Lucy's Religion?

I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through my senior year of high school, where every year we studied religious classes alongside typical classes like science and literature. This early education spiked my interest in studying beliefs and histories of religion, both those with ties to Christianity and those whose origins are completely unrelated.

A chapter on early religions in my history textbook, Ways of the World, directed me to the Minnesota State University webpage on World Religions, where I encountered an interesting page compiled by Salman Hakim on Jainism, a religion with origins in "prehistory," even before the Indus Valley civilizations.

Before the chapter I read for my class, I'd never even heard of Jainism, and to find a website full of information was serendipitous. Some of the pages on other world religions seem incomplete or half-hearted, but the one on Jainism appears well-rounded to include both historical data on the religion as well as the positions of believers. Hakim ties the two together in a way respectful and open to both parties.

For example, directly after attributing to modern research that evidence of Jainism has been found to pre-date Indus Valley civilizations, Hakim credits the beliefs of several Jain scholars that Jainism is "more ancient even then the three and a half million years old Ethiopian female as Lucy" and has actually existed for about 8.4 million years. The credence Jainism gives both opinions gives the post a neutral and non-judgmental feeling, something very important in sensitive matters such as religion.

Jainism focuses on freeing the soul from birth and death by ridding oneself of karma. Karma prevents the soul from liberty and the chance of being a God, and forces one to be reborn. One can eliminate karma by rejecting the materialism of the world through the practices of non-violence and limited desires.

Fordmakers, ordinary souls with superhuman powers have guided Jainism and stressed the importance of non-violence time and time again. After the death of Mahavira Swami, the last reformer, Jainism split into two sects because of disputes of monastic orders. They differ in clothing, temple adornment, and sacred texts.

This website gives a great overview of Jainism, as well as some helpful links for future study, including one to the Jain Global Resource Center online. I highly recommend checking it out if you're at all intrigued by learning about new religions. There are also pages on Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, all with their own links pages for further study.

Fact or Fiction: Did Troy Really Exist?

In 2004 the well-known legend of the Trojan horse was brought to life in the movie Troy. While many are familiar with the synopsis of this popular legend, there are many aspects of the history behind it that remain indefinite. The Trojan horse, Hellenic beauty, and Achilles’ heel are three prevalent symbols used in modern literature today.

As common of a symbol as the wooden horse is, the only historical document from that period that briefly references it is Homer’s The Odyssey. Both of Homer’s works revolve around the Trojan War and the period of time immediately following it. Regardless of the value of these ballads, however, the only thing known for certain is that Troy, as a city, did exist. Homer was a blind Greek poet who traveled around reciting poems about events that took place half a century before completely by memory; with every passing year and every mouth that narrated these events, details were skewed and changed to the point of elemental uncertainty.

Helen of Troy is still recognized over three thousand years later for her legendary beauty and passionate love life. According to legend, she is said to have been the entire cause of the Trojan War, when she left Sparta – whether willingly or against her will – with Paris of Troy. Her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta, joined with Agamemnon and other independent kings of Greece in an effort to take on Troy and to regain his lost wife.

One of Menelaus’ most famous warriors was Achilles. During his time, Achilles was known for his fierce fighting ability; today, Achilles is associated with the anatomical reference to the Achilles Heel. Legend tells us that when Achilles was a child, his mother dipped him in the Styx River to make him immortal. Due to the fact that she was holding him by his heel, however, it was the only part of his body that was not touched by the water, therefore proving to be his one mortal vulnerability. Modern culture defines an Achilles heel not only as an anatomical part, but also as a representation of a person’s weakness.

Whether the Trojan horse, Hellenic beauty, and Achilles’ heel are just figures of oral storytelling or if there is actually an element of truth to their historical existence, they have made their way into our history books as a part of reality. Oral storytelling passed on from generation to generation has its place in helping us understand history and civilizations. Nevertheless there are flaws in its effectiveness to accurately describe precise events that took place long ago. Archaeology provides us with more concrete evidence in regards to whether a city or place certainly existed; it also gives us a general idea of how the city had its downfall (in Troy’s instance, there is consistent evidence of destruction to the city). No written evidence, aside from the Homeric ballads of The Iliad and The Odyssey, has been found from that era to support the occurrence of the 10-year-long Trojan War.

References:

http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/5163.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3732787.stm

http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Achilles.html

Truths About Socrates

For many people, Socrates is known for mainly two things: that he was Greek, and that he was a philosopher. These are both true, but when asked to delve further into the Greek philosopher, most people are stumped. Socrates was indeed an astounding philosopher who made some of the greatest arguments in history, but it is important to point out that there is not a single document in history that is written by Socrates himself. All of the information that is presented in texts and dialogues are all second hand accounts from Socrates' life.

Another widely unknown fact about Socrates is that he was considered to be "a profoundly ugly man". During his life, the people in Greece believed in the beauty of the gods, and would often associate political wisdom and power with a person's physical appearance. At times, this prevented much of the public from taking Socrates seriously at first glance. Socrates also did not participate in city affairs as the majority of the people would do. He was more interested in the poorer things in life, and refused to be acknowledged as any kind of teacher.

His teaching methods were different than those of the Academies, and he focused on helping others "realize" truth by conversing with them rather than bluntly telling them. He used irony in his dialogues and was seen as a rather laid back and humorous individual who did not want anything to do with material wealth.

Yet, despite his reputation for being a well-loved philosopher, one of the things he is most famous for is his untimely death. He was sentenced to death under the crimes of "corrupting the youth and interfering with the religion of the city". Although several of his students argued against him, he gracefully accepted his sentence by drinking hemlock without any hesitance.

Socrates was an intelligent philosopher who was well respected by many people of Greece, yet he was probably one of the most underestimated men during his lifetime. Perhaps if he looked different, followed the norms of society, and accepted himself as a dedicated teacher, the history of Greece would be drastically different. He may have been taken more seriously by the public and not questioned by the Athenian government. However, it could be because of these traits that his teachings were so influential and one of a kind.

Sources:

http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/socr.htm

http://www.san.beck.org/SocraticProblem.html

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/

This Month in History

It is always fun and interesting to poke around the internet to see what was happening this month around the world; for this post, I am going to share events that occurred during the month of October.

52 BC: End of the Battle of Alesia.

Julius Caesar battled the Gauls to take over their land during the Gallic War. The leader of the Gauls was Vercingtorix; he sent for reinforcements after Caesar’s troops overwhelmed the Gauls, but the army was defeated and Vercingtorix surrendered.

14 AD: Ludi Augustales.

Ludi Augustales were games played by the Romans to celebrate the life of Augustus, emperor of Rome. The games were held every four years and included theater in the celebration.

1226: St. Francis of Assisi died.

St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals and ecology. He devoted his life to following the word of Jesus and sharing the Good News. St. Francis of Assisi gave up his material possessions in order to focus on delivering his message.

1264: the comet said to predict the death of Pope Urban IV last seen.

A comet was observed in the sky for three months prior to the death of Pope Urban IV. The last night that the comet was visible was the night that Pope Urban IV passed away. Following his passing, a Latin verse about comets foreshadowing “disaster, sickness, hunger, and war” gained popularity.

1283: Dafydd ap Gruffydd, prince of Gwynedd in Wales, is executed.

Dafydd ap Gruffydd suffered a gruesome death by hanging then being drawn and quartered. Dafydd ap Gruffydd was a successful Welshman who sided with King Edward over his own brother in a battle. Following the battle, Dafydd ap Gruffydd sided with his brother over King Edward in another dispute and attacked the King’s troops. Dafydd ap Gruffydd was convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

Beowulf andThe Epic of Gilgamesh

The fact that you're reading this blog post right now is a beautiful demonstration of the power of words. We use them for information in a variety of ways, and although their explicit communication is the most obvious, they also tell us about a group's personalities, their culture, and their history.

Stories like The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf are great sources of cultural capital. They are both among the few surviving works of literature from their respective cultures; Mesopotamia and Germanic Britain. Gilgamesh is regarded as the earliest piece of written literature that we have, and Beowulf is the first story we have recorded in what has become known as Old English, and both describe heros.

Gilgamesh shows us the chaos and unpredictability of life in ancient Mesopotamia because of the randomness of the flooding of the rivers. The Mesopotamians saw their lives as controlled by the whims of the gods, and had little hope for this life or the next.

Beowulf, on the other hand, reflects the relative stability of the time because it demonstrates the way the Germanic people took their future in their own hands. They valued honor, retribution, and the giving of gifts. Because they lived after the rise of empires and territorial sovereignty, also present is the national loyalty of the people in their battles and warriors.

Something else present in Beowulf but absent in Gilgamesh is a cultural conflict between the past and present. Beowulf was written after St. Augustine of Canterbury Christianized England, but retains many of the themes and traditions of their pagan days. A problem for the composers was how to honor their heroes and respect their bravery while instilling Christian values in their listeners. This was a crucial conflict to the Germanic people of the first millenium, so it is reflected in their writings.

Despite their superficial similarities, these two epics are very different in what they teach us about their cultures. Because we have so few surviving examples, it's hard to tell if The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf are representative of the stories of their time, but they still offer valuable insight. What if all future archaeologists had of our writings were Twilight, The Audacity of Hope, or The DaVinci Code?

Sources:
Worlds of History by Kevin Reilly
Ways of the World by Robert W. Stayer
The Longman Anthology of British Literature

King Tut: Who he was and His Discovery

King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, was an Egyptian Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. He ruled during the period known as the New Kingdom in Egyptian History. King Tut was a very important ruler, mostly because he was one of the few kings worshiped as a god. In modern times, King Tut is the most famous of the Pharaohs, and the only one with a nickname.

It is unknown who the parents of King tut were. In an inscription, he is known as a “king’s son,” but no one is sure what king was meant by this. Most Scholars think it was either Amenhotep III, or his son, Amenhotep IV. Whoever his father may have been, King Tut became a Pharaoh at nine years old and ruled for about ten years. Since he was so young, some and maybe all the decision making and responsibility did not come from him, but rather a high official named Ay. King Tut did not follow the religious views of the ruler before him, which made him significant. Also, Egyptian’s considered him a god and honored him in a cult-like manner during his lifetime.

King Tut died at the age of nineteen, but the cause of his death is uncertain. He was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. After years of searching, the discovery of his tomb came in 1922 by a man named Howard Carter. The reason the tomb became so difficult to find was because it had come to be buried by stone chips either dumped or washed there.

King Tut is the most famous, well-known Pharaoh of Egyptian times. He became Pharaoh at a young age, and died at a young age, and yet much still happened during his reign. The discovery of his tomb has lead and is leading to various other discoveries of King Tut himself, and certain events and items at the time of his reign. 

References:

http://www.crystalinks.com/tut.html 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutankhamun

First Free Week Post

Hello everyone,
I thought that since this was a free topic week, I would provide some things I have learned in one of my other classes. In this class we are learning about very early forms of music and musical notation. It was very interesting to learn that the earliest form of music notation was called neumes. These were different symbols and markings above the text that people sang from to indicate how the music was to be sang. They of course had no early way of writing choral music down. Before this early form of notation they relayed all of their music on oral transmission. They had to memorize all of which they sang or chanted. One main place that music started was in the church. The choirs chanted everything as a way to get parishoners more into the mass. These choirs were all men and would have to memorize hundreds of chants. Eventually these chants were spread all over Europe to other churches, but the were always changed in transmission. Notation made it easier for these chants to be reproduced elsewhere. Also, in the earliest Empires, music was used for entertainment. Outside of the church, pagens used music and dancing for many things and rituals. After notation with neumes, heighted neumes, then solomen chant notation (which was the earliest form of musical lines), people were able to write down music to remember and also share it with other nations. As this notation progressed, music became more and more developed. I thought this might be a good topic, but I am not sure because I have never done something like this before. Let me know what you all think.