed by a taxi driver nearby and so said ghost haunts the street in search of her murderer. There are many other variations but according to local rumor, the legend was fabricated by a reporter in 1953 in order to make an interesting story. What remains consistent in many variations is that apparently taxi drivers would be stopped by a beautiful lady asking for a ride and if one would look at the rear window, they would see that the white lady in question is bruised and drenched in blood.

+ There are a lot of mentions about "lakans" and stuff in reference to Alex and her father right? In precolonial times, the term is used to refer to the paramount ruler or the highest-ranking political authorities in Tagalog communities (so um NCR and some parts of Region 4). In Muslim communities, they are called sultans while communities with strong trade connecitons with Indonesia or Malaysia called them Rajah. Datu is umm the more generalized term though when it comes to discussing the leaders of the precolonial Filipinos.

+ So, Alex’s mom is a babaylan and back in the pre-colonial period, each barangay (which a native filipino term for a village or a district; said term is still used today to describe um divisions in municipalities like) had them and these are basically Philippine shamans and they specialized in communicating with the spirits of the dead. To my knowledge, the role of babaylan went to women and yea people assigned male at birth but then identified as female were also allowed to become babaylans and they would be treated with the same respect given to any woman back then (honestly I dunno much about lgbtq+ stuff back in the precolonial times but all I know is that precolonial Filipinos were much a lot more welcoming towards trans identities bUT THEN THE SPANIARDS CAME AND UM ERR RUINED THAT); also the writing Alexandra's mom did in that one scene with the dagger is in Baybayin - preHispanic Filipino script. I dunno what she wrote down though. .

+ Also I kinda find it funny that the people here esp those who were at the White Lady scene are um,,, not at all surprised? Like yea quite a number of filipinos have their own superstitions and beliefs and all that but um yea the people in Trese seem very used to the bullshit,,,which in retrospect, isn't at all inaccurate fsdfd I MEAN WE DEAL WITH UNSURMOUNTABLE AMOUNTS OF BS ON A DAILY BASIS SO I DON’T THINK DEAD GHOSTS WOULD EVEN FAZE MANY FSKJDS

+ The one that appears right before Alexandra talks with the duwende (the one in the manhole) is called Laman Lupa (which i guess translates to um "What is in the earth"? just um YEA THEY ARE DIRT CREATURES). normally this is an umbrella term for duwendes and nunos but in Trese they are servants of these aforementioned creatures.

+ Duwende (which came from the Spanish phrase "dueno de case" which means "owner of the house") or dwarves in Filipino folklore are known to be mischievous and magical environmental guardians. They are believed to reside in trees or under earth mounds (those that live in the latter are called nuno sa pundo or old man of the mount) which is why quite a lot of Filipinos say "tabi tabi po" or “excuse me” when wandering around a forest or earth mounds as a sign of respect and in the hopes the duwende won't torment them. If the person is friendly, the duwende can also be friendly in return and will bring that person good lucl; otherwise, those who destroy their homes by stepping on them will face their wrath in form of heartless curse and predictions of ominous and disastrous fates. A duwende's color also depends on their budhi or conscience: to my knowledge, white duwendes are kind, red ones give protection amulets, green ones are firnedly with children and the black ones give nothing but trouble.

+ Chocnut aka the snack Alex bribes the nuno with is a very yummy chocolate snack made of coconut milk, crushed peanuts and cocoa powder. They are umm about an inch in length and maybe half an inch in width so it's fairly small; that being said I WANT THE CHOCNUT THAT ALEXANDRA HAS CAUSE HOT DAMN THAT'S A BIG CHOCNUT

+ In Trese, the creatures in the MRT scene and in the warehouse Alexandra visits after she talks with the duwende are called "aswang". In Philippine folklore, it is an umbrella term for any kind of monster so um an aswang in Luzon would be very different from the aswang in Mindanao. According to what I saw on wikipedia, they can be classified in 5 categories: the vampire (self-explanatory um they drink blood), the viscera sucker (the manananggal, i'll get to that next time), the weredog (cats and pigs are also possible but um yea they target pregnant women), the witch (self-explanatory boom curses and stuff) and the ghoul (they gather near trees in cemeteries to feast on human corpses). Aswangs are often described to have a long, hollow tongue, sharp claws and sharp teeth, although they do also have human forms.

+ To my knowledge, Ibwa, the leader of the aswangs in the warehouse, is a creature from Tinguian or Itneg mythology (they, like the Ifugao, are an indigenous ethnic group in northwestern Luzon) though I could be wrong about this dksfsf Ibwa seems like an ethnic filipino term tho wah I can't remember where I once read that. But anyways, Ibwa often stalk sthe house of a dying person to steal its body. In order for the ibwa to NOT succeed in that, some people burn holes in the garments of the dead and put a sharp iron object on top of the grave since those are most powerful weapons against aswangs which is what Alexandra uses to subdue the Ibwa and kill all the other aswangs (the knife alex uses is named Sinag which means "ray of light".)

+ ALSO I AM SO SO GLAD THEY KEPT THE FILIPINO SWEARS IN THE ENGLISH DUB YES YES THIS IS A VERY GOOD JOB so lemme discuss the versatility of tangina-

+ Also umm Bossing is a nickname of Vic Sotto - one of the three pioneer hosts of Eat Bulaga! which is the longest running Philippine noontime variety show. Over time, most probably due to the show's popularity, the term "bossing" then became um slang for "boss" or "chief"

+ Translation of what Alex says when she's stirring the eye inside the cup: “In the eyes of others, secrets will reveal themselves.”

+ Sidenote: The English dub's pronunciation of many of the tagalog lines are um yea they r pretty good but they could use a bit of work but then again I'm really not that good in speaking in Tagalog so who am I to judge gkdkf sorry po guys conyo po ako-

+ Maria Makiling is arguably the most famous of all the diwatas (ancestral spirits, nature spirits, or deities) in Philippine Mythology; she is associated with Mount Makiling in Laguna as the guardian spirit of the mountain. Mount Makiling is said to resemble a profile of a woman and people associate the profile with Maria herself. She is also known as a goddess by the name of Dayang Masalanta and people would pray to her for safety and to stop storms and earthquakes. That's the goddess Alexandra's mother mentions right when she tells Alex to hide. (Translation to what she said there: Maria Makiling, goddess of the mountain, bless us.)

+ ALSO YEA THAT MAYOR IN THE MRT STATION IS UMMM RATHER REMINISCENT OF MAAAANY POLITICIANS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS HERE LIKE BELIEVE ME I CAN THINK OF SO MANY NAMES RN. THEY WOULD FLAUNT THEIR MACHISMO AND PROMISE THAT THEY THEMSELVES SHALL PUNISH THE PERPETRATORS HARSHLY BUT IN THE END THEY DONT MEAN SHIT AND ARE IN OFFICE TO SERVE ONLY THEMSELVES AND TO SHIT ON THE REST ESP THOSE OF THE POORER SECTORS AND *NOTHING IS DONE ABOUT IT*. WE LIVE IN HELL OKAY. also hmm how the police are represented here is umm,,,interesting,,, like i know there are sOME good police officers like the ones alexandra assists but like,,,our current sociopolitical climate + the many cases showcasing the corruption in the police force + tHE SHEER AMOUNT OF POLICE BRUTALITY HERE would ummm beg to differ. but um anyways-

+ Also Mang Inasal posters can be seen in the MRT station backdrops and um it’s a very famous restaurant chain here and they serve lots of barbecue and other filipino stuffs and i miss them a lot God their halo halo is very yummy

+ Santelmo - oki so this is the fire face thingy that Alexandra summons inside the ruined train. This is the shortened version of the term "Apoy ni Santa Elmo" or "St. Elmo's Fire" - this is a weather phenomenon wherein plasma is created from an electrical discharge from a rod like object in an atmospheric electric field. This phenomenon was used to warn of imminent lightning strikes or storms (there is a chapter in Noli Me Tangere where Pilosopo Tasyo talks about that bUT I'LL SAVE THE NOLI ME TANGERE RAMBLES FOR ANOTHER DAY). But according to Philippine folklore, santelmos - which are said to be souls of people lost as sea - are balls of fire that appear where accidents or big arguments happen. In Trese, santelmos (alex's santelmo being "The Great Spirit of the Binondo Fire") can be called to assist in supernatural investigations

+ Translation of what Alex says when she draws the circles to meet with the purple ghosts: "Souls, where are you off to? I'll be entering too, so please open the door."

+ Remember the scene at the train with all the purple ghosts and the woman in a veil? Yea the woman is an emissary of a goddess named Ibu and she is the Manobo (again, another indigenous ethnic group but this time they're from Mindanao; fun fact we have around 134 ethnic groups) goddess of deceased mortals and the queen of the underworld; she also serves as a psychopomp and guides the newly deceased souls to the other side (having an MRT be the ride to the underworld isn’t in the legends tho so fkkjsf)

+ The aswang in the top hat is called Xa Mul and according to the Isneg/Apayao people (yay another ethnic group but this time in northern Luzon - the Cordillera regions to be specific), they are an evil spirit known to swallow people whole.

+ Alex has two henchmen right? Yea they are named Crispin and Basillio and No I still don’t know who’s who and I'm really sorry about that fsfjs so anyways the names Crispin and Basillio are actually those of two brothers featured in the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo novels (Crispin is younger and Basilio is older) which are basically the national novels here cause um yea written by national hero Jose Rizal as sociopolitical commentary about the Spanish regime here. I don't know if I want to spoil this cause I kinda want other people to read the novel too fskfs BUT ALL IN ALL, ONE OF THEM DIES IN LIKE THE 10TH OR 11TH CHAPTER OF NOLI ME TANGERE (and the novel has 64 chapters btw) AND UM YEA-

+ OKI SO TO ADD MORE CONTEXT TO THE SQUATTER STUFFS MENTIONED IN TRESE (we r gonna use the tiny font here because holy shit this rant is long): So,in the Philippines, especially in the capital region, there are lots of slum areas called squatters. These are dense urban settlements made of compact makeshift housing units that aren't really officially recognized by the government. This is um very reflective of the poverty situation here and there are maaany factors that come into play here and if i were to go into depth about this topic, that rant would probably turn into an academic paper so for the sake of brevity, let's just say that Things Are Fucked Up Here. Oftentimes the poorer sectors are being ignored and left to their own devices despite tons of campaign promises to make things better and easier for them. The communities that live here are incredibly vulnerable to floods, fires, and the like and afaik no concrete solutions have been in effect to protect these people and their settlements. There have also been many times where squatter areas are dismantled or demolished despite protests of people living in those areas and yea I understand the need to make space and the need for renovation but the people should still be offered some sort of temporary settlement or financial compensation thingy that doESN'T fuck them over but alas, we have an anti-poor government. That being said, I really like Trese Ep 1's portrayal of governmental negligence, but I also have some thoughts, especially in regards to the mayor being arrested THAT FAST which um believe me, NEVER FUCKING HAPPENS BECAUSE MANY MAYORS AND A LOT OF POLITICIANS HAVE THE POLICE IN THEIR POCKETS SO UM ERR YEA JUSTICE IS RARELY A THING HERE BUT UM ANYWAYS YEA THE GOVERNMENT LIKES TO SHIT ON THE POOR WOO LET'S SAVE THE USE OF SOCIOLOGICAL LENS ON THIS MATTER FOR ANOTHER DAY

+ The news channel reporting the arrest of the mayor is ABC-ZNN WHICH IS AN OBVIOUS REFERENCE TO ABSCBN aka the top media conglomerate here (that has been fucked over by the government so many times to the point that they had to shut down operations last year which is all sorts of unfair so seeing them being referenced here kinda made me happy gksfks)

[my18thcenturysource]

Our Collective 18th Century Library

This is a selection of books about the 18th century fashion, history, beauty, and life. Most of them in my personal library or have consulted but have not bought (yet). This post is going to be edited with more books added and reblogged for all to see, that’s why I called this post “our collective 18th century library”, from me to you all and then for you all to all of us.

Please add other books you have in your collections or you’ve read! And if you could keep the format (cover photo, book info, a little comment, the themes we can find in the book, and the link of where to find them), it will be consistently useful for everyone!

Let’s start:

ART

Casta Painting: Images of Race in Eighteenth-Century Mexico, by Ilona Katzew, Yale University Press, 2005, ISBN-10: 0300109717

Casta painting is a whole genre created in Mexico for depicting the population of the New Spain, and it’s whole purpose was to show the Spanish King what an organised viceroyalty it was, and how everyone has their proper place, even if that was not entirely true.

Themes: fashion (for visual reference), castas, race, Mexico, New Spain, Viceroyalty, the Americas, Mexico City, art, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Waterstones

Painted in Mexico, 1700-1790: Pinxit Mexici, edited by Ilona Katzew, Prestel Publishing, 2017, ISBN: 978-3-7913-5677-8

The book from the exhibition about art made in Mexico City during the 18th century.

Themes: art, portraits, casta painting, Mexico, Mexico City, Viceroyalty, New Spain, the Americas, castas, religion, catholicism, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / Amazon (Spanish version) / Target /  Waterstones

HISTORY

A History of Private Life, Volume III: Passions of the Renaissance, Edited by Roger Chartier, Series edited by Phillippe Ariès, Harvard University Press, 1993, ISBN 9780674400023

The life or ordinary people from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, centered in Europe and especially France, you’ll read about the everyday lives of women and children, common men, education, marriage and well, the private life. This whole series (of 5 volumes) is worth each penny.

Themes: everyday life, history, women, Europe, France, children, education, Renaissance, Enlightenment, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / Harvard University Press

A History of Private Life, Volume IV: From the Fires of Revolution to the Great War, Edited by Michelle Perrot, Series edited by Phillippe Ariès, Harvard University Press, 1993, ISBN 9780674400030

The first part is 18th century and deals with life pre, during and after French Revolution.

Themes: everyday life, history, women, Europe, France, children, education, Enlightenment, French Revolution, Victorian, Belle Epoque, WWI, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century.

Available at: Amazon / Harvard University Press

Black London: Life Before Emancipation, by Gretchen Gerzina, Rutgers University Press, 1995, ISBN-10: 0813522722

A glimpse into the lives of the thousands of Africans living in eighteenth century London.

Themes: everyday life, history, race, black, African, England, London, slavery, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / You can also download it for FREE (ha! who needs Amazon now?)

Historia De La Vida Cotidiana En México 3: El siglo XVIII: entre la tradición y el cambio, by Pilar Gonzalbo Aizpuru, Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2012. ISBN-10: 9681677188

Common life in Mexico during the 18th century, from fashion, food and the markets, to the everyday life of mining cities, children and monks. This is book is a key reference for starting to read about the life of common people in the New Spain. Part of a series from the prehispanic times to the 20th century.

Themes: fashion, food, everyday life, New Spain, Mexico, Viceroyalty, The Americas, castas, mining, religion, catholicism, education, childhood, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / Cambridge University Press / Fondo de Cultura Económica

FASHION

Auguste Racinet. The Costume History (Bibliotheca Universalis), Françoise Tétart-Vittu, Taschen, 2019, ISBN-10: 3836555409

I wanted to describe my undying love for this book, but I’m just gonna copy Taschen’s description: “Racinet’s Costume History is a landmark in the study of clothing and fashion. This reprint presents Racinet’s exquisitely precise color illustrations, as well as his delightful descriptions and witty commentary. From Eskimo attire to high French couture, this is an unrivalled encyclopedia for students, designers, artists, illustrators, and historians, and anyone interested in style.” So, yeah, this 19th century book rules.

Themes: fashion, interior design, furniture, 18th century, 19th century, fashion history, ancient times, middle ages, renaissance, baroque, rococo, victorian, menswear, womenswear.

Available at: Amazon / Taschen

Costume in Detail: 1730-1930, Nancy Bradfield, Quite Specific Media Group Ltd, 1999, ISBN-10: 0896762173

Focused on womenswear, Nancy Bradfield shares with all of us detailed illustrations and descriptions, as well as good information about fashion, garments, shapes, finishings, etc, of extant garments in private collections. A wonderful reference book for reproducing fashion and for illustrations or authors who want to give their character accurate fashion.

Themes: fashion,womenswear, extant garments, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century.

Available at: Amazon / Book Depository

Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the Eighteenth Century, by Harold Koda, Andrew Bolton, Mimi Hellman, Metropolitan Museum of Art 2006, ISBN-10: 0300107145

The book from a long gone exhibition at the Met Museum, it has extant clothes, good info, and the links between fashion and furniture design that make us perceive both as purely 18th century.

Themes: fashion, interior design, furniture, museum collections, extant garments, exhibition, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fashion, A history from the 18th to the 20th century, by Akiko Fukai, Taschen 25th anniversary edition, 2007.

A basic fashion history book starting in the 18th century from the amazing collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute.

Themes: fashion, womenswear, menswear, embroidery, accessories, museum collection, extant garments, England, France, Europe, undergarments, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century.

Available at: Amazon in 1 volume and 2 volumes set.

Gallery of Late-Seventeenth-Century Costume: 100 Engravings, Caspar Luyken, Dover Publications, 2003, ISBN-10: 0486429865

Reprint of a collection of plates by Dutch engraver Caspar Luyken published in 1694. It shows men and women of different social classes and occupations. A key reference when looking for 17th century contemporary source material.

Themes: fashion, menswear, womenswear, Dutch, engraving, plates, 17th century, baroque, late 17th century, contemporary source.

Available at: Amazon / Dover Books

Historic Costumes and How to Make Them (Dover Fashion and Costumes), by Mary Fernald and Eileen Shenton, Dover Publications, 2006, ISBN-10: 0486449068

From the Middle Ages to the 19th century fashion, this book is a nice resource for theatrical costuming and has good but basic bits of historical fashion information. I recommend not to buy with no previous patternmaking and fashion background, since the diagrams are quite vague, and the descriptions even more. I personally only have used this book for reference of Medieval and early Renaissance fashion (which to be fair, are quite simple). Also, it is centered in English fashions.

Themes: fashion, theatre, menswear, womenswear, middle ages, renaissance, tudors, elizabethan, georgian, victorian, 15th century, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century.

Available at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Dover Publications / Waterstones

How to Read a Dress, A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century, Lydia Edwards, Bloomsbury Academic, 2017, ISBN-10: 1472533275

This books is very pretty and rather basic, it could be a really nice starting point for anyone getting an interest in fashion history. I’ve read reviews that it is “insultingly basic” which I do not get, I mean, if you cannot explain something in such a basic way that a child can get it, then you do not really master that subject. This books has pretty interesting info and it is a walkthrough of key silhouettes and extant garments, so it is not deeply detailed nor shows each and every silhouette of every decade of every century.

Themes: fashion, womenswear, gown, dresses, extant garments, museums, Europe, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century.

Available at: Amazon / Bloomsbury

Men's Garments 1830-1900: A Guide to Pattern Cutting and Tailoring, R. I. Davis and William-Alan Landes, Players Press, 1996, ISBN-10: 0887346480

A whole book only for menswear starting with the Regency silhouette and its very particular form until the turn of the 20th century. Yes. It is pretty good, I have to say, for all our Victorian outfit needs for the gentleman. I recommend this book (and the 2nd one on 19th and 20th centuries) for people with some knowledge of construction, grading, fitting, patternmaking, and tailoring, since it does not offer much sewing advice.

Themes: fashion, menswear, accessories, patternmaking, plates, 19th century, 20th century.

Available at: Amazon / Waterstones

Men's Seventeenth & Eighteenth Century Costume: Cut and Fashion, R. I. Davis and William-Alan Landes, Players Press, 2000, ISBN-10: 0887346375

My personal love for menswear is fueled by this book that details the suits, coats and tailcoats from the 17th and 18th centuries. It includes military fashion and other everyday clothes like breeches, capes, waistcoats, etc. via plates, figures, diagrams and texts. I recommend this book (and the 1st one on 19th and 20th centuries) for people with some knowledge of construction, grading, fitting, patternmaking, and tailoring, since it does not offer much sewing advice.

Themes: fashion, menswear, accessories, patternmaking, plates, 17th century, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / Book Depository

Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C. 1660-1860, by Janet Arnold, Drama Publishers, 2005, ISBN-10: 9780896760264

THE key source of patterns of extant garments, this series of books are the result of constant research on garments from museums, with details and info on construction, history and fashion details. You know, the kind of information you could only get with those garments in your hands.

So, as a resume, in this list there’s only the books with 18th century info in them, BUT you should actually have ALL of the Patterns of Fashion books.

Themes: fashion, womenswear, England, extant garments, museums, Europe, patternmaking, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century.

Available at: Amazon 

Patterns of Fashion 5: the content, cut, construction & contexto of bodies, stays, hoops & rumps, c 1595-1795, by Janet Arnold, Jenny Tiramani, Luca Costigliolo, Sebastien Passot, Armelle Lucas and Johannes Pietsch, The School of Historical Dress, 2019

The new book from the series is about undergarments from the 16th to the 18th century. It is only available through the store of the School of Historical Dress. Probably the best spent £35.

Themes: fashion, undergarments, stays, womenswear, England, extant garments, museums, Europe, patternmaking, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century.

Available at: The School of Historical Dress

Pictorial Encyclopedia of Historic Costume: 1200 Full-Color Figures, Karl Rohrbach (Author), Albert Kretschmer (Compiler), Dover Fashion and Costumes, 2007, ISBN-10: 0486461424

A reprint of Die Trachten Der Völker from 1906, this book, this is a great great encyclopedic work of fashion history, from ancient Egypt to late 19th century. It includes clothes for people of different social backgrounds, accessories, jewels, shoes, etc. I think that for the fashion history lover, the Rohrbach+Racinet combo is a must.

Themes: fashion, interior design, furniture, 18th century, 19th century, fashion history, ancient times, middle ages, renaissance, baroque, rococo, victorian, menswear, womenswear.

Available at: Amazon / Dover Publications

The Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing, Book I, Kathleen Kannik, ISBN 10: 0-9640161-0-9

References and tips for plain hand sewing, a key reference to achieve basic stitches that are historically accurate. It includes basic construction of items and some decorative techniques. Many of these techniques are still used in couture. This book is part 1 of a set of 4.

Themes: fashion, undergarments, womenswear, menswear, sewing, stitches, techniques, how to, patternmaking, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century, couture.

Available at: Kannik’s Korner / Amazon (kindle edition) / Amazon

The Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing, Book II, Kathleen Kannik, ISBN 0-9640161-2-5

More sewing stuff with additional stitches and seam techniques, gather attachments, button making, gussets, re-enforcements, cord making, and an 18th century alphabet for cross stitching. This book is part 2 of a set of 4.

Themes: fashion, undergarments, womenswear, menswear, sewing, stitches, techniques, how to, patternmaking, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, couture.

Available at: Kannik’s Korner / Amazon

The Workman's Guide to Tailoring Stitches and Techniques, Kathleen Kannik, ISBN 0-9640161-4-1

Now it’s time for historical tailoring stitches and techniques. This book is part 3 of a set of 4.

Themes: fashion, tailoring, menswear, sewing, stitches, techniques, how to, patternmaking, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century.

Available at: Kannik’s Korner / Amazon

The Lady's Economical Assistant or, The Art of Cutting Out, and Making, The most useful Articles of Wearing Apparel, Without waste; Explained by the Clearest directions, and Numerous Engravings, of Appropriate and Tasteful Patterns, ISBN 0-9640161-3-3

A re-drawn publication of a 1808 book, with cutting directions and patterns for infant clothes, girls, boys, some for men and women, and linens. Many illustrations and a supplement. This book is part 4 of a set of 4.

Themes: fashion, undergarments, kidswear, children, babies, infants, womenswear, menswear, sewing, stitches, techniques, how to, patternmaking, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century.

Available at: Kannik’s Korner / Amazon

The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking: How to Hand Sew Georgian Gowns and Wear Them With Style, by Lauren Stowell and Abby Cox, Page Street Publishing, 2017, ISBN-10: 1624144535

This book is such a good starting point for a 18th century wardrobe, since it walks you through the key outfits of the century in a simple and clear way. I think a background in patternmaking is a plus, especially for the most complex projects, but the basics are easy to follow.

Themes: fashion, patternmaking, how to, womenswear, 18th century.

Available at: Amazon / American Duchess

BEAUTY

18th Century Hair & Wig Styling: History & Step-by-Step Techniques, Kendra Van Cleave, Nice One, ISBN-10: 0692220437

Kendra van Cleave have been everyone’s guide into the 18th century beauty and hair (and of course, costuming) for quite a long time, thanks to her blog, Démodé, and now she published this well researched book with easy to follow instructions for all kinds of 18th century hairstyles. So, go get your wig and get to work. Also, at the book’s website there some videos, and at her blog you can find even more resources, tutorials, etc.

Themes: fashion, beauty, hair, wigs, 18th century, how to.

Available at: Amazon / 18th Century Hair Website

The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty: 40 Projects for Period-Accurate Hairstyles, Makeup and Accessories, by Lauren Stowell and Abby Cox, Page Street Publishing, 2019, ISBN-10: 1624147860

I KNOW this is not available yet, but I think it will be at least as good as the fashion one. Already on my pre-order list, it will be available on July 9th.

Themes: hair, hairstyles, hair and makeup, makeup, accessories, how to, womenswear, 18th century. Available at: Amazon / American Duchess

[tlatollotl]

Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands: Gods, Ancestors, and Human Beings

edited by Brigitte Faugère & Christopher Beekman

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In Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands, Latin American, North American, and European researchers explore the meanings and functions of two- and three-dimensional human representations in the Precolumbian communities of the Mexican highlands. Reading these anthropomorphic representations from an ontological perspective, the contributors demonstrate the rich potential of anthropomorphic imagery to elucidate personhood, conceptions of the body, and the relationship of human beings to other entities, nature, and the cosmos.

Using case studies covering a broad span of highlands prehistory—Classic Teotihuacan divine iconography, ceramic figures in Late Formative West Mexico, Epiclassic Puebla-Tlaxcala costumed figurines, earth sculptures in Prehispanic Oaxaca, Early Postclassic Tula symbolic burials, Late Postclassic representations of Aztec Kings, and more—contributors examine both Mesoamerican representations of the body in changing social, political, and economic conditions and the multivalent emic meanings of these representations. They explore the technology of artifact production, the body’s place in social structures and rituals, the language of the body as expressed in postures and gestures, hybrid and transformative combinations of human and animal bodies, bodily representations of social categories, body modification, and the significance of portable and fixed representations.

Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands provides a wide range of insights into Mesoamerican concepts of personhood and identity, the constitution of the human body, and human relationships with gods and ancestors. It will be of great value to students and scholars of the archaeology and art history of Mexico.

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Contributors: Claire Billard, Danièle Dehouve, Cynthia Kristan-Graham, Melissa Logan, Sylvie Peperstraete, Patricia Plunket, Mari Carmen Serra Puche, Juliette Testard, Andrew Turner, Gabriela Uruñuela, Marcus Winter

Brigitte Faugère is professor at the Université de Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. An archaeologist specializing in the north-central and western parts of Mexico, she is the director of an excavation project on the Preclassic Chupícuaro in the Lerma Valley and author of Entre Zacapu y Río Lerma: Culturas en una zona fronteriza, Las representaciones rupestres del centro-norte de Michoacán, and Cueva de los Portales: Un sitio arcaico de Michoacán, México.

Christopher Beekman is associate professor of anthropology at the University of Colorado Denver. His research focuses on sociopolitical organization in ancient western Mexico. He has directed excavation projects at Llano Grande and Navajas and surveys in the La Primavera region and the Magdalena Valley. He is a coauthor of the first volume of the Historia de Jalisco and has coedited several books, including Shaft Tombs and Figures in West Mexican Society.

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Order now and use promo code FAUG19 to get 40% off! - http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1102467236383&ca=08187121-2da9-4419-9a8c-efe9a378e881

University Press of Colorado page - https://upcolorado.com/university-press-of-colorado/item/3733-anthropomorphic-imagery-in-the-mesoamerican-highlands

[dealwithwarlords]

HERE SHE IS !!!

(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

Finally I get to show her in the blog ! 😄😄👏🏻👏🏻

Her name is Victoria and she's an energetic, positive, kind of tsundere, intelligent girl. She met Sasuke in the university. She was an exchange student, when Sasuke was waiting for the wormhole, Victoria was looking for him since he forgot his apartment keys at the classroom, but when she finally reached him a thunder was the last thing they saw before arriving to the Sengoku Era.

The reason I draw her with her prehispanic clothes is because I wanted to show her traditions and roots. The difference of her culture and the Japanese.

I think that's all I have for now ! Just wanted to have her introduced in my blog 🌟🌟✨👏🏻👏🏻✨✨👌👌💖💖

[lunaamatista]

References to Mexican Culture in Coco

By now, you’ve probably heard Coco is one of the most well researched films about Mexico and its culture. There are many small details that make it feel like Mexico: the stone roads in a small town, the traditional embroidery patterns in the shirts of Miguel’s female relatives, an uncle wearing a soccer team shirt, even a bowl of limes in a stand of aguas frescas. Of course, the looks of papel picado, day of the dead altars, and cemeteries are also well represented. The clothes of the relatives Miguel sees in the world of the dead is accurate to their eras. While these are a nice touch, you’re ultimately not missing out on anything by not spotting them, so in this post I wanted to talk about the more culturally based details that show the most research and you might not understand if you’re not very well acquainted with Mexican culture:

Names and pronouns

1. Coco

This one is the most straightforward, so let’s start with the name of the movie. While the protagonist is called Miguel, we soon learn that Coco is his great grandmother. “Coco” is what we call a woman called “Socorro” (lit. “help” - it’s a very traditional name that’s considered old fashioned).

The Rivera family calls her “Mamá Coco,” which means “Mother Coco.” They also call Imelda “Mamá Imelda,” and so on. Calling your grandparents “mamá” or “papá” instead of “abuelita” and “abuelito” is a thing you can do, though I can’t say how common it is.

In the Spanish version of the film, Miguel’s grandmother, Elena, talks to Mamá Coco with “usted” (I didn’t notice other instances, but they might be there). Spanish has a formal and an informal version of singular “you:” “usted” for formal, “tú” for informal. The verb conjugation also changes depending on which one you use. It is used differently all through the Spanish speaking world, but in Mexico, other than older people you respect (like a teacher), you can talk to older family members with “usted,” which means respect rather than the distance the formality might imply. Nowadays, it has fallen out of use: as someone born in the 90s, my grandparents talked to their parents almost exclusively with “usted;” out of my parents, my mother talked to hers with “usted” and my father with “tú;” I speak to my parents with “tú.” I have cousins on my mother’s side that talk to their parents with “usted,” but I would say that makes them a minority nowadays.

Traditions and beliefs

2. Crossing to the world of the dead on a bridge of marigolds

If you paid very close attention, you might have noticed two children scattering marigold petals on the ground and their mother telling them not to scatter them, but to make a bridge so the dead could cross over. It was easy to miss, but that’s actually something we believe!

There are several types of flowers you can place in a day of the dead altar, but the one you can’t do without is the yellow marigold. Its petals are scattered all around the altar, and at the very front, you’ll form a path surrounded with candles. The bright yellow will help the dead properly make their way to the altar, and the candles surrounding the path will light their way.

3. Crossing to the world of the dead with a xoloitzcuintli

Several prehispanic cultures had a similar concept of the underworld as many other cultures around the world, in which there was a river they had to cross to get there. For both the Aztecs/Mexicas and the Mayas, a xoloitzcuintli would guide their souls so they could cross the river safely and arrive to Mictlan (Mexicas) or Xibalba (Mayas). To achieve this, a xoloitzcuintli would be sacrificed and buried with its owner. Day of the dead altars can have a xoloitzcuintli figure so that the dead can make it back safely as well.

4. Being thrown into a cenote

My screenshot isn’t the best but at some point, Miguel is thrown into a big pit with water. That’s not just any random pit, but a cenote.

Cenotes are naturally ocurring sinkholes caused by the collapse of limestone. The word “cenote” has Maya etymology, as cenotes are commonly found in the Yucatán peninsula, where they (still!) live. In old times, they would sacrifice animals and people as tributes to the gods, and also throw ceramic objects and jewelry as part of the tribute.

5. Alebrijes

I left these for last because they don’t have any deep meaning. Alebrijes are colorful fantastic animals that a man called Pedro Linares saw in a fever dream. He was a skilled artisan, so when he woke up from his long sickness, he brought them to life in his art.

In Coco, alebrijes are spiritual guides, and while their designs are to the likes of the real alebrijes, the film actually gave them a more important role than they have for us.

Music

6. Genres of Mexican music

The songs in Coco all belong to genres we’ve grown up with, so even if someone isn’t that knowledgeable in music theory or genres, we could vaguely tell they sounded “Mexican” (some more than others). Someone who is more knowledgeable of music genres can help me out here, but I think:

- Remember Me / Recuérdame is a bolero ranchero.

- Much Needed Advice / Dueto a través del tiempo is a ranchera.

- Everyone Knows Juanita / Juanita is a corrido.

- Un Poco Loco is a son jarocho.

- The World Es Mi Familia / El mundo es mi familia is huapango inspired.

- Proud Corazón / El latido de mi corazón is a a son (son de mariachi? I’m most uncertain about this one).

6.5 Un Poco Loco

Un Poco Loco starts in English as

What color is the sky, ay mi amor, ay mi amor, You tell me that it’s red, ay mi amor, ay mi amor

And in Spanish as

Que el cielo no es azul, ay mi amor, ay mi amor, Es rojo dices tú, ay mi amor, ay mi amor

(You say the sky isn’t blue, oh my love, oh my love, It’s red, you say, oh my love, oh my love)

This might be a deliberate reference to a huapango called “Cielo rojo,” which says:

Mientras yo estoy dormido Sueño que vamos los dos muy juntos A un cielo azul Pero cuando despierto El cielo es rojo, me faltas tú

(As I sleep I dream of us close together Going towards a blue sky But when I wake up The sky red, I am missing you)

Within the universe of the movie, this would make it an anachronistic reference, though. Additionally, Cielo rojo is a song of loss and Un poco loco is about a woman who thinks very differently and likes to say everything backwards, and that makes him crazy (in a good way!). Hence, in English we’ve got her saying to put his shoes on his head instead of his feet, and in Spanish him saying she might think with her feet and also how she keeps playing with his thoughts. Cielo rojo is a pretty sad song.

7. La Llorona

And I purposefully left La Llorona out of that list (it’s originally a son istmeño, though).

There’s a full musical number in Spanish, which seems to have suprised some people. For those of us who watched Coco in Spanish, it wasn’t too hard to guess it was this one: La Llorona was likely left in Spanish because it’s a very old folk song, one of those that are so old it has no known author and there are many different versions of the lyrics.

“Llorona” just means “weeper,” which is not really as unusual of a word in Spanish as it is in English. It’s closer to “crybaby” in use. She’s also what we call a character in a Mexican folktale. If you’re curious, the version used in Coco says the following, with “llorona” being the singer herself:

Poor me, llorona, llorona dressed in sky blue Even if it costs me my life, llorona, I won’t stop loving you I climbed the highest pine tree to see if I could spot you Since the pine tree was so green, llorona, it cried upon seeing me cry

What is grief and what is not grief, llorona: it all is grief to me Yesterday, I was crying to see you, llorona; today, I’m crying because I saw you

Poor me, llorona, llorona dressed in sky blue Even if it costs me my life, llorona, I won’t stop loving you

Famous people

8. Ernesto de la Cruz

“Isn’t he an original charact-” NO LISTEN STAY WITH ME.

Remember how I said Remember Me is a bolero ranchero? Guess who we associate boleros rancheros with?

That would be Pedro Infante, who happens to have a strong resemblance to no other than Ernesto de la Cruz.

It’s probably not a coincidence at all, as later on we see Ernesto with Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete at his party. Ernesto de la Cruz was explicitly stated to be inspired on both of them and another singer of the same genres, Vicente Fernández.

My parents left the movie saying “Pedro Infante didn’t deserve that burn,” lol.

9. Frida Kahlo (and Diego)

She does have a rather prominent role so she’s hard to miss. For those unaware, Frida is the artist who made the flaming papaya.

The themes in Frida’s are autobiographical, as she had a rather unusual life due to polio and injury. She painted herself and her suffering a lot. That might be why we get performances with many Fridas and things like a crying cactus that’s herself.

Bonus: her husband, Diego Rivera, is also in the same studio where we meet Frida. He was an important artist, specifically a muralist. 

10. Other Mexican celebrities

I already brought up Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete as characters that appear right beside Ernesto de la Cruz.

But we also get to see a cameo of many other famous Mexican names in Ernesto’s studio! Excluding the people at the piano, from left to right:

Emiliano Zapata, a revolutionary; (my best guess is) Adela Velarde, another revolutionary; Ernesto and Miguel; (probably) Agustín Lara, composer and singer; (probably) Dolores del Río, actress (in Hollywood too!); Cantinflas, comedian and actor; Pedro Infante, singer and actor; María Félix, actress; El Santo, wrestler and actor; Jorge Negrete, singer and actor.

They kind of looked like this:

Another bonus: this gal looks like the calavera garbancera / the Catrina illustrated by José Guadalupe Posada.

There might be more things I’m missing or forgot; if that’s the case, feel free to let me know! You can also fix my music genres for me since that’s never been my forte.

I hope this was of interest to someone! 

[ioryogi-takumi]

Binni Záa, Cap. 4 Pitao Copycha y Cocijo

[arawnprydain-blog]

Hellish Coup d'etat

In which Arawn comes across an unlikely ally with a proposal he can’t dismiss.

ARAWN

Once Mateo had fallen asleep Arawn had walked a little further down the path. He couldn’t abandon the boy, of course, as he would need him at the end, but for now he would leave the useless heap in his grave to peak ahead of what they would be facing.

The meadows seemed to stretch on for all eternity. This did not surprise him since there were many souls that lived their forever here, and so would any more. Neither here nor there, not good enough but not bad enough, they could live their death in a comfortable peace.

It was sickening to look at. All these souls settling for this. It was nonsense. He didn’t know how anyone could stomach not getting what they deserved for the rest of this realm’s existence, and he never would. Soon neither would they, he supposed, with what he had planned for them.

Arawn continued to walk, slow and steady, down the path, and soon  felt that prickle of acknowledgement that someone was watching brush against his neck. He didn’t acknowledge it.

If whoever or whatever it was wanted something then they would just have to come and take it.

 ORIZABA

“Yet another feisty duo wanders into the Underworld to see how we all suffer down here, hmm?” a feminine, musical voice rang in the man’s ears, as a chilling breath leaved what felt like an invisible pair of lips. “To think humans have begun to tire of their own world’s tourism. What’s the universe come to?”

A large moth took flight from somewhere in the meadow and hovered in front of Arawn, as if looking him in the eye. “Though perhaps your goal is another. One way or the other, you’ve been foolish enough to open a door you shouldn’t have unlocked.”

With that, an enormous flock of moths, identical to the other one, winged their way into view, flying in line to form some sort of moth cyclone not far away. A figure seemed to materialize from within as the winged critters dissipated into nothing.

“It’s nice to be back,” the figure said. It had now taken the form of a dark-skinned woman, seemingly in her 40s or so, with two enormous moth-like wings attached to her back, as well as a bright dress and matching accessories of purples and pinks. “I have you to thank for that.”

 ARAWN

He blinked slowly at the sound of the voice, unimpressed with whatever act was going on. Arawn turned towards the sound of the voice, annoyingly vain, his upper lip curling in disgust at the effect of their voice being so close to his ear. It was not uncomfortable so much as it was angering, who dared to think they had permission to speak to him in such a way?

An eyebrow arched as a moth, his chin tipping upwards in defiance at its words.

“I am no fool,I knew exactly what I was doing when I opened those doors. t should never have been locked in the first place,” he argued. “Soon, they will be obsolete, and the divide between this plane and the one above will be meaningless.”

He watched on as the figure came into existence. Disgusting choice of physical animation, but, looking at the lack of string, he supposed creatures of the Underworld would not be described in sonnets and poetry.

“And who are you?” Arawn asked, a curious lit to his demeaning tone.

 ORIZABA

“I am what you could only aspire to be, necromancer,” the moth fairy exclaimed, her wings actively flapping behind her as she spoke. From their tips, bits and pieces of obsidian stone seemed to constantly fly off due to the constant movement.

The woman took flight, and soared around the air. She moved down, and took a pair of laps around the man, barely touching him with her wings. “I suppose I should tell you my true name, as I expect us to be business partners in the very near future,” the woman called out, before landing in front of the man again, smiling at him with a tad of malice and pride. “Itzpapalotl is what the oldest civilizations call me. Of course, the name of the Warrior Goddess of the Night no longer holds any weight, because invaders filled with greed made sure to erase it from existence. You may also call me Orizaba. It’s a term of endearment, if you will.”

 ARAWN

He did not move his line of sight from directly in front of him when the creature began to move around and around, like a child who could not sit still. It was amusing to listen to them speak, to hear the utter rubbish coming from their mouth. For a while. Then, as they came back into sight still talking, he was coming to the realization that they must love the sound their voice more than anything else.

“Business partners,” he repeated, humored. As if he would trust anyone else after what had happened with the Seal. That had only taught him that anything he needed done he would need to do himself. Even the simplest of tasks.

Arawn scoffed, scowling at the creature.

“Your credentials mean nothing.” He stepped forwards, tilting his head slightly as a smirk rose to his lips. “I would not ‘aspire,’ to be anything like you. I am the one who was able to move between worlds. I am the one who was able to break the bounds of our planes. And you? How long have you been rotting away down here? What makes you think that I would ever want to be in association with nothing but an overgrown pest?”

 ORIZABA

“Yes, well, let’s just say some people decided to make sure I wasn’t able to come and go,” the moth fairy angrily said. “But that does not matter now, for you’ve set me free by making your way in here. If I’m still here it’s only because I wanted to thank you!”

The fairy once again took flight and took laps around. She returned eventually, and tilted her head. “Would you care to tell me your plans?” she inquired. “The problem with dark magic is that there’s always light magic out there to take care of it. I learned about that a long time ago. They will never let you use dark magic in peace even if you’re doing it for the good of the world.”

She grounded herself, and crossed her arms, stepping toward the man. All the pinks and purples in her, or so she wanted to think, contrasted beautifully against the man’s sad attire. It was a fun image in the woman’s head. “What I offer you is an allegiance. I’ve been watching you, and I believe we can help each other turn this world into what we’ve dreamed of. You’re too smart to think you can do it alone, and the useless child wizard you brought along proves that. You know a sacrificial lamb is always useful. So is a powerful ally.”

 ARAWN

Pitiful. Excuses at the ready. A harsh tch sounded out. He rolled his eyes. Thank him? He didn’t want thanks, he didn’t care about this thing, its plans. The only thing that mattered was his and in the end it would stomp out anyone else’s who dared to make a move. The chess game was over, he didn’t care for rules or going by the book anymore. This close to the finish line there was nothing else to take into consideration, now he was at the point where anything went to get what he wanted. By any means necessary.

He was going to leave, as it seemed as though they were done speaking to him. But then, sadly, they returned to block his path. Only, this time, they spoke with some sort of intelligence. And this time, he paid attention as it seemed they knew the struggled and the lack of like minded people that had taken over the world from which he needed to fix.

It was his turn to give the creature a once over, noting how trenchant their appearance was. His head tipped back slightly at their offer, eyes narrowing. They weren’t wrong. The boy was nothing more than a tool he needed and would soon be done with once they reached the end. But he detest putting trust in someone else’s hands as he had only proved that he himself was the only one capable of...anything.

“Tempting offer,” he hummed. “But, if what you say is true and you have been spying on me, then you know that there is only one thing I lack in making my plans come to pass and soon I will have it. None of which did I need any assistance with. What could I possibly gain from you from this so called alliance?”

 ORIZABA

The moth fairy’s smile extended over her face. She knew she could count on the man. That it would only take a tad of convincing. She was prepared for that. He would soon know, after all, how convenient it would be to work together.

“There is always something to gain, necromancer,” she assured him. She picked out one of the colorful flowers decorating her hair, and with a flick of the hand it turned into a violet orb of glass with prehispanic markings etched on its surface.

“This, corazón, is the Eye of Midnight. It is also the reason I am down here. They wanted it somewhere it wouldn’t work,” she explained. The fairy threw the ball into the air, and it floated back onto her hand as if it weighed as much as a feather. “Its magic is dormant because we are in here, but the Eye’s function is to allow me to create an Eternal Night. One in which dark magic can thrive and become more powerful than ever. In other words, whatever you want to do when you reach your objective, it can become much more powerful thanks to me.”

 ARAWN

Arawn paused for a moment, taking in the words as he watched the object descend back into her grip.

And then he smiled.

“I see,” he said, still looking at the orb with a sort of awed appreciation.

Finally it seemed as though there was someone who was willing to step up to where he had been standing for years above the rest of the verman that roamed the Earth in a blind scramble for meaning and purpose. It would figure that he would have to travel to the Underworld in order to find an equal.

He straightened back up after a moment, eyeing her once more with suspicion because, surely, it was not this easy. Arawn knew the selfish nature of the world. It was why he was the way he was. It was why he did the things he did. In order to bring the cure to that never ending plague he would have to do what was needed, and that included being selfish. But it was for the greater good and in the end would be for the benefit of the world, so was he truly being selfish? To do the unspeakable in order to save everyone?

“And what is it I can do for you?”

 ORIZABA

“Two very simple things, I assure you,” Orizaba said, grinning at the man. “Petty formalities, if you’d like to call them that!”

Using her magic, the former goddess projected her words into the Eye, which still floated above her hand. “On the day the Spirit World and that of the living unite, which is soon, you must help me protect the Eye of Midnight. When we succeed, nothing will be able to seal its power again, and I will control it.”

The Eye seemed to gleam at the woman’s words, but it was only her projection for the time being. “Afterwards, well, you need only to leave me alone. I intend on claiming my rightful place, ruling my empire across the sea. In exchange for your aid, the power of the Eye will too be yours to wield, making both of us unstoppable.”

 ARAWN

True to her word, the tasks of which she was asking of him were simple. So simple that one of them would be her getting rid of herself, which he would have done anyways. Perhaps they were actually of the same mindset after all. Even if her outward appearance did edge on the side of over the top, if she was able to perform, if this Eye of Midnight was able to do what she said, then he would put up with the extravagant decorum and grating voice for just a moment longer.

It was a very tempting offer.

There was powerful magic emanating from the orb, but there were so many other factors at play here. Arawn wasn’t willing to risk everything he had worked for just to get caught up in someone else’s plans that would be his downfall should they not have the work ethic.

“Very well. When the day comes and you have succeeded, then I will help in keeping the Eye’s protection.” Arawn’s smile fell off then. “But. If you have not, and you ask anything else of me, then there’s nothing you can say that will make me help you. Understood?”

 ORIZABA

“That’s what I like to hear, my dear,” the moth fairy said with a satisfied grin. She fluttered around some more, and then faced the man once more. Her hands moved to her hips as the Eye of Midnight disappeared into her wings.

“Then this marks the start of a new era,” she said, and offered her hand to shake. “Well, first, I take vacations - Then, new era!”

 ARAWN

His eyes moved, looking down his nose at her extended hand. Arawn smiled again, his teeth showing this time. He reached forwards and took hold.

This was going to be interesting, at the very least. The magic he could see and, now, feel coming from this being was unlike anything he had ever been witness to before. If anything, at the end, he would see just what havoc it would wreak to the world from which he had come.

“Very well.” He released her hand, clasping both of his own behind his back. “I’ll see you again in due time. I expect you won’t disappoint.”

 ORIZABA

The fairy-like creature smirked, sharp canines coming into view as the hands shook. She twirled in the air, then arranged the colorful flower crown on her head. “I expect the same thing from you, necromancer,” she concluded. “You’ll see me very soon.”

With that, the fairy’s physical form disappeared - what remained was a flurry of moths that flied away in the direction of the Gates as quick as their wings would take them.

[mexfan12]

Tag game

Tagged by @thatrebelunicorn

Fictional characters you relate to?

Marinette from MLB, I can be clumsy but also responsable, Garnet from SU, serious but cares and love the people close to me and want to do everything to protect them.

Book you can read over and over without getting tired of it?

Does the Art of TBOL counts?

What’s your favorite comfort show/movie?

Thi nigthmare before christmas, The book of life and the Harry Potter saga, How to train your dragon, Steven Universe, Star vs the forces of evil, miracuolous ladybug, trollhunters and more.

Which fictional character are you most defensive over?

Oh gods I had a lot of them to but the ones that came to my mind are Steven a Conni, Peridot, Manolo Sanchez and Miguel Rivera (protect the musician boys ;A;)

Show you fell out of love with?

spongebob, Castle (because I miss the track of the show).

Show you’re most excited for?

Gakuen Babysitters ;w; it made my sundays to much better

What’s your aesthetic?

Skulls, mexican and prehispanic art, day of the dead, fantastic creatures, dragons, alebrijes, spooky and paranormal stuff, and cartoons

Favorite fanfic tropes?

Au’s and crossoevers, fluff romance, Family and frienship moments.

I tagged @riizuu @the-musical-cc @artsypaige

[mayancivilizationblog-blog]

Blog #4

Mayan Farming tools

By Martha Rivera

The Mayans were amazing at being able to make things, especially when it came to feeding their families, as well as, their villages. Mayans didn’t have metal tools for farming so they had to make their own out of certain types of stones, just to name a few (limestone, granite and quartzite) and wood (sapodilla and breadnut). Just to name a few tools that were made by the Mayans were; scrapers, hammers, axes, which they made out of stones and the wood so that they were able to farm with them. Many of their tools for farming were also made of obsidian, a natural resource, which was a type of volcanic glass that was found around volcanos after eruption and found to be useful by the Mayans. Obsidian, was very important to the Mayans, it was used to make a majority of the Mayans tools for farming, but also used in their everyday lives, and to make weapons, which Mayans needed at all times.

http://www.maya-archaeology.org/Mayan_anthropology_ethnography_archaeology_art_history_iconography_epigraphy/minerals_obsidian_artifacts_Belize_Mexico_Guatemala_Honduras.php

Mayan tools. (n.d.). https://aztecandmayan.weebly.com/mayan-tools.html

Learn, J. R. (2016, August 24). Ancient Maya Bloodletting Tools or Common Kitchen Knives? How Archaeologists Tell the Difference. From https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-maya-bloodletting-tools-or-kitchen-knives-how-archaeologists-tell-difference-1-180960232/

Mayan Agriculture

By Martha Rivera

The quality of agricultural land around Mayan villages depended on their locations. The Mayans dealt with many recurring droughts and rising sea levels, as well as, either rough, rocky terrain intermixed with vast swamps, lowlands or wetlands. How they accomplished to feed their entire villages farming on these lands like this, no one knows, but it was accomplished somehow!

In the lowlands of certain Mayan villages, the soil was relatively fertile but restricted to small patches at times. A technique to increase soil fertility was the use of raised fields, especially near flood areas. They built stone walls to collect fertile deposits throughout their villages. Mayans without access to a larger area of land suitable for agriculture would have to trade with places nearby so that they were able to have the right land for their villages and immediate family to farm on. Some example of items that the Mayans traded were, salt, honey and valuable goods such as metals, feathers, weapons, tools and shells that had to be often traded for plant products and land. Mayans also grew their own little private gardens for their own individual households.

Water was another huge need in their daily lives and their agriculture. In some Mayan villages, during the dry winters and hot summers, water was collected in sinkholes that were created by caves that ended up sinking called tz'onot. Also, Cisterns, which was a tank that stores water and built around the entrance so that it could maximize the collection of rainwater so that they could save it for future uses when the weather changed.

Maya Food & Agriculture. (n.d.) https://www.ancient.eu/article/802/maya-food--agriculture/

“Maya Agricultural Methods.” History, 25 May 2017, www.historyonthenet.com/maya-agricultural-methods/.

Rath, Therese. “Agriculture.” National Institute of Culture and History, www.nichbelize.org/ia-archaeology/agriculture.html.

Mayan Chili Peppers

By Alex Powers

           This examination will focus on Mayan utilization of the Chili Pepper.  The Aztec empire regarded the Mayans the same way in which we regard the Roman Empire; with this influence, it is natural to assume that many cultural implementations of tobacco were inherited by the Aztecs from the Mayans.  The significance of the tobacco plant to Native populations of South and Central America predates the arrival of Spanish and Portuguese explorers to the New World.  While not much is known on the official history of Mayan tobacco use, modern narratives would argue that its history could be indirectly observed in the Aztec and Incan interactions with conquistadors.  The symbolism of foods like the chili pepper held great importance, like that of tobacco, to many pre-colonial societies of MesoAmerica. Implemented in religious ceremonies for the healing properties of the capsicum, and mixed into drinks that also contained cocoa, indigenous use of the Chili Pepper was diversified.  Researchers looking into the origins of pots discovered throughout various sites in Southern-Central America discovered, “While our findings of Capsicum species in these Preclassic pots provides the earliest evidence of chili consumption in well-dated Mesoamerican archaeological contexts, we believe our scientific study opens the door for further collaborative research into how the pepper may have been used either from a culinary, pharmaceutical, or ritual perspective during the last few centuries before the time of Christ."   

Foster, Lynne V. Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Houston, Stephen, John Robertson, and David Stuart. "The Language of Classic Maya Inscriptions." Current Anthropology 41, no. 3 (2000) pp. 321-56

Thornton, John K. A Cultural History of the Atlantic World. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Terry G. Powis, Emiliano Gallaga Murrieta, Richard Lesure, Roberto Lopez Bravo, Louis Grivetti, Heidi Kucera, Nilesh W. Gaikwad. Prehispanic Use of Chili Peppers in Chiapas, Mexico. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (11): e79013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079013

Mayan Foods We Still Consume Today

By Courtney King

What the Mayans grew and farmed back when they were first established and what they farm today has barely changed. They are still consuming what they have for the past hundreds of years and now these foods are eaten across the entire world. It just goes to show that foods the Mayans cultivated so long ago are still being eaten today. Chocolate is a sweet that is consumed all around the world. You can eat chocolate in many different ways, one of those ways being in beverage form - hot chocolate! The Mayans were the first people to take the seeds of the cacao fruit and roast them to make hot chocolate. I find it so amazing that we still drink hot chocolate today but with so many more ingredients and variations. Other delicious foods that are popular today in America and in other places on the globe are avocados and guacamole. Avocados were a treasured crop of the Mayans and people from the area of Antigua Guatemala are sometimes referred to as “green belly” because they relied so hard on avocados to get them through poor times when there was nothing else to be eaten. Other staple foods such as corn tortillas, corn, salsa, and coffee were also farmed and consumed by the Mayans and are still very popular today in many places. I find it so interesting that these foods started here with the Mayan people - I did not know that until researching more on the subject. It just goes to show that because of trade and other things, people from all over the world can adapt other cultures and the food that comes along with it! In the end, location does not matter a whole lot once trade and other similar climate conditions exist. You can make these foods just about anywhere with good farming practices and the right conditions.

“Top 10 Foods of the Maya World.” National Geographic, 12 Sept. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/maya-foods/.

[robbiebackpacking]

#Teotihuacan is a #mystery, no one really knows who built it. As you enter, you'll immediately notice this: the #pyramidofthesun. Despite being the largest and most influential #NewWorld #Prehispanic #PreColumbian city in 400 AD, it was desolate by the time the #Aztecs showed up nearly 1,000 years later. The #Aztec people were in awe of what they discovered. They thought it was where the universe was created and gave the location it's current name. Today it's Mexico's most visited #ancientsite. . . . More info in my #youtube video coming Thursday! . . . . #mexico🇲🇽 #mexicocity #teotihuacán #teotihuacanpyramids #pyramidofthemoon #avenueofthedead #losthistory #modernmysteries #unescoworldheritage (at Pyramid of the Sun) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5DdqDcFwXy/?igshid=t9alcv6n8u49