More Syrian Scarves

 I also bought a scarf in Aleppo in the Souk  the first time I went to Syria in 2000, this time a heavy silk brocade with gold threads. It's over a metre square and caused a stir when I wore it for New Year, the group divided between the frankly covetous and those who said "you paid HOW MUCH for  a scarf?"

 I thought my $100 was very well spent - I love the wrapped fringing and tassels too and it's as good if not better than the examples illustrated in the 'Art and Crafts of Syria'

 I didn't manage to find such a good one on my second visit - this purple and silver thread scarf was practically thown in with my other purchases as it was worn to shreds in the centre and had lost its fringes.  I rather like that someone has worn it to bits and makes me feel better about at some point refashioning it.

They both probably originate from Homs ( although the Lions might be a workshop signature from Aleppo)  produced exclusively as traditional headcovers for surrounding villages and nomads, the area being known for its sericulture. On my first trip I saw one example of silver and black being worn by a proud old woman with a tattoo in one of the nomad villages we visited.

Feeling rather sorry for myself with a bad cold, thanks to  Ian who insisted on  kisses even tho' he was 'diseased'

Memories of Mesopotamia

By the Euphrates

On Thursday evening , Ian and I went to 'Poetry, Mathematics and Myth' an evening event at the British Museum associated with the 'History of the world in 100 objects' series. You could sup beer as part of the story of ancient brewing, take the ancient Egyptian civil service test or hear Ozymandias recited. Apart from looking at displays, we settled for a half hour hunkered on the floor listening spellbound to storyteller Sally Pomme Clayton recount tales from the epic of Gilgamesh (linked to object 15 , an early writing tablet) She gave an excellent performance , interspersed with music - we'll be back for the next instalment in May on feasting. We've recently been rewatching Michael Woods'In search of Myths and Heroes' and were reminded of the storytellers filmed for that, the devices they use to remember.

Shard of pottery at Ugarit

4000 year old bricks at Mari

Apart from the power of a story well told, with its link to peoples long ago, the experience took us back to our trip to Syria in 2004, visiting the Euphrates, the ancient cities of Ugarit and Mari, trying to get your head round how old they are, and the thrill of actually being in the 'fertile crescent' you learnt about at school.

Babylon: myth and reality

On Friday evening, Ian and I went to the British Museum to see the exhibition 'Babylon :Myth and Reality' . Not a huge exhibition but a gem ( Guardian review here) with its combination of artifacts and various artistic interpretations of the myths surrounding the place. The glazed ceramic panels from the Ishtar gate (built for Nebuchadnezzar) were very impressive. We bought the last embroidered velvet Xmas ornament based on the lions - they'd unfortunately sold out of the 'Mushhushshu' dragons which were rather endearing in their strange amalgam of snake, eagle, and lion with horns.

It was interesting to see how powerful an idea the Tower of Babel has been in artwork from Brueghel onwards - there were several contemporary pieces. I particularly liked the collage work of Anne Desmet , painstakingly built up from multiple prints ( she's lecturing at the BM in January). I remembered to look up Angie Hughes construction too when I got home, she told us about it at the CQ Summer School last year.

There was a model in the exhibition of the Ziggurat from which the myth of the Tower probably evolved. This reminded us of our trip to Syria but I'm afraid more for the Ziggurats of Pastries in Hama rather than the scant remains we saw near the Iraqi border.Well, they were delicious!