This is part 2 of a convoluted path towards interpreting an old remote labyrinth I sought out and visited in Iceland in June 2021.
Category: Pic of the Day
My mild fascination with labyrinths was revealed in an Ancient Dan post a few years ago, triggered by my literally stumbling upon a carved representation of one at ancient Knidos in Turkey. A recent trip to Iceland provided a chance to investigate the most remote labyrinth of Europe in a more planned and systematic manner. My circuitous trek to arrive at it was unexpectedly matched by the maze of background info on the site, legends in the region, questions about the form of the labyrinth itself, and—ultimately—how we deal with changes of direction and uncertainties of life.
Preparing for a recent trip to Iceland and looking for weird stuff to see, I chanced upon a photo showing the beached wreck of what appeared to be a World War II era “Higgins boat.” It was at the head of Mjóifjörður, a sparsely populated (11 inhabitants) fjord in remote eastern Iceland. I was determined to visit it.
As I write, lead news stories are no longer about the growing severity of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but rather debates about “reopening” the economy. In the US, different states have taken varying approaches, with protests, demonstrations, pleas, and public service announcements against all of them. Media outlets frequently refer to easing of restrictions where infection rates have not declined as a “gamble” or even “rolling the dice.”
Happy Easter to all! Since this is probably (and hopefully) the weirdest Easter of our lifetime, Ancient Dan has decided to embrace it and present this unusual archaeological artifact to readers for review. While the object is clearly somehow related to Easter celebrations, I am aware of no exact parallel. Therefore, I will refer to … Continue reading An Easter Ritual Figurine of Unknown Function
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