British Museum Spiritual Paths Through The Ages.

There is no doubt I shall need to go back to the British Museum on many more occasions to really rootle around and discover its treasures. Even on this fleeting visit though I was able to appreciate just what an amazing resource it is for anyone, like me, who has a fascination for the beliefs people have held throughout civilisation [not always civilised beliefs sadly...some things haven't changed sigh] and how artifacts can be used politically to reflect the transition period from one set to another. One such example is the "star of David" which is seen in the centre of one of the silver Roman dishes from the Mildenhall hoard. It was not adopted by the Jews until the post medieval period. Anyway I digress...less nattering more piccies methinks!

This is a neolithic red deer headdress complete with eye holes. Most likely to have been used for a shamanic ritual of some sort.  8000 BC found at Starr Carr, Yorkshire.

A late neolithic pottery figure found in Serbia. Possibly a household deity.

A Roman pot dedicated to the God Mercury....a rather kindly depiction I have to say!

The Franks Casket. Made of whalebone this Saxon piece demonstrates the changeover from Paganism to Christianity. It has both Latin and Runic inscriptions alongside carvings that represent both legends, historical events and Biblical references.

A monk's head from a medieval glazed pot. Love the tonsure!

Finally in sharp contrast Dr John Dee famous in the court of Elizabeth I both as a scientist and occultist. These are his accoutrements- incredibly the discs are made of wax and are engraved with magical names, symbols and signs.

Arilx

Aaron Copeland.

I've always enjoyed Copeland's music. I remember singing this as the Shaker hymn "Lord of the Dance"when I first started at infants school in 1970! This is taken from Appalachian Spring.

Arilx

Welcome to the new kit on the block!

It's taken a few weeks to sort this one but please allow me to introduce you to Humphrey who arrived late yesterday afternoon.

He was a stray that some inconsiderate soul left behind when they moved and was very thin when he was found by a couple who have kindly fed him over the last three or four months. Thankfully he's now in fabulous condition. He's about 2 and is incredibly affectionate. He's not hidden himself away and has already made himself at home on my lap.

I am cock- a -hoop!

Arilx

Quote.

Thought provoking.
Arilx

Lost In The Mists Of Time.

You may have just gathered once or twice [ahem] that I am a keen amateur armchair archaeologist....I don't much fancy the hard work bit on your hands and knees digging through a sea of mud whilst the weather throws god knows what at you but I am fascinated by the results. When something hitherto unknown is excavated theories abound to the artifact's original purpose. Sometimes once these ideas are tested within the field of experimental archaeology answers are forthcoming. Other times we can only rely on conjecture and supposition. This is very much the case with these two examples of Neolithic wonder that I saw last week.

The first are the Folkton Drums.

They are made from chalk and are intricately carved with various motifs including faces. Discovered within a neolithic round barrow in North Yorks they were very carefully placed behind the hips and head of a child as part of the burial goods. 

Secondly these are three examples of carved stone balls.

Others are known to exist but all of them have been found in Scotland....perhaps they were the artwork of a specifc tribe. Once again it's the "why?" that the experts can't answer.

It's amazing though to find that this loss of knowledge can happen within a relatively short space of time- during a documentary about a recent dig at the WWI trenches items were being unearthed that weren't recognised. That wasn't down to extreme corrosion or other factors that would radically alter the appearance...it was simply that they hadn't been seen in our modern age. Presumably it's somewhat easier to hazard a guess to their likely use with some dedicated research and the possible survival of both visual, written and oral records but intriguing nevertheless!

Arilx

A Wondering About Jenny Bare Legs.

As the weather was set fair yesterday Mr GBT and I donned our boots and walked out to a local nature reserve. Formerly it was a farm [Katherine Howard lived there at one point] and has now been turned into a nature reserve. There's not a great deal to see as it stands right now but it's evolving- at the moment they're in the process of creating water meadows and they have llamas and British Whites [cattle] grazing the wild flower meadows at specific points in the season.

Looking at the map before we set off many of the fields have been named but nothing that would particularly stand out....that was until I spied one called Jenny Bare Legs field. Well that got the old grey matter whirring...immediately my little brain wanted to know who was this wanton strumpet with bare legs and what exactly had she done in this particular field that made her so notorious. Hoping to unearth some delicious scandal of yesteryear it seems that there might be a slightly more mundane answer Gordon Judge on his blog Geoverse seems to have beaten me to it. Bare leg may be a corruption of bare lag meaning unproductive field. His thoughts on the matter are here http://www.geoverse.co.uk/2011/09/30/jenny-bare-legs/

Ah well back to my British Museum musings then....

Arilx

'Twas An Interesting Day For Dancing.

Yes one has been off gallivanting again for a bit of stick bashing and bell jangling. Destination Harvey's Brewery, Lewes for the "Dancing in of the Old Ale" event. We were kindly invited along as this year's guest turn.

The "plan" was to move on and dance around the town after lunch but someone broke the weather and due to inclement conditions and expensive instruments that don't take kindly to being rained upon we gave that up as a bad idea and remained ensconced within the warm, roomy depths of the local hostelry.

Prior to becoming a dancer I have always been enthralled by Morris dancing whatever the tradition. Yesterday gave me a wonderful opportunity to see what other sides get up to.

This is the Longman Morris side who were the organisers of the event and are a traditional Cotswold team with hankies and sticks. The main chap in the middle looks most jolly....something to do with the free beer perchance?!

Knots of May are based in Brighton and are an all ladies side. Their costumes are based on ones from the 1890s and they follow a North West tradition hence the clogs and aprons reminiscent of the Lancashire mills. No sticks...the ladies dance with garlands instead.

One of their muscians [the chap on the right] wears a sign on his hat saying "It's a serpent" as he must have been asked what his instrument is called a zillion times!

This is the Chanctonbury Morris Men. They dance both Cotswold and North West Traditions so again they're in clogs. Their style for the latter is incredibly precise and they keep perfect time with one another.

Then there's load of old reprobates who shout loudly, whizz around like loonies and wear masks so no one can recognise them...erm that'll be me dancing in the photo then!

Arilx