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TheCollector
How Medieval Japan’s Fusion of Buddhism and Shinto Created Shinbutsu-Shugo The religious beliefs of any society both reflect and underpin the daily lives of people from all...
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The religious beliefs of any society both reflect and underpin the daily lives of people from all walks of life. When one culture assimilates another, there is often conflict between old and new beliefs. Japan has a long-established tradition of taking elements from other...
TheCollector
The Celts & Celtic Mythology in Popular Culture Historic cultures often inspire modern artists and are reimagined for consumption as popular...
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Historic cultures often inspire modern artists and are reimagined for consumption as popular culture. The Celts are no exception. While attempts at genuine historical portrayals of Celtic history and culture are rare, the recent television series Brittania being a notable...
TheCollector
What Is the Fruit of the Spirit in Christianity? Many people erroneously refer to the fruits of the spirit. The Bible does not refer to “fruits” but...
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Many people erroneously refer to the fruits of the spirit. The Bible does not refer to “fruits” but to “fruit.” It then lists nine characteristics, all positive, that are ways the fruit of the spirit manifests itself. As with any Biblical text, it is imperative to consider the...
Flashbak
At The Beach In Los Angeles, 1975 – 1988 “I think that part of what these pictures are about is the difference between our preconceptions of...
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“I think that part of what these pictures are about is the difference between our preconceptions of a place and what, when we get there, that place turns out to be.” – Tod Papageorge, at the beach      Looking at Tod Papageorge’s photographs of Los Angeles beachgoers in the 1970s...
TheCollector
Satyrs Sparked the Wildest Parties in Greek Mythology Satyrs (also known as Silens) are considered some of Greek mythology’s most iconic and recognizable...
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Satyrs (also known as Silens) are considered some of Greek mythology’s most iconic and recognizable creatures. These exclusively male nature spirits are primarily human with snubbed noses, ears, tails, and sometimes the lower bodies of a horse or goat. They are associated with...
TheCollector
What Is the “Gospel of Mark” All About? The Gospel of Mark is the shortest and arguably the first gospel of the three synoptic gospels....
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The Gospel of Mark is the shortest and arguably the first gospel of the three synoptic gospels. Scholars believe that the authors of Matthew and Luke may have used it as a source for their gospels due to the overlap they share with Mark. Mark presents a fast-paced version of the...
TheCollector
4 Infamous Rulers of the Neo-Assyrian Empire The Neo-Assyrian Empire dominated the landscape of the ancient Near East from 911 BCE until its fall...
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The Neo-Assyrian Empire dominated the landscape of the ancient Near East from 911 BCE until its fall in 609 BCE. The Old Assyrian period saw the Assyrian city-state become somewhat independent around 2025 BCE, and it gradually increased in strength until its penultimate period,...
Flashbak
Joseph Rous Paget-Fredericks’ Fabulous Dance Sketches Joseph Rous Paget-Fredericks (1905-1963) inherited his parents love for collecting theatre...
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Joseph Rous Paget-Fredericks (1905-1963) inherited his parents love for collecting theatre memorabilia. His family had close ties to the leading ballet companies and he was appointed Artistic Director for Anna Pavlova’s world tours in the early 1930s. Paget-Fredericks went on to...
TheCollector
What Are the Main Female Archetypes In Myth and Culture? In Jungian psychology, female archetypes are primordial patterns of femininity in the collective...
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In Jungian psychology, female archetypes are primordial patterns of femininity in the collective unconscious. We can consider them the blueprints that determine the different manifestations of female figures featured in myth and culture. Every female archetype is characterized by...
TheCollector
Battle of Himera: Carthage vs. Ancient Greeks of Sicily Since the fall of Phoenician Tyre, the Mediterranean, once interconnected by vast trade networks...
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Since the fall of Phoenician Tyre, the Mediterranean, once interconnected by vast trade networks running from southern Iberia to the Levantine coast, was in flux. Sicily was perfectly positioned to serve as a central commercial hub for the two halves of the sea. But who would...
TheCollector
Neolithic Wonders Along the Scottish Coastline Along Scotland’s rugged coastline stand some of the most remarkable Neolithic sites in all of...
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Along Scotland’s rugged coastline stand some of the most remarkable Neolithic sites in all of Europe. Older than the pyramids, these stone structures reveal how people once lived, farmed, worked, and worshipped. While well-known places like Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar draw...
TheCollector
The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan (History & Importance) The Three Sacred Treasures—the Jewel of Yasakani, the Sword of Kusanagi, and the Mirror of Yata —are...
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The Three Sacred Treasures—the Jewel of Yasakani, the Sword of Kusanagi, and the Mirror of Yata —are among the most legendary and mysterious objects found in Japanese history. When brought together, these sacred items are referred to as the Imperial Regalia of Japan, and they...
TheCollector
Ibn Battuta’s Epic 30-Year Journey Across the Medieval World In the mid-14th century, Moroccan judge and scholar Ibn Battuta embarked on an epic 24-year-long...
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In the mid-14th century, Moroccan judge and scholar Ibn Battuta embarked on an epic 24-year-long journey worldwide. He was received by kings and queens, robbed and kidnapped by rebels, and even ended up marrying into the royal family of Omar I, Sultan of the Maldives.   Battuta’s...
TheCollector
What Would a Day in the Public Baths of Ancient Rome Look Like? At the 8th Roman hour, or 2 pm, the Romans would finish their working day and head to one specific...
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At the 8th Roman hour, or 2 pm, the Romans would finish their working day and head to one specific place to socialize, relax, and clean off the dirt of the day: the terme, or public baths. While some were lucky enough to have their own bath (balnea) at home, most headed to the...
TheCollector
Was Anne Boleyn the Wife King Henry Loved Most? Lovers of British history are obsessed with Anne Boleyn. It is undoubtedly she, out of all the six...
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Lovers of British history are obsessed with Anne Boleyn. It is undoubtedly she, out of all the six wives of King Henry VIII, who is given the most attention in any publication or production.   Thanks to the enduring power of literature and media, Anne Boleyn has been reimagined...
TheCollector
What Was Chivalry in the Middle Ages? The idea of chivalry has gone from the stereotypical image of a knight in shining armor rescuing a...
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The idea of chivalry has gone from the stereotypical image of a knight in shining armor rescuing a maiden who has been imprisoned in some evil man’s castle in the Middle Ages (like in many fairytales), to the notion of a modern-day man holding a door open for a woman. But...
TheCollector
Medieval Japan vs Medieval Europe: How Different Were They? In modern-day society, it is easy to see how Japan differs from Europe. Cultural ideals in Japan are...
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In modern-day society, it is easy to see how Japan differs from Europe. Cultural ideals in Japan are just about as far away from European (or “Western”) culture as you can get—but how far back do these differences go? In this article, we will explore just how different these two...
TheCollector
An Overview of the Sui and Tang Chinese Dynasties In 581 CE, the general Yang Jian seized power from the Northern Zhou and established the Sui...
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In 581 CE, the general Yang Jian seized power from the Northern Zhou and established the Sui Dynasty. The Sui reunified China in 589, but the failure of costly expeditions in Korea led to the collapse of the dynasty in 618. The Tang Dynasty reaped the rewards of Sui investments...
TheCollector
How Were Handles Made on Ancient Minoan Pottery? The Minoan civilization existed from about 2800 BC to 1100 BCE and thrived as a group through...
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The Minoan civilization existed from about 2800 BC to 1100 BCE and thrived as a group through maritime trade. Living on the island of Crete, the Minoan civilization eventually spread to most of the Aegean region and mainland Greece. Crete’s strategic location on the sea routes to...
TheCollector
How Long Would It Take for an Ancient Traveler to See All Seven Wonders? If you were an ancient traveler with wanderlust, you could theoretically see all of the ancient...
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If you were an ancient traveler with wanderlust, you could theoretically see all of the ancient wonders of the world if you were in relatively decent physical shape and had access to a boat. Journeying between them would take over two months, maybe more, and take you across long...
TheCollector
7 Medieval Weapons & Armor The Medieval Period, which roughly stretched from 500 to 1500 CE, was a turbulent time of...
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The Medieval Period, which roughly stretched from 500 to 1500 CE, was a turbulent time of near-constant conflict. In order to gain an edge on the battlefield, armorers and weapons makers developed an astonishing variety of weapons to deal out damage and armor to keep a warrior...
Global Inequality...
Pensioners for war Many years ago when I lived in Belgrade, just before the beginning of the “Yugoslav Wars of...
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Many years ago when I lived in Belgrade, just before the beginning of the “Yugoslav Wars of Succession”, I noticed an interesting phenomenon.
Dreams of Space -...
My Weekly Reader February 4, 1962 Happy 4th of July! Here is your My Weekly Reader for "Happy 4th of February, 1962."
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Global Inequality...
Nomonhan, 1939 A four-month long war between Great Powers of which you have never heard
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A Collection of...
Collections: The American Civil-Military Relationship As is traditional here, I am taking advantage of the Fourth of July this week to write something...
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As is traditional here, I am taking advantage of the Fourth of July this week to write something about the United States, this time a brief discussion of the nature of civil-military relations in the United States. Civil-military relations (typically shortened to ‘civ-mil’ or...
TheCollector
What Do the Two Beasts of Revelation Symbolize? Early Christian scholars debated the inclusion of the Book of Revelation for centuries before it...
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Early Christian scholars debated the inclusion of the Book of Revelation for centuries before it became part of the Biblical canon. Some Christian scholars feared that its vivid imagery might lead to dubious interpretations, and many churches avoided studying it. Other scholars...
TheCollector
The Adventurous Life of Marquis de Lafayette (Orphan, Soldier, Statesman) Gilbert du Motier, better known as Marquis de Lafayette, had the world at his feet. He was wealthy...
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Gilbert du Motier, better known as Marquis de Lafayette, had the world at his feet. He was wealthy and had a deep family history in French nobility and military. He could have done just about anything with his life. Instead of resting on his laurels and enjoying the privileges...
TheCollector
The Siege Warfare That Shaped Ancient Greece & Rome Discussions of warfare in ancient Greece and Rome usually revolve around open field battles with...
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Discussions of warfare in ancient Greece and Rome usually revolve around open field battles with dense formations of infantry clashing, supported by cavalry and missile troops. But many ancient conflicts were resolved through sieges, with enemy armies attempting to breach a...
Flashbak
The Decline of Western Civilisation III, 1998 “I didn’t get TACO BELL tattooed on my knuckles for nothing!” – The Decline of Western Civilisation...
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“I didn’t get TACO BELL tattooed on my knuckles for nothing!” – The Decline of Western Civilisation III, 1998     Directed by Penelope Spheeris in 1998, The Decline of Western Civilization III chronicles the punk lifestyle of teenagers  living in squats or on the streets in Los...
TheCollector
How Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’ Defined Renaissance Genius At first glance, it seems like a simple sketch: a nude male figure within a circle and a square. But...
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At first glance, it seems like a simple sketch: a nude male figure within a circle and a square. But Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man is anything but ordinary. Those familiar lines form a fascinating blueprint of Renaissance ideals, revealing layers of artistic and scientific...
TheCollector
Knights Templar & the Creation of Modern Banking Of all the knightly orders born of the Crusades, none are as well known or as heavily mythologized...
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Of all the knightly orders born of the Crusades, none are as well known or as heavily mythologized as the Knights Templar. From Dan Brown conspiracy thriller novels like The Da Vinci Code to the best-selling Assassin’s Creed video game franchise, the Knights Templar have long...
TheCollector
Why Are Aristotle’s “Categories” Fundamental to Logic? Aristotle’s Categories is a foundational philosophical work that provides a framework for...
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Aristotle’s Categories is a foundational philosophical work that provides a framework for understanding existence and engaging in classification. The text describes ten categories: substance, quantity, quality, relation, place, time, position, state, action, and passion....
TheCollector
How the Janissaries Became the Most Powerful Force in Ottoman History Formed in 1363 by Sultan Murad I, the Janissary Corps was a group of elite fighters who, as the...
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Formed in 1363 by Sultan Murad I, the Janissary Corps was a group of elite fighters who, as the ruler’s property, owed complete loyalty and allegiance to the Sultan. This group would go on to influence politics until their dismemberment in 1839. For centuries, the Janissaries...
TheCollector
How Did the Quakers Transform from Radical Dissenters to Icons of Peace? The Quakers are widely recognised today as a “peace church” marked by a distinct rejection of...
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The Quakers are widely recognised today as a “peace church” marked by a distinct rejection of ecclesiastical hierarchy. They are widely admired for their humanitarian work and known for their preference for “Meeting Houses” over churches. However, their modern pacifist image...
TheCollector
How the Hittites Used Fear & Strategy to Create a Bronze Age Empire During the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), an Indo-European people known as the Hittites...
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During the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), an Indo-European people known as the Hittites expanded beyond their borders in central Anatolia to create an empire. The Hittites conquered most of Anatolia, the northern Levant, and destroyed the Mitanni Kingdom, which they...
Flashbak
Wisconsin Death Trip, 1973 – Small Town America In The Grip of Madness For more than 60 years, Charles Van Schaick (1852-1946) worked as a photographer in the town of...
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For more than 60 years, Charles Van Schaick (1852-1946) worked as a photographer in the town of Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Opened in 1879, he took around 8,000 of glass plate negatives, of which approximately 5,700 are studio portraits. The Charles Van Schaick collection, now...
TheCollector
How Henry VII Took the English Throne & Founded the Tudors Henry VII often slips through the cracks of history, being sandwiched between the controversial...
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Henry VII often slips through the cracks of history, being sandwiched between the controversial Richard III, a Renaissance Machiavellian prince, and Henry VIII, an impossibly charismatic and epoch-shaping monarch. But without Henry VII, there would be no Henry VIII. It was Henry...
TheCollector
The Ghost Army: Masters of Deception in World War II In 1944, a tremendous challenge loomed for the Western Allies of World War II: Nazi Germany fully...
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In 1944, a tremendous challenge loomed for the Western Allies of World War II: Nazi Germany fully occupied France and was anticipating the necessary invasion. Although the Allies had amassed huge forces in Britain to storm across the English Channel and hit the Nazis hard, the...
TheCollector
The Legend of Plato’s Atlantis, Inside the Mythical City The rumor of Atlantis can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Plato, who wrote about the island...
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The rumor of Atlantis can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Plato, who wrote about the island kingdom in two of his dialogues: Timaeus and Critias. Historiographical examination of these sources has led to three primary theories about Atlantis. First, it was a real place...
TheCollector
Who Were the Heracleidae? Discover Heracles’s Many Children In addition to his superhuman strength and knack for achieving the impossible, the legendary hero...
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In addition to his superhuman strength and knack for achieving the impossible, the legendary hero Heracles was known for his incredible libido. Heracles is said to have fathered numerous children as he traveled the ancient world, battling monsters, conquering armies, and...
TheCollector
Are There Really Unicorns in the Bible? Some Bible skeptics have criticized the Bible because of references to mythical creatures like the...
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Some Bible skeptics have criticized the Bible because of references to mythical creatures like the unicorn. They claim it undermines the legitimacy of the Bible as a serious religious work. The question we need to ask ourselves, however, is if the references to unicorns were...
TheCollector
The Secrets of Mycenaean Gold in Ancient Greece Mycenaean gold is a dazzling emblem of Greece’s Bronze Age. Luminous artifacts, from regal funerary...
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Mycenaean gold is a dazzling emblem of Greece’s Bronze Age. Luminous artifacts, from regal funerary masks to intricately wrought jewelry, bring to life an ancient world of beauty and power. But beneath the aesthetic brilliance of Mycenaean gold, there lies a trove of hidden...
TheCollector
5 Timeless Financial Tips from Greek and Roman Philosophers We often look to well-known experts for financial advice, and the ancient Greeks and Romans were no...
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We often look to well-known experts for financial advice, and the ancient Greeks and Romans were no different. Classical philosophers gave advice on debt management, smart investments, and the accumulation and preservation of wealth. From Epictetus to Plato, nearly every...
TheCollector
What Is The Jungian Model of The Psyche? Carl Jung’s greatest contribution to psychology was his intricate understanding of the human mind....
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Carl Jung’s greatest contribution to psychology was his intricate understanding of the human mind. His model of the psyche is a holistic and dynamic representation of our inner architecture, with all the seemingly contradictory layers that make us who we are. Decoding the Jungian...
TheCollector
Meet Osiris, the Egyptian God Who Ruled the Afterlife (Myth & Facts) Osiris is best known as the god of the dead in ancient Egyptian religion, as the afterlife was...
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Osiris is best known as the god of the dead in ancient Egyptian religion, as the afterlife was created for Osiris after he was killed by his brother Set, and he enabled others to join him in eternal life. But Osiris is also connected to many other important aspects of ancient...
Trying to Understand...
An Apology And A Few Suggestions. More next week.
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Flashbak
On My Stoop In Brooklyn Over Four Decades: Anthony’s Story We’re hanging out on the stoop of Anthony Catalano’s home in Boro Park, Brooklyn, New York City....
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We’re hanging out on the stoop of Anthony Catalano’s home in Boro Park, Brooklyn, New York City. These pictures are of the “two main stoops on my block throughout the five decades on my life in Broro Park, Brooklyn NYC,” says Anthony. We’ve featured Anthony’s superb pictures of...
TheCollector
Where Was the Battle of Camlann? King Arthur’s Legendary Final Battle According to the Arthurian legends, King Arthur was mortally wounded at the infamous Battle of...
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According to the Arthurian legends, King Arthur was mortally wounded at the infamous Battle of Camlann. This was the culmination of a civil war between Arthur and his nephew, Mordred. The historicity of this legendary account is seriously questioned by modern scholars....
Patterns in Humanity
The rise of life expectancy Illustrated and explained
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TheCollector
What Is the “Gospel of Luke” All About? Luke, a physician, played a significant role in the early church but was not an eyewitness to the...
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Luke, a physician, played a significant role in the early church but was not an eyewitness to the life and ministry of Jesus. He nevertheless compiled his account of the gospel after careful research to produce a reliable, orderly account of what Jesus had said and done during...