Category Archives: Maps and Legends
Giant Armillary Sphere
Armillary Sphere, signed by Antonio Santucci, constructed 1588 to 1593; Florence. Wood and metal; 2420 mm in diameter This enormous armillary sphere, more than 3 metres in height, was begun on 4 March 1588 and completed on 6 May 1593. … more…
links for 2007-10-11: musical theory
The Rudiments of Musical Theory It’s high time I learned to sight-read music. This is the number one Google result for “rudiments musical theory”, seems as good a place to start as any. (tags: music theory)
Mercator’s Atlas
Mercator’s map of Europe, 1569 From the British Library’s Turn the Pages display thingummy, blogged previously. This is the earliest (known) atlas of Europe. They may well have had one in the great library at Alexandria, but that of course … more…
lolthulhu
more at lolthulhu Also, a little while back — did I mention this already? — I downloaded myself a Call of Cthulhu ring tone. But I eated it. Not rly. I have got to get away from the screen for … more…
The May Day Mystery
Languagehat points to a most absorbing post at Varieties of Unreligious Experience (a blog of which I was previously ignorant) about just the kind of literary enigma we like best around here. Every year since 1981, more than once a … more…
An REM-related aha moment
A bit of an aha moment just now, looking at jaime morrison’s post about Polynesian stick charts, which includes the arrangement shown here. The aha arises from the fact that this very arrangement was used in the sleeve artwork for … more…
J.G. Ballard – The Atrocity Exhibition: Crash!
I did notice this when Simon posted it to Ballardian, and I meant to go back and watch it, but somehow it got away from me. You know how it is. Anyway, I am grateful to Posthuman Blues for the … more…
Inside the Hollow Earth « strange maps
strange maps has an interesting historical run-down, very light on the linkage, but easily remedied by pointing Wikipedia at “hollow earth“. I might have posted on this subject while I was reading the relevant passage in Against the Day, but … more…
China Regulates Buddhist Reincarnation
China Regulates Buddhist Reincarnation In one of history’s more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which … more…
Sagan’s animated evolutionary line
The classic diagram of evolution from the Cosmos TV series, first broadcast 1980. UPDATE: Another clip from Cosmos, A Thousand Years of Darkness is also strongly recommended. If Carl Sagan was alive today, they’d have him on a no-fly list. … more…