11 December 2015
In winter, 1502, a low mist hung in the pre-dawn air in the rugged foothills of northern Ethiopia. A traveling merchant named Tobar emerged from his make-shift tent and stretched. The rest of the camp was still fast asleep. Tobar was only a temporary member of this band of traders. He had joined them just outside the port of Massawa in Eritrea, but the time had come for their paths to dive...
04 December 2015
The second meaning of bodhisattva can be found in Mahayana Buddhism, where bodhisattvas are considered beings that are committed to the attainment of enlightenment for the sake of others. In other words, this is a reference to enlightened individuals who devote their time to helping others out of compassion, and to help eradicate the suffering of all living entities. The third meaning of ...
20 November 2015
If you were forced to flee your home, what would you bring; your phone, a wallet, or perhaps a family heirloom? Let's hope you never have to make such a decision; but throughout history there are thousands who have had to do so. Historically, fires, earthquakes and floods are natural disasters forcing people to flee their homes; but the cruelty of war; genocide and humankind’s own in...
06 November 2015
The history of fragrance goes back thousands of years to the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations that used crushed herbs and spices to create aromatic oils. The oldest perfume residue ever discovered came from a large perfumery in Cyprus that collapsed in an earthquake nearly 4000 years ago. The art of mixing and the prestige of wearing perfume is clearly an ancient endeavor that has ...
31 October 2015
Edo, Japan. The year was 1749. It was the 15th night of the 7th month, the start of the annual Bon Festival, a celebration honoring the dead. On the edge of town, where the merriments of the festival were subdued, a group of samurai gathered at an old mansion. In the main hall they waited for the darkest hours of the night and lit one hundred candles in a circle. Then, one by one they bega...
28 October 2015
Meret Oppenheim, a Swiss Surrealist artist in the 1920s, suggested that no matter how beautiful and well crafted a work of art may be, the most important part is the meaning and ideas it reflects. This could describe the world of collecting, which is as much about meaning as it is aesthetics – especially when dealing with religious art. Some religions are so complex, they may seem nea...
23 October 2015
“You cannot!” she exclaimed. “Your grandfather’s spirit lives there. Have you forgotten he saved your life? When you were ten years old, you nearly drowned!”“I have not forgotten!” Yao retorted. “But worshiping the dead threatens the revolution.”Yao fell silent. He could not find anything to say in response; however, his sense of duty to...
09 October 2015
Anyone who has come face to face with a giant boar knows the danger and fear these animals can create. Armed only with a slingshot, the hunter knew he was no match for the boar. Suddenly, the animal charged forward, and as it darted toward him he raced up the tree to the branch where his original prey now beckoned him to safety. When he arrived the bird took off, its wings waving goodbye...
05 October 2015
Flags were first used by knights in medieval times to identify their allegiance, but earlier predecessors such as banners and cloth-draped staffs called vexilloids reach far back into the ancient world. First and foremost, these types of identifying markers were utilized as a practical method of differentiating friend from foe during battle; however, they also collectively represented nobl...
25 September 2015
As one of the most important officials of the royal court, the Okyeame holds a special form of court regalia when he speaks. Known simply as an linguist’s staff, it is a carved work of art with a detachable finial. Some might say it is the equivalent of a king’s scepter. While the development of the staff was directly influenced by European canes, the finial artwork at the top ...