#when they were originally Victorian or Ancient Greek/Egyptian

[nightwingcouldyounot]

Again what is it with the Medieval style clothing? 

The Amazons (and adjacent) have always been based on 'Ancient’ cultures style clothing. 

(Red Hood Outlaw 042)

[unhonest-iago]

Incorrect History; Crystals

Everything that you’ve ever known about crystals is wrong. The simple yet elegant rocks that ties us mere mortals to the world’s fertile soil. You’ve probably searched up many times which stone correlates to when you were born. Aries’ pressurized diamonds to Pisces’ aquamarine.  One used for stress relief, the other stimulating creativity. Looking at them, you wouldn’t think about the many wars and political conflicts they’ve played a role in. Thus I believe it’s time we stepped back and got an even clearer reflection of crystals. That is if you pray to not lose your coveted gems. 

The intro reel plays, the text on screen reading ‘Factually True and Real History with Ted Nivison.’ A few images cascade behind the text, one being of the painting Girl with a Pearl Earring, while it gradually scales in size. Now you see Ted standing in front of a grassy knoll, you can assume it’s a green screen as it looks akin to Microsoft’s home screen.

Most would believe that the first big boom for crystals was New Age mysticism that arose in the 1980s but in actuality, they’ve been around since Ancient Egyptian. A ‘mini me’ form of Ted standing in the original’s hand. This revelation came with the discovery of clay tablets with magic formulas inscribed in hieroglyphics. Because this might come as a surprise to most of you, they did not have Staples.  A picture of Staples green-screened, the smaller Ted becoming aware of larger Ted. That kinda blew my mind when I found out. What the fuck? The mini Ted disappeared now. The Parthenos now set behind them.

Most of what we know regarding crystals comes from the Ancient Greeks. The word crystal derives from the word cryo. Before battle, Greek soldiers would rub hematite on themselves. Oxidation gives the crystal it’s pristine rusted color, closely associating it with Ares, their god of war. One such battle being the Trojan war, historians claim it was over the prized Helen of Troy but this is incorrect. Paris of Troy stealing her from her husband, Sparta’s king. A clip of the film 300’s protagonist yelling Sparta appears on screen. Rather it was what Helen possessed, a coveted amethyst necklace. The war itself almost destroyed the economy, allowing for the Romans to easily take over the omega filled population destitute of alphas. And the amethyst necklace unfortunately lost to time. 

Now let’s talk about the Victorians. A flash of puffy powdered wigs appearing on screen, different pieces of clothing; petticoats, feathered hats, waistcoat pockets holding watches. In 1829, Sir Boris Peel established London’s Metropolitan police force. They quickly garnered a corrupt reputation, referred to as spokes, cracking down on jewelry related robberies. Opals, rubies, & pearls most sought after. Women took to sewing them into their clothes, secret pockets when women’s clothing still had them. Further incorporating them into spring bonnets men on the hands of their watches. As tradition, peer pressure from the deceased goes, this is where aristocratic families willing beloved heirlooms to their descendants originated. As they later traveled to the adventurous new-beginnings of the Colonies, so did these possessions.

The east coast having settled, needing more room to stretch their legs, these ambitious settlers journeyed out west finding specks of gold in the Rocky mountains. They kept part of their finds separate, off the record. Only setting up shop after the glorious centers of attention turned to dust, haunted by their lustrous ghosts. Developing the tricks of the trade, mentoring others under their careful thumb. Hitting the 1980s, with the New Age movement, those jewels repurposed into anchors of healing as we entered the Age of Aquarius. Ted looks to the hourglass sitting on their mantle, the sand at the top now all at the bottom. Ah, it looks like we’re out of time. Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of Factually True History. I’m your host, Ted Nivison. Thanks for watching…or reading. It cuts to them waving, as the camera pans outward, the same intro playing, repeating as the outro. 

[lboogie1906]

Mummia, Mumia, or originally mummy referred to several different preparations in the history of medicine, from “mineral pitch” to “powdered human mummies”. It originated from Arabic mūmiyā “a type of resinous bitumen found in Western Asia and used curatively” in traditional Islamic medicine, which was translated as pissasphaltus in ancient Greek medicine. In medieval European medicine, mūmiyā “bitumen” was transliterated into Latin as Mumia meaning both “a bituminous medicine from Persia” and “mummy”. Merchants in apothecaries dispensed expensive mummia bitumen, which was thought to be an effective cure-all for many ailments. It was used as an aphrodisiac. Beginning around the 12th century when supplies of imported natural bitumen ran short, mummia was misinterpreted as “mummy”, and the word’s meaning expanded to “a black resinous exudate scraped out from embalmed Egyptian mummies”. This began a period of lucrative trade between Egypt and Europe, and suppliers substituted rare mummia exudate with entire mummies, either embalmed or desiccated. After Egypt banned the shipment of mummia in the 16th century, unscrupulous European apothecaries began to sell fraudulent mummia prepared by embalming and desiccating fresh corpses. Scholars proved that translating bituminous mummia into a mummy was a mistake, physicians stopped prescribing the ineffective drug. Artists used ground-up mummies to tint a popular oil paint called mummy brown.

Noble’s new book, Medicinal Cannibalism in Early Modern English Literature and Culture, and Richard Sugg’s Mummies, Cannibals, and Vampires: The History of Corpse Medicine from the Renaissance to the Victorians, reveal that many Europeans, including royalty, priests, and scientists, routinely ingested remedies containing human bones, blood and fat as medicine for everything from headaches to epilepsy. There were few vocal opponents of the practice, even though cannibalism in the newly explored Americas was reviled as a mark of savagery. Mummies were stolen from Egyptian tombs, and skulls were taken from Irish burial sites. Gravediggers robbed and sold body parts. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[fmp2gracieosborne]

Perspectives, Surrealism !

For centuries or more, tales of mythological creatures and mythical beasts have captured our minds. Stories of mythical animals, supernatural monsters, and other cool fantasy creatures continue to spread across the world through books, film, television, and many other media sources.

Sometimes, these mystical creatures are purely symbolic and offer us a closer look at a particular culture’s fears, desires, or values, while other folk tales about cute mythical creatures are based on human nature, or perhaps simply invented to keep disobedient children in line.

1. Golems - Famous in Jewish folklore, golems are most often depicted as beings created from inanimate matter such as clay or mud, which have been brought to life to serve some purpose.

2. Oni - In Japanese myth, oni are people who were so truly wicked in their lives that they transformed into demons in hell. Some were even bad enough to be transformed while still alive! These giant, scary monsters with red or blue skin, horns, and tusks are traditionally the servants of hell.

4. Ogre - Ogres are featured in folktales from all around the world, and though the word is of French origin, the creature itself is derived from the man-eating ancient Etruscan god Orcus.

5. Leprechauns - While leprechauns originated in medieval Irish folklore, they did not become prominent until much later. Smaller, diminutive human-like beings, leprechauns are known to be solitary creatures with a love for mischief and practical jokes.

6. Faeries (or Fairies) - These supernatural creatures or spirits are popular across a wide variety of myths, legends, and stories, leading up to the present day. Generally, when we think of fairies or faeries, we think of small, winged, magical creatures. However, faeries were rarely depicted with wings outside of Victorian artwork. In folk tales, faeries flew using magic and occasionally caught a ride on the back of a friendly bird!

7. Centaurs - Another human and animal hybrid from Greek legend is the centaur. Centaurs have the body of a horse with the head and chest of a human.

8. Fauns - Fauns, or goat men, were carried over to Roman mythology from the Greek Satyrs. In turn, Satyrs’ appearance was based on the god Pan. With the legs and tail of a goat and the upper body of a man.

9. Griffin - A hybrid of a lion and an eagle, the griffin was a powerful, majestic creature of ancient Egyptian and Persian mythology. Traditionally, griffins were depicted with the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion in addition to the head, wings, and talons of an eagle.

10. Dragon - Dragons are giant serpent-like, winged monsters that have been featured in myths from all around the world. Despite being so well-known, the origin of the dragon myth is something of a mystery. Furthermore, there are some cultures that believe that the creatures are not in fact mythical, but rather giant creatures who had previously died out, like dinosaurs.

[hrcbga]

Research on pies

Human pies.

These pies are made by special effects artist Ashley Newman and baker Andrew Fuller. They are made to look like human faces. They are said to be a 'contemporary turn' on the Victorian Penny Dreadful serial, Sweeney Todd.

The pies Ashley made were not originally edible, but made from perfectly skin-toned latex stretched over a foam base. Once teamed up with cake artist Andrew Fuller, who fully fits the Sweeney Todd profile as the grandson of a barber, they worked together to make edible, aptly named 'People Pot Pies'.

I found the description on how they developed the pie particularly Sweeney Todd inspired, 'As pie makers know, crust is a fickle friend: It thirsts for liquid to become supple, like human skin, yet threatens to become tough and leathery, and shrink away from the pie plate's edge if too much is added.

Of course, the pie is considered the National dish of Britain, but what can be in it? Here are 10 fund facts you may not know about the 'humble British pie'

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When was the pie actually invented?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zmtn2sg

The idea of the pie goes back as far as prior to 2000 BC. The Ancient Egyptians made a pie with a honey filling, covered in a crusty cake made from oats, wheat, rye or barley.

Aristophanes, the Greek writer, mentions pies made from pastry in his plays, closer to the 5th Century BC, and the Romans took that concept even further, making a pastry out of flour, oil and water, although this pastry was used as a way to preserve the ingredients it covered.

Eventually, by the mid 14th century, pies made their way to Europe and in Britain pies had mainly meat fillings, with a base now being called the coffin. However, they were still used as a way to protect and preserve the ingredients inside the pie. The very first cherry pie ever made, was apparently made for Queen Elizabeth I. Shakespeare even wrote about two of the male characters being killed off in his play, Titus Andronicus, baking them in a pie as revenge for attacking the main characters daughter. He fed the pie to his victims' mother.

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We are all familiar with the GBB, or Great British Bake off, but one contestant drew particular attention when they caused outrage when they admitted to his 'passion' for using roadkill animals he finds, in his baking. He named one of his dishes on the show 'Roadkill Pie' when tasked with baking a game pie, as part of a week of challenges inspired by the Victorian era.

Personally I wouldn't have an issue with eating a 'Roadkill Pie' as long as it had not been laying by the road for ages, that would put me off a bit... a lot! In reality, an animal in a game pie still has to die for it to be cooked, also, it is good use of the animal, rather than leaving it to rot by the side of the road.

Here's a newspaper report on the shock of the public and the resulting in a heated online debate by viewers:

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Interestingly, there is even a Sweeney Todd pie brand! Here is a link to their website:

There are a list of pie ingredients, which were, thankfully, all very normal! I particularly liked the idea of the chicken, chilli and chorizo one. I really liked the design of an 'S' on the pie crust, it was a nice touch and nod to the original pie maker extraordinaire. It was interesting to see they also do deserts, such as the traditional chocolate cake

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We then looked at Street Food. First looking at Victorian Street Food on this website:

We were asked to find out about Jellied Eels, Eel Pie, Baked Sheeps Heart, Tripe and Oysters.

The one thing which stuck out for me was the tripe, because my granny always tells us the story of how her mother-in-law gave her tripe for tea and it was absolutely disgusting. I can't say any of the other items appeal to me either. Tripe is the stomach lining of a farm animal, such as cattle, pigs or sheep. Dressed tripe is when the stomachs are cleaned and the fat trimmed off, It is then boiled and bleached, giving it the white color more commonly associated with tripe as seen on market stalls and in butchers' shops. The task of dressing the tripe is usually carried out by a professional tripe dresser

Jellied Eels consists of chopped eels, boiled in a spiced stock, which is then allowed to cool and set to form a jelly. They are usually served cold.

In Victorian times eels were not only cheap and nutritious, but also easily sourced. They were very common in the rivers of London, and became a staple for the poor. Eel pie started out being sold on the streets, by a pieman, and later transitioned into pie shops. The traditional eel pie consisted of lengths of eel, which was layed out on a bed of parsley, in a pie crust. They were popularly sold with mashed potato and a green 'gravy' which was made from the liquid result of making the eel pie filling.

Oysters were, again, popular with the working class and poor people due to being cheaper then beef and being easily sourced. Pickled oysters were very popular, along with oyster pie.

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We were asked to think about other unusual Street Food from around the world, and I took a look at this link for inspiration:

There were some extremely weird 'Street Food' options listed, like Guinea Pigs, from Peru, which they call Cuy. It, supposedly, takes like Duck, which I like, so I think I would be willing to give it a try... it helps that I don't have a pet Guinea Pig!

The 'Street Food' option I most liked the sound of was Khanom Krok, from Thailand. It is a coconut and rice pancake concoction. Seeing as I love pancakes and coconut, I really think I would enjoy trying that.

Most people like sushi, but I think that would be my food hell... I really don't like fish, and the though of eating raw fish is not enticing. For dessert, it would definitely be the Banana Cue, from Indonesia. This is deep fried banana on a stick and sounds disgusting.

Two things which stuck out for me on here, which I would consider in my pie design were number 21, Biltong from South Africa, which I have tried in the past and liked. I think it would be effective if used to stick out of the pie top, to create a look or fingers, for example, reaching out. The other choice to go in a pie would be the 'Currywurst', from Germany. This is sausages in a curry spices, with ketchup. Again, they could be made to look like fingers coming out of the pie top.

I think, our choices of what we find acceptable as edible do depend on where we come from, our Nationality, to a certain extent. Some countries eat would consider things we eat in the UK as strange. If we lived in Papua New Guinea, we would be happy with 'Human Pies'

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Here is a 'top ten' of street food markets, which includes farmers markets. These mainly sell fresh produce and locally made produce such as breads and cakes, chutneys and jams.

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Here is another story of 'humans in food'. This is a trailer for the movie Soylent Green, directed by Richard Fleischer:

In the dystopian movie, which is loosely based on the 1966 science-fiction novel, Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison, the company that make food wafers for the poor start to create a new type of wafer, called Soylent Green. Detective Robert Thorn is tasked to investigate the death of a board member of the Soylent Corporation and in the process he discovers that the Soylent Green wafers are derived from human flesh, not from the Plankton the company had said they were made of.

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Snowpiercer, is a post-apocalyptic dystopian, thriller movie from 2013, which was directed by Bong Joon Ho. The movie is based on the French climate fiction graphic novel called Le Transperceneige, written by Jaques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette. Set in the year 2031 after a failed attempt at stopping climate chage has resulted in an ice age. In the movie the Snowpiercer is a train, with the poor cramped in the end 'tail compartments'. The 'tail' passengers lead a revolt against the elite at the front of the train. In the story, the poor are given protein bars which consist of ground up cockroaches. It is actually a very interesting one, as food manufacturers have just started adding ground up insects, such as crickets, to food in real life.

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The French delicacy being eaten to death.

This story is about the tiny migratory songbird, called the Orlotan Bunting, which are being hunted to extinction because they are seen as a delicacy food. They are captured, put in cages to fatten up and then drowned in Armagnac, which is an alcohol. They are then plucked, cooked and eaten whole. Every part, except the beak is eaten.

Ritualistically, diners eat the bird feet first in one mouthful with napkins over their heads. Some say the napkin captures the steaming aromas to enhance the gastronomic experience; others contend it hides the act from the eyes of God. It seems very much like a fad for the Elite. People think it is fashionable and don't think about the consequences of their actions.

It is possible the hunting, and subsequent eating, of these endangered birds may soon be banned.

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Strange food in Star Wars movies.

Mos Espa marketplace | Wookieepedia | Fandom

I am a big fan of Star Wars and there was some pretty strange looking food in the movies. The Mos Espa marketplace was one particular, located in the spaceport of the planet Tatooine. It had various types of stalls including those selling fruits, meat and drinks. Names such as Gragra's Gorgmonger Booth, where Jar Jar Binks purchases a Gorg and spits it out into the soup belonging to a Dug. Also, Jira's Fruit Stall, a street cafe: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Akim%27s_Munch/Legends The cafe had a bad reputation for selling undercooked and stringy food.

Human's are also eaten in Star Wars. For example, in Star Wars Episode VI Jabba sends the band of Rebels to the desert to be eaten by the sand dwelling people, the Sarlacc, who would eat and digest them over a thousand years. Luckily they escape.

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The Troll Market in Hell Boy II

For Hellboy II, a set for the Troll Market was created, in an old Hungarian mine cave. Artists were asked to design creatures to be vendors at the market, such as the limb vendor and cat vendor, without the traditional 'movie style' monsters, but using old cave drawings and Arabian tales.

Here are my choice of three of the characters which stood out to me:

This was the first, and strangest I think, creature I chose. It is a creature playing a human bagpipe. This is a sitting creature in an animatronic suit. They have a weird looking snout and the human bagpipes are rested on their very large, exposed stomach. I envisaged the music as enticing the clientele to purchase their wares.

The second creature which caught my eye, and had a very 'Sweeney Todd' style to it, was this one, the Barber Troll:

The barber troll is dubbed 'The Cronie' and is shaving another, more humanoid character, which actually has a baby growing out of it's chest. The actual barber troll looks a lot like a dragon crossed between a troll. The creature is a full size suit, which is worn, but has a fully-mechanised animatronic head and arm extensions.

The third creature, I chose purely because they appealed to me. I liked them and they reminded me of Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy and their face looks a bit like an owl.

This is Cathedralhead, who is a humanoid. The design originated as a sketch, which was then developed into a Maquette, or small scale mode. The idea was a mix of various artists ideas and it's lower face is made to look like old stone. The designers used Spectral Motion make-up and the actor then wore a suit with a head extension and radio-controlled animatronic eyes.

I think this would definitely draw the crowds to the stall if this character was the vendor!

I watched this clip, which I found really useful, it was interesting to see how the creatures I had chosen moved, and what they sounded like: youtube.com/watch?v=rOS1Wi1wvjg

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We were asked to look at the work of Guillermo del Toro, an artist who has worked on many movies including; Hellboy, The Devil's Backbone and Blade II. Here is a link to view his amazing work:

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (wordpress.com)

This sketch was from the design process for Blade II in his notebook.

According to Del Toro, 'The pages chart the evolution of the Reapers from their earliest incarnation'. The designs here are very good and I feel as though Guillermo Del Toro really put a lot of effort and love into them, I'm sure the final result was even better.

The pages I have chosen are a bit like a story board, in that they provide notes as well as sketches on his designs. Del Toro mentions that, through his sketching and notes his designs were able to develop.

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Here is a great Super Sculpey design, from Pintrest:

Super Sculpey man eating plant (wip) | Man eating plant, Eating plant, Food (pinterest.co.uk)

I really like the plant, it is very well made and I would love to see the finished piece. I think the artist did a really good job of making the leaves look delicate and I really liked the tendrils, wrapped around the plant's arm type section.

[fascinatingfactsandpoems]

The language of flowers, also known as floriography, is a fascinating and intricate system of symbolism and meaning attributed to different types of flowers. This language has been used throughout history in various cultures around the world as a way of communicating emotions, thoughts, and messages through the gift of flowers.

The origins of the language of flowers can be traced back to ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians and Greeks, who believed that flowers had spiritual and medicinal properties. The Victorians, however, are credited with popularizing the language of flowers in the 19th century, when they used it as a way to express feelings and emotions that were considered taboo to discuss openly.

Each flower in the language of flowers has a specific meaning, and the arrangement and combination of flowers can convey even more nuanced messages. For example, red roses symbolize love and passion, while yellow roses represent friendship and joy. The daisy symbolizes innocence and purity, while the lily represents purity and rebirth. The iris symbolizes faith and wisdom, while the peony represents prosperity and good fortune.

In addition to the individual meanings of flowers, the language of flowers also includes the meanings of the colors and the way the flowers are arranged. For example, a bouquet of red and white roses together symbolizes unity, while a bouquet of yellow and orange flowers symbolizes enthusiasm and excitement.

The language of flowers was used heavily during the Victorian era, particularly in courtship and romance. Suitors would carefully choose the flowers they gave to their intended, ensuring that the combination of flowers conveyed the right message. Flowers were also used to express condolences, congratulations, and gratitude.

Today, the language of flowers is not as commonly used as it once was, but it still holds significance in certain cultures and contexts. For example, it is still common to give red roses as a symbol of love and affection on Valentine's Day, and white lilies are often given at funerals to symbolize purity and rebirth.

In conclusion, the language of flowers is a beautiful and meaningful system of symbolism that has been used throughout history to communicate emotions and messages through the gift of flowers. Although it is not as prevalent today as it once was, it still holds significance in certain cultures and contexts, and serves as a reminder of the power of symbolism and the beauty of nature.

[samwisethewitch]

Reconnecting with the Divine Feminine

I don’t think it’s groundbreaking or controversial at this point to say that all three Abrahamic religions are mostly patriarchal. Sure, we can talk about the veneration of the Virgin Mary, or the woman prophets in the Tanakh, or women saints in Islam. At the end of the day, though, we cannot overlook the fact that in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, God is a man. Since 31% of the world’s population identify as Christian and 23% identify as Muslim, that means over half of the people on Earth are completely disconnected from the feminine side of divinity.

Ironically Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are among very few religions that don’t embrace a feminine aspect of divinity. Patriarchal religion is treated like the norm in most modern cultures (again, largely because of the dominance of Christianity and Islam), but it has definitely not been the norm throughout human history. The Goddess, the Divine Feminine, has been a prominent part of human spirituality since before recorded history.

In ancient Sumer she was Inanna, the Queen of Heaven. In Egypt she was Isis, Lady of the Sky, Great of Magic, and Hathor, Lady of the West, and Sekhmet, Mistress of Fear. In Hinduism she is Shakti, the feminine principle that moves the universe. In Japan she is Amaterasu, the Great Illuminating Deity, and Izanami, the creatrix who rules the underworld. The Divine Feminine has taken all of these forms at different times and places, among many, many others.

Even the Abrahamic religions haven’t always been solely focused on masculine divinity. There is significant evidence that the Abrahamic God was originally part of a larger pantheon before becoming the sole object of worship in Israel and Judah. As part of a polytheist system, he had a consort, a goddess named Asherah. Rabbinic literature refers to the divine presence of the Jewish God as “shekinah” — interestingly, this is a feminine word, implying that this aspect of God is feminine.

The removal of feminine divinity from Christianity largely occurred during the fourth century, when Roman Christianity beat out other traditions as the sole “correct” Church. Before this some Christian groups, notably those in North Africa, had worshiped God as both Father and Mother — a masculine/feminine dyad, rather than the masculine trinity worshiped in Rome. Other groups identified the Holy Spirit as feminine, creating a trinity of Father, Mother, and Son. (Interestingly, these family triads were also common in Egyptian paganism.) When the Nicene Creed was created in 325 to standardize Christian belief and practice, it excluded these interpretations by affirming belief only in “God, the Father Almighty” and “Jesus Christ, the Son of God” and removing all mentions of God the Mother.

All of this does not invalidate the genuine, life-changing spiritual experiences people have had with modern Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. It does, however, prove that patriarchal religion is the exception, not the rule.

Modern paganism’s acceptance and veneration of the Divine Feminine is a large part of its appeal for many converts, especially women, genderfluid, and nonbinary people who do not see themselves represented in the mythology and art of patriarchal religion. The Divine Feminine is present in all pagan religions, though She takes different forms in different faiths.

In monist pagan paths like Wicca, the polarity of Goddess and God is seen as one of the primary ways deity makes itself known to mankind. In the words of Scott Cunningham, one of Wicca’s most influential authors, “The Goddess and God are equal; neither is higher or more deserving of respect… The Goddess is the universal mother. She is the source of fertility, endless wisdom, and loving caresses… She is at once the unploughed field, the full harvest, and the dormant, frost-covered earth.”

The Goddess and the God balance and compliment each other, and this balance is at the core of many neopagan religions. (There are some traditions that exclusively worship the Goddess, but we’ll talk more about that in a future post.)

In polytheist paganism, the Divine Feminine is present in the form of various goddesses who rule over different aspects of life and nature. It is not uncommon for polytheist pagans (or monist pagans, for that matter) to work with multiple goddesses, even goddesses from different historical pantheons. Some goddesses are explicitly associated with certain aspects of womanhood — for example, the Greek goddess Artemis is associated with virgins and young girls, while Demeter is associated with motherhood.

In many (but not all) polytheist systems, there is an emphasis on balance between gods and goddesses. One of my favorite examples of this is the marriage of the Morrigan and the Dagda in Irish mythology. The Morrigan, goddess of war, magic, and death, is married to the “good god” of life, fertility, and knowledge. Their union represents a balance between opposite, complimentary forces.

This brings us to another point I want to make, while we’re on the subject of the Divine Feminine: not all feminine divinities are passive, maternal, fertility goddesses.

In Western culture, women (and, by extension, feminine deities) are seen as the passive or receptive sex. This is largely a product of Victorian England, not an ancient truth.

Without knowledge of sex chromosomes, hormones, or the complexities of gender, Victorian thinkers developed a theory that men had a “katabolic” nature that was constantly releasing energy, while women had an “anabolic” nature that was constantly receiving and storing up energy. This concept of gender greatly influenced Western occultism and can be seen, for example, in Gerald Gardener’s conception of the Goddess as the passive recipient of the God’s energy.

This is a relatively new and very Western idea. In Hinduism, for example, Shakti is both the feminine principle and the energy that moves the cosmos. In the words of author Kavitha Chinnaiyan, “there is nothing in creation that isn’t a manifestation of Shakti.” Shiva, the masculine principle, is unchanging awareness — it is Shakti who possesses the dynamic energy necessary for creation.

I am by no means encouraging pagans to appropriate Hindu concepts. My point here is that no gender is entirely active or entirely passive, which is why so many cultures interpret gender in so many different ways.

Even within systems like traditional Wicca, which operate within a strict gender binary, neither gender can be completely tied down. In their book A Witches’ Bible, traditional Wiccans Janet and Stewart Farrar acknowledge that the “masculine = active, feminine = passive” model is an oversimplification. They use the example of an artist and muse. The (feminine) muse “fertilizes” the (masculine) artist, who “gives birth” to the resulting art.

Personally, I see the masculine/feminine polarity as a constantly shifting dynamic, with both sides giving and receiving energy all the time. Which side of the polarity is more active or passive depends on the situation.

Being pagan does not mean dedicating yourself to the worship of gender binaries, and it does not mean you need to uphold those binaries. God and Goddess are only two of many possible expressions of the Divine, just like man and woman are only two of many possible gender expressions.

Monist pagans see the God and Goddess as two halves of a greater, all-gendered whole. Polytheist pagans may worship gods and goddesses who fall outside of the gender binary such as the Norse Loki or the Egyptian Atum. In either case, divinity is seen as encompassing all possible gender expressions, not just cis man and cis woman.

The erasure of the feminine from Western religion and mythology means that the nonbinary nature of some deities is often downplayed or erased completely. (You’d be hard pressed to find a mythology book that doesn’t use he/him pronouns for both Loki and Atum.) Reconnecting with the Divine Feminine opens the door for other divine expressions of gender.

The end result of this acceptance of feminine and nonbinary divinity is a religious community built on equality between all gender expressions. No one is closer to the gods because of the anatomy they were born with or the gender they present as.

This paves the way for a religion where no one’s worship is restricted because of their gender expression. It allows for priests, priestesses, and priestixes. It allows everyone to fully participate in the rites of their faith, on equal footing regardless of gender or pronouns. It also creates an environment where practitioners feel comfortable exploring issues of gender and sexuality, knowing that they will not lose the support of their community if their identity changes.

Resources:

The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

The Morrigan and The Dagda by Morgan Daimler

“Victorian Theories of Sex and Sexuality” by Elizabeth Lee, Brown University

Shakti Rising by Kavitha M. Chinnaiyan, M.D.

A Witches’ Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar

Casting a Queer Circle: Non-binary Witchcraft by Thista Minai

[myhauntedsalem]

25 Common Superstitions and Their Origins

From avoiding walking under ladders to carrying a rabbit’s foot for good luck; why do we do the things we do? What is the origin of many of our most common superstitions?

25. It’s bad luck to open an umbrella indoors

Even though many people believe that this superstition started with the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt, most historians trace the belief back to Victorian times when the poorly designed umbrellas of the time would have been a very legitimate hazard indoors.

24. Walking Under a Ladder is Bad Luck

Egyptians regarded triangles as sacred and since a ladder resting against a wall forms a triangle it was not ok for someone to walk through it.

23. Broken mirrors lead to seven years of bad luck

Looking into the mirror to predict the future was a practice used in ancient Greece and was called catoptromancy. Having a distorted reflection was considered a really bad sign. Later the Romans taught the idea that people have 7 year cycles of good health and then bad health. Combine those two traditions and the modern superstition is born.

22. When you spill salt, toss some over your left shoulder to avoid bad luck

Tossing spilled salt over your left shoulder started around 3,500 BC by the Sumerians. After that the tradition spread to the Egyptians, Assyrians, and later the Greeks.

21. Knock on wood to prevent Disappointment

Even though this is a very common superstition, historians are unsure what the true origins are. They believe it is possible that the habit comes from touching a wooden crucifix while taking an oath.

20. Hang a horseshoe on your door with the open end up for good luck

During the middle ages many people thought that witches feared horses and would stay away from any sign of them. Because of this the people would put horseshoes on their barns during the summer.

19. A black cat crossing your path is unlucky

Originally because of ancient Egyptians cats were considered good luck. But when King Charles the I mourned the loss of his cat he decided that his luck was gone. Now people all over the world believe the sight of a black cat is bad.

18. The number 13 is Unlucky

Also known as triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13 originates back to Norse mythology when 12 Gods were said to be having dinner when Loki, the God of strife and evil, crashed the party and ultimately caused the death of Balder, one of the Gods.

17. Finding a four leaf clover is lucky

In ancient times the Celts believed that four leaf clovers were powerful objects and that they could be used to ward off evil.

16. Wishing upon a shooting star

In the first century Ptolemy theorized that shooting stars resulted from gods peering down on the Earth. While the gods were looking people would send their wishes and hope that they would hear them.

15. Holding your breath while passing a cemetery

Normally this is attributed to the connection between breathing and living. However in some Native American cultures breathing near the dead was risky because you might accidentally inhale someone’s soul.

14. Throwing coins in a fountain for luck

Originally this was practiced by the ancient Romans and then was also used by the Celts. Many theorize that it was to appease the water gods.

13. Wishing on Dandelions

Blowing out the seeds of a dandelion originated in Celtic Mythology. It was believed that dandelions could cure diseases and would bring about good fairies.

12. Putting hats on a bed is bad luck

Some cultures used to think that evil spirits lived in people’s hair and would get on their hats.

11. Putting candles on a birthday cake

In Ancient Greek they used to make birthday cakes. It is said that they would put candles on the cakes so that they would look like the moon in honor of the Moon Goddess Artemis. Today candles on a birthday cake are associated with making wishes and having good luck.

10. It’s lucky for a bride to see a chimney sweep on her wedding day

In 1066 King William was about to be run over by a carriage but was saved by a near by chimney sweep. The king then invited him to his daughter’s wedding and chimney sweeps are still seen to be lucky to this day.

9. Seeing the bride on the wedding day is bad luck

This was seen as bad luck because it was often worried that if the bride saw the groom she might get cold feet and not follow through with the wedding plans. This may also be because many weddings used to be prearranged.

8. Carrying the bride over the threshold

In western cultures it was seen as bad luck for the bride to trip while entering her new home so to completely avoid the possibility the groom would just carry her. Just as long as he doesn’t trip everything should be fine.

7. A rabbit’s foot brings good luck

During the seventh century BC the rabbit came to be considered a talismanic symbol and it’s left hind foot was a way to benefit from the rabbit’s luck.

6. Bird droppings on your head for luck

This belief possibly stems from the idea that if you have bad fortune the tide will soon turn in your favor. With life having its different cycles it would make sense that people would think: ‘well it can only get better from here!’

5. Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand

This tradition started when the ancient Romans dissected corpses and found that there was a specific slender sinew or nerve that ran from the left fourth finger to the heart.

4. Wishbones being associated with luck

Ancient Etruscans would often use chickens in their sacred divination rituals. People believed that if they saved the wishbone after the chicken died they would be able to benefit from the oracles magic.

3. Lighting three cigarettes with one match is unlucky

Some people believe that this rumor was started among soldiers who believed that by the time they lit their third cigarette a sniper would have spotted them. Others say that the business man Ivar Krueger came up with the idea in order to get people to buy up more of his matches.

2. Placing shoes on the table

Many years ago when a miner died his shoes would be placed on a table. This tradition led to the superstition that putting shoes on a table brings bad luck.

1. Step on a crack and break your mother’s back

Although the exact origin is uncertain this myth became popular when it was published in Fletcher Bascom Dressler’s book “Superstition and Education” in 1907. It does make sense to avoid cracks while walking so that you don’t risk tripping. Perhaps this superstition goes back to fear of instability and the symbolism of falling in life.

[aboutanancientenquiry]

On Herodotus and Egypt (IX : some final thoughts)

In this last part of my text on Herodotus and Egypt, I will proceed to examine from another angle the accusations of the tumblr egyptologists against Herodotus.

I remind here that all the anti-Herodotus hatred and “crusade” of the group of tumblr Egyptologists have allegedly as reason that Herodotus would be the main source of misconceptions about ancient Egypt today. 

Thus, for thatlittleegyptologist (https://thatlittleegyptologist.tumblr.com/post/635303317399027712/whats-ur-take-on-herodotus-being-a-fuckwad ) :

“As an Egyptologist I’ve spent hours unpicking someone’s fairly outlandish claim, only to find it all leads back to an incorrect fact Herodotus claimed about the Egyptians. So many incorrect assumptions about Ancient Egypt that are found in print and in media, all can be traced back to Herodotus.”

And, as we had already the opportunity to see, @somecunttookmyurl (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/somecunttookmyurl/640682640343695360) says with absolute confidence and in her inimitable style:

“I guarantee, if there’s something batshit about Egypt and you try to trace it back you will eventually end up at Herodotus’ crack habit.”

And I remind also here @rudjedet ‘s by now classical academic appraisal of Herodotus (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/rudjedet/180147136838 ) :

“Herodotus lied about a lot of things and many misconceptions about ancient Egypt can be traced back to his Greek ass”

From her part shatar-aethelwynn puts things into their historical and ideological perspective (https://shatar-aethelwynn.tumblr.com/post/638056462602715136/agreekstrangerpolitical-shatar-aethelwynn-as ) and informs us that :

“...a broader attitude in the field of Egyptology it may be “The Victorians were an imperialist and racist bunch of assholes who worshipped the ancient Greeks and fucked over our field of study for decades and we’re trying to fix it so if the Classicist’s fans could please accept that we have first hand sources that contradict their second hand sources that would be great thanks.” “

Now, I think that I have shown in the previous parts of my text the value of Herodotus’ work in Egypt, that he is right much more often than his detractors believe, and that the group of tumblr egyptologists crusade against a book that in fact they have not read. 

But I think that the accusation itself that Herodotus would be the main source of misconceptions on ancient Egypt is not serious. 

In fact, such an allegation shows a very problematic understanding of the main sources of misconceptions and distortions about ancient Egypt in the recent past and today.

I say this because it should be obvious that there are misconceptions about ancient Egypt concerning things much more important and fundamental than the questions on whether the Egyptian priests wore or not wollen garments or whether the Egyptian shaved the eyebrows when their cats died, which cause the anti-Herodotus rage of the tumblr egyptologists.  

 The first such much more important and fundamental misconception about ancient Egypt has to do with racism and more particularly “scientific” racism. And I will explain what I mean.

For many Westerners in the 19th century and for a large part of the 20th century the fact that a non-European, non-Nordic people like the Egyptians had created such a great civilization was something inconceivable. 

Therefore, for these people the Egyptian civilization “should” have a somehow “Aryan” origin. Therefore, theories about such an origin of the Egyptian civilization have been proposed and were for a long time very influential. 

The main proponent of such theories was the distinguished British Egyptologist Flinders Petrie (1853-1942), about whom we can read in Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flinders_Petrie ) :

“Petrie remains controversial for his anti-democratic and pro-eugenics racial views, and was a dedicated believer in the superiority of the Northern peoples over the Latinate and Southern peoples.[26] These views spilled over into his academic opinions. Believing that society is the product of racial biology,[27] he contended that the culture of Ancient Egypt was derived from an invading Caucasoid "Dynastic Race", which had entered Egypt from the south in late predynastic times, conquered the "inferior, exhausted mulatto" natives, and slowly introduced the higher Dynastic civilisation as it interbred with them.[26][28] Petrie engaged in fierce controversies with the British Museum's Egyptology expert E. A. Wallis Budge, who contended that the religion of the Egyptians was not introduced by invaders, but was essentially identical to that of the people of northeastern and central Africa; however, most of their colleagues judged Petrie's opinion to be more "scientific". “

It is clear from this excerpt that, contrary to what shatar-aethelwynn suggests in the passage that I have quoted some paragraphs above, racist views about ancient Egypt were not the result of the hegemony of the classicists : Petrie was not classicist, on the contrary he was the most distinguished Egyptologist of his time, and his views were informed by racial biologism, not by the influence of the classics. 

Moreover, these racist views had nothing to do with some “worship of the Greeks”, again contrary to what shatar-aethelwynn believes, as Petrie was a Nordic supremacist who had no reason to “worship’ a Southern European people like the Greeks.

(Btw I don’t understand why thatlittleegyptologist takes as target E. A. Wallis Budge, the Egyptologist who opposed Petrie’s racist views -see for instance    https://thatlittleegyptologist.tumblr.com/post/649155644496265216/note-that-was-excellent-for-his-time-but-weve - and totally forgets to mention the negative influence in Egyptology of Petrie’s racism)

Petrie’s views were for a long time very influential among Egyptologists, and as Barry Kemp writes in a rather ambiguous way :

“Might not the evidence show that the Egyptians, as Caucasoids, ultimately came from the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East ? Discussions took this course even into the 1950′s, most notably on the theme that the development of Egyptian civilization was given a vigorous push by the immigration around the beginning of the 1st Dynasty of a forceful and intelligent people from the east, the “dynastic race”, who came to dominate the existing population of predominantly Negroid type. Today these are troubled waters which most people who write about ancient Egypt from within the mainstream of scholarship avoid.”

(B. Kemp “Egypt-Anatomy of a Civilization”, Routledge, second edition, 2007, p. 47) 

 Today the “scientific” racist approach on Egypt of Petrie and his followers has no advocates among scholars, as there is no serious evidence for the alleged existence, invasion, and more general role of the “dynastic race” in the formation of the Egyptian civilization, and the emergence of the latter is very well explained in terms of an indigenous development. 

But the racist explanation of the ancient Egyptian civilization as being the result of the domination of a Caucasian elite over the indigenous population is still popular in different miilieus of far-righters, as one can easily find on the net, and one could not exclude that in the future it could reach again a more general public. 

Now, shouldn’t we consider that such views -influential in the past even among Egyptologists- are a far more important and dangerous source of misconceptions about ancient Egypt than what Herodotus has written almost 2.500 years ago ?

But there is more about this : in fact, Herodotus is an ally in the fight against such unscientific racist views on ancient Egypt. 

And this, because in his work there is no mention of any tradition about some “dynastic race”, which would have invaded Egypt, submitted the indigenous population, and created the Egyptian civilization. 

Given that Herodotus often collects traditions about migrations of peoples, the absence in “Histories” of any mention of any tradition about some “foundational” invasion and conquest of Egypt means that no such tradition existed in his time. 

This thing in turn suggests that the invasion of the Caucasoid “dynastic race” never happened, as such a momentous event should have left some traces in the Egyptian tradition, which would have been recorded in the one or the other form by Herodotus. 

On the contrary, Herodotus insists on the indigenous character and the antiquity of the Egyptian civilization, as well as on the influence exerted by this civilization on other peoples (among them the Greeks), according to his views of ‘cultural diffusionism”.

I remind here that, although Herodotus distinguishes the Egyptians from the “Ethiopians’ (which was the term generally used by the Greeks for Black people), he describes the Egyptians as typically “black-skinned and woolly-haired”, as the “Landmark Herodotus” edition of “Histories” translates the original μελάγχροες εἰσί καί οὐλότριχες of 2.104,2.

But perhaps the major source of misconceptions on ancient Egypt today is, again not Herodotus of course, but the different theories of “pyramidology” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidology#Water_shaft_theory ), and more particularly the popular theory that the pyramids have been built not by the ancient Egyptians, but by...Aliens.

This theory with the Aliens as builders of the pyramids has something to do with racism, as it seems that in many cases it starts from the implicit assumption that a “non-White” people like the ancient Egyptians would not have been able to build such marvels and that some other, more “exotic” explanation must exist for the construction of the pyramids.

Once again, such theories find no foundation in what Herodotus has written on Egypt. 

Herodotus’ account of the building of the pyramids may have several flaws (see Part VIII of my text), but it is has the great merit that it is totally rational. 

For him the building of the pyramids is not a mystery, but a feat of engineering and hard work.

Now, if a person of the Antiquity like Herodotus could explain the building of the pyramids without recourse to the supernatural or the extraterrestral, the people who believe today that it is necessary to involve...Aliens to explain this building appear totally ridiculous.

And Herodous’ rational, although very unflattering for Cheops, account of the motives for the construction of the pyramids and of the Egyptian popular tradition about it are important arguments against different other “mystical” theories around the pyramids.

Therefore, Herodotus is once again an ally, this time against the fashionable various unscientific theories of “pyramidology”.

 But what about a last source of current misconceptions about ancient Egypt ?

I ask that because it seems that there is a third source of such misconceptions, although not motivated by complexes of racial superiority, as it is the case with “scientific” racism, or by unscientific and bizarre intellectual tendencies, as it is the case with the theories of the different “pyramidologists”.

On the contrary, it seems that this third source of misconceptions about ancient Egypt stems from the very fascination of some -among them, as it seems, not few scholars- with the achievements of the ancient Egyptian civilization.

 As third source of misconceptions, I mean here the idealization of ancient Egypt as a “harmonious society” of ”benevolent despotism”, a tendency which is, as it seems, very influential today in the field of Egyptology, as it is obvious in the caricatural case of the group of anti-Herodotus tumblr egyptologists.

As the eminent Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson explains (in ”The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt”, Bloomsbury 2010, p. 30-31) : 

“In studying ancient Egypt for more than twenty years, I have grown increasingly uneasy about the subject of my research. Scholars and enthusiasts alike are inclined to look at pharaonic culture with mistyeyed reverence. We marvel at the pyramids, without stopping to think too much about the political system that made them possible.

Evidence for the darker side of pharaonic civilization is not lacking... ancient Egypt was a society in which the relationship between the king and his subjects was based on coercion and fear, not love and admiration—where royal power was absolute, and life was cheap.”

And he explains that the aim of his work is :

“ ... to give a fuller and more balanced picture of ancient Egyptian civilization than is often found in the pages of scholarly or popular works. I have set out to reveal both the highs and the lows, the successes and the failures, the boldness and the brutality that characterized life under the pharaohs.”

What Wilkinson says here is very important.

Now, I don’t mean that scholars who idealize ancient Egypt should be seen as comparable to and on the same level with “scientific” racists or the lunatics or impostors promoting different theories of “pyramidology”.

However, even if motivated by the best intentions and by genuine fascination with the achievements of the great Egyptian civilization, even if coexisting in many cases with true scholarship, it remains that the tendency of many to forget or underplay the very real oppressive and exploitative aspects of this civilization is, as it seems, an important source of misconceptions about ancient Egypt. 

I say this because it is evident that, if we focus only on the very real and very important achievements of the ancient Egyptians, but forget or downplay the, equally real and important, problematic -oppressive and exploitative- sides of their civilization, we are ending up with a partial and in fact distorted view on the civilization of ancient Egypt.

And I don’t think that our era would have more generally anything to gain by accepting uncritically and with (according to Wilkinson) “mistyeyed reverence” fairy tales about the ancient Egyptian “benevolent despotism” and “social harmony”.

But now I will return to Herodotus and I will close this long series of texts with a reference to him.

I think that I have showed beyond any doubt that Herodotus’ Book II on Egypt is a milestone, the first known work in human history combining ethnography and history, and that it should be respected for that.

I have showed that Herodotus’ account of Egypt is of high importance and value, as it is the testimony of the encounter of an extremely curious and intelligent foreigner with the Egypt of the Late Period.

I have showed that Herodotus was a sympathetic observer of Egypt, not the “othering’ and “racist” author that some imagine.

I have showed that Herodotus was a keen observer of Egypt, far more often right than his detractors imagine (in fact what has become clear is that his detractors on this site “crusade’ against a book -Herodotus’ “Histories”- that they have never read).

I have showed that the main sources of misconceptions about ancient Egypt are found not in Herodotus, but elsewhere, and that Herodotus is in fact an ally against most of these misconceptions.

I will close these texts by quoting the last phrase of David Asheri’s “General Introduction” to “A Commentary on Herodotus Book I-IV “ of D. Asheri-A. Lloyd-A. Corcella, p. 56 :

“In the end Herodotus too produced a “possession for all time”, a κτῆμα εἰς ἀεί “

(I remind here that κτῆμα εἰς ἀεί -ktema es aei- possession for all time, is how Thucydides, the second great Greek historian after Herodotus, has seen his work).

And I don’t regret at all that I have spent time and energy in the noble task of defending this ktema es aei, this milestone and gem in the cultural heritage not only of Greece, not only of the West, but also of the whole humanity that are Herodotus’ “Histories” and more particularly theIr Book II, against the fanatical, ignorant, and of very low level internet “crusades” of the “F...k Herodotus” tumblr “scholars” and their fanbase.

[palmspringflorist]

Going Back To Our Roots

History of the Tradition of Flower Giving

Have an anniversary coming soon? Give them flowers! Don't have a gift for your friend's birthday? Grab a bouquet of their favorite flowers! Want to cheer up your loved one but don't know how? Flowers will do the trick!

Giving bouquets as a gift has been consistent through different times and cultures. But when exactly did it begin?

In this article, we explore the history of the practice of flower giving. We'll see how it progressed through history and spread around the world.

Finally, we discover why this tradition was so important in the Victorian Era. We find out how almost everybody knew exactly the meanings and messages flowers kept.

For a crash course on the language of flowers, check out our next article!

Interested in a formal course? Want to get certified as an expert on all things floral? We encourage you to check out organizations that offer programs in floristry, such as:

American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org). Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org). American Floral Endowment (www.endowment.org).

Flowers and Gift-Giving Traditions.

The origins of giving flowers go back to the time of Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and the Roman Empire.

These three societies often used flowers in religious practices. They based their private use of flowers on their beliefs.

The Greeks used them as props for storytelling. They also made them into decor for ceremonies. Later on, they began exchanging flowers to show love towards each other.

Societies all through history have kept the custom of gifting flowers. During the Middle Ages, people from Turkey produced the first list of symbolisms for flowers.

This later spread throughout the world. Other cultures matched these to their traditions and beliefs.

The Victorian Era and Flowers.

People from the Victorian Era are often known for being at the apex of elegance.

But did you know they used flowers to reveal deep, unspoken feelings towards each other?

Back then, people were starting to get more into gardening and flower care. They sought to grow healthy, beautiful flowers. They also grew new flower varieties.

The flowers, in turn, served as a form of communication. It sent forth messages between lovers, friends, relatives, and even acquaintances.

Flowers expressed sentiments ranging from "I love you", to "I treasure you, my friend", to "I'm sorry". They played a vital role in how Victorian-era citizens made their feelings known.

See, Victorian people thought that stating how you feel was tasteless. So they adapted the list of flower meanings back in the Middle Ages. Then, they worked these into how they engaged with each other.

This even extended to romances! Courting was usually carried out through exchanges of flowers.

Some groups even came up with alternative meanings to flowers. They did this to communicate in secret, hidden from prying eyes.

Not long after, most people knew what every flower and floral arrangement meant. They could sustain an entire conversation without saying a word.

The custom of flower giving became rather popular. Soon enough, people started using bouquets to send certain messages to people. Even the way that the person presented the floral gift was part of their message. This tradition carried on (of course with less melodramatic quality) across history.

Click here for our next article about the Art of Floristry.

[playadelreycaflorist]

Going Back To Our Roots

History of the Tradition of Flower Giving

Have an anniversary coming up? Give them flowers! Don't have a gift for your friend's birthday? Buy a bouquet of their favorite flowers! Want to comfort your loved one but don't know how? Flowers will do the trick!

Giving flowers as a gift has been consistent through diverse times and cultures. But when exactly did it start?

In this article, we talk about the history of the practice of flower giving. We'll see how it evolved through history and spread around the world.

Finally, we learn why this tradition was so crucial in the Victorian Era. We see how almost everyone knew exactly the meanings and messages flowers held.

For a crash course on the language of flowers, read our next article!

Interested in a formal course? Want to get certified as an expert on all things floral? We urge you to check out organizations that offer programs in floristry, such as:

American Institute of Floral Designers (www.aifd.org). Society of American Florists (www.safnow.org). American Floral Endowment (www.endowment.org).

Flowers and Gift-Giving Traditions.

The origins of gifting flowers go back to the time of Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and the Roman Empire.

These three societies often used flowers in religious traditions. They based their personal use of flowers on their beliefs.

The Greeks used them as props for storytelling. They also made them into decoration for ceremonies. Later on, they began exchanging flowers to show devotion towards one another.

Societies all throughout history have continued the custom of gifting flowers. During the Middle Ages, people from Turkey created the first list of symbolisms for flowers.

This later extended throughout the world. Other cultures matched these to their customs and beliefs.

The Victorian Era and Flowers.

People from the Victorian Era are often known for being at the apex of fanciness.

But did you know they used flowers to express deep, unspoken feelings towards one another?

At that time, people were starting to get more into gardening and flower care. They sought to grow healthy, beautiful flowers. They also cultivated new flower varieties.

The flowers, in turn, served as a form of communication. It sent forth messages between lovers, friends, families, and even acquaintances.

Flowers showed sentiments ranging from "I love you", to "I treasure you, dear friend", to "I'm sorry". They played a vital role in how Victorian-era citizens made their feelings known.

See, Victorian people thought that stating how you feel was tasteless. So they adapted the list of flower meanings back in the Middle Ages. Then, they conformed these into how they engaged with each other.

This even encompassed romances! Courting was usually carried out through exchanges of flowers.

Some groups even developed alternative meanings to flowers. They did this to communicate in secret, hidden from prying eyes.

Not long after, most people knew what every flower and floral arrangement meant. They could sustain an entire conversation without saying a single word.

The custom of flower giving became quite popular. Soon enough, people started using bouquets to send specific messages to people. Even the way that the person presented the floral gift was part of their message. This tradition continued (of course with less melodramatic quality) through history.

For a more detailed guide on the History of Floristry and Flower Arrangement, see our next article!

[verecunda]

TV meme

Tagged by @themalhambird. Thankee kindly. :)

Pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions. Tag 10 (or however many) people.

1. Endeavour 2. Father Brown 3. MST3K 4. Horrible Histories 5. Dickensian

Who is your favourite character in 2?

Aw no, that’s not fair! It’s one of those I LOVE EVERYONE IN THIS BAR kinda series. Though it’s probably a tie between Father Brown and Flambeau. The Padre’s just such a good, and Flambeau is so… him. XD

Who is your least favourite character in 1?

The Talentis. (Yeah, I’m treating them as a single unit.) I don’t care about them, they were too Obviously Evil to bother caring about, and I’m miffed that so much of series 7 was turned over to their subplot, at the expense of the characters and relationships I actually give a damn about. (like, y’know, Morse and Thursday’s much-hinted break…)

What is your favourite episode of 4?

How can I pick just one?! I’ll say the first episode of series 3, just because I still have good memories of watching it, then instantly coming onto Tumblr to join in as we all collectively lost it over Dick Turpin. That was… a day. XD

What is your favourite season of 5?

Considering there is only one… x___x

Who is your favourite couple in 3?

I kinda have a thing for Joel/Dr. Forrester. Don’t look at me like that.

Also Ben Murphy/Buffalo Bill from Riding With Death are the true otp.

Who is your favourite couple in 2?  

Actually, I got quite invested in some of the one-episode couples. I really liked the bluestocking and her landed gentry fiancé in The Labyrinth of the Minotaur. Also the bell-ringing ladies from series 7 were sweet.

What is your favourite episode of 1?      

Probably still Fugue, even now. That one is just *French chef kiss* perfection.

What is your favourite episode of 5?  

I think it might be a tie between 18 - Inspector Bucket at his best - or 12, for the shipping feels. (Also, episode 16 is superb, but I’d hesitate to call it a favourite...)

What is your favourite season of 2?

Oof! Hard to say. We’ve just finished bingeing all 8 series one after the other, so I’m not really sure where one series ends and the other begins! XD

How long have you watched 1?  

About… two years now?

How did you become interested in 3?  

I was in fandom back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth and MST-ing fics was a recognised form of snark. When I found out the term came from a TV series centred around making fun of terrible old movies, I had to know more!

Who is your favourite actor in 4?

Aw man, I can’t answer that!! I pretty much think of the idiots as a single madcap entity by now. :P

Maybe… maybe Jim Howick. But you’d really have to squeeze my arm to the point of agony to get me to choose a single favourite.

Which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5?

…No, that’s too hard. They’re all such different shows.

Which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3?

MST3K. I set myself the challenge year before last to finally watch the whole of the original 10 series, not just the same few I always watch. Long story short: I did it. I think my brain is permanently melted, but I did it. XD

If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

Bwahaha! Ideally nobody. The show tends to concentrate on people who had miserable times of it, after all. Might be fun being Death, though. He at least gets a ready source of entertainment!

Would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

Heh, I can see it. Who would your ideal HH snark trio be? Ratttus Rattus, Death, and Bob Hale would be mine. Or the HMS Angstalot trio. Imagine the carnage. XD

Pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple?

MORSE AND STRANGE MORSE AND STRANGE MORSE AND STRANGE I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL MORSE AND STRANGE MORSE AND STR—

*ahem* Shipping feels aside, I’m also very much here for the idea of Strange/Joan.

Overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

Dickensian. Much as I love MST3K, you can’t really beat a murder mystery mash-up of Dickens novels.

Which has better theme music, 2 or 4?

TERRIBLE TUDORS GORGEOUS GEORGIANS SLIMY STUARTS VILE VICTORIANS WOEFUL WARS FEROCIOUS FIGHTS DINGY CASTLES DARING KNIGHTS!!! HORRORS THAT DEFY DESCRIPTION CUT-THROAT CELTS AWFUL EGYPTIANS VICIOUS VIKINGS CRUEL CRIME PUNishMENTS froM ANCienT TimES ROMANS ROTTEN RANK AND RUTHLESS CAVEMEN SAVAGE FEARSOME TOOTHLESS GROOVY GREEKS BRAINY SAGES MEANANDMEASLYMIDDLEAGES

GORY STORIES WE DO THAT AND YOUR HOST A TALKING RAT THE. PAST. IS. NO. LONG. GER. A. MYST. ‘RY. WELCOME TO HOOOORRIBLE HISTORIIIIIIEEEEES

*cough* That is to say… yeah. XD

I tag: @amine-eyes, @fandom-butterfly, @bryndeavour, @rosncrntz, @vicivefallen, @geekbehindtheglasses, @sewingfrommagic, @technicallycleverdetective, @pythionice, @thebeautifulsoup

[ghostflowerdreams]

What Did Women Use Before Pads/Tampons?

There’s very little documentation about women’s periods in ancient history, probably due to the fact that most of the scribes were men who chose not to record menstruation. What we do know is that women in ancient times had fewer periods than they do now, due to several reasons such as, malnourishment from a poor diet while also working very hard, they were either pregnant or breastfeeding for much of their lives and menopause began sooner in earlier eras — as in their late thirties. However, there’s little evidence surrounding how ancient women handled their bleeding.

In many parts of the ancient world, menstruating women were often considered holy and mystical, at other times seen cursed and untouchable. For example, in biblical times, ancient Hebrews upheld laws of Niddah, in which menstruating women went into seclusion and had to be separated from the rest of society for seven “clean” days.

No one knows for sure what women used when they had their period in ancient times. Historians do their best to make educated guesses base on what they’ve learned about the time period and from the few hints or indirect hints in ancient text. So far, in Ancient Egypt they believed that it had a healing effect, which is why menstrual blood was incorporated into spell casting and medical treatments (only used for women, though).

In a "Wisdom Text" there's one more indirect hint about menstrual hygiene. The text describes the high social status of a scribe and gives some examples of "negative" careers like that of a laundry worker, who even has to wash the "loincloth of a menstruating woman," which could easily be a pad with straps that tie around the body like a belt or something similar. This story also implies that menstrual blood was impure and was something a respectable man didn't touch.

There are other hints that Ancient Egyptian women might’ve used a pad, made from a compress with a sponge on top. Or even throw-away tampons made of softened papyrus, or other grasses. They were ‘softened’ by soaking it in the Nile, which was also the place where the previous tampons were dumped with the rest of the raw sewage. Poorer groups might’ve even used cheap linen, but during the Roman era cotton probably took the place of these materials.

In Ancient Roman, a philosopher called Pliny the Elder thought women acquire the magical ability to stop hailstorms, whirlwinds, or halt lightning during their monthly periods. That they supposedly had both harming and healing effects on the environment and objects. Such as dulling the edge of a sword or dim mirrors just by looking at them. Or they’re able to save crops from insects if they were to stroll nude through the field.

It was basically viewed as something natural and it was actually concerning when women didn't bleed heavily or regularly. Which is why there were remedies especially created to help “bring out the blood.” This is because they also had the belief that if it doesn't come out, women would become ill, as the blood could rot or could go somewhere in the body and put pressure on vital organs.

As for what they do or used when they bleed, historians don't really know. The biggest myth is that the Greek women would wrap wool around a bit of wood and inserted that. There's no evidence from the ancient world about this, but the myth seem to have originate from an tampon-marketing website. Historians guessed, that if their families could afford it, women would stay home during that time. They most likely just bled on their clothes or used woven cotton cloth (they certainly had the technology to weave cotton) to place between their legs and washed and dried for reuse.

In Ancient Japan, menstruating women were seen as impure during their menstruation. While on their period, they were forbidden from entering shrines and temples. They were also forbidden from climbing certain “sacred” mountains due to their “impurity.” Menstruating women had to seclude themselves in a special hut built in a shady grove of Zelkova trees. They were also compelled to have ceremonies of ritual purification.

Japanese women would make menstrual pads from cloth of fibers such as flax, vine, wisteria, or mulberry paper. Flax was often used by commoners and fashioned as a loincloth. As for the wealthy, they used a crepe-type of wrapper called “Fukusa”, which was made from silk and paper. However, during the Edo era there was a hygiene band similar to a loincloth that was invented. Coarse toilet paper known as “Asakusa paper” was applied inside of it. When cotton became more available in the country many switched over to it. They realized it was very absorbent when used for bandages during the time of the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War.

In Ancient China, woman used to make period pads by putting sand in a cloth and wrapping it tightly. Once the pad got completely wet, they would throw away the sand, but kept the cloth which they wash and reuse for the next month. This method was also done with dried grass instead of sand, depending on where the women lived and what materials were available in their immediate environment. It’s not confirmed but they may have also used Panda pelts as a sort of sanitary napkin.

Those in the Middle East believed that menstruating women were impure and anything they touched while on their period became unclean. In some religious culture women had to live apart from the family in a separate hut or enclosure during their period. They were also prohibited from doing certain activities or going to places (such as they couldn’t enter any mosque, they couldn’t pray, couldn’t take a bath, nor could they make their own food or eat). They would wear special clothes at the time of menstruation and rely on reusable cloth pads (made from bamboo, wool, cotton, or hemp) which they wash and use again. Some still do this, but slowly the religious taboos on menstruation are being cast away.

As for women who lived in colder climates, they depended on animal fur during those days. Since colder regions are cursed with snow and ice, there were limited commodities available for survival. Thus, women used fur of the animals which they hunted to prevent mensuration blood and fluids from staining their clothes.

The Victorians viewed menstruation as an illness, and it was in fact, taboo to have any discussion or mention that women bled at all. Women that were privileged were usually confined to their private quarters during their periods. While others would go about their business as usual. Victorian women underwear was actually crotchless bloomers. This was to allow women to use the toilet more easily, because dresses were so heavy and comprised of several layers, which kept everything hidden. Unfortunately, this was one of the reasons periods were a nightmare to deal with. Most historians believed that women would bleed freely into their undergarments.

However, Charles Delucena Meigs, an obstetrician advised women to use the T-bandage for the bleeding. It consisted of a napkin, called the guard that was folded like a cravat, which pressed against the genitalia. The ends were strings that would tied around the body and held above the hips. Either way, women would also put on a thicker petticoat as a precaution if they bleed through their clothing. When they were experiencing a heavy flow, they would use a cloth plug (made of linen rag, cotton, or sponge). They would roll the cloth up, and tied the string in the middle of it so that it would be easier to pull it out, just like a tampon.

In the Middle Ages, they believed that if a man’s penis touched menstrual blood, it would burn up, and any child conceived during menstruation would be possessed by the devil, deformed, or red-haired. However, historians don’t have much to work with other than speculation. They believed that medieval women would used rags (hence the term “on the rag”) or other absorbent materials during heavy periods. Otherwise, many women would just freely bleed into their clothes. There is now some archaeological evidence to show us that some women may have worn panty-like garments to hold the menstrual pad. Women could also wrap cotton (or linen if it was available or if they could afford it) fabric around a twig and use it as a proto-tampon.

At this time, there was a lot of religious shame surrounding periods, so women went to insane lengths to hide their cycle from the public. They would carry little pouches of sweet-smelling herbs around their neck or waist to neutralize the smell of blood, and they believed that burning a toad and wearing the ashes in a pouch around your waist would ease cramps and heavy flow.

In many Native American tribes, in particular the Ojibwe women traditionally secluded themselves in a moon lodge during menstruation. In the wigwam, the women would settled over grass mats and bled into them. They spent their time telling stories to other menstruating women, weaving new grass mats, sewing clothing, and resting. They slept separated from their husbands and infants. They refrained from sex, food preparation, and ceremony. They were also very careful not to step over young children, touch babies, men or communal food. Female friends and relatives ensured the menstruating woman was safe and fed, and they helped care for her family in her absence.

If cedar boughs were missing from her front door, it was a sign that she had begun her period and that she retreated to the moon lodge. It also alerted other women to come visit her, bring her food, and to check up on her. To an outsider, most are likely to make assumptions that the Ojibwe people viewed menstruating women as evil or unclean because of their practice. But for Ojibwe women, their moon is healthy and natural. There was no reason to be ashamed of it. They were given time to rest, to regenerate and recognition for their roles as life givers.

As for pioneer women, there’s hardly a single reference to menstruation in the diaries, letters or inventories of wagon-trains. Except there was one source--a diary, in which the writer mentioned how she had nothing to absorb menstrual discharge other than her underwear. She pointed it out to another woman that hers were dark, not white, and advised her to use the same dark colors for her underwear too.

In 18th century America, women held their pads up with suspenders which were worn under the clothes. The napkin was also reusable.

Sometime in the late 19th century Europe, concern grew around the notion of whether bleeding into one’s clothes was healthy and sanitary. One German doctor wrote in the book Health in the House: “It is completely disgusting to bleed into your chemise, and wearing that same chemise for four to eight days can cause infections.”

That was because women living in rural areas in Europe often didn't use any kind of menstrual protection. They would just bleed on their clothes or even drip blood along the floor as they went about their days. In this era, menstrual protection was somewhat of a luxury. Lower class women on farms couldn't really afford extra materials to make sanitary pads.

The very first disposable pads was thought up by nurses, looking for new methods to stop excessive bleeding, particularly on the battlefield. The first pads were made from wood pulp bandages by nurses in France. It was very absorbent, and cheap enough to throw away afterwards. Commercial manufacturers borrowed this idea, and the first disposable pads were available for purchase as early as 1888 – called the Southball pad. In America, Johnson & Johnson developed their own version in 1896 called Lister’s Towel: Sanitary Towel’s for Ladies.

The problem was, women did not feel comfortable asking for this product, so in the early 1920s, the name was changed to Nupak. It was a name that did not describe the product.

Even though sanitary pads were available during this time, they were much too expensive for most women, and they continued using more traditional methods. When they could afford it, women were allowed to place money in a box so that they would not have to speak to the clerk, and take a box of Kotex pads from the counter themselves. It took several years for disposable menstrual pads to become commonplace.

The earliest disposable pads were generally in the form of a cotton wool or similar fibrous rectangle covered with an absorbent liner. The liner ends extended out from the front and back so as to fit through loops in a special girdle or belt worn beneath undergarments. This design was notorious for slipping either forward or back of the intended position.

Around the 1970s an adhesive strip was placed on the bottom of the pad for attachment to the saddle of the panties, and this became a favored method with women. The belted sanitary napkin was quickly phased out once self-adhesive pads were in the market.

[nightibowl]

Cavafy

During our last English lessons we talked about an Egyptiot Greek poet, Constantine P. Cavafy. Before we looked into his poetry, we had to understand his origins, biography and environment he was raised in.

I am posting notes I tok during our teacher’s presentation on Cavafy:

Born in 1863 as the last of 9 children in Alexandria, Egypt into a very prosperous Greek family

His mother descended from a very aristocratic family from Constantinopole

His father became one of Alexandria’s leading merchants (acquiring an enormous fortune)

The family fortune was lost at Cavafy’s age of 7 after his father died, so he grew up in poverty knowing about their social downfall

He moved to England and came back to Alexandria in 1885, he took a position as a clerk

He tried to combine the daily bureaucratic routine with his anxiety

He started to emphasize his profession more as a poet than a social worker

„The Wasteland”

At first he hated Alexandria „cosmopolitan environment”, „impersonal relations between people”; he was a distanced observer of his environment and even blamed it for his lack of progress in poetry (he was interested in distance and thought that history repeats itself)

He died of throat cancer in 1933 when he was 70

Hellenism

The national character or culture of Greece, especially Ancient Greece

Cavafy was interested in the type of cultural fusion that was characteristic of Alexander’s Hellenistic Empire —> Many of Cavafy’s poems deal with this theme of cultural and racial fusion

He was also fascinated with the Arab face of the city and how Arab and Greek culture intertwined |(it was very different form Cairo)

Alexandria

Was one of the most important historical places in the world and centers of hellenism (modern astronomy and mathematics were invented there); multi social and cultural place; it was always a mix of races, religion and nationalities

Greeks, along with other foreigners had been encouraged to settle there in 19th century by ottoman viceroy Mohammed Aly who wanted to modernize Egypt; as a result, by 1917 the 30,000 Greeks were the biggest ethnic group and they remained there till WWII; it was a wealthy and educated community, they had their churches, schools, book stores, cafes, restaurants, newspapers, voluntary organizations

Egyptians were fascinated by Greek culture

It was founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great

It was one of the most splendid in the ancient world and the nucleus of Roman Egypt

Once Cavafy grew to appreciate Alexandria, he never wanted to move to Greece, seeing himself as a member of diaspora rather than of mainland Greece; he said that that he’d stay there even if he was rich

To Cavafy, Alexandria represented the great period of hellenism

Relevance to our times

Parallels to our own modern society: imperial systems, globalization, transnationalism, globalization

Cavafy’s genius lay in showing how hellenism flourished in this ancient world and how ordinary people tried to hold on to this way of life

Cavafy’s writing style

Contrast

Most of the greek poets of his time were romantic

Whatever he was writing about, he seemed impassion ate and direct, avoiding pomposityWhatever he was writing about, he seemed impassion ate and direct, avoiding pomposityWhatever he was writing about, he seemed impassion ate and direct, avoiding pomposityCavafy chose a laconic style-an objective, anti poetic, prosaic and anticlerical manner

Poetic voice 

Whatever he was writing about, he seemed impassion ate and direct, avoiding pomposity

Distancing itself from immediate impressions

Interest in the past and past human dramas

The desire to bring to life lesser-known historical periods

Breaking taboos („hidden thoughts”)

Diction

Mixture of purist and Demotic Greek

Rhyme

He used the free iambic form, and the verses mostly have 10 to 17 syllables

He did not use rhyme often

Caesura

A pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such as period, comma, ellipsis, dash

Doesn’t have to be placed in the exact middle of a line of poetry

End-stopped line

A line of poetry that ends with some form of punctuation

Even if line of poetry contains a complete. Phrase it is considered to be end-stopped even if it lacks punctuation

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone that is not present or cannot respond in reality

The use of pronouns

Enjambment

A continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break without any terminating punctuation mark

It helps to imitate natural flow of speech

Irony

A literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are (verbal irony, dramatic irony (edyp) and situational irony)

Symbolism

A literary device in which a writer uses one thing to represent something more abstract

characters can be symbolic

Motif

An element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs help develop the central themes of a book or play

Forms to remember

Dramatic monologue

A poem in a form of a speech or narrative by an imagined person, in which the speaker inadvertently reveals aspects of their character while describing a particular situation

Epitath

The tomb poems and brief poems, in contrast to the funeral

Cavafy-Influences

British poetry

Victorian poet-Robert Browning helped him develop his technique dramatic monologue 

Two French poetic movements: parnassianism and symbolism as well as the decadent and aesthetic movement

Poetry or prose? Boundary where poetry strips herself in order to become prose

Theme

Universal idea, lesson or message explored throughout a work of literature

One key characteristic of literary themes is their universality 

Recurring themes

History

The art of living

Classical legacy

Alexandria as a city

Age and aging 

Uncertainty about the future

Expression of sensual pleasures

Search for identity

The moral character and psychology of individuals

A fatalistic existential nostalgia

His personal experience affected his poetry

Historical poems-origins in helleno-romanic antiquity, the Byzantine nd the Hellenistic era; main place Alexandria

Sensual poems-lyrical and emotional character; seems to be drawn from personal experience 

Philosophical poems-human dignity, existential fears

Modernism

The term of modernism refers to the radical shift in aesthetic and cultural sensibilities evident in the art and literature of the post WWI period

The idol is impervious, insensitive (religion)

Objective correlative-a pattern of images, actions, situations that somehow evokes a particular emotion from the reader without stating what that emotion should be

After gaining knowledge about Cavafy’s biography, we started to talk about his poems. 

The first group of poems were poems about Alexandria:

The second group of poems we talked about were love poems:

[elgaardflanagan00-blog]

Wedding event Traditions And What They Actually Mean

Your wedding day is turning up quickly as well as you have imagined everything your life, yet do you know what all those wedding celebration practices are all about? Do you have any kind of suggestion where they started and also why? Below you will certainly discover a few that we've managed to study. You have greater than likely heard the old expression: 'something old, something brand-new, something obtained something blue and also 6 cent in her shoe.' This wedding event rhyme began in the Victorian age, as it was used then just as brides still go by it today. Despite the fact that many new bride-to-bes have no idea what it implies or where it comes from, they still hold limited to the tradition and also use it when picking what they use and have on their special day. What does this old Victorian wedding rhyme imply? The rhyme describes numerous essential points, as an example, when it informs of something old, it describes the good friends of the couple staying real in relationship throughout their marriage. Often a bride might wear some precious jewelry coming from her mommy or grandmother. Pearls particularly were particularly preferred in the Victorian period. Nonetheless, some new brides might additionally utilize a mommy's veil, her bandana and even a petition book throughout their wedding. Something brand-new describes the future joy, health as well as success, as well as this is symbolized by the wedding arrangement as well as bridal clothes. Something obtained advertises all the best this can be simply regarding any sort of good luck sign which returns to the lending institution - as best of luck makes its own circle. streaming movies symbolizes dedication and faithfulness between the couple as well as brings excellent luck as the cycle proceeds. This tradition comes from old Israel. Blue is commonly a color of commitment and also Israeli bride-to-bes would certainly constantly use a blue ribbon in their hair. Today, brides usually use a blue garter or they may pin a blue ribbon on the within their bridal gown. The Victorian period sum of a cent was 6 cent. It was, and still is, deemed an indication of prosperity, related to the future wealth and also prosperity for a wedded couple. These coins pass down with several generations in some families as their children continue the wedding celebration practice. Why are wedding event dresses white? White is not a typical shade, it is a depiction of the brides sex-related modesty. Long earlier, an ancient wedding celebration gown was the very best outfit a bride-to-be possessed. The new bride always used her finest dress. Sometimes this gown passed to her from her family specifically for her special day, or frequently one in her favored shade. Biblical stories tell us the ladies embellished themselves in blue, as it recommends pure merit. The initial white wedding gown to be formally documented, embellished a 16th century queen and ever since the shade has grown in popularity as it symbolizes pureness of merit along with the event of a joyful event Why have typical wedding shrouds? The wedding celebration veil is an old sign of sexual discreetness. It has feminine, enchanting tones to it, along with being a terrific wedding celebration device. Where did the custom of engagement as well as wedding rings come from? Involvement rings originate from medieval times and also were an icon of ones intention to wed. To the old Greeks, diamonds were perceived to be a reflection of the deep feelings a guy really felt for a lady, and also were made use of prior to rings came to be the traditional icon. A wedding band essentially symbolizes a circle of commitment and love. This symbol passes to us from the old Egyptians that believed that the ring finger blood vessel leads directly to the heart. To end: Although there is a vast range of wedding celebration customs everywhere, some are comparable while still others are significantly different. Nevertheless, all signify the similar unique beliefs, which are the happy party of the signing up with of 2 hearts right into one family as well as the start of a brand-new caring collaboration. Anthony Coogan's been offering classical and also contemporary songs in the UK and also Europe for the last 20 years. String Quartets Live established through his experience in symphonic music paired with having actually played at a fantastic many wedding events over this duration. Wedding string quartets as well as ceilidh band home entertainment for wedding celebrations is our specialty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpoJcP0lY0M

[loveandlightarmy]

THE MYSTERY OF THE SHELL GROTTO

There exists a mystifying place in England, a subterranean world of man-made tunnels and passageways completely covered in sea shells. An estimated 4.6 million of them adorn the walls, ceilings and altar in an array of artistic patterns and abstract symbols. There exists no historical information on the Shell Grotto’s origins, purpose or age. There isn’t even any local folklore. But many historians believe what we are looking at could be thousands of years old.

School headmaster James Newlove and his son Joshua were clearing land in the seaside town of Margate, Kent, in 1835 when a cap stone was moved resulting in a deep hole opening up in the earth. Armed with a lamp and tied to a rope, story has it that young Joshua was lowered down by his dad for a closer look. And so goes the first known account of what would soon become known as the Shell Grotto.

Gaining popularity, the site became a tourist attraction in the Victorian era where oddities of any kind were all the rage. But as is often the case with ancient discoveries, these first visitors unintentionally caused severe damage. Chemical residue from their lamps would make carbon-dating the site extremely expensive. Equally as disappointing is the damage caused by the soot which darkened many of the multicolored shells which when washed turned up plain white after the soaking.

There are several snaking 8 ft high passageways, small rooms and arched tunnels. There sits an ornate altar with a half-moon niche in a chamber and overhead a giant dome which opens out into the sky. While most of these shells would have be readily sourced from the locality, others such as queen conches are believed to have come from the Caribbean, hinting that the Shell Grotto may have been a large project that spanned various countries and was the work of several contributors.

It’s generally agreed upon that the project would have been immensely time consuming and in all probability the work of several generations. The excavation of the chalk tunnels and removal of earth would have taken considerable time. Collecting the shells themselves from far and wide may have taken decades. But the most time consuming of all would have been the painstaking effort which has been taken to glue and diligently place each and every individual one of the 4.6 million shells into the myriad of symmetrical patterns, intricate designs and decorative mosaics. Some designs are considered to be Egyptian or Indian in style, while others are ambiguous enough to allow for a variety of interpretations; stars, a skeleton, a crocodile, an owl and phalluses.

“Some historians believe the grotto as a whole symbolizes the journey from birth to death and on to the afterlife. As you walk the halls, you are walking that journey through the associated shell mosaic symbols, and end up in the altar chamber of heaven.”

Jim H Historic Mysteries

There are some who believe that the Shell Grotto is the work of very ancient artisans and predates the Roman Empire, dating back as far as 3,000 years. It may have been in honour of a Greek sea god, a Phoenician temple or a place of pagan worship or ritual – it does have an altar within it that is surrounded by celestial bodies and some mosaics are which are believed to form symbols of life, death, and love. Others are convinced it was a secretive place for the Knights Templar, Freemasons, mystics or other secret societies of the 18th century.

It had long been suspected that the altar was aligned with celestial activity and may function as a solar calendar. And so this was investigated by a team who opened up the giant dome during the Summer Solstice. When the sun shone directly down in through the dome people were able to use reflectors to deflect the sunlight through the passageway and in turn illuminate the altar.