This 'n That

Hola!  I'm feeling lazy today, but I have too much to do before I can settle down to a PBS evening.  The final part of the Masterpiece's "Emma" is on this evening, and after that, parts 3 and 4 of "Lost in Austen" which I have the DVD of but have not gotten over the non-transitions of the story line.  And just how did our ersatz "Elizabeth" replacement get by visiting the Bennets for weeks with no clothes??? 

 

Anyway, I have to trek to the Pick 'n Save and do some laundry, and sit down and start organizing income tax information.  Ick.  So, naturally, I'm blogging instead :)

 

I'm paying brief visits to see what's new at some of my sites around the internet:

 

Minerva Magazine Online (January/February 2010):

• Online review of The Life of Meresamun: A Temple Singer in Ancient Egypt - Edited by Emily Teeter & Janet H. Johnson, University of Chicago - 2009 135pp, illus in colour and b/w throughout Paperback, £28.  I've written about Emily Teeter of the University of Chicago before.  I would read anything she had a hand in.  I have an Amazon gift card from Christmas that I haven't used yet - this will be a perfect purchase and addition to my ever-expanding library on ancient Egypt.
• Abstracts from the 2008 International Phaistos Disk Conference

Zenobia: Empress of the East:

 

I love reading archaeologist Judith Weingarten's blog, her prose and her analysis are always engaging and crystal clear.  Some recent uber-cool posts:

• Read about the "Mistresses of Num" in Dance and Trance in Old Zimbabewe (January 26, 2010).  I relate the concept of "num" to what Carlos Castenada wrote about as "will" - which also originates in the abdomen, around the belly-button area.  It's been at least 30 years since I read Castenada in undergrad - I don't even remember the name of the class, or the name of the professor except that he was young and extremely intense, but that semester exposed me to esoteric traditions (although at the time I did not recognize them as such) from all around the world. You may be right, I may be crazy...  But this is how I vaguely remember the concept of "will": if backed with enough personal intent focused behind a thought, it could manifest into reality -- either as a form or as an event.  I also seem to recall the concept of some people (shamans?) being able to perceive gossamer golden "threads" springing forth from certain navels, manifesting forms and events into the world -- but I honestly cannot say if this is a memory from reading Castenada or something I read elsewhere.
   
  What I do find fascinating about the images of the cave paintings that Judith Weingarten posted is their striking a chord deep inside me to scenes I recall seeing depicted in Jeannine Davis-Kimball's book Warrior Women in the Tien Shan, far far away from the San cave paintings.  I pulled the book off one of my bookcases and dug through it until I found the image and text I sought.  No, after all, the figures depicted are not similar and yet - and yet - there is something.  This image (above)  is not the best, but I did find it online and it is identical as far as I can tell to the one contained in Davis-Kimball's book. (Read more about the petroglyphs).
   
• Like a Butterfly Crazed with Love... (January 15, 2010)
  My "drunken butterfly" episode aside, this is one damn good demonstration of synchronicity.  Right after the pages of Davis-Kimball's book cited above, is a chapter entitled "Mother Goddesses and Enarees."  Castratos and enarees, peas in a pod. 

British Archaeology:

•  Staffordshire Gold, from the November/December 2009 edition, portions now online.

Rock Art and Stone Sculptures Discovered in India

A somewhat vague article - wish there were some photographs! From The Siasat Daily Rich rock-art sites found in Telangana Friday, 25 April 2008 Hyderabad, April 25: THE Department of Archaeology & Museums has discovered rock-art sites in Warangal and Mahabubnagar districts, priceless stone sculptures in Warangal and a Buddhist settlement in Visakhapatnam. Disclosing to newsmen the discoveries made last month, Director P Chenna Reddy said rock-art sites were found in the reserve forest area near Narsapur and Bandala hamlets in Thadwai mandal of Warangal district and near the Akkamahadevi caves in the Srisialam hill ranges of Mahabubnanagr district by the technical staff of the department. The rock paintings in red, ochre and white pigments depict various types of animals such as such as antelopes and peacocks, human figures representing hunting and dancing, and geometrical designs. The paintings near the Akkamahadevi caves are being ascribed to late Mesolithic times, that is, approximately 3000 BC based on the various animals drawn and style of execution. The rock shelters at Narsapur and Bandal are being associated with Dolmenoid cist chamber burials which helped the department date these painting to Megalithic times (1000 BC onwards). Reddy said more surveys had been planned in the region. Priceless stone sculptures depicting Parswantha, Mahishsuramardani and Brahma with his consort Saraswati seated on a swan are being shifted to the district museum,Warangal. The Archaeology Department has also unearthed a Buddhist settlement in Peddauppalam village in Rayavaram mandal of Visakhapatnam district. An idol of a seated Buddha has been recovered from the site where the department is planning further excavations after obtaining permission from the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi. ************************************************************************************ No ages given for the stone sculptures.