Blogs & Newsletters
The Evolution and Brilliance of Ethiopian Crosses
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has retained a strong role in the lives, culture, and religion of its members from the time Coptic Christians arrived from Egypt in the 4th century A.D. to the current day. Ethiopia was the second country after Armenia to accept Christianity as its official religion, and…
The Allure of Shiwan Pottery
Traditional, decorative, and utilitarian Chinese ceramic pieces produced at the Shiwan kilns in Foshan City located in the southeastern Chinese Province Guangdong that borders Hong Kong and Macau are well recognized and respected around the world for their fine modeling, vivid expression, and colorful glazes. Kilns in this area date…
Burmese Heddle Pulleys: Functional and Aesthetic Weaving Tools
Textiles are hand crafted in many counties around the world using a loom that hold the stretched vertical threads (warp), also known as surface threads or ends. As they must be tight, they are normally stronger than the horizontal threads (weft). The vertical warp threads facilitate interweaving by guiding the…
Indonesian Dance Masks (Topeng): Spiritually Connecting the Community
People are always impressed by the variety and aesthetic appeal of Indonesian masks when they first encounter them, but they are usually unaware of their meaning, history, and cultural importance. When masks were first used in Indonesia is debated, but they probably were rooted in its ancient animistic past. Animists…
The Emergence of Nanhai Guanyin, Guanyin of the South Sea
One of the more popular Chinese depictions of Guanyin, especially during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, is the seated Bodhisattva in her “Cave of the Tidal Sound” (Chaoyin Dong) on Mount Putuo (Putuoshan) on the island of Putuo, which means “beautiful white flower” in Sanskrit. It is a small island…
Hindu Home and Temple Shrines and Religious Practices
A home shrine or altar room or space is the most important part of a household in the Hindu tradition. It is dedicated to house statues and images of the gods and goddesses who are believed to protect the family and engender good fortune. While daily prayer, rituals, ceremonial worship,…
Dhokra Metal Smiths: Retaining Primitive Techniques with Unfailing Success
Antique brass vessels, figures, and religious objects have long been the specialty of Dhokra (Dokra) tribal metal smiths from Eastern India. The Dhokra are a nomadic group that over several millennia settled in different sections of Indian provinces and ended in tight knit communities in Orissa (now called Odisha), West Bengal ,and Eastern India. They continue to this day to use the same primitive art of metal craft based on the lost…
Manillas: Former West African Trade Currency
A manilla is an open metal bracelet given to newborns throughout Caribbean cultures where they are known mostly as a bangle. It is a treasured item that is essential for baby christenings or for a first birthday and worn until it is outgrown. Bangles are meaningful family treasures that are…
The Ubiquitous and Charming Chinese Ceramic Stools
The Chinese stool is a modest seat that has been used since ancient times. A stool was first found on a bronze Eastern Zhou vessel (776-256 BCE) and folding ones reached China via nomads by the late 2nd century. Early Buddhist art of the 4th-5th century often showed monks and…
Queen Mother of the West Xiwangmu : Taoism’s Iconic Female Sovereign of Immortals
The Taoist deity Queen Mother of the West Hsi Wang Mu or Xiwangmu is revered as the most significant female deity in the Taoist pantheon and is also highly regarded in Chinese Popular Folk Religion where she is seen as a major magical deity with a huge cult following. Her…
Tudi Gong: The Taoist and Popular Religion Earth God
Followers of Taoism and Chinese Popular Folk Religion believe the cosmos consists of three domains: Heaven (the Celestial Domain), Earth, and the Underworld with each domain being inhabited by a conglomeration of significant gods and goddesses. The Jade Emperor (the Ruler of Heaven), presided over the Celestial domain and, in…