H is for Hieroglyphics

ABC Wednesdays is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt.

When I was teaching 4th grade, part of the Bible curriculum was about the history of written language dating back to Egyptian times. I learned a lot by teaching it and had a lot of fun with the kids using pictographs and hieroglyphics.

Then when I was in Italy in the fall of 2006, I visited a town named Orvieto, built on top of a mountain made of volcanic rock, on the border between Tuscany and Umbria. It has a fantastic Etruscan history. (see notes below) We visited the necropolis at the base of the mountain and there I found original hieroglyphics scratched into the openings of graves. A fascinating revelation to me, it brought to life what I'd been teaching children for many years.

From the necropolis looking up towards the city of Orvieto.

The entrance to a grave.

Hieroglyphgics scratched at the entrance to a grave.

The inside of a grave.

For those who are interested in learning more, feel free to read the following:

Etruscan alphabet

The Etruscan alphabet developed from a Western variety of the Greek alphabet brought to Italy by Euboean Greeks. The earliest known inscription dates from the middle of the 6th century BC. Most Etruscan inscriptions are written in horizontal lines from right to left, but some are boustrophedon (running alternately left to right then right to left).

More than 10,000 Etruscan inscriptions have been found on tombstones, vases, statues, mirrors and jewellery. Fragments of an Etruscan book made of linen have also been found. Etruscan texts can be read: i.e. the pronunciation of the letters is known, though scholars are not sure what all the words mean.

No major literary works in Etruscan have survived, however there is evidence for the existence of religious and historical literature and drama. It is also possible that the Etruscans had a notation system for music.

The Etruscan language was spoken by the Etruscans in Etruria (Tuscany and Umbria) until about the 1st century AD, after which it continued to be studied by priests and scholars. The emperor Claudius (10 BC - 54 AD) wrote a history of the Etruscans in 20 volumes, none of which have survived, based on sources still preserved in his day. The language was used in religious ceremonies until the early 5th century.

Etruscan was related to Raetic, a language once spoken in the Alps, and also to Lemnian, once spoken on the island of Lemnos. It was also possibly related to Camunic, a language once spoken in the northwest of Italy.

Source: http://users.tpg.com.au/etr/etrusk/alph/etrFont.html

ABC Wednesday - "C" is for Cinque Terre

In October 2006, I visited Italy for the first time. Notice I say the "first" time because I intend to return one day and see more of this Charismatic Country as well as revisit many of the places I saw then. However, for today's purposes I've Chosen to highlight the area called the Cinque Terre in the north-west region of Italy. It was by far the most Captivating, Curious, and Compelling spots of my trip. Rick Steves has more information on the area here.

Built along the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea, this area is Comprised of five villages in the province of La Spezia in the Luguria region of Italy. The Coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all encapsulated in a national park by the same name. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The five villages are Manarolo, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, and Riomaggiore. The Cinque Terre is Characterized by the Craggy slopes which have been Cultivated into vineyards by means of a system of terracing.
Seafood is plentiful in the area's Cuisine and it is also famous for its pesto, a sauce made with basil leaves, garlic, salt, olive oil, pine nuts and pecorino Cheese. I sampled some at lunch the day we toured the area and I absolutely give it an A+. Also, a Common locally baked product is focaccia and farinata which is a savoury snack like a Crunchy pancake made from a base of Chick-pea flour.

In addition to wines made from the locally grown grapes, grappa (a brandy made with the pommace left from winemaking) and limoncello (a sweet liqueur flavored with lemons) are also popular and well-known drinks in the area. (And yes, I sampled both but preferred the limoncello. One of the ladies in our group had grappa every day but to me it tasted like rubbing alcohol. )

We arrived by boat in Riomaggiore. It was an amazing sight as we approached the first little dock! Climbing the tiny little alleyways, which I realised were streets, we finally came out on the small market part of the village. I couldn't believe how many Cats wandered the streets, too! They were everywhere. This Cat was sunning itself in a plant pot by the side of the street, totally ignorant of all the people milling around.

We realised we'd arrived on laundry day because Clothes were hanging from windows and balconies to dry in the natural sunlight. This turned out to be a Common sighting all over Italy.

From Riomaggiore, we walked along the Via del Amore (below) to the next village of Manarolo. A brief visit there and then we hopped back on the boat that took us all the way to Montarosso al Mare where we dined on pasta al pesto. The views from the restaurant that overlooked the Mediterranean were stunning and we enjoyed the rest from all the walking up and down hills and along mountainside Cliffs along the Mediterranean Coast.

Then we made a brief stop at Vernazza but skipped Corniglia and Continued on to Portovenere, a larger town directly across from our base in Lerici. Notice the brilliant Colours of all the buildings.
We ended the day by Climbing to the Church at the top of the Cliff in Portovenere. I even lit a Candle inside for my late husband and mother, even though I'm not Catholic, and the process left me feeling rather Calm and Cathartic. I hope you enjoyed these photos from my visit to the Cinque Terre and encourage all of you to include this area in any future plans for your trip to Italy. For tourist information click here.

And for more information about ABC Wednesday click here.

PHOTO CONTEST

When I was in Italy, England, and Wales last fall I thoroughly enjoyed using my new digital camera. Some of my photos indicated I have an "eye" for photography and as a result, I've entered several of these shots in the Telus Photo Contests. The first time I entered, one of them actually tied for 8th place! If you'd like to actually vote for any of these photos, you need to be a member (free). Check out http://photos.globetrotter.net/index.asp. There are some fabulous photos to see there and you can also check out the archives for previous themes. The theme right now is "Golden Age" and I've so far entered 5 photos. Above is "Retirement, Italian Style". Below are: "Old Villa - Ravello, Italy." "Colosseum, Rome" (In the midst of the modern-day bustle in the city of Rome stands the most well-known symbol of the Golden Age of the Roman Empire - the Colosseum. The soot blackened walls strike an absurd contrast to the clean and bright modern buildings that surround it.) Next is "Ancient Greek Temple, Sicily." Finally, there is "Dormant au Soleil" (sleeping in the sun). Click on the photos to see them more clearly. I'd love some feedback. Which is/are your favourite(s)?