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Random Roundup Archives
A clearinghouse of Random Roundup files
October 2009 |
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October 25, 2009
Season's Greetings!
Zombies vs. Villagers chess set
Strange Casino Games & Machines
Historic graves under supermarket The deep graves may have survived beneath the supermarket... Archaeologists believe they have traced a mass grave of soldiers who fought in a 17th Century battle in Germany under a modern-day supermarket.
Has the original Labyrinth been found? Archaeologists shed new light on the inspiration for the Greek myth. Steve Connor reports - A disused stone quarry on the Greek island of Crete which is riddled with an elaborate network of underground tunnels could be the original site of the ancient Labyrinth, the mythical maze that housed the half-bull, half-man Minotaur of Greek legend.
Knot found in hoard jewels - Archaeologists have discovered a Staffordshire Knot symbol among the treasures of the Staffordshire Hoard, making the county sign 500 years older than previously thought.
The Arctic before Inuit October 12, 2009 KIMMIRUT - An archeologist from the Canadian Museum of Civilization was in Kimmirut in September, studying ancient sites and sharing what she has learned with the people who inherited the land. Patricia Sutherland, the museum's curator of Arctic archeology, has been in and out of Kimmirut for years, following up on local discoveries which have interested researchers since the 1960s.
Nemesis! Temple built for Greek goddess of divine retribution unearthed in Turkey October 13th, 2009 Ankara (Turkey), October 13 (ANI): Archaeologists have found traces of a temple built for the Greek goddess of divine retribution, Nemesis, during excavations in the ancient city of Agora in the Aegean port city of Izmir in Turkey.
Macedonian "star" inside the temple of Nemesis in Thamnous- 436 BC:
Real Tsunami May Have Inspired Legend of Atlantis The volcanic explosion that obliterated much of the island that might have inspired the legend of Atlantis apparently triggered a tsunami that traveled hundreds of miles to reach as far as present-day Israel, scientists now suggest.
History's Most Overlooked Mysteries
Ancient art brings new hope for war-weary Afghanistan By Phil Hazlewood (AFP) – Oct 8, 2009 "We lost a lot of things from our museum and from illegal excavation in different parts of Afghanistan. This is very important," said Massoudi, who was appointed the museum's director-general in 2002, after the fall of the Taliban.
Bluehenge Illustrated - October 5, 2009--As smoke rises in the distance, Stone Age travelers haul their boats onto the shores of England's River Avon at newly discovered Bluestonehenge, shown in a new illustration.
Vatican to host Galileo exhibit By Duncan Kennedy BBC News, Rome - Early telescopes and model celestial globes are on display... A new exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of Galileo's work is set to open in the Vatican. The Catholic Church once labelled Galileo, now regarded as modern astronomy's founding father, a heretic. See also How Galileo's telescope changed everything
Roger Penrose Says Physics Is Wrong, From String Theory to Quantum Mechanics - One of the greatest thinkers in physics says the human brain and the universe itself — must function according to some theory we haven't yet discovered.
Penrose tiling... A Penrose tiling is a nonperiodic tiling generated by an aperiodic set of prototiles named after Sir Roger Penrose, who investigated these sets in the 1970s
Learn to Juggle, Rewire Your Brain Inside the brain of someone who’s learning to juggle, some interesting changes take place. Researchers used MRI scans to study the brains of people before and after a six-week training course in juggling, and say they saw a 5% increase in white matter – the cabling network of the brain.
Brown on Turing: 'You deserved better' Updated on 11 September 2009 By Channel 4 News - The prime minister has finally apologised today to Alan Turing, the WWII code-breaker who was chemically castrated in 1952 for being gay. Jane Deith reports.
Wartime code centre 'in disrepair' Updated on 24 July 2008 Source PA News - The codebreaking centre which helped win the Second World War is in danger of irreparable decay unless the Government steps in to help, leading scientists have said.
Geo-Strategic Chessboard: War Between India and China? by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya - India has been vied for as an ally in the “Great Game” that is underway, once again.
The Treasures of Genghis Khan “They had to stop rampaging and start ruling,” says Morris Rossabi, who teaches Asian history at Columbia University. So in 1235, Genghis’s son, Ogodei, began building a city near the Orkhon River, on the wide-open plains.
This Pharaoh’s mask made of obsidian likely traveled to Khara Khorum all the way from Egypt, according to the curator of a traveling exhibit about Genghis Khan. • Courtesy of the Institute of Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences
October 18 , 2009
Festive Footnotes for a Footloose Fall
"I am the Sovereign Queen; the treasury of all treasures; the chief of all objects of worship; whose all-pervading Self manifests all gods and goddesses; whose birthplace is in the midst of the causal waters; who in breathing forth gives birth to all created worlds, and yet extends beyond them, so vast am I in greatness."
Durga Puja, the autumn festival of Durga, which takes place in October and is celebrated nationally, although it is particularly popular in Bengal. This festival celebrates Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura, saving both the earth and the heavens.
During this time elaborate idols of the goddess are assembled, with every step of their construction scrutinized by rites and rituals. The goddess is worshipped during this time as a guest on earth. At the conclusion of the festival, the goddess is lead in a procession to the nearest body of water, preferably the Ganges River, and immersed in the water so as to send her on her way home.
Durga Puja Calendar 2009
The calendar or samay suchi for Durga Puja, along with the timings, is as follows:26 September 2009 - Saptami
27 September 2009 - Mahashtami
28 September 2009 - Navami
29 September 2009 - Vijaya DasamiAshtalakshmi Temple - Besant Nagar, Chennai, Tamilnadu (pictured aove)
The Chennai Ashtalakshmi temple is situated in Besant Nagar, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. That stretch of beach is known as the Elliot's beach. The temple was constructed on the express wishes of Sri Mahaa Periyavaal of Kanchi Mutt, Sri Chandrasekara Saraswati Swamigal.The temple's architecture is unique, with the deities installed in four levels. The shrine of Mahaalakshmi & Mahaavishnu (the principal deities) is in level two. Here one can see the imposing, bigger than life vigrahams facing the eastern horizon overlooking the sea.
It has shrines for all the 8 Lakshmi Goddesses and is built based on the architecture of the Uthiramerur Perumal temple. ...the structure which highlighted several features of the Dravidian temple architecture. It is a comparatively new temple, built in 1976. Within the short span of three decades this shrine has become a tourist attraction in Chennai.
Star of Lakshmi The Star of Lakshmi is the star figure , that is used in Hinduism to symbolize Ashtalakshmi, the eight forms of wealth. This symbol appears prominently in the Lugash national museum portrayed in the fictional film The Return of the Pink Panther.
There are innumerable temples throughout India, dedicated to Ma Durga, the true manifestation of the absolute energy that pervades the universe.
Durga, in Sanskrit means "She who is incomprehensible or difficult to reach." Goddess Durga is a form of Sakti worshiped for her gracious as well as terrifying aspect. Mother of the Universe, she represents the infinite power of the universe and is a symbol of a female dynamism. The manifestation of Goddess Durga is said to emerge from Her formless essence and the two are inseparable.
Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti (or Devi)—the female principle of the divine—in her many forms as the absolute manifestation of divinity. Practitioners of Shaktism (commonly known as Shaktas) conceive the goddess to be the personification of the universe's primordial energy and the source of the cosmos.
Kalahasthi temple is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalam and , represents the Vayu Sthalam - Legends : Sri Kalahasthi is named after the staunch devotees of Lord Shiva. They were Spider (sri), the serpant (kala) and the Elephant (Hasti). Lord Shiva pleased by their devotion , gave them a boon that their names be merged with the Vayulinga and called as Sri Kalahasteeswara.
Sri Kalahastishwara Temple - Vaayu (god of wind) is incarnated as Lord Shiva and worshipped as Sri Kalahastisha in this temple. The first song that springs to my mind when I think about this beautiful temple is Muthuswami Dikshitar's masterpiece in Huseini, Sri Kalahastisha.
In the Krittibas Ramayana, Rama invokes the goddess Durga in his battle against Ravana. Although she was traditionally worshipped in the spring, due to contingencies of battle, Rama had to invoke her in the autumn...Various accounts exist which ascribe the origin of Durga Puja in the state of Orissa. All historical accounts agree on the influence from other regions although some mythological accounts describe an independent origin.
Videos:
Durga Puja 2009 - Durge Durge Durgatinashin - By Asha BhosleMahalaya 2009, Invoking the Mother Goddess Durga.
Durga Puja at Kolkata 2008 part 1 - This is the first part of the video showing various Pujas at Kolkata
Kalahasthi temple is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalam and , represents the Vayu Sthalam - Legends : Sri Kalahasthi is named after the staunch devotees of Lord Shiva. They were Spider (sri), the serpant (kala) and the Elephant (Hasti). Lord Shiva pleased by their devotion , gave them a boon that their names be merged with the Vayulinga and called as Sri Kalahasteeswara.
Sri Kalahastishwara Temple - (Audio files) Vaayu (god of wind) is incarnated as Lord Shiva and worshipped as Sri Kalahastisha in this temple. The first song that springs to my mind when I think about this beautiful temple is Muthuswami Dikshitar's masterpiece in Huseini, Sri Kalahastisha.
Karni Mata Temple Deep in the Thar desert, a temple crawling with thousands of holy rats... According to legend, the rat temple near Bikaner dates back to the 1400s, when Karni Mata, an incarnation of the god(dess) Durga, asked the death-god Yoma (Yama) to reincarnate the son of a grieving storyteller.
Video: "Culture Shock" Part 1: The Rat Temple Shenaz takes us around the world in search of quirky customs and bizarre behavior.
Jungle, a traditional Chinese board game
How to Play Dou Shou Qi "The Jungle Game""1) The Rat, although it is the least powerful piece, has the power to capture the Elephant. The Elephant can not capture the Rat. It is said that this is because the rat can creep in under the Elephant’s ear and eat his brain (!).
2) The Rat, and no other animal, can move freely in the water. It can not, however, attack the Elephant from the water."
Chinese Festivals "Show me the Hell Money!"
August 14 — The Hungry Ghosts Festival. During the entire lunar month, the Chinese believe the gates of Hell are opened, freeing hungry ghosts that wander the earth in search of food. Hell Money: Although in Western eyes hell bank notes may look like toys or superstitious items, there are considerations concerning the use of Hell Bank Notes that some Chinese people take seriously.
Hell money: modern versions are survivals of practices that began thousands of years ago with the interment of real objects, animals, and even people at the funeral. "Real Money" - same look, same feel, but not the same social value - (unless you are The Fed!...)
Geo-Strategic Chessboard: War Between India and China? by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya - "India has been vied for as an ally in the “Great Game” that is underway, once again. This round of the “Great Game” is, however, being played under a far broader spectrum than the one played between Britain and Czarist Russia. In question is the Indian power relationship with two geo-political entities: the first is the “Periphery” and the second is “Eurasia."
New Details Of First Major Urban Battle Emerge Along With Clues About Civilization's Origins ScienceDaily (Jan. 17, 2007) — New details in the tragic end of one of the world's earliest cities as well as clues about how urban life may have begun there were revealed in a recent excavation in northeastern Syria that was conducted by the University of Chicago and the Syrian Department of Antiquities.
Why Didn't She Step Aside? Why Didn't Her Successor Remove Her? The female pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled for more than two decades, first as a regent for her nephew and stepson, Thutmose III, then as full Pharaoh, assuming even a male identity.
October 13 , 2009
New finds, old problems and the techno toybox...
The World Monuments' Fund watch list of 93 endangered archaeological sites.Archaeological sites face ruin from treasure-hunting 'nighthawkers' Illicit raids on fragile archaeological sites are on the rise because of the recession, according to English Heritage.
A town’s love of Indian artifacts backfires By Helen O’Neill - AP Special Correspondent - Winston Hurst, has become a champion of preservation, passionate about the need to leave pieces of the past in place. ‘We were taught not to touch artifacts, not to dig, to leave the dead alone.’
Archaeology: Solving human puzzles by Gark Kunich - No fedora and bullwhip here, and she’s never been chased by a giant boulder. “And we don’t take pick axes to the floor of Italian libraries,” said archeologist Jane C. Waldbaum, who was definitely not giving off an Indana Jones-like vibe Saturday afternoon at the Kenosha Public Museum.
Visual Time Machine Offers Tourists A Glimpse Of The Past ScienceDaily (Aug. 17, 2009) — A ruined temple, ancient frescos and even a long-dead king have been brought to life by a “visual time machine” developed by European researchers.
How Do We Make Sense Of What We See? ScienceDaily (Nov. 20, 2007) — M.C. Escher's ambiguous drawings transfix us: Are those black birds flying against a white sky or white birds soaring out of a black sky? Which side is up on those crazy staircases?
Machines Can't Replicate Human Image Recognition, Yet ScienceDaily (Sep. 10, 2009) — While computers can replicate many aspects of human behavior, they do not possess our ability to recognize distorted images, according to a team of Penn State researchers.
Internet Archaeology In which the internet’s sordid past is preserved and curated by Devin Coldewey - Enter Internet Archaeology, a site established in order to “explore, recover, archive and showcase the graphic artifacts found within earlier Internet Culture.” (Ah - for the good old days... 1999?)
Graffiti Archaeology News - Just what the name says - though the site stops well short of any prehistoric examples...
First-of-their-Kind Tombs Unearthed in Palmyra Edited by Sarah Khan - Friday, 09 October 2009 "The earliest documented reference to the city by its Semitic name Tadmor, Tadmur or Tudmur (which means "the town that repels" in Amorite and "the indomitable town" in Aramaic.[2]) is recorded in Babylonian tablets found in Mari.[3]."
Engraved Gemstone Carrying A Portrait Of Alexander The Great ScienceDaily (Sep. 22, 2009) — A rare and surprising archaeological discovery at Tel Dor: A gemstone engraved with the portrait of Alexander the Great was uncovered during excavations by an archaeological team directed by Dr. Ayelet Gilboa of the University of Haifa and Dr. Ilan Sharon of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Archaeologists Find Burial Cellar In Ancient Syrian City Containing Spectacular Artifacts ScienceDaily (Sep. 22, 2009) — The archaeological excavations at the royal palace in the ancient city of Qatna, north east of the Syrian city of Homs, have once again unfolded a remarkable archaeological discovery.
"It's surprising that the Syrians took less from the Hittites than the Egyptians..."
Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Governor's Palace In Turkey ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2008) — Within the scope of an international rescue excavation project, a team of four archaeologists specialized in Middle Eastern affairs headed by Dr. Dirk Wicke (Institute of Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies) have unearthed parts of a Neo-Assyrian governor's palace dating back to the 9th to 7th century BCE in a two-month excavation program amongst the ruins on Ziyaret Tepe. The discoveries were extraordinary.
Indus script linguistically Dravidian: Mr. Mahadevan said that though the claim could be met with incredulity, the evidence he had gathered over four decades of intensive study of the sources — the Indus texts and old Tamil anthologies — had led him to the conclusion.
'Blue Stonehenge' May Be Funeral Complex Gregory Katz, A.P. Oct. 7, 2009 -- The discovery of a small prehistoric circle of stones near Stonehenge may confirm the theory that the mysterious monument in southwest England was part of a massive funeral complex built around a river...
Cave paintings more than 20,000 years old found in Deba (Gipuzkoa) Staff - 10/08/2009 The paintings, found in Deba's Astigarraga cave, have been described by experts as the Basque Country's most important finding since the discovery of the Altxerri cave in Aia and Ekain in Deba.
Frieze dated from 5,000 years ago found in Peru Isabel Guerra - "A frieze that would have been sculpted 5,000 years ago, was found at Vichama archaeological complex, some 120km to the north of Lima, according to archaeologists of the Caral-Supe project."
The Fall Of The Maya Oct.7, 2009 - For 1200 years, the Maya dominated Central America. At their peak around 900 A.D., Maya cities teemed with more than 2,000 people per square mile... Even in rural areas the Maya numbered 200 to 400 people per square mile. But suddenly, all was quiet.
2012 isn't the end of the world, Mayans insist by Mark Stevenson, AP - Oct. 11 - Mexico City – Apolinario Chile Pixtun is tired of being bombarded with frantic questions about the Mayan calendar supposedly "running out" on Dec. 21, 2012. After all, it's not the end of the world.
Prehistoric Megaliths in the Western Caucasus The long-term project and field school are sponsored and administered by the Institute for Study of Material Culture History, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint-Petersburg, since 1997.
Rescued Dolmen In The Caucasus The grave goods complex is small and consists of pottery, bronze javelin head, bronze spiral earring, bone belt buckle, few stone flakes and (!) sandstone disk with signs on both sides. On one side of the disk are “astral” symbols, on other side - marks of calibration(?)along the rim of the disk. The last thing is absolutely unexpected find! It looks like sort of device (astrolabe!?) or the Caucasian version of the Nebra disk (pictured below) or anything else which is still beyond my mind…
Video with close up views of the disc: (in Russian)
Sarmatian Treasure video - "...in the plains of the Azov region, archeologists perform intense researches of the ancient culture. The gold of that culture is able to lift a little the veil of the age-old oblivion and to help unravel some of the amazing mysteries."
The World Famous Kurdish Kangal and Akbas Dog A.K.A. "The Lion of Dogs..." video - Lions and tigers and dogs!
"The Kangal dog is one of over 30 livestock guardian breeds from various countries in Europe and Asia."
The Kangal Dog is found in the high rolling plains country of central Turkey. The approximate geographic center of the region is Sivas City.
Women in Egypt - Menkaure and His Queen
Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe
Menkaure and His Queen
4th Dynasty - 2548-2530 BCE
Greywacke
Height: 4 feet 67/8 inches (139.5 cm)
(Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)(From p. 3) "The queen represented in the statue, therefore, was no mere wife. Her position and gestures should be interpreted not as indicating inferiority and submission, but signalling her legitimization of Menkaure as pharaoh. She is shown in the act of presenting him, indicating to the world that he is the man whom she is identifying and establishing as pharaoh."
Female "King" Ruled in Canaan,
Carving Suggests
Ker Than for National Geographic News April 10, 2009 - The home of a mysterious female "king" in Canaan, the land that became ancient Israel, may finally have been identified
October 5, 2009
We're LATE!! - for our appointment with the new King and Queen of the 2009 Montreal Open Chess Championship! Off with our heads! Two video presentations of the recent Montreal tournament...
Part 1 Montreal Open
Part 2 Montreal Open... and a serial conversation with the new queen of Montreal Chess, Salome Melia.
Conversations with Salome Melia
EXPLORING Chess and Cinema
- an old love affair that never dies...
Chessmovies - a wonderful collection of video clips featuring such stars as Alexandra Kosteniuk, Bobby Fischer and much much more...
Video and the future of popular instruction with the reigning queen of FIDE chess, Alexandra Kosteniuk
Movies with Chess Scenes by Bill Wall - From $1,000,000 Duck (1971) to Zwei Whisky und ein Sofa (1963) -- 1746 examples from an even larger selection...
Bill Wall's Wonderful World of Chess by Bill Wall - Chess in the Movies "There seems to be more chess sets or chess references in movies nowadays. Not all of it is good. And chess is always good for the movie mistakes and bloopers, with impossible positions, the chessboard set up wrong, a chess clock not used correctly or the button banged, or just bad historical references to chess.
Jeremy Silman explores Chess in Movies and TV - Exploring chess in film and television. Chess movie lists and reviews, a compilation of some of the best TV chess scenes ever filmed, and more.Chesshouse invites us to: "Watch captivating chess movies with your family! Hit the sofa with a stack of chess training DVDs to sharpen your skills or introduce yourself to a new chess opening by watching grandmasters share their lines of play!"
Movies and Chess A tightly focused view of the more popular titles, with links to other resources
Chess in the movies - a comic artist's view
Chess in the Movies by Bob Basalla, 422pp. (2006 Thinkers’ Press) Crazier than an outburst from an exiled world chess champion! It’s all here, entertainment and fun about one of everyone’s favorite topics–movies–only this book on flicks is about how chess is sued and abused as a “prop/plot.” Amazon link
Ideas for Chess History-based movies' scripts ...An ongoing discussion at chess.com
Zatoichi and the Chess Expert Shintarô Katsu, Mikio Narita, Chizu Hayashi - Zatoichi makes friends with a dangerous chess player, while fending off angry yakuza and bloodthirsty relatives out for revenge, and trying to save a sick child...
Chess in the Movies The award for best supporting game goes to... Chess serves the same symbolic purpose on film as in life -- intellectual activity, competition, gamesmanship -- plus a quick nod to art and science. Here are movie scenes showing chess and people playing chess.
ChessHere's - Chess Movies Center - Play Chess And Listen To Music - Opening Chess Tricks - Chess Strategic - Chess Tactics...
The Chess Players (1977) sets movie context for Chazen exhibit on art of silversmithing in India - Madison Classic Movies Examiner article by Susan Z. Swan - Shatranj Ke Khilari (The Chess Players) is critically acclaimed in India and took Filmfare awards for best director (Satyajit Ray), best supporting actor (Saeed Jaffrey), and best film–critics award. It was also nominated for a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. It stars Sanjeev Kumar and Saeed Jaffrey as the two chess players, Mirza and Mir. Interested in a personal copy? See also: The-Chess-Players-Shatranj-Ke-Khilari-Movie-DownloadThe King Of Chess is adapted from two novels with the same name. One is written by Ah Cheng (author of KING OF CHILDREN) in China, and the other by Chang Shi-kuo of Taiwan (now professor at the University of Illinois). Though the two stories are set in different social systems with backgrounds as varied as the Cultural Revolution and the Taipei of vast economic growth, they are basically about the same thing --- survival, and freedom.
Chess In Concert Review - By Jon Fortgang - Tim Rice and the boys from Abba's musical, recorded live on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in 2008. Featuring Marti Pellow and Adam Pascal... If you think a musical about the Cold War set against the rivalry between two international chess masters - or is it the other way round? - sounds like a toweringly high concept, librettist Tim Rice would probably agree.
Real Life Chess Players Who Have Appeared in Films Every player on this list is at least a recognized or rated expert at chess. Please write me with the names of any other chess players who have appeared in the cinema.
MEANWHILE...
Nero's rotating banquet hall unveiled in Rome By Marta Falconi (AP) ROME — Archaeologists on Tuesday unveiled what they think are the remains of Roman emperor Nero's extravagant banquet hall, a circular space that rotated day and night to imitate the Earth's movement and impress his guests.
Ancient lighthouse to be saved Culture and Tourism Ministry grants 800,000 Turkish Liras for the restoration works of Nero's Lighthouse, believed to be the world's oldest. In a previous version of this story, the Daily news incorrectly identified the location of Patara. It was corrected on Oct. 1, 2009. The Turkish government has allocated a budget to restore an ancient lighthouse, believed to be the world's oldest.
Armenia: Remains of the world's oldest human brain... Gayane Abrahamyan 9/30/09 - An Armenian-American-Irish archeological expedition claims to have found the remains of the world’s oldest human brain, estimated to be over 5,000 years old. The team also says it has found evidence of what may be history’s oldest winemaking operation. The discoveries were made recently in a cave in southeastern Armenia.
Symbols akin to Indus valley culture found Kozhikode: A rock engraving, indicating clear remnants of Harappan culture, has been found in the Edakkal caves in neighbouring Wayanad district, linking the Indus Valley civilisation with South India.
5,000-year-old Venus figure found in Çanakkale A 5,000-year-old Venus figure and a seal have been found as part of an excavation being carried out in Çanakkale's Ezine district.
"The Power of Dogu:
Ceramic Figures from Ancient Japan"
The dogu have something to tell us By Victoria James - Special to The Japan Times: Neither human nor animal, Japan's Jomon sculptures are a mystery to be enjoyed — They are, according to their kanji, part earth and part spirit, somewhere between animal and human. They are dogu, the most remarkable products of Japan's Jomon Period, a Neolithic era before the advent of rice cultivation, when the Japanese archipelago supported higher population densities than any other pre-agricultural society in the world.
"The Power of Dogu: Ceramic Figures from Ancient Japan" is running at the British Museum, London, Room 91, till Nov. 22; admission is free.
