Barry's Stuff

Times Review: On the Magic Carpet of the Met

2011-11-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

On the Magic Carpet of the Met

Masterpieces from the Department of Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
edited by Maryam D. Ekhtiar, Priscilla P. Soucek, Sheila R. Canby, and Navina Najat Haidar
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 431 pp., $65.00; $45.00 (paper) (distributed by Yale University Press)
Treasures of Islamic Manuscript Painting from the Morgan
an exhibition at the Morgan  Library and Museum, New York City, October 21, 2011–January 29, 2012

Bequest of Benjamin Altman/Metropolitan Museum of Art

Silk animal rug; 95 x 70 inches, made in Iran, probably Kashan, 1550–1600

Unlike the no less challenging civilizations of East and South Asia, the world of Islam suffers from having been a charged opposite to the West. Ever since the seventh century CE, when Muslim armies first spread with baffling ease across the southern Mediterranean and the Middle East, Islamic civilization has been viewed, in Europe and in America, as shot through with an eerie sense of grandeur tinged with menace. The threat posed by Muslim powers on the frontiers of Europe was sharpened by the feeling that Islam itself was not entirely alien. It was seen as a mutation from the common stock of Judaism and Christianity that was all the more disturbing because the family resemblance between the three religions had not been entirely effaced. This attitude has persisted into modern times.
As a result, this major civilization, close to Europe in more ways than one, has been regarded by many as more than usually inaccessible. The beauty of its art, however, has always had its admirers, both in Europe and in America. The Aesthetic Movement of the later nineteenth century, which prized beautiful objects regardless of their time and origin, reached out to the decorative arts of Islam. One of the first donors to the Islamic collection of the Metropolitan Museum, Edward C. Moore, was the chief designer at Tiffany and Company from 1868 to 1891.
Not all collectors were aesthetes. A robust contributor to the Islamic collection of the Metropolitan Museum, James Franklin Ballard (1851–1931), was a manufacturer of patent pills from St. Louis, Missouri. In middle age he developed a passion for Oriental rugs. He knew North Africa and the Middle East. He traveled 470,00 miles in those regions. He happened to be present at the opening of the tomb of Tutankamen; he also happened to be put in prison briefly by the Greek government. He witnessed the terrible burning of Smyrna in 1922. By modern standards, he held old-fashioned views on the Orient. But his heart was in the right place. He knew what it was to seek out beauty:...
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/dec/08/magic-carpet-met/

Dodd Betrayed America and Should Resign

2009-03-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sen. Dodd Admits Adding Bonus Provision to Stimulus Package

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., said Wednesday the Treasury forced him to add language to the stimulus bill last month that exempted all executive bonuses made before February 11, 2009.

By Trish Turner

FOXNews.com Wednesday, March 18, 2009

In a dramatic reversal Wednesday, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., confessed to adding language to the stimulus bill last month that exempted all bonuses that bailed-out companies had promised to employees before Feb. 11, 2009.

Ordos in the south Inner Mongolia autonomous region

2008-08-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

Special supplement: More than grasslands growing in Ordos

By By Xiao Huang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-07 11:37

The Ordos Square is the landmark of the city.

Rich in natural resources, with a long history, colorful culture, well-developed industries and a good environment, the city of Ordos has many attributes that beckon the ambitious to start a business, others to tour the countryside and for many to simply make a living.

In the south Inner Mongolia autonomous region surrounded by the Yellow River, the city limits of Ordos encompass 87,000 sq km and a population of 1.51 million, 170,000 of whom are ethnic Mongols.

In the Mongolian language Ordos means "many palaces", a name resonant of its brilliant and ancient civilization. Unearthed relics of human inhabitation in the region date back 35,000 years. In the 13th century Genghis Khan, impressed with the beautiful landscape, decided to build his mausoleum in Ordos.

Land around the city has more than 50 kinds of minerals including proven coal reserves of 167.6 billion tons, one-sixth of the nation's total. Its discovered natural gas reserves total 800 billion cu m, one-third of all in China.

The city is also the most important center for cashmere production in the country.

Ordos was long famous for its fertile grasslands, but its ecology deteriorated in the past century due to over-farming and excessive animal husbandry. Local government efforts in recent years have now helped improve the environment, with 75 percent of the city's land again covered by grass and trees.

Ordos has been a popular tourist destination for its unique landscape and colorful ethnic cultures. Traditional wedding ceremonies of the region and the sacrifice rite to Genghis Khan are listed among the country's intangible cultural heritages.

The region has convenient transportation and well-developed urban facilities, including a comprehensive transportation system of highways, railways and an airport.

With its rich resources, Ordos has made considerable progress in economic development, especially in its mainstay industries of coal mining, wool, cashmere, energy and chemicals.

Coal output in the city reached 200 million tons in 2007, compared with 26.79 million tons in 2000. It is the first modern coal mining center in China with an annual output surpassing 100 million tons.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of the city was 115.09 billion yuan in 2007, an average annual growth of 38.3 percent from 17.18 billion yuan in 2001. Per capita GDP reached $10,000 last year, compared with $1,572 in 2001. The city ranks the 28th among the top-100 Chinese cities in comprehensive economic strength.

Building on the achievements made in recent decades, city authorities have mapped out an ambitious blueprint for its future development.

According to the development plan proposed by the Ordos city government, the city is expected to realize its goal of building a "well-off society" in 2012, with its comprehensive economic strength joining the top 20 of all Chinese cities.

Its GDP and per capita GDP are projected to reach 300 billion yuan and $25,000 respectively in 2012, according to the development plan.

In addition, a comprehensive social security system covering education, pensions and medical services will be established in all its urban and rural areas.

Archaeologists find Pharaonic HQ in the Sinai

2008-05-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists find Pharaonic HQ
Wed, 28 May 2008 22:39:31

Inscription found in the fortress town of Tharu

Egyptian archaeologists have found the ancient headquarters of the Pharaonic army in the Sinai Peninsula some 3km northeast of Qantara.

The site contains the ruins of a mud-brick castle with four-meter-high towers dating to the time of Ramses II.

According to Egyptian archaeologist Mohamed Abdel Maksoud, the fortress was used to guard the northeastern borders of Egypt.

A town was found next to the fortress which was identified with the ancient place name Tharu, Reuters reported.

"The archaeological features of this fort confirm the inscriptions on ancient Egyptian temples showing the shape of the city of Tharu, which lay at the start of the Horus military road," a Supreme Council for Antiquities statement read.

The site contains the first New Kingdom (1570-1070 BCE) temple and ancient Egyptian warehouses where the army stored grain, weapons, ovens, seals and earthenware.

UK to auction Solid Gold Two Faced Achaemenid goblet

2008-05-29T11:33:00.001-07:00

UK to auction Achaemenid goblet
Wed, 28 May 2008 16:45:43

A 3rd cen. BCE Achaemenid goblet is slated to be auctioned at the Duke's auction house in Dorchester, England, for 988,000 dollars.

The 14-centimetre goblet is decorated with two female heads looking in opposite directions with foreheads adorned with a knotted snake pattern.

The vessel's current owner John Webber, who acquired the goblet from his grandfather in 1945, had long assumed that it was made of brass.

"My father died in the war and afterwards my grandfather gave me some things shortly before he died,” said John Webber.

"One of the things was the cup which I remember playing with. Because he mainly dealt in brass and bronze, I thought that was what it was made from," he added.

While moving his house, Webber rediscovered the gold goblet last year and decided to get it valued by the British Museum.

The analysis confirmed that the goblet was a rare piece of Achaemenid art, crafted from one piece of gold and dating back to the 3rd or 4th Century BCE.

The cup will go under the hammer on June 5, 2008 with an estimate of 988,000 dollars, BBC reported.

The Achaemenid Empire was the largest empire of classical antiquity which ruled over Persia from 550 BCE to 331 BCE.

Mani and Manichaeism in Sassanid Iran

2008-05-29T11:32:00.001-07:00

Mani and Manichaeism in Sassanid Iran
Wed, 28 May 2008 15:46:15
By Hedieh Ghavidel, Press TV, Tehran

Statue of Mani, china

Manichaeism, presumably an offshoot of Zoroastrianism, was not only an inspiration for various heretical movements in Christianity but also dominated the religious life of Central and Eastern Asia for centuries.

Through the four centuries of Sassanid rule over Persia (224-651 CE) Zoroastrianism was the official state religion. Historians, however, have spoken of several heretical sects. One such cult was that of the Manicheans, founded by Mani at the beginning of the Sassanid era.

The founder of the new religion believed to have been the culmination of Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Buddhism was born in 216 CE in southern Babylonia of noble Persian stock.

He grew up under the careful guidance of his father who was a religious leader of a Jewish-Christian baptizing sect. At the age of twelve, Mani claimed that an angel named The Twin had instructed him in a vision to withdraw from the sect and purify himself through asceticism. The Angel later returned to young Mani, this time calling upon him to preach a new religion.

Ardashir receives the ring of power from Ahuramazda, Naqsh-e Rostam

The Sassanid founding father Ardashir came from a long line of priests and successfully united the nation under the call of religion, the restoration of which he believed to be the only means to establish a stable rule.

After his death in 242 CE, his son Shapur I inherited the new empire built on the solid foundation of faith.

In their struggle to achieve solidarity through the uniformity of belief, the Sassanids naturally favored the priesthood of one particular religion and placed special importance on its beliefs which gave rise to intolerance for other faiths.

It was at this time that Mani proclaimed a new syncretic religion which combined Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism along with elements of Greek philosophy and Indian Jainism, at the court of the Persian monarch Shapur I in 242 CE. He was not well received and was forced to flee the country.

Manichean art

He traveled through modern-day Uzbekistan, India and Western China, making converts wherever he went. Because he intended his creed to be the first world-religion, Mani consciously adapted his teachings to accommodate local beliefs and customs. This greatly helped the rapid spread of his creed throughout Central Asia.

During his years in exile, Mani gave final shape to his teachings and committed them to writing. Between 244 and 261 CE, he sent a mission to Egypt which met with considerable success.

Apart from the extensive body of anti-Manichaean literature, there are numerous Latin, Greek, Coptic, Middle Iranian, Uighur, and Chinese documents, found in the 20th century, on the Manichean doctrine and practices.

Manichaean sacred texts include The Living Gospel, The Treasure of Life, The Pragmateia, The Book of Mysteries, The Epistles, The Book of Giants, and Psalms and Prayers.

Mani, followed by members of the Elect

Other Manichaean writings consist of the Shahburagan, a summary of Mani's teachings prepared for Shapur I, the Ardahang, a picture-book illustrating Mani's view of the world and the Kephalaia, a collection of Mani's sayings.

According to some sources, in addition to preaching, Mani practiced medicine and healed the sick.

Mani eventually returned to Persia, where he was warmly received by Shapur I, or according to other accounts his successor Hormisdas, who allowed him to preach freely and gave him a city in Khuzistan to reside in.

Some historians believe Mani returned from exile only after the death of Shapur I in 272 CE. Whatever the case, it appears that by the time of Shapur's death, Manichaeism was well established in his realm, although the state religion continued to remain Zoroastrianism.

Epistles of Mani, found at Kellis, Egypt

In 276 or 277 CE, during the reign of Bahram I, Mani was arrested and imprisoned. He died after 26 days in captivity. Thereafter his followers were cruelly persecuted.

Historical evidence shows that Manichaeism flourished outside Persia, spreading to Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, North Africa, Asia Minor, Armenia, Dalmatia, Rome, Spain, Southern Gaul, Turkestan, India, China and even Tibet.

Mani's main teaching concerned the struggle between Good and Evil. The Manichean doctrine, 'The Teaching of Light', says that the Universe was primordially divided between the two eternal and irreconcilable principles of Light and Darkness. Light was Spirit and hence 'good' while Darkness was Matter and consequently 'evil'.

The Realm of Light extended infinitely to the North and was ruled by the Father of Greatness. The Realm of Darkness extended infinitely to the South and was ruled by the Prince of Darkness.

Due to its inherent restlessness, the Realm of Darkness was always approaching the borders of the Realm of Light and contending with its forces.

Mani's spirit and matter

Mani said that the Last Day would be signaled by a great war, followed by the second coming of Jesus who will separate the righteous from the sinners. Heaven and earths will collapse, and a great fire will break out freeing the last particles of Light.

Mani taught that salvation lies in the release of goodness (Spirit or Light) from Matter, and that a soul may be incarnated several times before its release through perfected virtue.

The Light which made up the soul could be redeemed through the virtues of brotherly love and faith, patience, wisdom, truth, peace and joy, kindness, temperance and chastity.

The Manichaean Church was tasked with caring for the Light that remained in the world, and protecting it from injury, through strict asceticism.

The Manichaean community was divided into two groups: the "Elect," who formed the core of the Church and adhered to a rigid asceticism, and the "Hearers," who learned from the Elect, served them and could hope for salvation only after re-incarnation as one of them.

The church hierarchy was recruited only from the Elect, who were obligated to abstain from meat and wine, lying, work, carnal relations, hurting animals and plants, polluting water, and owning worldly possessions. Women could become Elect but not officers.

Manichean temple, china

The Elect lived in monasteries and were 'sealed' with the three seals of mouth, hands and breast, symbolising the virtues of speech, act, and feeling. They were required to fast, meditate, and study and translate religious texts.

Hearers were bound to monogamy and were cautioned against lying, worshiping idols, practicing magic, killing animals, theft and neglecting their duty of caring for the Elect.

Before his conversion to Christianity, Saint Augustine was a Manichaean Hearer for nine years.

Manichaeism was founded on the pillars of prayer, the singing of hymns, fasting, confession and penitence.

In Central Asia Manichaeism became the state religion of the Uighur Empire in 762 CE. It survived in southern China as the 'Religion of the Venerable Light' until the 17th century.

Even after its official demise in Europe in the 6th century, a number of Christian sects which shared certain concepts and practices with the followers of Mani arose from its ashes.

Although these sects, like the Manicheans before them, endured bloody persecutions, they persisted well into the Middle Ages.

Due to its inability to compete with Islam and Christianity, which offered easier paths to understand and follow, Manichaeism ultimately failed in Europe and the Middle East.