RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
When we speak of religious beliefs we mean its theological tenets. Christianity and Islam share common ideas and beliefs having their roots in a common source--Judaism. This religion in turn derived many of its doctrines and beliefs from the Persians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Chaldeans, and the Sumerians. Perhaps it would be true to say that almost every religion is syncretic, though they may try very hard to cover this up.
Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Taoism are more mystical in nature and differ greatly from the Semitic religions in many basic principles; Hinduism comprising of many philosophical schools of thought, embraces various theological ideas. Some schools of Buddhism teaches that there is no permanent entity called the soul; that what is thought to be the soul is simply a collection of karmic tendencies transmittable from one incarnation to another. Their extreme views are nilhilistic in nature; however, it is doubtful whether this was implied in the teachings of the Buddha. For instance, if there is no Self, then there is also no Gautama Buddha in existence; and yet, prayers are still being directed by the faithful to this exalted being. Fundamentally, although these religions have diverse concepts regarding the soul they all point or refer to the One where all sentient beings originate. All have their own particular name or names for this Source, and all have their personal ideas regarding this Divine Essence.
Theological precepts are often tainted with the frailties of the human ego and intellect and thus offer a poor basis for the study of true religion and its revelations concerning the soul. Nevertheless, we will strive to present its beliefs with as little bias on our part as possible. This section will be brief, for to do justice to the subject would require many pages and go beyond the scope of this work.
In Christian theology it is believed that the soul prior to birth is devoid of any individuality or personality. It is only when God breathes through the nostrils of man that the soul acquires self-consciousness, and is a "living" being--and this condition of being alive is believed to remain with the soul after death. In the Book of Genesis it is recorded that,
"God made man out of the dust of the earth, breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and made man a living soul." (Gen 2:7)
The phrase "living soul" is equated to the state of being self-conscious. According to this notion unless there is an awareness of the existence of an ego, or a self, a person or being does not truly have a soul. Such a creature is "soulless." A person may be alive imbued with the soul-essence, the life-force, and yet remain soulless, in the sense that it is not self-aware. Some states of insanity may represent beings who are "soulless." While the living soul is associated with the awareness of the ego, immortality is associated with the awareness of the superego, the Higher Self. This idea, though, falls in the province of metaphysical thought.
Basically, theology consider the soul to be a substance implanted in man. It is believed to be an entity divinely created and bestowed upon man when man takes his first breath. Christian theology formulated the idea that man is a divine creation, the highest of all beings, and that the whole universe was created for man alone in support of his existence.
In Christianity the terms "lost souls" or "degraded souls" are often expressed. The moral quality of a person's life is believed to be able to affect the soul. However, from the metaphysical point of view soul-essence is immaculate, perfect, immutable and divine. What may be affected is not its essence but its conscious expression. The consciousness arising from soul essence is that which evolves and strives to reflect the image, archetype or blueprint that God created for man. This is stated emphatically in Genesis; however the statement is often interpreted literally. This blueprint is the image or divine qualities of God. It does not refer to form but to the inner nature of the life-essence.
The Hindus, generally speaking, believe the soul to be an entity that resides in the physical body and is subjected to reincarnation in accord with its karma. The Upanishads says that, "The Supreme Person, of the size of the thumb, dwells forever in the heart of all human beings." Its esoteric wisdom, moreover, tells us that the immaterial man is constituted of various principles each having their own particular function. The highest principle within the microcosm of man is the Atma, or according to others, the Paratman.
In the Bhagavad Gita, the microcosm is represented by Krishna, Arjuna, the carriage, and the horses. Krishna is the Spirit, the highest aspect of man; Arjuna the evolving soul; the carriage the mind; and the horses the senses. Graphically five horses are often represented. They represent the senses of man through which the vital force escapes and runs uncontrolled. In yoga and esoteric practices the senses are subdued so that the vital force may be directed within to awaken the sluggish Arjuna. Krishna is the guide that assists Arjuna in this project.
ANCIENT BELIEFS
As we mentioned before, the belief in the survival of the soul after death goes way back to the earliest development of humankind. Primitive Neanderthal tribes, for instance, would bury food, tools, and weapons along with the corpses of their departed in order to provide them with the bare necessities in the afterlife. This custom still survive in some cultures and is a clear indication that not only is soul survival believed in but that the afterlife as a continuation of the sort of life lived in the physical world is likewise presumed.
Animism was the prevailing belief among prehistoric man. Everything was considered alive and pervaded with a soul-force that even gave inanimate objects a consciousness and an intelligence of some kind. Stars in particular were believed to be souls long dead and living in heaven. To the primitive mind, the sky or firmaments were considered to be heaven, just as hell was thought to lie beneath the earth.
That the soul "resided" and functioned in the physical body, a location was sought for its residence. Some believed the heart to be the organ of the soul, others pointed to the head. Some primitive cultures thought that the blood was the vehicle of the soul--that the blood carried soul-substances to every part of the body. The demon Mephistopheles in a play written by Goethe (1749-1832) declares the blood to be a "curious thing." The belief that the blood is the vehicle of the soul is not without foundation, however. If the soul in this context is considered to be the life-force, prana, chi, or even oxygen, one can only surmise how the primitive mind intuited this scientific fact. Scientifically, it has been noticed that blood-transfusion often causes a temporary change in character in the person receiving the donor's blood. Could it be that blood is impregnated with one's soul-characteristics? As the blood was associated with the soul, many primitive tribes such as the Scythians evolved the custom of drinking the blood of their enemies or victims in order to absorb their courage, strength, power, and abilities. The custom of forming blood-brothers is also based upon the belief in the importance of the blood as related to the soul, and its transcendence over fleshly ties. Members forming blood-brothers would drink the blood of fellow members thus forming a soul-bond overriding the normal flesh-and-blood relationships.
The ancients often depicted the soul as a bird often human headed, perhaps referring to its ability to fly. The Aztecs, ancient Greeks and Egyptians among the many ancient races, for instance, often portrayed the souls of their dead in murals and pottery as a winged bird taking flight from its lifeless corpse. Eagles, hawks, doves, peacocks and phoenixes were often used to represent the soul.
Not only the head, heart, and blood were believed to be the seat of the soul, but likewise the breath. Believing that the breath is associated with the soul and life, the aborigines of Papua New Guinea would breathe through tubes into effigies of their forefathers in order to confer a certain vitality to their departed souls. This is a magical practice based on the law of similarity. Many tribal cultures practiced the placement of obstructions in the nostrils of their dying ones as a last effort to saving their lives. This they believe would effectively prevent the soul from escaping and causing the death of the body.
It is believed among ancient and savage people that the soul being associated with the life force, illnesses or feebleness of the physical body are caused by the escape of the soul from the gross form. In extreme cases the soul force was "captured" by some evil spirit and it was the task of the shaman, the tribal witch-doctor to recapture the soul and restore it to the corporeal body. The ability of the shaman to dissociate his incorporeal aspect from the gross form supposedly facilitated this sort of work.
The Ancients' concept of the soul has evolved throughout the ages, and even now our scientific understanding is constantly in a state of change. Our conceptions regarding the soul is associated with our various notions regarding God. As man evolves so does his awareness of the soul and his Source. Man has formed many ideas regarding the nature of his creator. In this context it can be seen that the phrase, "God creates man, and man creates God" has a basis in truth.
Among the ancient cultures, the Egyptians and Hindus were the most advanced in their understanding of the soul. We in particular refer to their mystics, hierophants, and sages. They regarded man as a microcosm with many aspects, both material and incorporeal, with each aspect having its own function to play in the life and destiny of the soul. Their many teachings live on today in contemporary metaphysico-occult philosophy. The ancient Greek philosophers and sages such as Thales, Plato and Pythagoras derived much of their occult knowledge from these wise priests of the Orient.
SCIENTIFIC VIEWS
Along the scientific vein, certain schools of thought believe the self or ego to be a by-product of a brain function, and yet what gives rise to this function is not known, and only given an educational guess. The section of the brain that "causes" a sense of self is likewise not yet discovered. This concept of the "brain causes consciousness" is fundamentally the viewpoint of the mechanists that sees man as merely a machine. The above concept is flawed, however, because portions of the brain have been known to be destroyed and yet the presence of a sense of self still remained. In the condition known as hydrocephalus, for instance, large sections of the cerebral cortex may be destroyed or missing, being filled instead with cerebro-spinal fluid, and yet individuals suffering from such a condition may lead normal lives without suspecting their blight. They may even have an I.Q. above average.
The mechanists, Freud (1856-1939) among them, claim that our behavioral actions are automatic responses to external stimuli, and that life is a result of the right combination of chemicals derived from food and oxygen. That an animating force exists to vitalize the organism they may concede but this force is looked upon as a physical energy akin to electricity. The mechanistic theory describes how perception takes place through the stimulation of the senses that creates nerve impulses, and how these nerve impulses travel to the sections of the brain related to the senses, and how they form sensations; but the theory does not consider the real perceiver that tries to make sense of the sensations. To mechanists, the perceiver is thought to be one of the functions of the cerebral cortex. In short, the mechanistic concept leaves no room for the existence of the soul. To a mechanist the purported existence of the soul is considered as an absurdity.
If the eminent neuropsychologist Karl Lashley (1890-1958), author of Brain Mechanisms and Intelligence, after years of research could not discover the seat of memory in the brain, how much more difficult would it be to discover the seat of the self or soul--not withstanding Descartes' (1596-1650) assertion that the pineal gland is its locus. This French philosopher and mathematician also declared, "cogito, ergo sum," or "I think, therefore I am" thus implying that the Self arises into existence as a result of thought, or as a function of the mind. Nevertheless, mystics have proved to themselves the possibility of transcending thoughts and yet remaining in existence, and possessing an exalted sense of Self, unified with the Cosmos. The mystic's standpoint is supported by Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), French philosopher and writer. To Sartre, existence does not depend on the functions of the mind, that a being does not exist simply because it thinks. According to Sartre, existence precedes the mind--or thinking.
Rene Descartes' statement is therefore erroneous, or perhaps our interpretation of his statement is wrong. "I think, because I am" would be closer to the truth. In spite of this, Descartes was somewhat accurate in believing that the pineal gland plays an important role in man's occult physiology as we shall see later when we discuss the metaphysical purview.
Mainstream science may disavow the existence of the soul on the pretext of its immateriality, undetected by their instruments; and yet, matter in its actual state in similarly immaterial. This was the proposition of Leibniz (1646-1716), the German philosopher, who considered matter as a manifestation of Mind--"a stupid variety of mind." To explain this graphically, for instance, what we call concrete matter is actually made up of moving molecules. Molecules in turn are made up of whirling atoms, and these are composed of even smaller particles. Should these sub-atomic particles be magnified "nothing" would be found. Matter, is therefore, made up of "emptiness." We may call this void "energy," "mind," or "spirit," but whatever we call it, the fact remains that matter is actually as insubstantial as the soul. If the reality of one is accepted why not the other? The many particles composing matter are filled with this "nothing," or space. Another curious fact is that if we were to remove the space inherent within a human body, for instance, and all the "particles" united, the total compaction would result in a piece of matter no larger than a mite of dust. Leibniz's theory is also paralleled by the thoughts of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), the American Trancendentalist. According to Emerson matter is "a phenomenon, not a substance." He also considered the material world to be,
"a divine dream, from which we may presently awake to the glories and certainties of day."
Science informs us that nothing is destroyed. That matter is just energy possessing a certain structure and magnetic-field. It is acknowledged that everything in existence is made up of energy. Now as the existence of consciousness and a sense of self are undeniable, they should be thought of as indestructible as well, for Science has already implied the idea in its equations. So why then does Science not accept the possible existence of disembodied consciousness--the soul?--because it cannot be perceived? Quiet an absurdity, really--even while embodied the Self cannot be seen. Can you see your Self?
From whence does the sense of self-identity come? It seems that mainstream science is still a long way in finding this one out. However, new paradigms are being formulated by open-minded scientists who are now considering the world-view of eastern mystics in conjunction with the new developments and discoveries in the field of physics and psychology. The theories of quantum physics and transpersonal psychology are closing the gap between essential religion and conventional science. Regarding the mystery of the Self in relation to the brain we are reminded of the words of the researcher and scientist George Buletza who said in the Rosicrucian Digest (Sept. 1983) that,
"Rather than the brain producing Self, it is the other way around. The brain is a product of Self, of Being ever striving to be. The brain is the incredibly fine instrument created by Self in the process of expressing its own nature . . ."
It has been observed in many laboratory experiments all over the world that human consciousness reveals an ability to extend itself beyond the boundaries of the brain and body, that somehow it may perceive or influence events at distant places. Such mental activities suggests to some scientific observers that consciousness may exist independent of the corporeal form.
Many branches of science such as physics, psychology, astrophysics, and biology, are investigating the soul, and each has their own particular methods of inquiry. Perhaps the most important branch of science that has been developed in recent times, relatively speaking, is parapsychology.
Parapsychology
Parapsychology is that branch of science that studies the nature of psychic or paranormal phenomena. Its scope of investigation covers a wide range of subjects: for instance, ESP, hauntings, poltergeist activity, Near-Death Experience, Out-of-the-Body Experience, UFOs, Strange Creatures, Weird Phenomena, etc. There are now many institutes investigating, studying, and teaching this branch of science. The word "parapsychologist" is often misunderstood. Many people seem to think that being a parapsychologist is synonymous to being psychic. This is erroneous. A psychic may not be a parapsychologist, and vice versa. A psychic is someone who perceives impressions through higher senses not ordinarily registered by the physical senses. Psychics may not generally understand the impressions that they register, and may simply believe and be fooled by illusions and appearances. A parapsychologist seeks to understand unusual phenomena through scientific analysis, and by using empirical methods with the aid of carefully devised instruments. A mystically inclined metaphysician, on the other-hand, basically strives to understand phenomena with the aid of his intellect, intuition, and other higher faculties. The parapsychologist's basic methods are three-dimensional, the psychic's four-dimensional, and the mystic-metaphysician's, five-dimensional, or even higher.
To illustrate the difference between a paranormal and a metaphysician's understanding of phenomena, we will just illustrate one out of many. As an example, supposing a psychic were to receive impressions of an impending disaster, he would consider it to be truth and proclaim it to others. He would make all sorts of predictions anent the impressions that was registered in his mind. He would consider it as a revelation of God.
The metaphysician on the other hand, knowing Cosmic and natural laws, understands the impressions received to possibly be thought-forms-mind creations of fearful beings. Man radiates thoughts, and these thoughts, perhaps without a basis of truth, are received by psychics. The unfortunate thing in all of this is that thoughts are creative. What we habitually think about with intense emotion have a tendency to materialize. So dire predictions often come true; however it does not have to be. We have to learn to eliminate fear. When psychics make predictions they are instilling and intensifying fear among the masses. Now this is a vicious cycle. When people are made fearful by psychics they begin to imagine more catastrophic horrors and these thoughts radiate out again to susceptible psychics who repeat the whole procedure over again. The momentum eventually grows until it manifests physically.
However, let us not digress too far and return to our subject: Parapsychology has established various avenues of research for determining the reality of the soul and the survival of personal consciousness. Although the results of their research are inconclusive by the standards of mainstream science, parapsychologists have been successful in acquiring evidence and vital knowledge that when analyzed seemingly validates the age-old belief in the existence of the soul and its survival of bodily death. Nevertheless, parapsychologists have formulated various theories as to their findings, not all of which aligns with the traditional view of the soul. It is also important to note that the term "soul" is rarely used in mainstream science or parapsychology. The terms "mind," "consciousness," and "personality" are often used instead.
Copyright ฉ 2006 Luxamore
Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
http://www.indotalisman.com/
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Ancient Egyptian Writing
The ancient egyptians had a special language called hieroglyphics. This language used ancient egyptian alphabet and other words, sentences or ideas all composed of pictures and symbol.
This article courtesy of http://www.kingtutshop.com, the handmade gifts andeducational kits experts. Click here to see our universe of handmadegifts and educational kits"
The ancient Egyptian writing which is called hieroglyphics were composed of pictures and drawings. The hieroglyphic alphabets is composed of drawings to symbolize the ancient Egyptian letters. The anciet Egyptians were very cultured and civilized that is why they cherished learning and cherished their history and invented this method of writing to keep their civilization recorded on walls of temples and tombs.
The hieroglyphics alphabet is made up of drawings representing the sound of the letter, thus they were all constant letters. Also ancient egyptian writing used small pictures for representing whole words, ideas or actions.
HIEROGLYPHICSThere is about 700 letters in the ancient egyptian writing system. The ancient Egyptians considered this type of writing as sacred and religious writings and most were placed and carved on tombs or wall of temples.The Egyptian writings were considered the "words of the Gods". The ibis-headed god Thoth was considered to be the patron deity of writing and scribes. Hieroglyphs were primarily used for religious and formal secular purposes. Early in the historical period, a simpler cursive script was developed, in which each character was a simplified version of a hieroglyph. This script is today known as hieratic and was widely used until about 800 BCE for business, literary and religious texts. By about 700 BCE another script today called demotic had evolved from the hieratic. Business, legal and literary inscriptions were written in demotic.
Hieratic
Hieratic is an adaptation of the hieroglyphic script, the signs being simplified to make their writing quicker. Hieratic was the administrative and business script throughout most of its history, and recorded documents of a literary, scientific and religious nature. It was most often used on papyrus rolls or sheets, or on bits of pottery or stone.
Hieroglyphs were written with a reed brush and ink on papyrus, leather or wood, and on those surfaces it was harder to attain the crisp quality and detail of the signs as carved on stone. So cursive hieroglyphic was merely a simpler form of each hieroglyphic sign. A hieratic sign was not always as clear a counterpart to its hieroglyphic sign as was cursive hieroglyphic.Hieratic should not be confused with cursive hieroglyphic script, though the two resemble each other. Cursive hieroglyphic script is usually written from right to left in columns, though just as with hieroglyphic it could vary, and is found almost exclusively in religious texts such as the Book of the Dead. Hieratic could be written in columns or horizontal lines, but it always read from right to left. It also sometimes contained punctuation in the form of a small dot to separate units of thought.
DemoticThe word "Demotic" comes once again from Greek, meaning "popular script." By the Hellenistic period of the Ptolemies, demotic was the only native script in general daily use. It is a very cursive script, having been derived directly from hieratic, making it difficult to read and almost impossible to transcribe into any hieroglyphic counterpart.Demotic texts were generally administrative, legal and commercial, though there are a few literary compositions as well as scientific and religious texts. The Rosetta Stone contains a section inscribed in demotic along with hieroglyphic and Greek.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Sherin Elkhawaga, Female, 31 Years Oldradiologist.Beholds Masters Degreein Radiology. Interested In Egyptology.
This article courtesy of http://www.kingtutshop.com, the handmade gifts andeducational kits experts. Click here to see our universe of handmadegifts and educational kits"
The ancient Egyptian writing which is called hieroglyphics were composed of pictures and drawings. The hieroglyphic alphabets is composed of drawings to symbolize the ancient Egyptian letters. The anciet Egyptians were very cultured and civilized that is why they cherished learning and cherished their history and invented this method of writing to keep their civilization recorded on walls of temples and tombs.
The hieroglyphics alphabet is made up of drawings representing the sound of the letter, thus they were all constant letters. Also ancient egyptian writing used small pictures for representing whole words, ideas or actions.
HIEROGLYPHICSThere is about 700 letters in the ancient egyptian writing system. The ancient Egyptians considered this type of writing as sacred and religious writings and most were placed and carved on tombs or wall of temples.The Egyptian writings were considered the "words of the Gods". The ibis-headed god Thoth was considered to be the patron deity of writing and scribes. Hieroglyphs were primarily used for religious and formal secular purposes. Early in the historical period, a simpler cursive script was developed, in which each character was a simplified version of a hieroglyph. This script is today known as hieratic and was widely used until about 800 BCE for business, literary and religious texts. By about 700 BCE another script today called demotic had evolved from the hieratic. Business, legal and literary inscriptions were written in demotic.
Hieratic
Hieratic is an adaptation of the hieroglyphic script, the signs being simplified to make their writing quicker. Hieratic was the administrative and business script throughout most of its history, and recorded documents of a literary, scientific and religious nature. It was most often used on papyrus rolls or sheets, or on bits of pottery or stone.
Hieroglyphs were written with a reed brush and ink on papyrus, leather or wood, and on those surfaces it was harder to attain the crisp quality and detail of the signs as carved on stone. So cursive hieroglyphic was merely a simpler form of each hieroglyphic sign. A hieratic sign was not always as clear a counterpart to its hieroglyphic sign as was cursive hieroglyphic.Hieratic should not be confused with cursive hieroglyphic script, though the two resemble each other. Cursive hieroglyphic script is usually written from right to left in columns, though just as with hieroglyphic it could vary, and is found almost exclusively in religious texts such as the Book of the Dead. Hieratic could be written in columns or horizontal lines, but it always read from right to left. It also sometimes contained punctuation in the form of a small dot to separate units of thought.
DemoticThe word "Demotic" comes once again from Greek, meaning "popular script." By the Hellenistic period of the Ptolemies, demotic was the only native script in general daily use. It is a very cursive script, having been derived directly from hieratic, making it difficult to read and almost impossible to transcribe into any hieroglyphic counterpart.Demotic texts were generally administrative, legal and commercial, though there are a few literary compositions as well as scientific and religious texts. The Rosetta Stone contains a section inscribed in demotic along with hieroglyphic and Greek.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Sherin Elkhawaga, Female, 31 Years Oldradiologist.Beholds Masters Degreein Radiology. Interested In Egyptology.
The Greek Vase - The Story of Ancient Greece Told in Clay
Withstanding the test of time, Greek Pottery has been a crucial element in the world's comprehension of the ancient Greek culture. Mostly found in the Etruscan Tombs, Greek Vases and Greek Pottery are canvases that paint a portrait of the world of ancient Greece. While much of ancient Greek art is forever lost, Greek pottery offers a glimpse into both the every day life and the mythology of ancient Greece.
Starting with the Minoan civilization that existed in Crete, the culture made remarkable contributions to the Greek way of life; especially, in the artisanship of pottery and vases. The Minoan potters designed pottery for food gathering and storage. A practical need became one of artistic expression with the potter looking to nature to influence the designs that transformed the pottery, creating art from what was once only a tool.
As time progressed, Minoan's created vases in forms that were used for specialized purposes. For example, the Amphora vase is a swollen vase with a wide mouth and two opposing handles. It was used to transport and store oil, wine and other liquids. Painted with grass and flowers, and marine scenes, the Minoan's set precedent for future designs.
During the Protogeometrical Period, Greek vases were decorated with simplistic designs that consisted mainly of circular patterns. The Geometric style followed with new motifs, building upon the latter with wavy lines and triangles. In the middle of the 11th Century, the first images of human figures were seen painted on the Greek vase, and by the end of the period, mythological figures became prominent images on much of the pottery of the era.
The Orientalizing Period came after trade-links with Syria and the Aegan World. The popularity of human depictions slowed during this time, and the artisan used the Greek vases for depicting lions, griffins and sphinx with lotuses as accents.
Through the Corinthian invention known as the black-figure process, artists used iron-rich clay that turned reddish-orange after firing. They then sketched their design in outline, and filled it with clay. The Greek vases would be kiln fired at a temperature of around 800 degress Celsius. The pottery would turn a reddish-orange color. Next, the temperature was raised to 950 degrees Celsius, and the vase would turn black. Finally, the kiln vents were opened to let in oxygen, and the pottery would turn back to the reddish-orange color, but the paint layer remained black.
The Corinthian used these vases to depict animal friezes. It was the Athenian painters who developed a narrative method, depicting mythological scenes of battle, gods and heroes.
Following the black-figure method, the red-figure method was introduced in Athens. At its core, the process is exactly the opposite of the black-figure method. Scenes were applied to the Greek vases, but to unfired pieces after they were dried. The Athenians drew outlines on the pottery or vase with a blunt scrapper. It was erased during the kiln process, but after the contours remained and were filled with a glossy clay slip.
The Greek methods for creating pottery resulted in Greek vases whose designs endure even today and left the world with a path to the past told in the distinct and varying images etched and painted on their sides.
Starting with the Minoan civilization that existed in Crete, the culture made remarkable contributions to the Greek way of life; especially, in the artisanship of pottery and vases. The Minoan potters designed pottery for food gathering and storage. A practical need became one of artistic expression with the potter looking to nature to influence the designs that transformed the pottery, creating art from what was once only a tool.
As time progressed, Minoan's created vases in forms that were used for specialized purposes. For example, the Amphora vase is a swollen vase with a wide mouth and two opposing handles. It was used to transport and store oil, wine and other liquids. Painted with grass and flowers, and marine scenes, the Minoan's set precedent for future designs.
During the Protogeometrical Period, Greek vases were decorated with simplistic designs that consisted mainly of circular patterns. The Geometric style followed with new motifs, building upon the latter with wavy lines and triangles. In the middle of the 11th Century, the first images of human figures were seen painted on the Greek vase, and by the end of the period, mythological figures became prominent images on much of the pottery of the era.
The Orientalizing Period came after trade-links with Syria and the Aegan World. The popularity of human depictions slowed during this time, and the artisan used the Greek vases for depicting lions, griffins and sphinx with lotuses as accents.
Through the Corinthian invention known as the black-figure process, artists used iron-rich clay that turned reddish-orange after firing. They then sketched their design in outline, and filled it with clay. The Greek vases would be kiln fired at a temperature of around 800 degress Celsius. The pottery would turn a reddish-orange color. Next, the temperature was raised to 950 degrees Celsius, and the vase would turn black. Finally, the kiln vents were opened to let in oxygen, and the pottery would turn back to the reddish-orange color, but the paint layer remained black.
The Corinthian used these vases to depict animal friezes. It was the Athenian painters who developed a narrative method, depicting mythological scenes of battle, gods and heroes.
Following the black-figure method, the red-figure method was introduced in Athens. At its core, the process is exactly the opposite of the black-figure method. Scenes were applied to the Greek vases, but to unfired pieces after they were dried. The Athenians drew outlines on the pottery or vase with a blunt scrapper. It was erased during the kiln process, but after the contours remained and were filled with a glossy clay slip.
The Greek methods for creating pottery resulted in Greek vases whose designs endure even today and left the world with a path to the past told in the distinct and varying images etched and painted on their sides.
Looking for a Greek Vase to decorate your home? Check out the these distinct Greek Vases from Your Museum Store. Rob Mabry is a former military journalist living in San Antonio. He writes about travel, technology, film and the video game industry. Rob operates http://www.yourmuseumstore.com along with his wife Sherry.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WRITING.
THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS HAD A SPECIAL LANGUAGE CALLED HIEROGLYPHICS. THIS LANGUAGE USED ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ALPHABET AND OTHER WORDS, SENTENCES OR IDEAS ALL COMPOSED OF PICTURES AND SYMBOL.
This article courtesy of http://www.kingtutshop.com, the handmade gifts and
educational kits experts. Click here to see our universe of handmade
gifts and educational kits"
The ancient Egyptian writing which is called hieroglyphics were composed of pictures and drawings. The hieroglyphic alphabets is composed of drawings to symbolize the ancient Egyptian letters. The anciet Egyptians were very cultured and civilized that is why they cherished learning and cherished their history and invented this method of writing to keep their civilization recorded on walls of temples and tombs.
The hieroglyphics alphabet is made up of drawings representing the sound of the letter, thus they were all constant letters. Also ancient egyptian writing used small pictures for representing whole words, ideas or actions.
HIEROGLYPHICS
There is about 700 letters in the ancient egyptian writing system. The ancient Egyptians considered this type of writing as sacred and religious writings and most were placed and carved on tombs or wall of temples.The Egyptian writings were considered the "words of the Gods". The ibis-headed god Thoth was considered to be the patron deity of writing and scribes.
Hieroglyphs were primarily used for religious and formal secular purposes. Early in the historical period, a simpler cursive script was developed, in which each character was a simplified version of a hieroglyph. This script is today known as hieratic and was widely used until about 800 BCE for business, literary and religious texts. By about 700 BCE another script today called demotic had evolved from the hieratic. Business, legal and literary inscriptions were written in demotic.
Hieratic
Hieratic is an adaptation of the hieroglyphic script, the signs being simplified to make their writing quicker. Hieratic was the administrative and business script throughout most of its history, and recorded documents of a literary, scientific and religious nature. It was most often used on papyrus rolls or sheets, or on bits of pottery or stone.
Hieroglyphs were written with a reed brush and ink on papyrus, leather or wood, and on those surfaces it was harder to attain the crisp quality and detail of the signs as carved on stone. So cursive hieroglyphic was merely a simpler form of each hieroglyphic sign. A hieratic sign was not always as clear a counterpart to its hieroglyphic sign as was cursive hieroglyphic.
Hieratic should not be confused with cursive hieroglyphic script, though the two resemble each other. Cursive hieroglyphic script is usually written from right to left in columns, though just as with hieroglyphic it could vary, and is found almost exclusively in religious texts such as the Book of the Dead. Hieratic could be written in columns or horizontal lines, but it always read from right to left. It also sometimes contained punctuation in the form of a small dot to separate units of thought.
Demotic
The word "Demotic" comes once again from Greek, meaning "popular script." By the Hellenistic period of the Ptolemies, demotic was the only native script in general daily use. It is a very cursive script, having been derived directly from hieratic, making it difficult to read and almost impossible to transcribe into any hieroglyphic counterpart.
Demotic texts were generally administrative, legal and commercial, though there are a few literary compositions as well as scientific and religious texts. The Rosetta Stone contains a section inscribed in demotic along with hieroglyphic and Greek.
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The ancient Egyptian writing which is called hieroglyphics were composed of pictures and drawings. The hieroglyphic alphabets is composed of drawings to symbolize the ancient Egyptian letters. The anciet Egyptians were very cultured and civilized that is why they cherished learning and cherished their history and invented this method of writing to keep their civilization recorded on walls of temples and tombs.
The hieroglyphics alphabet is made up of drawings representing the sound of the letter, thus they were all constant letters. Also ancient egyptian writing used small pictures for representing whole words, ideas or actions.
HIEROGLYPHICS
There is about 700 letters in the ancient egyptian writing system. The ancient Egyptians considered this type of writing as sacred and religious writings and most were placed and carved on tombs or wall of temples.The Egyptian writings were considered the "words of the Gods". The ibis-headed god Thoth was considered to be the patron deity of writing and scribes.
Hieroglyphs were primarily used for religious and formal secular purposes. Early in the historical period, a simpler cursive script was developed, in which each character was a simplified version of a hieroglyph. This script is today known as hieratic and was widely used until about 800 BCE for business, literary and religious texts. By about 700 BCE another script today called demotic had evolved from the hieratic. Business, legal and literary inscriptions were written in demotic.
Hieratic
Hieratic is an adaptation of the hieroglyphic script, the signs being simplified to make their writing quicker. Hieratic was the administrative and business script throughout most of its history, and recorded documents of a literary, scientific and religious nature. It was most often used on papyrus rolls or sheets, or on bits of pottery or stone.
Hieroglyphs were written with a reed brush and ink on papyrus, leather or wood, and on those surfaces it was harder to attain the crisp quality and detail of the signs as carved on stone. So cursive hieroglyphic was merely a simpler form of each hieroglyphic sign. A hieratic sign was not always as clear a counterpart to its hieroglyphic sign as was cursive hieroglyphic.
Hieratic should not be confused with cursive hieroglyphic script, though the two resemble each other. Cursive hieroglyphic script is usually written from right to left in columns, though just as with hieroglyphic it could vary, and is found almost exclusively in religious texts such as the Book of the Dead. Hieratic could be written in columns or horizontal lines, but it always read from right to left. It also sometimes contained punctuation in the form of a small dot to separate units of thought.
Demotic
The word "Demotic" comes once again from Greek, meaning "popular script." By the Hellenistic period of the Ptolemies, demotic was the only native script in general daily use. It is a very cursive script, having been derived directly from hieratic, making it difficult to read and almost impossible to transcribe into any hieroglyphic counterpart.
Demotic texts were generally administrative, legal and commercial, though there are a few literary compositions as well as scientific and religious texts. The Rosetta Stone contains a section inscribed in demotic along with hieroglyphic and Greek.
"Goddess Remembered" - A Film Reflection
"Goddess Remembered," Part of the Series, "Women in Spirituality" © 1989,
National Film Board of Canada
Produced by: Margaret Pettigrew
Directed by: Donna Read
Distributed by: Wellspring Media, Inc.
Wow, those hairstyles and puffy sleeves! The 80's - gotta love 'em. Look at the difference 20 years makes in social customs. Now, think what 2,000 years can mean, and 20,000 years, and back even further. This documentary pays homage to the goddess-worshipping religions of the ancient past. With its dinner-party format, I was expecting Judy Chicago to make an appearance. It would have been great to see each woman - Starhawk, Merlin Stone, Jean Bolen and others - sitting at the place setting of a goddess. Back in 1979, Chicago had depicted place settings for 39 mythical and historical famous women throughout history. By 1989, "The Dinner Party" had been up and running for a decade. It seems like a serious omission to me, although I did appreciate the goddess statue as a focal point on the table.
The dinner party theme of "Goddess Remembered" seemed fitting as it's been women who have historically grown, gathered, prepared and shared food, particularly in a social setting. (I don't see why it could not have been both men and women who domesticated animals.) The viewer could see that these particular women are all highly intelligent "heavy-weights" in the goddess stratosphere. And they have not been lounging around for the last 20 years.
Jean Shinoda Bolen is the woman who said how when she was giving birth she felt linked in time horizontally to every woman who ever was, and that "nothing had prepared me for this. It hurt!" Bolen is an author, a Jungian analyst and an activist. She has written many books with which feminists would be familiar, including Crossing to Avalon: A Woman's Quest for the Sacred Feminine, Goddesses in Everywoman: Powerful Archetypes for Women and The Millionth Circle: How to Change Ourselves and the World. Her Millionth Circle, she explains, is a tool she uses as "an advocate for women's circles with a sacred center as the means to reach a critical mass-tipping point to bring women's wisdom into the world."
Starhawk is also an author of many works that celebrate the Goddess movement including her latest, The Earth Path, which speaks about the root of our environmental destructiveness, and tells readers how to reconnect with the Earth. She describes herself as "a peace, environmental and global justice activist and trainer, a permaculture designer and teacher, a Pagan and Witch." Interestingly enough, she and Donna Read, the director of "Goddess Remembered," have co-produced a documentary on the life of archaeologist, Marija Gimbutas, called "Signs Out of Time."
Merlin Stone, a sculptor and art history professor, grew interested in archaeology while studying ancient art. In 1976 she wrote a book called When God Was A Woman which delves into matriarchal and matrilineal societal structures that were suppressed by Judaism and Christianity. Her other book, Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood, (1990) is a collection of stories, myths and prayers about the goddess. Oh to be a fly on the wall at a gathering of such powerful women. I would have liked to see the name and title of each woman, every time she appeared on the screen; this would have been a good way for viewers to familiarize themselves with who these women are, but credits were not forthcoming until the end of the film, which struck me as weird.
The women and Olympia Dukakis, the film's narrator, discussed many diverse and interesting points. They spoke of how the serpent was a symbol of healing and prophecy. They spoke of Malta, the Greek island that is the oldest known repository of the goddess culture. The people of Malta are now predominantly Catholic.
The women all seemed to share the viewpoint of Luisa Teish who said she had rejected the notion of the "Great Bearded White Man in the Sky." She laughed, "I hung with Mary!" Later on she also said something meaningful for all women: "I am an ancestress of tomorrow."
Crete was mentioned as a place where the people had studied astronomy, mapping the stars and keeping records. Women there could be sea captains and chariot drivers, if they so desired. The creation of art was highly esteemed, and in this peaceful society, no evidence had been found of male/female inequality. No personal mark was ever found on a piece of art. Minoan Crete is the place where the worship of the goddess was intact for the longest period of time.
The Golden Age of Greece marked the beginning of men's power and the end of women's. The warrior cults came into the forefront then and thereafter, rampaging the Earth and exploiting her treasures. Greece once had gorgeous stands of trees and vegetation. These were chopped down to produce warships, and when the trees go down; the sand takes over. The place once known as Eden is now a dry and desolate land.
The claim that Old Europe was woman-centered, cooperative and non-violent seems to be a bone of contention (the self-proclaimed feminist Cynthia Eller, among many others, makes a case against it).
Following is a recent critique of "Goddess Remembered" that I found on the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com): Unsubstantiated claims abound..., 10 May 2007
Author: thorn101 from United States - (Charles Sheaffer) This film is filled with blatant nonsense and pseudo-scientific drivel. Various claims are made in the film which have no scientific or archaeological basis, and are merely assumptions or the result of faulty logic (and wishful thinking).
Claims like (allegedly) Goddess-worshiping Old Europe was an egalitarian, woman-centered society. It was cooperative, non-hierarchical, and non-violent. This is not true, many fortified prehistoric settlements have been found in Europe indicating the presence of warfare.
David Anthony, an assistant professor of anthropology at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., said that there is also evidence of weapons, including some used as symbols of status, and of human sacrifice, hierarchy, and social inequality. There is also no evidence that women played the central role, in either the social structure or the religion of Old Europe.
Lengyel and Tiszapolgar cemeteries indicate that fighting, hunting, and trading were male activities, because men were buried with flint tools, weapons, animal bones, and copper tools. Pottery was probably made by females and used mainly by them in domestic activities. This is reflected by finds of pottery with female remains. Also no domesticated or wild animals are associated with female burials.
Claims that satellite photographs have shown that the Neolithic monoliths of the Goddess "all stand on energy lines, which criss-cross the earth" is pure pseudo-science. There are no such things as "energy lines" that cross the earth. Also scholars are now disputing the identification of neolithic megaliths with any so-called "Goddess" worship.
The film contains many more such unsubstantiated claims.
Overall this is a nice flick to watch on an all girls night sleepover party whilst honoring your inner goddess with vast amounts of chocolate. The reality is that this mockumentary has no place in women studies, anthropology or archaeology, and I am appalled to still see it being taken so seriously.
Interesting, eh? It brings to mind an old Shakespearian quote, "The man protests too much." I know that neither he nor I were around 20,000 years or so ago, so I believe his argument is moot.
I would say that the main theme of "Goddess Remembered" is how women and nature are one. "As a species, we don't stand apart from nature," is something that Charlene Spretnak said, and I believe she is right. It really comes down to this equation:
Women = Nature (illustrated by caves, snakes, water, etc.) Man vs. Nature (which pits Man against Woman)
Until Man honors and respects Nature and thus, Woman, our downward spiral toward oblivion via war and the destruction of the Earth, will carry us all down that swift and vengeful river together. And that would indeed by the end of His- and Her-story.
Wow, those hairstyles and puffy sleeves! The 80's - gotta love 'em. Look at the difference 20 years makes in social customs. Now, think what 2,000 years can mean, and 20,000 years, and back even further. This documentary pays homage to the goddess-worshipping religions of the ancient past. With its dinner-party format, I was expecting Judy Chicago to make an appearance. It would have been great to see each woman - Starhawk, Merlin Stone, Jean Bolen and others - sitting at the place setting of a goddess. Back in 1979, Chicago had depicted place settings for 39 mythical and historical famous women throughout history. By 1989, "The Dinner Party" had been up and running for a decade. It seems like a serious omission to me, although I did appreciate the goddess statue as a focal point on the table.
The dinner party theme of "Goddess Remembered" seemed fitting as it's been women who have historically grown, gathered, prepared and shared food, particularly in a social setting. (I don't see why it could not have been both men and women who domesticated animals.) The viewer could see that these particular women are all highly intelligent "heavy-weights" in the goddess stratosphere. And they have not been lounging around for the last 20 years.
Jean Shinoda Bolen is the woman who said how when she was giving birth she felt linked in time horizontally to every woman who ever was, and that "nothing had prepared me for this. It hurt!" Bolen is an author, a Jungian analyst and an activist. She has written many books with which feminists would be familiar, including Crossing to Avalon: A Woman's Quest for the Sacred Feminine, Goddesses in Everywoman: Powerful Archetypes for Women and The Millionth Circle: How to Change Ourselves and the World. Her Millionth Circle, she explains, is a tool she uses as "an advocate for women's circles with a sacred center as the means to reach a critical mass-tipping point to bring women's wisdom into the world."
Starhawk is also an author of many works that celebrate the Goddess movement including her latest, The Earth Path, which speaks about the root of our environmental destructiveness, and tells readers how to reconnect with the Earth. She describes herself as "a peace, environmental and global justice activist and trainer, a permaculture designer and teacher, a Pagan and Witch." Interestingly enough, she and Donna Read, the director of "Goddess Remembered," have co-produced a documentary on the life of archaeologist, Marija Gimbutas, called "Signs Out of Time."
Merlin Stone, a sculptor and art history professor, grew interested in archaeology while studying ancient art. In 1976 she wrote a book called When God Was A Woman which delves into matriarchal and matrilineal societal structures that were suppressed by Judaism and Christianity. Her other book, Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood, (1990) is a collection of stories, myths and prayers about the goddess. Oh to be a fly on the wall at a gathering of such powerful women. I would have liked to see the name and title of each woman, every time she appeared on the screen; this would have been a good way for viewers to familiarize themselves with who these women are, but credits were not forthcoming until the end of the film, which struck me as weird.
The women and Olympia Dukakis, the film's narrator, discussed many diverse and interesting points. They spoke of how the serpent was a symbol of healing and prophecy. They spoke of Malta, the Greek island that is the oldest known repository of the goddess culture. The people of Malta are now predominantly Catholic.
The women all seemed to share the viewpoint of Luisa Teish who said she had rejected the notion of the "Great Bearded White Man in the Sky." She laughed, "I hung with Mary!" Later on she also said something meaningful for all women: "I am an ancestress of tomorrow."
Crete was mentioned as a place where the people had studied astronomy, mapping the stars and keeping records. Women there could be sea captains and chariot drivers, if they so desired. The creation of art was highly esteemed, and in this peaceful society, no evidence had been found of male/female inequality. No personal mark was ever found on a piece of art. Minoan Crete is the place where the worship of the goddess was intact for the longest period of time.
The Golden Age of Greece marked the beginning of men's power and the end of women's. The warrior cults came into the forefront then and thereafter, rampaging the Earth and exploiting her treasures. Greece once had gorgeous stands of trees and vegetation. These were chopped down to produce warships, and when the trees go down; the sand takes over. The place once known as Eden is now a dry and desolate land.
The claim that Old Europe was woman-centered, cooperative and non-violent seems to be a bone of contention (the self-proclaimed feminist Cynthia Eller, among many others, makes a case against it).
Following is a recent critique of "Goddess Remembered" that I found on the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com): Unsubstantiated claims abound..., 10 May 2007
Author: thorn101 from United States - (Charles Sheaffer) This film is filled with blatant nonsense and pseudo-scientific drivel. Various claims are made in the film which have no scientific or archaeological basis, and are merely assumptions or the result of faulty logic (and wishful thinking).
Claims like (allegedly) Goddess-worshiping Old Europe was an egalitarian, woman-centered society. It was cooperative, non-hierarchical, and non-violent. This is not true, many fortified prehistoric settlements have been found in Europe indicating the presence of warfare.
David Anthony, an assistant professor of anthropology at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., said that there is also evidence of weapons, including some used as symbols of status, and of human sacrifice, hierarchy, and social inequality. There is also no evidence that women played the central role, in either the social structure or the religion of Old Europe.
Lengyel and Tiszapolgar cemeteries indicate that fighting, hunting, and trading were male activities, because men were buried with flint tools, weapons, animal bones, and copper tools. Pottery was probably made by females and used mainly by them in domestic activities. This is reflected by finds of pottery with female remains. Also no domesticated or wild animals are associated with female burials.
Claims that satellite photographs have shown that the Neolithic monoliths of the Goddess "all stand on energy lines, which criss-cross the earth" is pure pseudo-science. There are no such things as "energy lines" that cross the earth. Also scholars are now disputing the identification of neolithic megaliths with any so-called "Goddess" worship.
The film contains many more such unsubstantiated claims.
Overall this is a nice flick to watch on an all girls night sleepover party whilst honoring your inner goddess with vast amounts of chocolate. The reality is that this mockumentary has no place in women studies, anthropology or archaeology, and I am appalled to still see it being taken so seriously.
Interesting, eh? It brings to mind an old Shakespearian quote, "The man protests too much." I know that neither he nor I were around 20,000 years or so ago, so I believe his argument is moot.
I would say that the main theme of "Goddess Remembered" is how women and nature are one. "As a species, we don't stand apart from nature," is something that Charlene Spretnak said, and I believe she is right. It really comes down to this equation:
Women = Nature (illustrated by caves, snakes, water, etc.) Man vs. Nature (which pits Man against Woman)
Until Man honors and respects Nature and thus, Woman, our downward spiral toward oblivion via war and the destruction of the Earth, will carry us all down that swift and vengeful river together. And that would indeed by the end of His- and Her-story.
Patty Mooney has been writing since the age of 16. Her favorite topics include women's issues, homelessness, homeless veterans, the arts, cinema, biographies, nature and video production. Her work has appeared in many publications around the world, including the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Reader, Create Magazine, Post Magazine, Women's Sports & Fitness, Yoga Journal and others. You can read her blog, "A Diary Left Open" at http://www.sandiegovideoproduction.blogspot.com Her business site is http://www.crystalpyramid.com
What To Do In Malaga, Spain
There is a lot to do in Malaga, Spain. This Malaga city overview should help you sort your way through the many attractions and sightseeing opportunities to help you plan your holiday and create a fun and exciting itinerary for you time in Malaga.
Malaga is located on one of Spain's seventeen most beautiful regions, the Costa del Sol. Malaga is the second largest city in Andalucia and is known for its wine, fresh seafood and great weather. Another added bonus when visiting Malaga is the convenience of reaching the city, as the Malaga airport offers discount flights from multiple airline carriers.
There are several museums in Malaga allowing you to enjoy this region's art, history and culture. The Picasso Museum is one of its most famous museums and honors the famous artist, Pablo Picasso, celebrating his life and work. Picasso was born in Malaga, and the home in which he was born is actually not far from the museum. This home is now home to the Picasso Foundation. Two museums are located on the premises of the Alcazaba Castle. The Archaeological Museum has on display a variety of Greek and Gothic artifacts. The Museu de la Ceramica displays pottery from a variety of historical periods and, as its name suggests, is dedicated to ceramics and pottery. Also on the grounds of the Alcazaba Castle is a Roman theater from the first century. Finally, the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions, the city museum, contains a variety of art from local artists of different periods as well as modern art. This is, especially, an enjoyable visit for the art lover. It is located in the older part of Malaga.
Another attraction worth seeing is the Cathedral. It is one of the best known buildings in Malaga. This site was originally home to a mosque. Construction on the Cathedral began in 1528, but was stopped in 1783 due to a lack of funding. During these centuries, construction was on and off and, actually, the south tower is still not complete. During your visit, you will be able to observe the many different architecture styles in this building.
The market area is great for shopping, eating and enjoying the city's night life. There are also many restaurants in the area surrounding the city's market. Fresh seafood is always on a Malaga menu. If you hope to enjoy some night life during your vacation, this is where you will find it as this area has become home to several bars.
Finally, the harbor is also a popular part of town. There is a nice park near the harbor where you can relax and take an enjoyable walk, and enjoy a beautiful view
Malaga is located on one of Spain's seventeen most beautiful regions, the Costa del Sol. Malaga is the second largest city in Andalucia and is known for its wine, fresh seafood and great weather. Another added bonus when visiting Malaga is the convenience of reaching the city, as the Malaga airport offers discount flights from multiple airline carriers.
There are several museums in Malaga allowing you to enjoy this region's art, history and culture. The Picasso Museum is one of its most famous museums and honors the famous artist, Pablo Picasso, celebrating his life and work. Picasso was born in Malaga, and the home in which he was born is actually not far from the museum. This home is now home to the Picasso Foundation. Two museums are located on the premises of the Alcazaba Castle. The Archaeological Museum has on display a variety of Greek and Gothic artifacts. The Museu de la Ceramica displays pottery from a variety of historical periods and, as its name suggests, is dedicated to ceramics and pottery. Also on the grounds of the Alcazaba Castle is a Roman theater from the first century. Finally, the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions, the city museum, contains a variety of art from local artists of different periods as well as modern art. This is, especially, an enjoyable visit for the art lover. It is located in the older part of Malaga.
Another attraction worth seeing is the Cathedral. It is one of the best known buildings in Malaga. This site was originally home to a mosque. Construction on the Cathedral began in 1528, but was stopped in 1783 due to a lack of funding. During these centuries, construction was on and off and, actually, the south tower is still not complete. During your visit, you will be able to observe the many different architecture styles in this building.
The market area is great for shopping, eating and enjoying the city's night life. There are also many restaurants in the area surrounding the city's market. Fresh seafood is always on a Malaga menu. If you hope to enjoy some night life during your vacation, this is where you will find it as this area has become home to several bars.
Finally, the harbor is also a popular part of town. There is a nice park near the harbor where you can relax and take an enjoyable walk, and enjoy a beautiful view
The Nephilim and the Roots of Civilization
We often take the roots of Western Civilization for granted. Yes, we are taught by convention that such roots find a strong hold in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C. But, have you ever stopped to ask yourself how deep those roots go, and better yet, "who planted the tree?"
It is very likely that the key to understanding the founding of the world's great cities and civilizations rests on a fundamental understanding of giants, or as the Bible calls them, Nephilim. These creatures were the offspring of fallen angels and human females, and according to scripture, contributed to the very downfall of antediluvian society (Genesis 6). Some of them, it would seem, even survived the great deluge, cropping up in later millennia under various other names, such as the Old Testament's Rephaim and Anakim. The perseverance of their race could account for many of the world's great cities or monuments. If we broaden the Biblical interpretation of this colossal line of creatures to include world mythology, then possibilities emerge after the most cursory of glances at man's religions.
In extrabiblical sources, such as The Book of Enoch, one can find the very work of transforming hunter-gatherers into a more sophisticated society. The fallen angels waste no time in developing a scheme to influence man for their own ends. We are told that under the guidance of their leader Semyaza, the fallen angels trade knowledge and technology for access to human females for the purposes of breeding offspring. To the great misfortune of mankind, civilization was a high price to pay for what would soon become oppression and violence. At any rate, the fallen angels along with the Nephilim taught men metallurgy, war craft, farming, husbandry, and a host of other bodies of knowledge defining civilizations.
The great Mesopotamian hunter and king, Nimrod, is often regarded as a giant. We read clearly in Genesis of his renown, no doubt contributing to the memories preserved by Abraham, himself born of Sumeria. Consequently, Nimrod is also credited with having built the Tower of Babel, preserved to us in image as a ziggurat, one of the stepped temples of ancient Mesopotamian society. The very Cradle of Civilization provides an early example civilization and its connection to the giants of old.
Egypt, whose legends whisper to us in the present, was most likely not without its own giant origins. At least as much may be said about its monuments, and in particular the pyramids. Some scholars who entertain historical ideas outside of convention, such as Patrick Heron, posit that the antediluvian giants constructed the pyramids. This design spread with them as they spread to other lands east and west of the Holy Land.
In the Old Testament, we get a picture of the descendants of these giants. You may recall from Sunday School that the spies Moses sent into Canaan on the eve of its conquest were all terrified save Joshua and Caleb. They related that they were as "grasshoppers" compared to these enormous men. Jewish tradition tells us that one giant, Arba, built the great fortified city of Hebron. Another giant, Og, who allegedly had survived the great flood, ruled over Bashan, a vast kingdom northeast of the Sea of Galilee.
Moving away from the Near East leaves one with no fewer examples of giant-founded societies. Most of us remember to some extent the myths we were taught in grade school about the Greeks and the Romans. Scholars have long been aware of the influence of the Near East on Greek ideas and religion. Similar residues may be found in the pottery and art of ancient Greece, an indicator of trade with Phoenicians and other peoples of the Near East, and something known to scholars as "orientalizing." The very gods were all believed to hail from Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt, and other lands to the east. As for feats of city-building, Poseidon and Apollo were believed to have built the great walls of Troy. The Greeks also contended that the Cyclopian giants had built the city of Mycenae.
In the case of the Romans, we learned that the twins Romulus and Remus, descendants of the great Trojan refugee Aeneas, founded Rome. For obvious reasons, teachers leave out the gory details which Roman historian Livy relates to us. Mars, god of war, raped the Vestal Virgin Rhea Sylvia, and the products of this violation were Romulus and Remus. The twins, as with other children sired by gods, were of great stature. Somewhere between myth and history, we learn that Romulus built the city of Rome in the eighth century AD, promptly after killing his brother. The conditions of their conception, their size, and their violence all smack of traits borne by the Nephilim.
Even beyond the scope of Western Civilization proper, evidence of giant engineering abounds, as do the legends pertaining to such structures. German mythology relates to us that the walls of Asgard were built by a frost giant to separate the realm of the gods from that of the giants, known as Niflheim (which is phonetically similar to Nephilim). Mesoamericans, likewise had firm ideas about the origins of their civilization and giants. The Maya believed their civilization to have been founded by giants. The Aztecs too, believed their cities and their society had been established by giants and gods. The great monuments of Machu Pichu, the earthen tombs of China, Angkor Wat, the great earthen pyramid of the ancient Indian city of Cahokia-they all speak to engineering feats that defy foundations in human sweat and toil alone.
If you look, you can see that our civilization bears the touch of humanity. A closer look still, reveals the possibility of deeper roots and gigantic origins. The next time you look at the photo album from your Egypt trip, watch a documentary on Mesopotamia, or thumb through that humanities text you just couldn't throw away, pause. Pause and ask yourself "what does the evidence say, and who founded these societies?" You just may find the maker's mark of the Nephilim in subtle imprint.
It is very likely that the key to understanding the founding of the world's great cities and civilizations rests on a fundamental understanding of giants, or as the Bible calls them, Nephilim. These creatures were the offspring of fallen angels and human females, and according to scripture, contributed to the very downfall of antediluvian society (Genesis 6). Some of them, it would seem, even survived the great deluge, cropping up in later millennia under various other names, such as the Old Testament's Rephaim and Anakim. The perseverance of their race could account for many of the world's great cities or monuments. If we broaden the Biblical interpretation of this colossal line of creatures to include world mythology, then possibilities emerge after the most cursory of glances at man's religions.
In extrabiblical sources, such as The Book of Enoch, one can find the very work of transforming hunter-gatherers into a more sophisticated society. The fallen angels waste no time in developing a scheme to influence man for their own ends. We are told that under the guidance of their leader Semyaza, the fallen angels trade knowledge and technology for access to human females for the purposes of breeding offspring. To the great misfortune of mankind, civilization was a high price to pay for what would soon become oppression and violence. At any rate, the fallen angels along with the Nephilim taught men metallurgy, war craft, farming, husbandry, and a host of other bodies of knowledge defining civilizations.
The great Mesopotamian hunter and king, Nimrod, is often regarded as a giant. We read clearly in Genesis of his renown, no doubt contributing to the memories preserved by Abraham, himself born of Sumeria. Consequently, Nimrod is also credited with having built the Tower of Babel, preserved to us in image as a ziggurat, one of the stepped temples of ancient Mesopotamian society. The very Cradle of Civilization provides an early example civilization and its connection to the giants of old.
Egypt, whose legends whisper to us in the present, was most likely not without its own giant origins. At least as much may be said about its monuments, and in particular the pyramids. Some scholars who entertain historical ideas outside of convention, such as Patrick Heron, posit that the antediluvian giants constructed the pyramids. This design spread with them as they spread to other lands east and west of the Holy Land.
In the Old Testament, we get a picture of the descendants of these giants. You may recall from Sunday School that the spies Moses sent into Canaan on the eve of its conquest were all terrified save Joshua and Caleb. They related that they were as "grasshoppers" compared to these enormous men. Jewish tradition tells us that one giant, Arba, built the great fortified city of Hebron. Another giant, Og, who allegedly had survived the great flood, ruled over Bashan, a vast kingdom northeast of the Sea of Galilee.
Moving away from the Near East leaves one with no fewer examples of giant-founded societies. Most of us remember to some extent the myths we were taught in grade school about the Greeks and the Romans. Scholars have long been aware of the influence of the Near East on Greek ideas and religion. Similar residues may be found in the pottery and art of ancient Greece, an indicator of trade with Phoenicians and other peoples of the Near East, and something known to scholars as "orientalizing." The very gods were all believed to hail from Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt, and other lands to the east. As for feats of city-building, Poseidon and Apollo were believed to have built the great walls of Troy. The Greeks also contended that the Cyclopian giants had built the city of Mycenae.
In the case of the Romans, we learned that the twins Romulus and Remus, descendants of the great Trojan refugee Aeneas, founded Rome. For obvious reasons, teachers leave out the gory details which Roman historian Livy relates to us. Mars, god of war, raped the Vestal Virgin Rhea Sylvia, and the products of this violation were Romulus and Remus. The twins, as with other children sired by gods, were of great stature. Somewhere between myth and history, we learn that Romulus built the city of Rome in the eighth century AD, promptly after killing his brother. The conditions of their conception, their size, and their violence all smack of traits borne by the Nephilim.
Even beyond the scope of Western Civilization proper, evidence of giant engineering abounds, as do the legends pertaining to such structures. German mythology relates to us that the walls of Asgard were built by a frost giant to separate the realm of the gods from that of the giants, known as Niflheim (which is phonetically similar to Nephilim). Mesoamericans, likewise had firm ideas about the origins of their civilization and giants. The Maya believed their civilization to have been founded by giants. The Aztecs too, believed their cities and their society had been established by giants and gods. The great monuments of Machu Pichu, the earthen tombs of China, Angkor Wat, the great earthen pyramid of the ancient Indian city of Cahokia-they all speak to engineering feats that defy foundations in human sweat and toil alone.
If you look, you can see that our civilization bears the touch of humanity. A closer look still, reveals the possibility of deeper roots and gigantic origins. The next time you look at the photo album from your Egypt trip, watch a documentary on Mesopotamia, or thumb through that humanities text you just couldn't throw away, pause. Pause and ask yourself "what does the evidence say, and who founded these societies?" You just may find the maker's mark of the Nephilim in subtle imprint.
Judd Burton is an historian, anthropologist, religious scholar, and teacher. He has taught from behind the podium and in the field on expeditions. Please visit his website at http://www.burtonbeyond.com for more information.
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