Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

VANDOO · 14th January 2007, 03:31 AM

MEL GIBSONS MOVIE IS A GOOD STORY AND VERY INTERESTING, IT HAS SOME SPECTACULAR COSTUMES AND SETS. IT DWELLS MOSTLY ON THE MOST SAVAGE ASPECTS OF AZTEC SOCIETY AND AS A RESULT IS VERY VIOLENT AND BLOODY. THE PART WHERE THE HEADS WERE REMOVED AND ROLLED DOWN THE STAIRS MIGHT BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISORIENTING THE SPIRIT SO IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CAUSE TROUBLE FOR THE TRIBE OR CITY.A SIMULAR PRACTICE IN AFRICA CAUSED THE HEAD TO BE HURLED THRU THE AIR BY A SAPELING FOR THE SAME REASON. THE HEADS WERE PLACED IN VERY LARGE SKULL RACKS HOLDING HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS. ROLLING THE BODIES DOWN THE LONG STAIRS MIGHT HAVE HELPED TENDERIZE THEM FOR DINNER. CORTEZ RECORDS THE LARGE SKULL RACKS HE SAW AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED. SKULL RACKS WERE ALSO USED IN NEW GUINEA BUT WERE NEVER AS LARGE. THE BODIES WERE EATEN IN BOTH SOCIETYS.

CEREMONIAL REGALIA AND SACRIFICIAL KNIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PROPERTY OF THE PRIESTS OR PERHAPS THE RULER. I SUSPECT COMMON PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO TOUCH THEM UNDER SEVERE PENALTY. AZTEC WARRIORS HAD THEIR FAVORITE WEAPONS AND SOME OBJECTS AND UNIFORM INDICATING THEIR CLAN,TOTUM AND STATUS AS A WARRIOR. THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS WERE VERY COLORFUL AND ARTISTIC EVEN IN THEIR MORE COMMON CRAFTS SO THE WORKMANSHIP ON RARE OR SACRED OBJECTS WAS EXCEPTIONAL.

THE IDEA OF SACRIFICE IS A PRIMATIVE ONE, IT BASICALY IS MAN TRYING TO TRADE SOMETHING TO NATURE (THE GODS) FOR WHAT THE SOCIETY OR TRIBE WANTS OR NEEDS. GOOD CROPS, HUNTING, RAIN, TO KEEP SICKNESS FROM THE VILLAGE OR TO INSTALL A SPIRIT TO GAURD A BUILDING, WAR CANOE ECT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MAN COULD THINK OF WAS OFTEN A HUMAN LIFE PERHAPS A SLAVE OR ENEMY BUT IF THE NEED WAS VERY GREAT A FAMILY MEMBER OR EVEN A KING. FORTUNATELY THAT DARK ASPECT OF MANKIND IS MOSTLY IN OUR PAST AND OFFERINGS USUALLY CONSIST OF THE BOUNTY OF THE EARTH IN THE FORM OF FOOD ,JEWELS ,GOLD, AND OTHER GOODS. WHILE SOME ANIMALS ARE STILL SACRIFICED AS THE TRADITIONS OF THE SOCIETY STILL REQUIRE IT, IT IS MORE RARE THESE DAYS. I JUST GIVE THANKS OR ASK FOR THESE THINGS IN PRAYER AND HAVE FAITH THAT IS ENOUGH AS THAT IS MY FAMILY AND SOCIETYS TRADITION.

14th January 2007, 03:31 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MEL GIBSONS MOVIE IS A GOOD STORY AND VERY INTERESTING, IT HAS SOME SPECTACULAR COSTUMES AND SETS. IT DWELLS MOSTLY ON THE MOST SAVAGE ASPECTS OF AZTEC SOCIETY AND AS A RESULT IS VERY VIOLENT AND BLOODY. THE PART WHERE THE HEADS WERE REMOVED AND ROLLED DOWN THE STAIRS MIGHT BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISORIENTING THE SPIRIT SO IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CAUSE TROUBLE FOR THE TRIBE OR CITY.A SIMULAR PRACTICE IN AFRICA CAUSED THE HEAD TO BE HURLED THRU THE AIR BY A SAPELING FOR THE SAME REASON. THE HEADS WERE PLACED IN VERY LARGE SKULL RACKS HOLDING HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS. ROLLING THE BODIES DOWN THE LONG STAIRS MIGHT HAVE HELPED TENDERIZE THEM FOR DINNER. CORTEZ RECORDS THE LARGE SKULL RACKS HE SAW AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED. SKULL RACKS WERE ALSO USED IN NEW GUINEA BUT WERE NEVER AS LARGE. THE BODIES WERE EATEN IN BOTH SOCIETYS. CEREMONIAL REGALIA AND SACRIFICIAL KNIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PROPERTY OF THE PRIESTS OR PERHAPS THE RULER. I SUSPECT COMMON PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO TOUCH THEM UNDER SEVERE PENALTY. AZTEC WARRIORS HAD THEIR FAVORITE WEAPONS AND SOME OBJECTS AND UNIFORM INDICATING THEIR CLAN,TOTUM AND STATUS AS A WARRIOR. THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS WERE VERY COLORFUL AND ARTISTIC EVEN IN THEIR MORE COMMON CRAFTS SO THE WORKMANSHIP ON RARE OR SACRED OBJECTS WAS EXCEPTIONAL. THE IDEA OF SACRIFICE IS A PRIMATIVE ONE, IT BASICALY IS MAN TRYING TO TRADE SOMETHING TO NATURE (THE GODS) FOR WHAT THE SOCIETY OR TRIBE WANTS OR NEEDS. GOOD CROPS, HUNTING, RAIN, TO KEEP SICKNESS FROM THE VILLAGE OR TO INSTALL A SPIRIT TO GAURD A BUILDING, WAR CANOE ECT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MAN COULD THINK OF WAS OFTEN A HUMAN LIFE PERHAPS A SLAVE OR ENEMY BUT IF THE NEED WAS VERY GREAT A FAMILY MEMBER OR EVEN A KING. FORTUNATELY THAT DARK ASPECT OF MANKIND IS MOSTLY IN OUR PAST AND OFFERINGS USUALLY CONSIST OF THE BOUNTY OF THE EARTH IN THE FORM OF FOOD ,JEWELS ,GOLD, AND OTHER GOODS. WHILE SOME ANIMALS ARE STILL SACRIFICED AS THE TRADITIONS OF THE SOCIETY STILL REQUIRE IT, IT IS MORE RARE THESE DAYS. I JUST GIVE THANKS OR ASK FOR THESE THINGS IN PRAYER AND HAVE FAITH THAT IS ENOUGH AS THAT IS MY FAMILY AND SOCIETYS TRADITION.