Comments on: Scaling up and down

By: Christine

Christine — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 03:30:18 +0000

I am definitely in the non-expert category. Things shifted so much in the ancient world (and continue to do so in the discipline of archaeology/archaeo-biology) that I like to keep an open mind until conclusive evidence is available.

The cedar is certainly important in Lebanese material culture ie. the flag.
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedrus_libani ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:52:18 +0000

The non-expert is driven to a quantitative approach – and I think more commentators locate the cedar trees in Lebanon than Iran. In fact I have not read of any cedar trees (as distinct from the cypress which is sometimes called a cedar) in Iran.

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:49:39 +0000

Christine comments:
This source suggests the cedar trees in the legend were located in Iran, and that Gilgamesh and Enkidu travelled to Iran in order to cut them down. See: Tablet 2. [ http://i-cias.com/e.o/gilgamesh.htm ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:11:13 +0000

Yes, Uruk in is Iraq but I have an idea the Sacred Grove was in what is now Lebanon – because there were no cedar trees in Iraq http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/western_asian_gardens

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:29:15 +0000

Or is Uruk located in Mesopotamia (parts of modern day Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.)? [ http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/if-its-ctuesday-it-must-be-ctesiphon/ ] The archeological site of Uruk seems to be located in Iraq.

This reference ‘History of Egypt Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria’ by G Maspero locates Urukh next to the Euphrates in in Egyptian Chaldea.[ http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17323/17323-h/v3a.htm ] Perhaps the location of Uruk and the scared grove depends on the date in history you are referring to?

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:00:30 +0000

I have an idea that the sacred grove known to Gilgamesh was in the Lebanon rather than in Iraq.

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:46:56 +0000

It seems according to the legend of Uruk that sacred groves had guardians – and that even in ancient times there was a desire to crop down the forests for profit.[ http://www.alwanza.com/art/humbaba3.html ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:18:55 +0000

I have added a plan of Uruk to the entry.

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:23:38 +0000

Are there any illustrations of this wonderful city with wonderful gardens designed by Gilgamesh?

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:47:32 +0000

I share the enthusiasm for models - and have exactly the same feeling about aerial photographs. They let one appreciate 'wider truths', which is presumably what a god would enjoy. Gilgamesh, who was two thirds god and one third human, had this feeling when looking down on Uruk from its walls. And maybe visitors to Legoland get this experience too! I did not know about Arata Isozaki's enthusiasm for models but I like his book on Japan-ness in Architecture and wonder if he uses models to explore this idea. And are the various Legolands examples of context-sensitive design? As for what I would ask the people, if I could be God for a day, it would be 'do you agree that I should have made a lot more islands?'