REMEMBERING THE FIRST THANKSGIVING: THE VOYAGE OF THE MAYFLOWER

Faith and History

This nearly exact replica of the original Mayflower is permanently docked in Plymouth Harbor, not far from where the original vessel first dropped anchor in December 1621.

Although the legendary “voyage of the Mayflower” is now enshrined in national lore, we actually don’t know much about it. William Bradford summarized the voyage in a couple of pages in his History of Plymouth Plantation, and almost everything we know about it comes from that brief account. We do know that the voyage of the Mayflower began as the voyage of the Mayflower and the Speedwell. Whereas the 180-ton Mayflower had been chartered by the London merchants who were financing the Pilgrims’ undertaking, the 60-ton Speedwell actually belonged to the Pilgrims, who had purchased it with an eye to using it for a fishing boat once they had relocated to America.

On August 5, 1620 the Speedwell and Mayflower

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Socializing at the Symposium

Ancientfoods

first published by archaeology.org

Greece

By BENJAMIN LEONARD

November/December 2020c(Angelafoto/Getty Images)

Symposium painting, Tomb of the Diver, Paestum, Italy(American School of Classical Studies at Athens: Agora Excavations)

Kylix (top), Skyphos (above)Ancient Greek vasesfrequently depict the revels of men participating in the symposium, an intimate drinking party held in a private home, as well as the consequences of excessive consumption that may have occurred during such gatherings. But just how much wine, mixed with water in a bowl called a krater, would a group have consumed in the course of a typical symposium in early fifth-century B.C. Athens? To answer this question, archaeologist Kathleen Lynch of the University of Cincinnati and independent scholar Richard Bidgood calculated the capacity of serving vessels and drinking cups, including kylikes and skyphoi, excavated from early fifth-century B.C. houses in the Athenian Agora, the city’s main marketplace. Assuming each kylix was filled to…

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A Door Out of Place?

An Evolving Life

The Greek town of Nafplio’s architecture generally reflects its historic significance as the modern Greek nation-state’s first capital in the early 19th century. Many of the buildings in the old town are neo-classical like the door I’ve shown in two previous posts: Door at Number 13 and Update on Door at Number 13. But, one door at a bank (trapeza or τράπεζα) in the old section of town, just off the main square, defies convention.

It struck me as a door strikingly out of place. So much so, I had to take this photo just to record it. Because it is so different from the other architecture around it, it your eye naturally gravitates to it.

The main feature is the flanking red columns. They taper down from their capitals, an exaggeration of the columns found at the Bronze Age palace of Knossos on Crete. Although, most of…

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Göbekli Tepe, Mother of Myths?

This is one of my Favourite archaeological sites and I am reading a book about it right now. FASCINATING !

AM:AMs Photoblogg

In February and March 2010 I visited Syria and Turkey as a part of a course in comparative religious studies at the University of Agder. We visited some of the western-worlds oldest religious places related to Judaism, Christianity, Islam and and other ancient holy sites. But none of the previous or later experiences, beeing it staying a few days living a monastic life at the Monastary of Deir Mar Musa Al Habashi, watching the pilgrims at the Tomb of Thecla in Ma’aloula or standing in Gods Feet at the mystic ancient cite of Ain Dara, came close to the ambiance and spiritual feeling you got at top of “Pot Belly Hill”, which is the translation of Gobekli Tepe from Turkish to English. I had never even heard of it before, and we sort of just “stopped by” between visits to the ancient cities of Ur and Harran. I…

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Animals and Injustice: Exploring The Motif of the Faithful Hound

Under the influence!

Gelert – en:Charles Burton Barber – Public Domain

Motif of the Faithful Hound

In the study of folktales and folklore there is a classification system known as the Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index (ATU Index) which catalogues folktale types. It is not a perfect system and not not all folklorists recognise it but it can provide some useful insights. Presented here is a discussion of the folkloric motif of The Faithful Hound, classified as Aarne–Thompson-Uther type 178A, that is found in a number of folktales from many different parts of the world.

In this work we will briefly discuss human relationships with animals followed by a look at the main structure of the tale tale type of The Faithful Hound. Three examples of such tales from different countries will be retold before concluding with a few reflections that may offer a deeper insight into the story.

Animal Helpers

Animals have always…

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Comfort Classics: Anna P. Judson

Classical Studies Support

The world is in a state of upheaval at the moment, and we’re all looking for things to make us feel less anxious. Maybe Classics can help.

Today’s interview is with Anna P. Judson

Is there a source from the ancient world that you find yourself coming back to when you want to feel better?

This Linear B clay tablet from the Mycenaean palace of Pylos, with a drawing of a labyrinth on the back.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NAMA_Tablette_1287.jpg. CC-BY 3.0, credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Marsyas

When did you first come across this tablet?

I must have first seen a picture of it sometime during my MPhil degree in 2011-12, when I started learning to read Linear B and spent a lot of time practicing on drawings and photographs of tablets. Later on I was able to see the real thing on a study visit to Greece – it’s on display in the National Archaeological…

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Major Mayan Gods and Goddesses You Should Know About

Source: Major Mayan Gods and Goddesses You Should Know About