Saturday, 30 June 2012

Load of Greek Gods

Author: Shelby Routledge Moran
I guess that many of us understand one thing about the traditional Geeks they were certainly into their Gods. Now as a occasionally crossword enthusiast I am frequently caught out by without knowing the name of one or the other of the Gods, and I thought that it must be an indication of a missing part of my education not to know their names. After a trip to Greece and conversion to a fan of Greece I became motivated enough to research these varied Gods. And, I assumed, at least my crosswords abilities would move up a bit. Right? Wrong! I must tell you that I just couldn't believe just how many Gods the traditional Greeks actually had. I will share with you ...

Friday, 29 June 2012

Come Fly With Me On Mythological Wings

Author: John Prytz
There are lots and lots of really real winged creatures – birds, bats, insects, and in prehistoric times flying reptiles like pterosaurs/pterodactyls. One might even count ‘flying' fish or ‘flying' foxes or squirrels if one had a broad enough definition of ‘flying'. But just because you have wings of course doesn't of necessity mean you can fly. There are lots of terrestrial flightless birds for example yet they still have wings.
There are also a lot of mythological creatures that ...

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Do You Know All The Deities Of Ancient Greece?

Author: Jerald Shapiro
Although they seem to be things of the past, reminders of ancient Greek deities are all around us. When you read the following names, more than a few will look familiar.

Ancient Greek Deities

The Greek Pantheon was a polytheistic system of thought and religion that assumed its Greek deities existed independently and individually. Their roll was to rule diverse aspects of the mortals every day life. Myth and culture is gathered in the Pantheon from where the deities leave toward their corresponding realm.

Due to the Hellenic polytheist beliefs in ancient times, deities formed relationships with each other on a more human scale. Compared to one-deity approaches in many modern religions, Greek deities had a surprising number of human limitations and weaknesses. Contrary to other religions, none of the ancient Greek deities was omniscient or omnipotent, although their power was beyond the mortals' limit. ...

Saturday, 23 June 2012

The History of the Fig

Author: Abel Jones
The fig tree, 'Ficus carica,' possibly originated in Northern Asia according to archeological fossil records. Spanish missionaries brought it to the United States in 1520. Historical Sumerian tablets record the use and consumption of figs in 2500 BC.

In Greek mythology, the fig figures prominently as a gift of Demeter to Dionysus and as having received the blessing and sanctity of the Greek Gods. Plato documented that Greek athletes at Olympia were fed ...

Friday, 22 June 2012

The History of Olives and Olive Trees

Author: Abel Jones
Olive trees, 'Olea europaea,' are the oldest fruit trees and certainly are one of the most important fruit trees in history. Olive tree culture has been closely connected to the rise and fall of Mediterranean empires and other advanced civilizations throughout the ages. Because olive trees offered wealth and future food supplies to established civilizations, the agricultural nations became stable societies, resulting from a secure expectation from past experience of an uninterrupted food and olive oil supply. This factor was a necessary requirement for population growth and increase. Dependable fruit production and olive oil production means that olive trees must exist in a stable society and a peaceful environment. That stability must extend for many years, since most ancient seedling olive trees required eight or more years before ever producing the first crop of fruit. Productive orchards of olive trees meant that a foundation of the great empires of Greece ...