A very interesting program to watch especially after seeing "Angels and Demons". That Church aligned with State could think of wiping out a culture by burning not only their written and illustrated books but also the thousands of Maya in what was ethnic cleansing was not just a vision of the Catholic missionaries, all conquering nations did it. The Maya had a good go at knocking themselves off in the name of religion. The miracle is that from fragments saved and temples uncovered, researchers have opened up the Mayan world for us to appreciate the wonders worked without the aid of the wheel, or it seems, 'peace in our time'.
The image above was shown in the program. It's of a high-born lady piercing her tongue with a stingray barb then pulling a thorny vine through to give her blood as an offering. David Stuart was interviewed for the show but while it made mention of one of his major breakthroughs in translating the glyphs, another wasn't mentioned.
He re-interpreted a particular symbol at Copan which had been believed to mean "blood" to mean "clouds". As the program pointed out, many symbols could mean the same but here was a
subtle refinement in regards to the offerings to the Gods.
Bloodletting, usually by the Mayan nobility or elite was regarded as the most valuable gift they could give. This aspect of Mayan culture coincided with the evolution of a highly stratified class system. It was the express duty of the nobility to perform the rituals that kept the natural and supernatural worlds in balance. The Gods bestowed life, humans returned acknowledgment of the gift.
They pierced not only tongues but earlobes and in the case of males, genitals. After the piercing, the blood dripped onto sheets of bark paper which was then burned, transformed into clouds of smoke that the Gods took in as sustenance and returned as life-giving rain. Now you can see that subtle refinement of meaning.
And if you think I would take pleasure in the thought of some bloke shoving a stingray barb through his crown jewells followed by a thorny vine, well, shame on you.
bwahahahahhahahha.
Ripper.
12 comments:
I watched that doco on TV, and just kept seeing Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchetski, with a Neil Young After The Goldrush soundtrack.
I have donated 12 litres of my finest haemoglobules to the Red Cross Bloodbank, so I guess I'm just as silly as the Mayans.
They built top-grade temples though, and speaking of gold, check thursday 6PM ABC2 for some over-the-top interiors.
"It's of a high-born lady piercing her tongue with a stingray barb then pulling a thorny vine through to give her blood as an offering."
Looks more like Cher giving the local lollipop man a blow job to me.
Thanks Annie O but I can't get ABC2 on my ancient tv. David Stuart is the kind of genius who makes me feel inadequate just breathing.
Cher, the woman is a legend. Fancy putting on a see through outfit at nearly 70 and still looking good. I know most of it is polyfilla and wig and talking out of her navel because of the face lifts but she make you and me look like Stonehenge.
Witchy,
Cher does look good for her age, I must admit, but the last time I saw her interviewed the amount of botox she'd had injected into her face meant that she couldn't actually move her mouth to speak. This wasn't a problem as she didn't actually have anything worthwhile saying. Watching her trying her damnedest to smile, however, was an education in its own right. When it comes to resembling Stonehenge, as far as immovability goes, her face is closer to one of the sarcens than mine or your's will ever be.
The last time I saw her, it was her eyes I watched but I'm sure she never blinked.
I can't say I disagree with piercing, as I have both ears pierced twice, but I don't like the idea of genital piercing. Most other body and face piercings put me off too.
I admire Cher's music, and her body does look great, but I don't like her botoxed face. The white/silver hair doesn't suit her either.
Fast forward a thousand years: archaeologists ponder over the bizarre Australian rituals that led to so many tattoos and piercings.
Ahhh, blood-letting, the favourite after dinner game of all Roman families of high status :P
Quite enjoyed that doco.
River, I'm never piercing my earlobes unless I have enough money for the diamond encrusted earrings. As for nipple piercing, not in a million years.
LadLitter, I saw photos of Peaches Geldorf modelling jewellery for some designer, in a lush dress but with tatts everywhere. Very tasteless but then so is she.
Jayne, the Roman nobility only got to be nobility by the virtue of raping, pillaging and murdering better than anyone else and they say "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".
I meant ABC Ch.2 the promo shows rooms of gold.
I love Cher. She has an Oscar.
Deserved it and earned it.
Ah, thank you Annie, I have that show marked. Gold rooms, they're playing my song.
I love ancient history... its one of my pet loves
"And if you think I would take pleasure in the thought of some bloke shoving a stingray barb through his crown jewells followed by a thorny vine, well, shame on you. bwahahahahhahahha. Ripper."
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