The Calanais Standing Stones During Sunset
The image shows the central stone circle of the Calanais Standing Stones as the sun is setting.
The Calanais Standing Stones in Winter 2016
Snow can be seen on the ground surrounding the Calanais Standing Stones.
Culture,Immovable Culture Heritage,Intangible Heritage,Tourism
Calypso music is a genre in which communicates and revolves around social commentary. Calypso was developed by West African slaves who were brought to the Caribbean in the eighteenth century. Original tradition would have a local bard telling stories through song, and offering social commentary through praise, satire or lament (BBC, 2017). Trinidad playing host to carnivals - and therefore calypso competitions - made the genre globally synonymous with the country. Subsequently, through commercial recordings beginning in the 1920s and 30s, calypso music became a social looking glass into matters of Trinidadian public interest (Guibault, 2005). Calypso is recognisable by its use of 4/4 syncopated time signatures, call and response, and prominent Latin percussion – but the most distinctive element is the topical, witty, and satirical lyrics performed by the calypsonians. The attached song is “Split Me In Two” by The Mighty Dougla. This example of a calypso was written in the 1950s and provides a comical perspective on how Trinidad is an extremely multicultural society and if, as the government proposed, some second generation citizens were to be deported back to their ancestral countries, many people would struggle to know which country to choose.
Venetian production dates back to the fourteenth century. It is a representation of mastery of a material, glass, and element the fire. It endures specific knowledge and shared skills, indicates the use of specific traditional tools and procedures. Skilled artisans melt, blow, shape the coloured glass to obtained the shapes. Venice, the true European capital of glass, glass beads were produced in Murano and in all the Venetian territory. Since it was such a valuable product for trading, the center of production moved from Venice to island Murano to avoid the great risk of fire in keeping the kilns. The production represents a traditional knowledge handed down from generation to generation for more than 700 years. After the first World War of dissolution of colonialism, the beads lost their original function of as trading commodity. It become more of art, jewels and personal ornaments The process generally involves three preparatory positions, the ‘perlai’ (craftsmen of glass beads), ‘molatore’ and ‘impiraressa’, a women who inserts the beads through precise movements and creates various artefacts, and the glassmaker. The art of glass beads became part of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2020.
Kites were first documented in the early Warring States Period by famous philosopher Mozi, who spent three years to craft a wooden bird in the 450BC, originated in Weifang, a city in Northeast China. Kite was exclusive before flying was then spread by traders from China to Korea, across Asia to India. During the period of civil unrest when a lot of attacks from foreign powers were received, kites play a critical role in providing military intelligence for the Chinese army. Each area has distinct kites and various cultural purpose. Today, elaborated and large designs up to 304 meters can be seen flying above parks in China. They often resemble animals of the Chinese Zodiac and symbolises meaning using vegetation patterns. With the use of wood, paper, silk and complex constructions, the kite has become a symbol of Chinese innovation. Kites are also denoted with cultural meanings. According to other historical accounts, kites were used to drive off personal bad luck by flying them and releasing the string. Weifang Museum of Kites, a museum located in a city that has been reowned as capital of kites, has been the only archival documentation of this craft. It collects and displays kite treasures, fully embod-ies the unique artistic charm of Weifang kite culture, and has become the center of dissemination and promotion of kite culture. The museum does not have a website or platform. Visitors can only gather information from Baidu or Wikipedia.
Tartan is a woven cloth consists of horizontal and vertical bands in various colours. Weaving tartan is a craft that requires concentration, great timing and counting. The digital preservation includes tartan brand’s youtube channel about stories behind making tartan, artifacts in the museum, famous tartan fabric shops, and several archive websites that document the types of tartan. Besides the general exhibits or archival collection of textile histories in the National Museum of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, The Scottish Tartans Museum focus on the history and development of tartan and the kilt, with over 500 samples of tartan. Visitors can view the exhibits online and search according to name or type. Fabric shops including Robert Noble, DC Dalgliesh, Ingles Buchan and Lochcarron not only sell the cloth, but also gives distinctive recording about tartan.
Photograph of the entrance hall of the Kite Museum in Weifang, Shandong, China.
French concession is a geographical area with Sycamore-styled roads and European styled buildings that make up the historical French-administered part in Shanghai, from 1849 to 1946. Concessions were the lands conceded to individual governments, which nowadays the area turned into commercial shops, and many buildings are under municipal protection. They are seen as the cultural symbol of Shanghai, who have witnessed the historical unrest and city change. There is no online systematic archive for the area nor the buildings, even they are enlisted as ‘protected building’. If general public are interested in the history, internet search or physically talking to one of the residents or someone who lived here will the choice.
法租界霞飞路巡捕房 淮海中路235号。 Former French concession. No. 235 Huaihai Middle Road, Xiafei Road, French Concession.
Movable Cultural Heritage,Intangible Heritage
Kites featuring images of traditional Xi'an opera masks flying near to the Drum Tower, Xi'an, China. Summer 2009.
The Odin Stone was a 2.5m tall standing stone which had a hole in it and was placed in a field close to the Standing Stones of Stenness. It is thought to have been erected around 3000 BC, roughly around the same time that the Standing Stones of Stenness were erected. The Odin Stone played an important part in the culture of the native Orcadian people. It was supposedly very common for young lovers to visit the stone and make their marriage vows binding and absolute by clasping hands through the hole and swearing the Oath of Odin. Additionally, it was also believed that the stone had healing powers and it was common for young people to stick their head through the hole to ensure good health. In the same vein, new-born babies were passed through the hole to ensure them a healthy future. There are stories of the Orcadians leaving offerings of food when visiting the stone and it seems that this stone was cherished by the Orcadian people. Unfortunately, the Odin Stone was demolished in 1814 by Captain W. MacKay, who had recently immigrated to Orkney and leased the land which the Odin Stone stood on. He was irritated as he felt that his land was being ruined by the influx of people visiting the Odin Stone and the other ancient sites around it. He set out and destroyed the Odin Stone and then went to the Stones of Stenness and toppled the fifth stone and destroyed the sixth stone. The native Orcadians were enraged by his actions and made various attempts to burn down his house. The law got involved and executed a “Sist and Suspension” against MacKay who then promised to stop destroying the stones. Unfortunately, it was too late for the destroyed stones but the Standing Stones of Stenness were passed into the care of the state in 1906 and the toppled stone was re-erected.
Early 19th-century sketch of the Odin Stone
"An early 19th-century sketch of the Odin Stone by Elizabeth, Marchioness of Stafford. Given the exaggerated landscape surrounding the stone, it is unlikely that this is a particularly accurate reproduction." - Sigurd Towrie (http://orkneyjar.com/history/odinstone/index.html?msclkid=d735337cc28111ec9ec676e47af4bd37). The stone was destroyed in 1814 by Captain W. MacKay as discussed more in the Odin Stone site on the interactive map.
3D Model of Victorian Graffiti at the Ring of Brodgar
"This is a high resolution model of one face of a standing stone that forms part of the Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle, Orkney. This stone has been incised with numerous names, initials and dates. A few place names also feature - Evie appears at least 3 times. Many good Orcadian names can be found - Isbister, Marwick and Anderson to name a few. The earliest date I’ve seen on this stone is 1859, with most dates from the 1870s and 1880s. The stones were not protected when this graffiti was made, but they are now listed as a scheduled ancient monument and it is illegal to deface the stones." - Dr Hugo Anderson-Whymark
"Ring of Brodgar, Orkney. Slightly unfinished model made from over 500 pole-camera photos." - eddiemartin An unfinished model of the Ring of Brodgar, which appears to show what the monument looked like in 2015 as it does not show the missing stones (there were thought to be 60 stones originally).
A sketch of standing stones in Orkney, thought to be a sketch of the Ring of Brogdar
"This drawing was by a J. Mc [?], the rest of the name now being lost. It may date from 1807. This picture, although labelled Stenness, may actually be a representation of the Ring of Brodgar, further along the same track" - National Library of Scotland One of the main reasons that this sketch may be thought to depict the Ring of Brogdar rather than the Standing Stones of Stenness may be due to the number of stones in the sketch. The Standing Stones of Stenness were thought to be smaller (twelve stones in total) than the Ring of Brogdar and there are more than twelve stones in the sketch. The Ring of Brogdar is close in location to the standing stones of Stenness. The creator of the sketch has written "Druidical stones" on the sketch, indicating that the creator may have believed that the stones were used for druidical worship.
Estimated 1807. Published electronically 2005.
An image showing part of the Ring of Brodgar, taken in 2011.
The Ring of Brodgar is a stone circle and henge located about six miles north-east of Stromness on Mainland in Orkney, Scotland. It is located 1.3 miles from the Standing Stones of Stenness and it is estimated to have been erected around 500-1000 years after the Standing Stones of Stenness were erected. It is thought that the Ring of Brodgar was erected around 2500 - 2000 BC. The Ring of Brodgar was built as a true circle and has a diameter of 103.6m, making it the third largest stone circle in the British Isles. Today, there are 27 remaining stones and is it is thought that were originally 60 stones in total. While there are accounts of some stones falling over time, there is currently no evidence of there being 60 stones in total. There are legends which link the Ring of Brodgar with the Standing Stones of Stenness. One legend involves the Ring of Brodgar as a symbolic area for the dead, whilst the Standing Stones of Stenness as a symbolic area for the living. The journey of life can therefore be represented by walking from the Standing Stones of Stenness to the Ring of Brodgar. There are other legends that reference the Ring of Brodgar as the temple of the sun and the Standing Stones of Stenness as the temple of the moon. It is possible that The Ring of Brodgar was built as an astronomical observatory. Professor Alexander Thom, a Scottish engineer who studied stones circles and their meanings for decades, speculated that stone circles were built to be used as astronomical observatories. He asserted that the Ring of Brodgar is a perfect example of a megalithic lunar observatory. However, Professor Thom thought that it could additionally be used as a sacred or magical ceremonial centre. The Ring of Brodgar is huge and it’s possible that it could have housed the entire local population, meaning it could have been used as a meeting place for ceremonies or events. It is also possible that great stone circles such as the Ring of Brodgar may not have been built to serve a particular purpose after their construction. Professor Colin Richards suggests that the act of building the monuments and erecting the stones was what may have been ritually significant for the people who did it.
"Ring of Brodgar, formerly known as the Ring of Brogar, a neolithic stone circle and henge monument, with the Loch of Harray in the background." - Stevekeiretsu
The cave of Altamira is a cave complex situated within Northern Spain and contains paleolithic cave art. It is one of the seven caves within Northern Spain which have been collectively classified as a world heritage site, ‘Cave of Altamira and Palaeolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain’. The Altamira cave was re-discovered in 1868, being the first site with paleolithic cave art within Europe to be discovered in the modern era (Dowson, 2022). The oldest painting to be identified within Altamira dates back to 36,000 years ago. When the cave paintings were first discovered in 1880, they were dismissed by prehistorians and classified as forgeries, they were not officially recognized as prehistoric cave art until near the end of the 19th century (Altamira | cave, Spain, 2022). Alongside the paleolithic cave art discovered, when the cave floor was excavated, prehistoric animal bones and stone tools were discovered, furthering the paleolithic insights that the cave provides.
The entrance to the Cave of Altamira in Northern Spain.
Northern Constabulary Pipe Band Fundraising Ceilidh at North Kessock near Inverness Scotland
Image shows people in the middle of a ceilidh dance at the Northern Constabulary Community Pipe Band's Fundraising Ceilidh in North Kessock. Several people are wearing traditional Scottish attire such as Kilts. Ceilidhs are an informal form of dancing which is very popular in Scotland. The word ceilidh comes from Gaelic and traditionally referred to a gathering of people in the home. There is no exact location for all ceilidhs as they can be in any place at any time, I have chosen this location on the map as the Northern Constabulary Pipe Band Fundraising Ceilidh took place here. Traditionally, neighbours would come together in the evening to informally share songs, music, poetry and storytelling around the fire. Dancing did not always occur. However, in larger communities in rural parts of Scotland, these gatherings were later held in halls and people would dance well known ceilidh dances such as “the gay gordons” and “the dashing white sergent”. The earliest reference to the “gay gordons” is from the early 20th century. The dashing white sergent’s earliest reference is the late 19th century, but it is based on very old Scottish formations of “setting” and “reeling”, which date back to the 1700s. Anyone can join a ceilidh dance and although it is an informal dance, most ceilidhs today are run by a caller who is responsible for selecting the dance and providing basic instructions to ensure that everyone can participate and enjoy the dance.
Ceilidhs are an informal form of dancing which is very popular in Scotland. The word ceilidh comes from Gaelic and traditionally referred to a gathering of people in the home. There is no exact location for all ceilidhs as they can be in any place at any time, I have chosen this location on the map as the Northern Constabulary Pipe Band Fundraising Ceilidh took place here. Traditionally, neighbours would come together in the evening to informally share songs, music, poetry and storytelling around the fire. Dancing did not always occur. However, in larger communities in rural parts of Scotland, these gatherings were later held in halls and people would dance well known ceilidh dances such as “the gay gordons” and “the dashing white sergent”. The earliest reference to the “gay gordons” is from the early 20th century. The dashing white sergent’s earliest reference is the late 19th century, but it is based on very old Scottish formations of “setting” and “reeling”, which date back to the 1700s. Anyone can join a ceilidh dance and although it is an informal dance, most ceilidhs today are run by a caller who is responsible for selecting the dance and providing basic instructions to ensure that everyone can participate and enjoy the dance.
St Kilda is a world heritage site which is the only one in the UK which holds dual status for being both a natural and cultural heritage site. It is an isolated Scottish archipelago situated far to the west of the Isle of Benbecula (an island in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides). St Kilda consists of four islands (Hirta, Dùn, Soay and Boreray) and some of the UK’s highest sea stacks Stac Lee (172m) and Stac an Armin (196m). The nature of St Kilda is incredible as it is home to rare animals such as the wren and almost one million seabirds and houses the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic Puffins. Additionally, the world’s largest colony of gannets nests on Boreray and the sea stacks. St Kilda has a rich cultural history which should be preserved. As St Kilda is incredibly isolated, it is impressive that a community existed and thrived here for at least 4,000 years. Locals had to climb and hunt on the high sea stacks to procure gannets, fulmars and puffins for food. Eventually, much of the population started to leave the island, perhaps because life was easier on mainland. In 1930, the remaining 36 islanders were evacuated as they had requested the government to evacuate them as their way of life on St Kilda was no longer sustainable.
St. Kildans sitting on the village street, 1886.
There is no information on the exact location of this image, but wikipedia states that it depicts St. Kildans sitting on the village street and that the image was taken in 1886.
The Lascaux Cave was discovered in 1940 and forms part of the Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley in southwestern France. This site has helped to inform people about the present day on “prehistoric art and human origins” (Lascaux, 2022). The Vézère Valley contains 25 decorated caves, and a total of 147 prehistoric sites which are of particular interest from an ethnological, anthropological, and aesthetic viewpoint (UNESCO, 2022). The Lascaux cave has been of great importance due to the prehistoric art found within it, which includes detailed depictions of hunting, and “are remarkable for their detail, rich colors, and lifelike quality” (UNESCO, 2022). As well as the artwork found within the cave, other artifacts from the Palaeolithic age have been discovered; including charcoal fragments, bone material, decorative objects, and tools (Lascaux, 2022). Due to the sensitive nature of the artwork, a replica cave has been created of Lascaux to allow visitors to have a viewer experience closely matched to what they would see when visiting the real Lascaux cave.
Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley
Prehistoric cave painting from the Lascaux cave within the Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley
Sketch of the Stones of Stenness from 1818 (estimated).
"The title along the bottom of the sheet reveals that William Daniell drew this sketch of the standing stones at Stenness, probably in 1818. The stones have been set in the context of their mountainous surroundings, and a figure gives perspective. " - Description of image from National Library of Scotland
Estimated sketch origin: 1818. Published electronically in 2005.
Sketch of the standing stones of Stenness from estimated 1818
Estimated to have been sketched between 1781 and 1820. Estimated 1818.
The Castillo de Ponferrada, also known as the Castillo de los Templarios, or Templar Castle, in Ponferrada, Spain is an impressive castle that dates back to 1178. Likely built on the ruins of a previous Celtic castle, this fortification housed the Knights Templar by order of King Fernando II of León. Ponferrada became an important point of transit when in the 11th Century a reinforced iron bridge was built (which became the namesake of the town, from the Latin Pons Ferrata, Iron Bridge). The Knights were granted a jurisdiction in Ponferrada to provide security to pilgrims travelling to and from Santiago de Compostela, especially from Muslim invasion; and to serve the interests of Fernando II and his successor Alfonso IX. Excerpt from P1.
The Castillo de Ponferrada, also known as the Castillo de los Templarios, or Templar Castle, in Ponferrada, Spain is an impressive castle that dates back to 1178. Likely built on the ruins of a previous Celtic castle, this fortification housed the Knights Templar by order of King Fernando II of León. Ponferrada became an important point of transit when in the 11th Century a reinforced iron bridge was built (which became the namesake of the town, from the Latin Pons Ferrata, Iron Bridge). The Knights were granted a jurisdiction in Ponferrada to provide security to pilgrims travelling to and from Santiago de Compostela, especially from Muslim invasion; and to serve the interests of Fernando II and his successor Alfonso IX.
Gorham’s Cave Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site located slightly above sea level on the eastern side of the rock of Gibraltar. The complex is made up of four caves. The complex is one of the last known sites inhabited by the Neanderthals in Europe. When it was initially inhabited by the Neanderthals (55,00 years ago) the location of the complex was 5km above sea level, with the shift to the present day being caused by landscape evolution. The cave was rediscovered in 1907 by Captain A. Gorham, and since then numerous discoverers have been made within the complex which has helped to shed light on the paleolithic age, with the complex containing “archaeological and paleontological deposits that provide evidence of Neanderthal occupation over a span of more than 100,000 years” (UNESCO, 2022). Gorham’s cave is an example of tangible cultural heritage, with the complex supplying notable “evidence of the hunting of birds and marine animals for food, the use of feathers for ornamentation, and the presence of abstract rock engravings (UNESCO, 2022)”. More information on the individual discoveries from Gorham’s Cave can be found on Gibraltar’s Museum Virtual Museum: https://www.gibmuseum.gi/our-work/virtual-museum
"Stones of Stenness and Stenness Loch The three remaining large stones all have the distinctive "hipped" shape of Orcadian prehistoric standing stones. In the far distance are the hills of Hoy." - Colin Smith
View from Gorham's Cave Complex in Gibraltar
Dazu Rock carvings are one of eight famous Buddhist carvings in the world. They can date from the 9th to 13th centuries’ history, and are considered to be the best representatives of the latest phase of rock art in China. The collection of grottoes and carvings in Dazu contains more than 50.000 statues representing the highest level technology of grotto art during the Tang and Song Dynasties in China. This type of rock carving is also called Moya Carving, which refers to the technique of carving the statues directly into the cliffside. In 1999, Dazu Rock carvings was inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage Collection. The rock carvings describe the images including Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, which shows the harmonious combination of different religions. The aim of creating the carvings is to advertise and show respect to religious figures and display ordinary life in China. Walking along and visiting these elaborate sculptures, people will feel not only worship to the religions, but also interactions among various social classes, as well as everyday stories about family and love.
Peking Opera is a comprehensive art with a 200-year long history. Every part of it has aesthetic value to be appreciated. Many sculpture works are inspired by the masks of Peking Opera, many pop songs have Peking Opera elements, and many film elements also come from Peking Opera and folk art. Compared with other art forms, Peking Opera carries more profound cultural connotations. Peking Opera originates from China and belongs to China alone, so it is also a symbol of China. Besides, Peking Opera is the quintessence of Chinese culture and represents the cultural image of China to a large extent. In the whole Chinese culture, the main body of Peking Opera is more inclined to the folk culture or the bottom culture. Even though it was favored by the Empress of the Qing Dynasty and thus prospered rapidly, we are supposed to be objective enough to find its aesthetic characteristic. From the late Qing Dynasty to the whole 20th century, Peking Opera based on folk interest gained a position that no other folk art had ever possessed before. The impact of Chinese folk culture and aesthetics from the level of art essence is enhanced through Peking Opera and the global position of Chinese cultural and artistic state will be improved by propagandize Peking Opera.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Hall 1
The Terracotta Warriors, which were created in the Chinese Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE), were discovered by chance in 1974, and have since become an icon of Chinese culture throughout the world. It is considered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. In December 1978, the Terracotta Warriors were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Terracotta Warriors were made for the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor. The aim of creating them is to guard the safety and peace of tomb. There are thousands of elaborate life-size models of the terracotta warriors representing qin Shi Huang's massive army. They were cast into parts, fired, then assembled and painted, and finally placed in the tomb.
Museum Louvre is located along the banks of the Seine River in Paris, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France. Every year, a large amount of people around the world travel long distance to visit this historical museum due to its great reputation. Louvre has various kinds of impressive historical art collections including Egyptian antiques, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, paintings by the old masters and so on. And there is no doubt that Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" is the most well-known art work in the museum Louvre. Besides, other popular works are worthy enough to attract crowds to see.
French concession is a geographical area with Sycamore-styled roads and European styled buildings that make up the historical French-administered part in Shanghai, from 1849 to 1946. Concessions were the lands conceded to individual governments, which nowadays the area turned into commercial shops, and many buildings are under municipal protection. They are seen as the cultural symbol of Shanghai, who have witnessed the historical unrest and city change.
Former police station on Joffre Street. Former French concession.
Venetian beads production dates back to the fourteenth century. It is a representation of mastery of a material, glass, and element the fire. It endures specific knowledge and shared skills, indicates the use of specific traditional tools and procedures. Skilled artisans melt, blow, shape the coloured glass to obtained the shapes. Venice, the true European capital of glass, glass beads were produced in Murano and in all the Venetian territory. Since it was such a valuable product for trading, the center of production moved from Venice to island Murano to avoid the great risk of fire in keeping the kilns. The production represents a traditional knowledge handed down from generation to generation for more than 700 years. After the first World War of dissolution of colonialism, the beads lost their original function of as trading commodity. It become more of art, jewels and personal ornaments The process generally involves three preparatory positions, the ‘perlai’ (craftsmen of glass beads), ‘molatore’ and ‘impiraressa’, a women who inserts the beads through precise movements and creates various artefacts, and the glassmaker. The art of glass beads became part of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritaage since 2020.
Tartan is a woven cloth consists of horizontal and vertical bands in various colours. Weaving tartan is a craft that requires concentration, great timing and counting. The digital preservation includes tartan brand’s youtube channel about stories behind making tartan, artifacts in the museum, famous tartan fabric shops, and several archive websites that document the types of tartan. Besides the general exhibits or archival collection of textile histories in the National Museum of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, The Scottish Tartans Museum focus on the history and development of tartan and the kilt, with over 500 samples of tartan. Visitors can view the exhibits online and search according to name or type. Fabric shops including Robert Noble, DC Dalgliesh, Ingles Buchan and Lochcarron not only sell the cloth, but also gives distinctive recording about tartan. The Scottish register of Tartan allows general public to register their designed tartan which details including the read count, an image and a proposed tartan name. User can search, compare and link with other Scottish designers through the website. Other online archive and search engines includes ‘House of Tartan’ and CLAN by Scotweb. There are online tartan generators such as ‘tartanMaker’ to quickly design own tartan, to create fun.