You make me miss graduate school

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Posted by jolynn on October 4, 2001 at 05:28:20:

In reply to: precious little is "universal" human culture posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on October 2, 2001 at 20:16:29:

where I live most people think Boaz are somyhing the gov used to
wear!!

I have been meaning to ask you if there are some good sources for the
symbolism connected with henna designs? anything you may have written?
A couple designs seem to be obvious, but that usually means they are
not. I feel that understanding what the symbols mean will make it
easier to do them.(boy, is that stating the obvious!)
thank you for any help you can give me.
jolynn

: : created 'tribal'. They studied many Anthro texts and found the
: : 'universal' symbols and these become the tribal designs.
:
: Ah. They took "intro to Anthro" and played fast and loose with the
: material?
: They could have bothered to attend next semester of Anthro, and
: studied the work of Franz Boaz, (granddaddy of American
anthropology)
: who stated that there is precious little "universal" in human
culture.
:
: There are a very few universal symbols in culture, but not what turn
: up in tribal tattoos. The attraction to an "eye" is probably
universal
: from infancy, as the children who bonded to trees and rocks rather
: than mommies (who have eyes) tended to not live long (maladaptive
: behaviour to NOT bond to mommy). Symmetry is calming. Horizontals
are
: calming. These again are possiby inborn responses to the
environment
: ( a symmetrical face and body is apt to be healthy and a good
breeding
: prospect, symmetrical plants and fruits are more apt to be healthy
and
: good food; even horizons don't hide predators, horizontal people
pose
: no threat). Fangs and pointy things are nearly universally scarry,
as
: are grimaces. Being fond of fangs and thorny, pointy things is, for
an
: infant, maladaptive. Toddling up to a snarling person expecting a
: cuddle is a maladaptive behaviour. Pubic symbols are pretty
universal;
: eveybody has a pubis of some or other sort, is generally fond of it,
: and takes a fancy to pubi of others. (positive adaptive behaviour if
: you expect to breed successfully). It's arguable that "tree" is a
: universal symbol of something good. Trees have edible stuff, and
have
: fuel and shelter. Water, sun, moon and stars, are also probably
: universal symbols ... though not all cultures agree on their
meaning.
:
: Carl Jung felt there were some universal symbols, but his group
tends
: to fall apart once you get past Indo-European culture.
:
: I think there are a few very broad groups of symbols whose origins
: predate 10,000 BCE .... a group from the trans-Siberian group which
: spread into the Americas, a group from the Pacific Basin, an
: Indo-European, group, an Asian group, and an African group. These
: populations were isolated long enough, and in different enough
: environments that they developed a different visual vocabulary.
These
: basics have diversified and dispersed since the last Ice Age because
: people migrate all the heck over ... and their trade goods go even
: farther than the people themselves. (ie the similarity of Islamic
: metalcraft knotwork, and Irish manuscript knotwork, probably having
: common origin) Then, some groups become isolated and evolve
: independantly ... ie the very complex system of Shipibo visual
: iconography doesn't have anything I recognize as having anything in
: common with any other.
:
: I really should quit now or I'll be here for hours.....

Follow Ups

grad school's a trip! Catherine Cartwright Jones 16:51:36 10/4/2001 (1)
- thank you! jolynn 20:21:10 10/4/2001 (0)

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Subject:
: where I live most people think Boaz are somyhing the gov used to : wear!! : : I have been meaning to ask you if there are some good sources for the : symbolism connected with henna designs? anything you may have written? : A couple designs seem to be obvious, but that usually means they are : not. I feel that understanding what the symbols mean will make it : easier to do them.(boy, is that stating the obvious!) : thank you for any help you can give me. : jolynn : : : : created 'tribal'. They studied many Anthro texts and found the : : : 'universal' symbols and these become the tribal designs. : : : : Ah. They took "intro to Anthro" and played fast and loose with the : : material? : : They could have bothered to attend next semester of Anthro, and : : studied the work of Franz Boaz, (granddaddy of American : anthropology) : : who stated that there is precious little "universal" in human : culture. : : : : There are a very few universal symbols in culture, but not what turn : : up in tribal tattoos. The attraction to an "eye" is probably : universal : : from infancy, as the children who bonded to trees and rocks rather : : than mommies (who have eyes) tended to not live long (maladaptive : : behaviour to NOT bond to mommy). Symmetry is calming. Horizontals : are : : calming. These again are possiby inborn responses to the : environment : : ( a symmetrical face and body is apt to be healthy and a good : breeding : : prospect, symmetrical plants and fruits are more apt to be healthy : and : : good food; even horizons don't hide predators, horizontal people : pose : : no threat). Fangs and pointy things are nearly universally scarry, : as : : are grimaces. Being fond of fangs and thorny, pointy things is, for : an : : infant, maladaptive. Toddling up to a snarling person expecting a : : cuddle is a maladaptive behaviour. Pubic symbols are pretty : universal; : : eveybody has a pubis of some or other sort, is generally fond of it, : : and takes a fancy to pubi of others. (positive adaptive behaviour if : : you expect to breed successfully). It's arguable that "tree" is a : : universal symbol of something good. Trees have edible stuff, and : have : : fuel and shelter. Water, sun, moon and stars, are also probably : : universal symbols ... though not all cultures agree on their : meaning. : : : : Carl Jung felt there were some universal symbols, but his group : tends : : to fall apart once you get past Indo-European culture. : : : : I think there are a few very broad groups of symbols whose origins : : predate 10,000 BCE .... a group from the trans-Siberian group which : : spread into the Americas, a group from the Pacific Basin, an : : Indo-European, group, an Asian group, and an African group. These : : populations were isolated long enough, and in different enough : : environments that they developed a different visual vocabulary. : These : : basics have diversified and dispersed since the last Ice Age because : : people migrate all the heck over ... and their trade goods go even : : farther than the people themselves. (ie the similarity of Islamic : : metalcraft knotwork, and Irish manuscript knotwork, probably having : : common origin) Then, some groups become isolated and evolve : : independantly ... ie the very complex system of Shipibo visual : : iconography doesn't have anything I recognize as having anything in : : common with any other. : : : : I really should quit now or I'll be here for hours.....
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