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The Sea Cat T
The Sea Cat Jun 28, 2011 14:06:53
Replying to CARL

That's exactly it. It's all too easy to look at the past through modern eyes in a manner that removes our connection with its reality in a human here and now that would be so familiar to us, just in a different cultural context. Romanticism, cultural difference etc all act as filters that separate us from this maner of perception. If we would but approach all the then cultural norms as we do our own, with the power of imagination and non-judgemental acceptance, then we would be able to begin to truly see at least an aspect of the human reality of the past. That past becomes alive, as it's always so much closer to the real us than we are ever usually able to perceive.

T tjj
tjj Jun 28, 2011 18:42:15
Replying to The Sea Cat

The Sea Cat wrote:
That's exactly it. It's all too easy to look at the past through modern eyes in a manner that removes our connection with its reality in a human here and now that would be so familiar to us, just in a different cultural context. Romanticism, cultural difference etc all act as filters that separate us from this maner of perception. If we would but approach all the then cultural norms as we do our own, with the power of imagination and non-judgemental acceptance, then we would be able to begin to truly see at least an aspect of the human reality of the past. That past becomes alive, as it's always so much closer to the real us than we are ever usually able to perceive.
Orkney poet George Mackay Brown wrote a 52 verse poem about Brodgar in 1992 (he died in 1998). This is the introduction to it:

"The poem sees the work on this Neolithic stone circle as lasting two ot three generations at least.
'She who threw marigolds over you, stone,
A child,
She is a crone now with cindery breath.
You stone,
Two younger stones curve beyond you'
It may have been a meeting place, a temple, a hymn to the sun and the stars.
Even as a civilisation is being established, its history is beginning to crumble. Strange boats from time to time sailed along the horizon, going north and west, threatening the precarious settlements.
But a circle has no beginning or end. The symbol holds. People in AD 2000 are essentially the same as the stone-breakers and horizon-breakers of 3000 BC."

Also Skara Brae

S strathspey
strathspey Jun 28, 2011 19:29:27
Replying to The Sea Cat

The Sea Cat wrote:
That's exactly it. It's all too easy to look at the past through modern eyes in a manner that removes our connection with its reality in a human here and now that would be so familiar to us, just in a different cultural context. Romanticism, cultural difference etc all act as filters that separate us from this maner of perception. If we would but approach all the then cultural norms as we do our own, with the power of imagination and non-judgemental acceptance, then we would be able to begin to truly see at least an aspect of the human reality of the past. That past becomes alive, as it's always so much closer to the real us than we are ever usually able to perceive.
Extremely well put SC.....!

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