We find evidence in this world of fine artistic activity going back over 32,000 years. I strongly suspect that such activity was extent at a much earlier date..
In caves our ancestors depicted rhino, lion, and horse with powerful beauty. They did the same with bulls and bears.
In one cave, drawings were found to have been made over a period of five thousand years!
At the time these artists worked Neanderthal walked the earth.
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Friday, December 14, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Hopewell Culture
This is handiwork of Hopewell Culture people. It is eleven inches high and made of sheer mica. It was found in Mound 25 at Hopewell,Ohio. 
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Native American Exchange System Continued
The American Indian participants in the great exchange system which extended well beyond the Mississippi Valley, were not only long-distance traders of deep religious convictions, but also experienced managers and husbandmen of wide resource areas. They were also productive agriculturalists.
Their ancestors had hunted very large game. A favored implement of theirs was the atlatl; the spear thrower. They and their ancestors honored and profited from the atlatl for perhaps eight thousand years. That implement was more practical than the bow and arrow in taking the mega-fauna hunted by their ancestors In recent decades I have heard the very word 'atlatl' to chants and songs to the great drums and smaller ones too.
Our ancestors called these Native Americans 'The Mound Builders.'
Too many of those ancestors of ours thought that the great earthworks and the contents found('mined')by them could not have been produced or constructed by anyone related to the Indians they knew of.
The evidence is strong, at least for the Adena and Hopewell periods, that their 'religion' was strong and important. Just the form and contents of their earth-works are highly suggestive of that evidence. The the strikingly attractive grave goods of those mounds is what our ancestors mined. Oral histories of tribal peoples of today point to those religious beliefs of old. Physical remains have also informed us of those beliefs. A very great number of those objects were not tools, cooking, or hunting objects. They were objects of great art, craft, and beauty to accompany their honored dead.
It may prove useful to remember that not everyone does or has categorized the objects and doings of reality as we do.
For example, the famous mounds, to which we have tended to attribute a religious purpose may well have been more important as focal points of trade and commerce. What we have called cemeteries may have been centers of social gatherings, schools, or scientific centers. There is much we do not know.
Their ancestors had hunted very large game. A favored implement of theirs was the atlatl; the spear thrower. They and their ancestors honored and profited from the atlatl for perhaps eight thousand years. That implement was more practical than the bow and arrow in taking the mega-fauna hunted by their ancestors In recent decades I have heard the very word 'atlatl' to chants and songs to the great drums and smaller ones too.
Our ancestors called these Native Americans 'The Mound Builders.'
Too many of those ancestors of ours thought that the great earthworks and the contents found('mined')by them could not have been produced or constructed by anyone related to the Indians they knew of.
The evidence is strong, at least for the Adena and Hopewell periods, that their 'religion' was strong and important. Just the form and contents of their earth-works are highly suggestive of that evidence. The the strikingly attractive grave goods of those mounds is what our ancestors mined. Oral histories of tribal peoples of today point to those religious beliefs of old. Physical remains have also informed us of those beliefs. A very great number of those objects were not tools, cooking, or hunting objects. They were objects of great art, craft, and beauty to accompany their honored dead.
It may prove useful to remember that not everyone does or has categorized the objects and doings of reality as we do.
For example, the famous mounds, to which we have tended to attribute a religious purpose may well have been more important as focal points of trade and commerce. What we have called cemeteries may have been centers of social gatherings, schools, or scientific centers. There is much we do not know.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Make Them Comment
 | |
| If you comment so interestingly on this piece that you cause another to comment, I will declare you the winner. | You can be informative, funny, provocative, .... |
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
"Hopewell" People Continued
The American Indian participants in the great exchange system which extended the length of the Mississippi and well beyond were not only long distance traders and of deep religious convictions, but were also experienced managers and husbandmen of wide resources.
They were hunters of wild game. Their most respected weapon was of a type used by their ancient ancestors. Those ancestors had hunted game that was, indeed, large. They had hunted the mega-fauna of song and legend and paleontology. The weapons they used was the spear thrower, the atlatl, and its spear like dart. I have heard the very word, atlatl, used in chants to the great drum and to smaller ones too. Our long distance traders of the waterways also obtain game using sophisticate trapping techniques, bow and arrow, spear and more
Yes, I am writing of "Mound Builders."
Their religion was strong and important and their mounds are evidence of 'religious' centers. Oral histories can tell us much of their religion. Old physical remains have also informed us. Their most beautifully crafted objects seemed to have had little or no economic or practical use. Was it 'art for art's sake?' Why were very many of the best of these objects carefully buried in the mounds with their dead.
These people were not us. Like us in important ways? Yes. But we benefit from realizing that they saw the world from a viewpoint very much their own. We benefit by knowing that not everyone categorizes the objects and doings of reality as we do.
For example, the famous 'mounds' to which w have tended to give religious cognizance, or to consider cemeteries, may well have been focal points of trade, commerce, and social gatherings. They may have been teaching and scientific centers. There is much we do not know.
They were hunters of wild game. Their most respected weapon was of a type used by their ancient ancestors. Those ancestors had hunted game that was, indeed, large. They had hunted the mega-fauna of song and legend and paleontology. The weapons they used was the spear thrower, the atlatl, and its spear like dart. I have heard the very word, atlatl, used in chants to the great drum and to smaller ones too. Our long distance traders of the waterways also obtain game using sophisticate trapping techniques, bow and arrow, spear and more
Yes, I am writing of "Mound Builders."
Their religion was strong and important and their mounds are evidence of 'religious' centers. Oral histories can tell us much of their religion. Old physical remains have also informed us. Their most beautifully crafted objects seemed to have had little or no economic or practical use. Was it 'art for art's sake?' Why were very many of the best of these objects carefully buried in the mounds with their dead.
These people were not us. Like us in important ways? Yes. But we benefit from realizing that they saw the world from a viewpoint very much their own. We benefit by knowing that not everyone categorizes the objects and doings of reality as we do.
For example, the famous 'mounds' to which w have tended to give religious cognizance, or to consider cemeteries, may well have been focal points of trade, commerce, and social gatherings. They may have been teaching and scientific centers. There is much we do not know.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Siquieros
I've heard that Siquieros has a mural worth seeing at the home of the Mexican Electrician union.
Where might I get visuals of the mural to post here?
Where might I get visuals of the mural to post here?
Defining "Politics"
It seems that in the 7th century BC Zaleucus, writer of the Locrian Code, thought that the purpose of politics was to reconcile societal fractions and to uphold equality before the law Sounds like good politics to me today
Men, know to us, have been defining 'politics' for about 5000 years. It seems that for most of that time it has been about citizens. Politics, these days in a republic, is that which citizens do as citizens. Its how people make collective decisions. It is a learned art and skill. We taught our children a bit about it at home and in their civics classes at school. In a republic politics are the affairs of citizens.
To be a citizen one need be the citizen of something. These days the thing (or process) is often called the state.
Politics may be called the art of civil administration. It is the way we do governance. That is, politics is the act of people practicing governance. It is the duty and honor of American citizens to understand and participate in the governance of Country, State, County, City, etc. Its the way we decide who gets the gold and who goes to jail.
Other political duties of citizens of the republic are to oppose corruption, and to support equality before the law, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. It used to be important to be civil too.
The skills and art of politics may be practiced where-ever resources are used or cooperation is desired: church and corporation are institutions that come to mind.: school, sports, and marriage are others.
A principle constituent of the art of politics are the skills of that purposeful, cooperative talk often called dialogue.
Some young neighbors of mine call it a fair-fighting way of getting what you want.
Men, know to us, have been defining 'politics' for about 5000 years. It seems that for most of that time it has been about citizens. Politics, these days in a republic, is that which citizens do as citizens. Its how people make collective decisions. It is a learned art and skill. We taught our children a bit about it at home and in their civics classes at school. In a republic politics are the affairs of citizens.
To be a citizen one need be the citizen of something. These days the thing (or process) is often called the state.
Politics may be called the art of civil administration. It is the way we do governance. That is, politics is the act of people practicing governance. It is the duty and honor of American citizens to understand and participate in the governance of Country, State, County, City, etc. Its the way we decide who gets the gold and who goes to jail.
Other political duties of citizens of the republic are to oppose corruption, and to support equality before the law, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. It used to be important to be civil too.
The skills and art of politics may be practiced where-ever resources are used or cooperation is desired: church and corporation are institutions that come to mind.: school, sports, and marriage are others.
A principle constituent of the art of politics are the skills of that purposeful, cooperative talk often called dialogue.
Some young neighbors of mine call it a fair-fighting way of getting what you want.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Art
Man, woman too, has been creating beautiful and instructive art for well over 20,000 years. Yet, examples are still scarce and precious. I hope to experience more of it.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Marvelous, Magical Kingdom of ZONO - Art! Fun! Freebies!
The Marvelous, Magical Kingdom of ZONO - Art! Fun! Freebies!
You don't have to be crazy to live here, but it helps.
Having fun makes us happier.
Rik Livingston does not practice the kind of art I usually like, but I like the smile I get from it.
I usually like that art in which great craft is made trasparent by manifestation of deep, clear, practiced sight into the sensual realities of the natural desert.
You don't have to be crazy to live here, but it helps.
Having fun makes us happier.
Rik Livingston does not practice the kind of art I usually like, but I like the smile I get from it.
I usually like that art in which great craft is made trasparent by manifestation of deep, clear, practiced sight into the sensual realities of the natural desert.
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