The lost goddesses

  Max Dashu's presentation: Restoring women to cultural history: Max starts her talk at minute 21 or so.

Today there are many interesting archaeological goddesses in Max Dashu's talk. I hope you look at a bit of it, if you don't have time for the whole thing. 

She also did several other YouTube videos, about the Suppressed Histories of the Goddess. 

I was very fortunate to be in one of her day-long workshops many years ago. What a wealth of knowledge! She  spread a sheet on the floor,  then mapped out the ancient worlds by outlines of major continents. Then she presented each goddess culture that was dominant in those diverse areas in ancient times. It was amazing. She'd put a little figure to represent each goddess on the huge map at our feet as we sat in a circle, taking voracious notes!

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This lovely goddess is from the Tel Halaf culture which refers to an archaeological culture from the Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age (approximately circa 6000–3500 BCE) that was centred in what is now north-eastern Syria, in the region of the Khabur River. It is known primarily through excavations at the site of Tell Halaf, an important archaeological tell (an ancient mound created by human occupation) near the modern town of Ras al-Ayn, Syria.

Jenny Mendez Ceramics on FaceBook

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Today's quote: (Not sure I agree with this one!)

The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.  -Iris Murdoch, writer (1919-1999)

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One more shot of the trip north Monday.

My initial part of the trip going through Hot Springs NC and then to Newport TN to avoid the single lane back-up on I-40 between Asheville and Knoxville…where continuing floods hit the highway. Here we had about a 5 minute back-up for construction - the only one on my whole day of over 300 miles.

The road (US  25/70) followed the French Broad River into Hot Springs NC, where the Appalachian Trail also intersects. Here was the only construction I had a delay from all day.

 

What I've been reading

Summer days sometimes are hot, or rainy.  Good times for opening a good book.

I enjoyed "Big Stone Gap," by Adriana Trigiani, which was intriguing because 1. Wendy Welch speaks about it in her book, "Little Book Store in Big Stone Gap," and 2. it's being made into a movie, and 3. I've been there.  Thanks to friend Helen Bell who took a day trip with me to Wendy's store, where we had delicious food in the Second Story Cafe' and I sold my pottery!

Look who's in that movie!  Don't know when it's coming out, and I couldn't find a trailer for it.

I did laugh out loud a few times reading the book, which has some great plot twists, but still is somewhat predictable.  Now I just noticed (sorry, late to the table) there's a trilogy.  Since I did fall in love with the characters, I'll be looking for the others.

I also spent a few nights up later than intended reading "A Short Time to Stay Here," by Terry Roberts.  It's set in nearby Hot Springs, NC, and some of the events and settings in which the novel occurs are real, and/or actually happened, like turning a resort hotel into a concentration camp for Germans during WW I.  I am one of the few people who I know in Black Mountain who haven't ever been to Hot Springs.  I liked that the protagonist was not totally upright and had understandable character flaws.  I found the romance somewhat unusual, but because the author wrote in first person, I only felt that the male half was portrayed realistically.  The woman seemed to have some great ideas, but was just never as understandable or passionate as the male.  She could have been a heroine that I would have loved.  I was struck by finding Vicki Lane, a fellow blogger, thanked in the acknowledgements.  (Yes I'm one of those people who look at acknowledgements in books.)

Now I'm about to start reading "I Am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai, the girl who stood up for education for girls and was shot by the Taliban.  I'm aware of her story, and looking forward to learning more about a modern day heroine!

Jerry Pope, a friend, has written a new book "The Elvis Tooth."  Can't wait to put it on my bedside table.  And Shelly Frome has so many books, I don't know where to start.  At the library because my budget doesn't have a book fund at this point.