Ancient artifacts of Central and South Asia
This book evaluates the artistic elements in the archeological and ancient artifacts of Bronze Age discovered in Mesopotamia, Persia, Eastern Syria and Indus Valley. There are several artifacts shown in this book with very intricate carvings and some them range from household items, figurines, jewelry, tools and inscriptions. The carvings in chlorite or stone steatite have some unique features and they were either discovered in monumental temples or palaces or in the graves of royal families. Some carry dedicatory inscriptions to royal or divine personages. These findings demonstrate significant interest in the field of art in ancient civilizations, which thrived in Indus Valley and across Eastern Persia, and Western Central Asia. The life in each of these regions had its own distinguishing features with its organization and material culture. The author observes that some of the objects belonged to early Dynastic II and IIIA of Mesopotamia, from about 2600 to 2500 B.C. The style and iconography are consistent with that time. Despite their unique cultural identities, they also had a strong sense of trade and commerce. Trade was far and wide between Rome, Greece, Mesopotamia, Western Anatolia and the Indus Valley. Minerals, alloys and agricultural products were bought and sold. Mesopotamia imported substantial amounts of stones and other precious metals such as gold, silver and copper from Iranian plateau and Indus Valley.
It is a fascinating read and I recommend this book to those readers interested archeology, ancient artifacts and early civilizations of Central and South Asia.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Book Reviewed: Idols of Modernity by Patrice Petro
The silent stars
This is a collection essays written by American academics specializing in the history of Hollywood. It looks at the careers of several stars of the twenties and it reveals a range of social, institutional and aesthetic issues they faced. The authors illustrate strong connections and dissonances in storytelling and style of this era when movie business was still at an infant state.
A brief summary of this book is as follows: Transitioning to sound movies which occurred around 1927/28 was especially hard for both studios and stars. Studios worried that the artistic element of silent movies will be lost in the sound version, and several stars lost their careers since they could not adjust to the new trend of recording their voices. Actresses like Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo made successful transitions into the sound. But Tallmadge sisters, Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Colleen Moore, Lillian Gish and Al Jolson are a few who almost lost their careers. Ramon Novarro and Marie Dressler were moderately successful. Historians often describe twenties as a decade of great affluence and hardship for varied reasons. Beginning with the end of WWI and the beginning of great depression, the decade sustained a dizzying array of changes and conflicts in American life. The constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote, prohibition, consumer rights, and changes in dress, social behavior and sexual attitudes that clashed with traditional values. It opened a liberal culture as commercial venues, from speakeasies in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, night clubs in Harlem, cabarets in Time Square, and Jazz clubs in Chicago’s south side gave some visibility and acceptability of gay and lesbian life styles among rich and famous. Most studios and gossip columnists knew about such behavior among leading stars of the day but the publicity departments of major studios worked hard to keep this from pubic. It is a long list of names that includes; Alla Nazimova, Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong, Lilyan Tashman, Delores De Rio, William Haines, and many others. Lavender marriages were common and often performed with the blessings of the studios. Sensational murder cases like that of Virginia Rappe and William Desmond Taylor for which Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Mabel Normand were respectively implicated. The public perception of the movie industry grew bad and it regarded the film colony as immoral, generally corrupt and bad for families. The movie industry set up a trade association called Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) headed by Will Hays to self-impose moral clauses in the films to prevent government instituted censorship. But this and other efforts failed since there was already a cultural and social revolution underway. Unfortunately racism was also rampant in American society and Hollywood did not abolish institutional bigotry by offering menial roles for African American and Asian actors. Al Jolson, a Jewish actor played the roles of back man on screen and limited the opportunities for black actors. Josephine Baker and Anna May Wong left the country in disgust.
Despite all the negativity of film industry, Hollywood eschewed any explicit representation of sex, but remained strongly erotic and ethnocentric. The American movie industry spread rapidly across the globe and literally defeated the European film making machinery. The success was attributed partly due to some key strategies developed in Hollywood that included importing many talents, both in directorial and acting categories, from across the Atlantic. The combined effect of American and foreign talents made Hollywood a great global success. It tackled a wide variety of stories and social issues and numerous stars glamorized the success. The careers of those explored in this volume includes: Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Buster Keaton, Talmadge sisters, Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Colleen Moore, Greta Garbo, Anna May Wong, Emil Jannings, Al Jolson, and Marie Dressler. The chapters look at some key moments in the life and works of these actors. There a great many books written exclusively about these stars but this book does a reasonable effort and cites many references to academic and non-academic publications to illustrate the factuality of the cases discussed. This is a good book and it is recommended to readers interested in silent movies and Hollywood history.
This is a collection essays written by American academics specializing in the history of Hollywood. It looks at the careers of several stars of the twenties and it reveals a range of social, institutional and aesthetic issues they faced. The authors illustrate strong connections and dissonances in storytelling and style of this era when movie business was still at an infant state.
A brief summary of this book is as follows: Transitioning to sound movies which occurred around 1927/28 was especially hard for both studios and stars. Studios worried that the artistic element of silent movies will be lost in the sound version, and several stars lost their careers since they could not adjust to the new trend of recording their voices. Actresses like Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo made successful transitions into the sound. But Tallmadge sisters, Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Colleen Moore, Lillian Gish and Al Jolson are a few who almost lost their careers. Ramon Novarro and Marie Dressler were moderately successful. Historians often describe twenties as a decade of great affluence and hardship for varied reasons. Beginning with the end of WWI and the beginning of great depression, the decade sustained a dizzying array of changes and conflicts in American life. The constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote, prohibition, consumer rights, and changes in dress, social behavior and sexual attitudes that clashed with traditional values. It opened a liberal culture as commercial venues, from speakeasies in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, night clubs in Harlem, cabarets in Time Square, and Jazz clubs in Chicago’s south side gave some visibility and acceptability of gay and lesbian life styles among rich and famous. Most studios and gossip columnists knew about such behavior among leading stars of the day but the publicity departments of major studios worked hard to keep this from pubic. It is a long list of names that includes; Alla Nazimova, Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong, Lilyan Tashman, Delores De Rio, William Haines, and many others. Lavender marriages were common and often performed with the blessings of the studios. Sensational murder cases like that of Virginia Rappe and William Desmond Taylor for which Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Mabel Normand were respectively implicated. The public perception of the movie industry grew bad and it regarded the film colony as immoral, generally corrupt and bad for families. The movie industry set up a trade association called Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) headed by Will Hays to self-impose moral clauses in the films to prevent government instituted censorship. But this and other efforts failed since there was already a cultural and social revolution underway. Unfortunately racism was also rampant in American society and Hollywood did not abolish institutional bigotry by offering menial roles for African American and Asian actors. Al Jolson, a Jewish actor played the roles of back man on screen and limited the opportunities for black actors. Josephine Baker and Anna May Wong left the country in disgust.
Despite all the negativity of film industry, Hollywood eschewed any explicit representation of sex, but remained strongly erotic and ethnocentric. The American movie industry spread rapidly across the globe and literally defeated the European film making machinery. The success was attributed partly due to some key strategies developed in Hollywood that included importing many talents, both in directorial and acting categories, from across the Atlantic. The combined effect of American and foreign talents made Hollywood a great global success. It tackled a wide variety of stories and social issues and numerous stars glamorized the success. The careers of those explored in this volume includes: Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Buster Keaton, Talmadge sisters, Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Colleen Moore, Greta Garbo, Anna May Wong, Emil Jannings, Al Jolson, and Marie Dressler. The chapters look at some key moments in the life and works of these actors. There a great many books written exclusively about these stars but this book does a reasonable effort and cites many references to academic and non-academic publications to illustrate the factuality of the cases discussed. This is a good book and it is recommended to readers interested in silent movies and Hollywood history.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Book Reviewed: The lost river: on the trail of Sarasvati, by Michael Danino
The Sindhumata: Searching for the trail of Holy River Sarasvati
The story of the lost river Sarasvati is still being debated by scholars. The current discussion includes evidences from several disciplines; archeology, hydrology, satellite imagery, geology, history and the Vedic literature: Most notably the Rigveda. Brahmanas and itihasas, particularly Mahabharata also offer additional evidence.
A brief summary of the book is as follows: Geological survey in the early 19th century in states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Cholistan where river Sarasvati is known have flown during Vedic times revealed numerous ruined settlements that belonged to either the Harappan civilization or a period prior to, or after Harappan era. The author reviews tremendous amount of literature and discusses all aspects of Sarasvati; where it flew and how it may have vanished. The overwhelming evidence suggests that ecological and environmental factors led to years of drought that drove the river to complete dryness. The Vedic literature and archeology have been combined to construct the best picture for lost river Sarasvati and other tributaries that watered and gave life to Indus civilization. It is on the banks of this river where great Vedic sages may have found solace, serenity and creativity that may have transpired into the hymns of Rigveda.
Rigveda showers praise in 45 hymns on Sarasvati, her name appears 72 times and three hymns are wholly dedicated to her. She is often invoked in the company of two sister-goddesses Ila and Bharati. The waters of river Sarasvati is said to be “great amongst great,” “the impetuous river,” “created vast,” “limitless,” “unbroken,” “swift-moving,” and “she surpasses in majesty and might of all other rivers.” And Sarasvati is indeed is the “mother of rivers (Sindumata).” One of the Vedic clans, the Purus, is said to have dwelled on her grassy banks during the Vedic times. In RV 2.41.16 she is called ámbitame nádītame dévitame sárasvati, "Best mother, Best River, Best goddess". RV 6.61.12 associates the Sarasvati River with the five tribes; and hymn 7.95.6 with the Paravatas and the Purus
Some scholars suggest that the Vedic Sarasvati River is the same as Ghaggar-Hakra River. Rigveda 10.75 mentions Sarasvati River flowing between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west. According to the Mahabharata, the Sarasvati dried up in a desert (at a place named Vinasana or Adarsana) after having disappeared in the desert, but reappears in few other places and finally enters into a communion with the ocean. Many legends have been woven with respect to these descriptions of Sarasvati in Mahabharata and Puranas. Several Puranas describe the Sarasvati River, and also record that the river separated into a number of lakes. In the Skanda Purana, the Sarasvati originates from the water pot of Brahma and flows from Plaksa on the Himalayas. Though Sarasvati initially emerged as a river goddess in the Vedic scriptures, in the Puranas, she was rarely associated with the river. Instead she is described as an independent goddess of knowledge, learning, wisdom, music and the arts.
Currently, there has been a surge of activity due to renewed interest in finding the trail of Holy Sarasvati. In 2015, the Indian government has set up a Sarasvati Research Institute in the state of Haryana at Mughalwali, near Adibadri. A channel of about three miles long has been marked out as Sarasvati Marg. The digging at Adibadri has resulted in some positive results and raising the hopes that Sarasvati flows underground.
This work is an exhaustive review of available literature and I very much enjoyed reading the book. The maps showing the path of ancient rivers and how it evolved over centuries with prehistoric settlements is nicely illustrated. Most notable settlement on its bank was Kalibangan where numerous archeological expeditions have yielded voluminous data on this mature Harappan civilization. The last chapter summarizes the book very effectively. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the trail of lost river Sarasvati, Indus valley civilization, and Rigveda.
The story of the lost river Sarasvati is still being debated by scholars. The current discussion includes evidences from several disciplines; archeology, hydrology, satellite imagery, geology, history and the Vedic literature: Most notably the Rigveda. Brahmanas and itihasas, particularly Mahabharata also offer additional evidence.
A brief summary of the book is as follows: Geological survey in the early 19th century in states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Cholistan where river Sarasvati is known have flown during Vedic times revealed numerous ruined settlements that belonged to either the Harappan civilization or a period prior to, or after Harappan era. The author reviews tremendous amount of literature and discusses all aspects of Sarasvati; where it flew and how it may have vanished. The overwhelming evidence suggests that ecological and environmental factors led to years of drought that drove the river to complete dryness. The Vedic literature and archeology have been combined to construct the best picture for lost river Sarasvati and other tributaries that watered and gave life to Indus civilization. It is on the banks of this river where great Vedic sages may have found solace, serenity and creativity that may have transpired into the hymns of Rigveda.
Rigveda showers praise in 45 hymns on Sarasvati, her name appears 72 times and three hymns are wholly dedicated to her. She is often invoked in the company of two sister-goddesses Ila and Bharati. The waters of river Sarasvati is said to be “great amongst great,” “the impetuous river,” “created vast,” “limitless,” “unbroken,” “swift-moving,” and “she surpasses in majesty and might of all other rivers.” And Sarasvati is indeed is the “mother of rivers (Sindumata).” One of the Vedic clans, the Purus, is said to have dwelled on her grassy banks during the Vedic times. In RV 2.41.16 she is called ámbitame nádītame dévitame sárasvati, "Best mother, Best River, Best goddess". RV 6.61.12 associates the Sarasvati River with the five tribes; and hymn 7.95.6 with the Paravatas and the Purus
Some scholars suggest that the Vedic Sarasvati River is the same as Ghaggar-Hakra River. Rigveda 10.75 mentions Sarasvati River flowing between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west. According to the Mahabharata, the Sarasvati dried up in a desert (at a place named Vinasana or Adarsana) after having disappeared in the desert, but reappears in few other places and finally enters into a communion with the ocean. Many legends have been woven with respect to these descriptions of Sarasvati in Mahabharata and Puranas. Several Puranas describe the Sarasvati River, and also record that the river separated into a number of lakes. In the Skanda Purana, the Sarasvati originates from the water pot of Brahma and flows from Plaksa on the Himalayas. Though Sarasvati initially emerged as a river goddess in the Vedic scriptures, in the Puranas, she was rarely associated with the river. Instead she is described as an independent goddess of knowledge, learning, wisdom, music and the arts.
Currently, there has been a surge of activity due to renewed interest in finding the trail of Holy Sarasvati. In 2015, the Indian government has set up a Sarasvati Research Institute in the state of Haryana at Mughalwali, near Adibadri. A channel of about three miles long has been marked out as Sarasvati Marg. The digging at Adibadri has resulted in some positive results and raising the hopes that Sarasvati flows underground.
This work is an exhaustive review of available literature and I very much enjoyed reading the book. The maps showing the path of ancient rivers and how it evolved over centuries with prehistoric settlements is nicely illustrated. Most notable settlement on its bank was Kalibangan where numerous archeological expeditions have yielded voluminous data on this mature Harappan civilization. The last chapter summarizes the book very effectively. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the trail of lost river Sarasvati, Indus valley civilization, and Rigveda.
Movie Reviewed: Colleen (1936), starring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler
A comedy starring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler
Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler were teamed for the sixth and the last time in this film, incidentally this was also her penultimate work for the WB Studio. The story is an impoverished musical with Hugh Herbert as an eccentric millionaire who against his family wishes entrusts a gold-digging floozy (Joan Blondell) with his dress shop. His nephew Dick Powell hires Ruby Keeler. It is a mindless brew directed by Alfred Green and performed by Keeler in less than acceptable portrayal. Louise Fazenda, Paul Draper, Marie Wilson and Hobart Cavanaugh were in the supporting cast. The dance numbers were due to Bobby Connolly. Songs included; I don’t have to dream again, you’ve got to know how to dance, an evening with you and boulevardier.
Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler were teamed for the sixth and the last time in this film, incidentally this was also her penultimate work for the WB Studio. The story is an impoverished musical with Hugh Herbert as an eccentric millionaire who against his family wishes entrusts a gold-digging floozy (Joan Blondell) with his dress shop. His nephew Dick Powell hires Ruby Keeler. It is a mindless brew directed by Alfred Green and performed by Keeler in less than acceptable portrayal. Louise Fazenda, Paul Draper, Marie Wilson and Hobart Cavanaugh were in the supporting cast. The dance numbers were due to Bobby Connolly. Songs included; I don’t have to dream again, you’ve got to know how to dance, an evening with you and boulevardier.
Movie Reviewed: The phantom of the opera (1925), starring Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin
This is a masterpiece
This is a major movie of the Universal Studio and it was well regarded upon its release in 1925. It was showing twice a day and packed every showing with reservations running for months. This Chaney vehicle was a big success financially for Universal Studios. One of the greatest horror-films ever made and certainly it remains at the pinnacle of all films produced during silent era. Chaney was on loan from MGM and he shattered audience’s threshold for fear with his most grotesque face. His existence in the catacombs and dungeons beneath the Paris Opera not only terrified audiences’ but also the pretty young actress Mary Philbin. The actual Opera House was constructed at the Universal City containing five tiers of balcony and seating 3000 extras. Norman Kerry played Raoul, the fiancée of Philbin. It was brilliantly directed by Rupert Julian, but he had to depart for the last scene since lead actor Lon Chaney did not agree with the director about the finale of the story. Edward Sedgwick was called in to shoot the final chase scene which totally engaged the theater audiences for the ultimate demise of the ugly and terrifying creature.
Lon Chaney charms as a super star and the movie itself is a masterpiece. I highly recommend this to all fans of Lon Chaney and horror films in general. Anyone interested in the silent era movies and in golden age of Hollywood would also appreciate this work.
This is a major movie of the Universal Studio and it was well regarded upon its release in 1925. It was showing twice a day and packed every showing with reservations running for months. This Chaney vehicle was a big success financially for Universal Studios. One of the greatest horror-films ever made and certainly it remains at the pinnacle of all films produced during silent era. Chaney was on loan from MGM and he shattered audience’s threshold for fear with his most grotesque face. His existence in the catacombs and dungeons beneath the Paris Opera not only terrified audiences’ but also the pretty young actress Mary Philbin. The actual Opera House was constructed at the Universal City containing five tiers of balcony and seating 3000 extras. Norman Kerry played Raoul, the fiancée of Philbin. It was brilliantly directed by Rupert Julian, but he had to depart for the last scene since lead actor Lon Chaney did not agree with the director about the finale of the story. Edward Sedgwick was called in to shoot the final chase scene which totally engaged the theater audiences for the ultimate demise of the ugly and terrifying creature.
Lon Chaney charms as a super star and the movie itself is a masterpiece. I highly recommend this to all fans of Lon Chaney and horror films in general. Anyone interested in the silent era movies and in golden age of Hollywood would also appreciate this work.
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