Sunday, February 27, 2022

Machu Picchu



There were a number of cultures in Pre-Columbian Peru, on the coast
and in the mountains, in the North and in the South.  Many of the objects 
in the exhibit were from the Moche Culture (100-700 A.D.) and the
Chimu Culture (700-1450 A.D.), when they were conquered by the Incas.
This gold breastplate, earspools, and crown were found in a Chimu
lord's tomb.




The gold was hammered from behind to create the
images in repoussé.  The earspools have a series of
masks on them, and a wooden peg four inches long
behind, which went through a hole in the ear.





A Chimu gold headpiece, earspools, necklace, and
nosepiece, found in the tomb of a warrior-priest/




The image is the "Feline Monster," a very
common motif.




Chimu gold headpiece, nosepiece, and pectoral, made
of pieces of gold sewn on a cloth backing.





he two gold earspools have a series of "snakes" ending
in "trophy heads."  They would have jigled softly when worn.




Gold crown, earspools, necklace, and breastplate.
Chimu, c. 1400 A.D.



Gold crown with dangling pendants.





Two Chimu keros = ceremonial drinking mugs.
The one on the left side is tipped and ready to be used.
The one on the right side have been turned over to look
nice on a shelf.  Notice the cat-like eyes, typical in Chimu objects.





Pre-Columbian potters were great masters.  They did not have
 a potter's wheel, so built forms up with coils.  After
firing, they were burnished with smooth stones.
They built vessels in he form of every animal, sea creature,
and occupation of humans.  This is a monochrome black cat
from the Chavin Culture on the North Coast, c. 100 B.C.





This colorful polychrome vessel was made by a Nasca potter.
The Hummingbird motif is very common.  This form is
called double spout and bridge.  Some of them would whistle
as liquid sloshed around while being carried.





This is a double-spout-and-bridge vessel with one spout blocked
to make a whistling jar.









This is a feather mosaic banner.  It was made by sewing thousands of tiny feathers
from macaws onto a fabric backing.  The Incas made the finest.



Two Moche earspools of gold, turquoise, and inlaid shell.  The
turquoise had to be imported from Central America, so we know
 they had extensive trading networks.




Two gold Moche earspools with a warrior figure inlaid with turquoise and shell.




Pre-Columbian peoples had no written language.  This is a quipu, a series of knotted strings,
which were a mnemonic device to send messages.   Messengers were sent with these tied around
their necks, and they could be read by specially trained officials.




The Moche were some of the greatest potters.  Here you
can see the stirrup handle form.  The captive stag is a very
famous pot.  In the center is a "Narrative Pot" depicting a
scene of battle.  Pre-Columbian peoples had no written language,
so these pots and drawings are our chief source of knowledge
about them.





Moche.  Small dog.





Moche.  There are pots depicting skulls, flayed bodies,
sacrificial figures, whales, cripples, etc. etc.








 


The Moche also made vast number of "Portrait Jars."
Scholars argue whether these represent specific persons
or not.    500 A. D.





There are many pots in the form of musicians.  Here is
a Moche flute player.





This is a powerful lord with armed retainers below.





Machu Picchu was a fortress built by the Incas in the late 15th century on a mountaintop.
Its purpose was to guard their empire and major highway.  They controlled the whole West
Coast of South America from Columbia to Chile.  They had two major highways, to march
troops and for merchants - one along the coast and the other up in the  mountains.  This is
the mountain highway carefully protected.  There were excellent videos and films from
drones of Machu Picchu that we watched.








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Thursday, February 24, 2022

Azalea Time at Morikami Gardens

 


Yesterday, a friend and I visited Morikami Gardens, some Japanese gardens about 14 miles
north of my house.  It happened to be the height of azalea season, and there were
colorful azaleas everywhere.  There are actually a series of gardens of different eras
and different types.  Here we are looking across the lake back to the main building with
restaurant, library, tea house, and museum.




A path leads you gradually around the lakes and through the woods.  This is the Stone
Circle of Good Fortune, a gift from their sister city in Japan.  The lakes had many koi
fish and turtles of many kinds, as well as at least one alligator.
The gopher turtle was special.




A bush of white azaleas.



A bush of pink azaleas.



Wild Coffee / Psychotria is a native very attractive bush with shiny leaves and strong
vein lines.  Its flowers attract butterflies, and its fruit attracts birds.  It grows happily
in the shade and is quite hardy.  This is from a different genus of plants than the coffee
plant from which we get beans for a beverage.



A stone garden completely surrounded by azalea bushes of different colors.
The trees are Longleaf Pines.  The gravel is carefully raked.
There are also several babbling brooks and three waterfalls and several wooden 
walking bridges between the islands.




Some of the bushes of pink azaleas.  I had never seen the bushes so covered with flowers.




Bushes of pale pink and white azaleas.




A bush of lavender azaleas.




Gopher Tortoise / Gopherus Polyphemus
He's the State Turtle and is about a foot long.  He digs deep burrows to live in, and some 360 other types of critters also use the burrows he digs.  His underside/plastron is yellow.
They were swimming, sunning on rocks, and lazing on a beach.



A courtyard with Stone Meditation Garden.  Those are trimmed ficus hedges
around the sides.  This is the type of garden preferred by Zen monks.  The tiles at
the top of the walls were all handmade in Japan.




A bush of either small pink and rose azaleas or rhododendrons.




The lantern is leaning, not me.  Looking back at the Main Building from the tip of
Tortoise Island.  They have a large collection of bonsai miniature trees.  There is
also a place where you can feed the koi and turtles.  They sell koi food there.
A Tri-Colored Heron and a Great Blue Heron were flying around and sometimes
sitting on this lantern, posing for visitors.



There were many Brunfelsia / Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow bushes in the gardens.

The gardens are particularly beautiful now and highly recommended.

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Thursday, February 10, 2022

On My Walk This Morning e

"Snow Princess" Orchid with four blossoms open and more to come.



The Variegated Infinity Impatiens are growing rapidly and coming together.



Variegated Infinity Impatiens before they grow all together.
I like this variety of colors, rather than all one color.
 



The "Pinwheel Jasmine" is again in full bloom with lovely aroma.



Close-up of "Pinwheel Jasmine"



One condo chose only red and white impatiens by its driveways.




Another grouping of red and white impatiens at entrance to driveway.
Unfortunately, no one pulls weeds out.




"Pink Infinity Impatiens."  The picture was taken in early morning, before the hot sun
got to them and washed them out to white.  Each one is a different color.




More stalks of "Gracie Gold" orchids are opening.




"Eleanor of Aquitaine" purple orchids




"Mango Delight" Exotic Hibiscus
This is a big, luscious flower, about 8 inches in diameter.




"Maraschino Cherry" Hibiscus
The bush was covered with dozens of these brilliant red blossoms.



"Eleisha" Orchids at Building 21



"Elfin"  Orchids



Three "Elfin" Orchids




Pink Pentas / Egyptian Star Flowers
Notice each floret has five points = penta.



Pink Pentas / Egyptian Star Flowers



Lavender and Pink Pentas / Egyptian Star Flowers in hedge



Lavender Pentas / Egyptian Star Flowers




"Cherry Red" Penta / "Egyptian Star Flower" Hedge.
They grow to about 12"-15".



"Dolly Madison" Phalaenopsis Orchid, with all seven blossoms open.




 "Annette" Vanda Orchids.  They are tied high up on a tree, far above my head.
A telephoto image is not as sharp as a direct photo.