The alchemist
VIP
It is so bizarre. When you read the deep history of Cushites in the Nile Valley region, going back to the Neolithic to the civilizational period, and then later, in very recent Somali history, a century prior to the contemporary, you find retained connections.
In the region where the Cushitic peoples' genesis took form -- in economy, genetic union, and stability -- the very place where they transformed deep traditional systems and cultural ideology, you find persisting elements. Here is an example of their yet food-producing hunter-gatherer ancestors (really proto-early domesticators) using ostrich eggshells as water bottles:
"Considerable effort was also expended upon the manufacture of standardized ostrich eggshell beads and of ostrich eggshell water bottles. Practically, the latter would have been vital to survival in the still arid environment of the early Holocene. The effort that was devoted to their decoration, by engraving, etching and painting, may be another aspect of their crucial role, reflecting the importance of the social and symbolic spheres to the survival of human groups."
The peculiar thing is, it was noted by a museum in Mogadishu that the Somalis had retained this practice of making water bottles out of ostrich until very recently (ostrich hunting, maintenance, and selling were done by local ethnic Somalis; specifically the artisanal class):
“Water flask made from an ostrich egg, with a straw stand and stopper, called ùbbo goròjo, used by the Scekal clan of Brava (Lower Shebeli).”
Here is an example posted by an individual named "unknown" who, according to him, said the ancient water bottles were given as a gift to newlyweds:
These types of eggs existed throughout the Nubian civilization. For example, here is what it looks like to be Lower Nubian, A-Group (the style of fauna is unquestionably by Cushitic, although falsely speculated to be Amratian, though they did not know where it was found, so the association is made up. I recognize the style entirely. "Naqadan" is distinct but does indeed get heavily influenced by Nubian in diverse manners pastoralists that I will go into another day):
These ancient water bottles are much older and seem to have been used by broader Stone Age peoples, as Southern African hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari desert were found to use them. It became very useful in the Bronze Age all the way to antiquity in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions. It was noted that ancient Neolithic peoples in the Negev desert also utilized eggshells, for probably the same reasons. Ostrich eggshells were found in sites across the Somaliland region in archeological contexts as well.
Now, this is the other aspect I wanted to briefly mention. Namely, extending to supplement the feather head cultural/traditional aspects of martial status. See, previously I delved into more diverse aspects to show how, in the Somali context, it was about earning such prestige through killing, while emphasizing through other cultures and more ancient contexts, this meant more than just killing, but a martial prowess status. Well, in this context, I have more evidence showing that the Somali males received one ostrich eggshell by battling and killing a lion, while additionally adding to that the feather used was from the ostrich and that it was attached to a harpoon that made sure it was stuck in the hair, and they also used red-wool, in this spesific case:
“Men’s hairpin of special design, adorned with an ostrich feather and red wool, called khoribàl, ornament of a lion-slayer, used by the Ogaden Mohammed Zubier of Afmedo (Lower Juba).”
Also, this depiction from a 1930 painting is rather realistic. In older texts or from Somali lore, you often hear of violent lion encounters:
Had the man defeated the lion, he would surely deserve an ostrich feather on his head.
Here is a text from a book from the mid-19th century:
The book also mentions that the Somali men who killed another used to paint the right center of the shield red.
These are extra images just showing how the average Somali looked, although it is not limited to this:
(This would be a woman before marriage in a general context.)
Typical of a married woman.
All of these are Somali depictions. 14 is worn a bit clumsily, but it is the gist.
These are typical of pastoral clothing, although limited in the totality of diversity of the entire that would probably shift in context and place in certain more urban conditions. But this kind of style is probably the most salient Somali attire that has ancient roots and is pretty baseline representative either way.
In the region where the Cushitic peoples' genesis took form -- in economy, genetic union, and stability -- the very place where they transformed deep traditional systems and cultural ideology, you find persisting elements. Here is an example of their yet food-producing hunter-gatherer ancestors (really proto-early domesticators) using ostrich eggshells as water bottles:
"Considerable effort was also expended upon the manufacture of standardized ostrich eggshell beads and of ostrich eggshell water bottles. Practically, the latter would have been vital to survival in the still arid environment of the early Holocene. The effort that was devoted to their decoration, by engraving, etching and painting, may be another aspect of their crucial role, reflecting the importance of the social and symbolic spheres to the survival of human groups."
The peculiar thing is, it was noted by a museum in Mogadishu that the Somalis had retained this practice of making water bottles out of ostrich until very recently (ostrich hunting, maintenance, and selling were done by local ethnic Somalis; specifically the artisanal class):
“Water flask made from an ostrich egg, with a straw stand and stopper, called ùbbo goròjo, used by the Scekal clan of Brava (Lower Shebeli).”
Here is an example posted by an individual named "unknown" who, according to him, said the ancient water bottles were given as a gift to newlyweds:
These types of eggs existed throughout the Nubian civilization. For example, here is what it looks like to be Lower Nubian, A-Group (the style of fauna is unquestionably by Cushitic, although falsely speculated to be Amratian, though they did not know where it was found, so the association is made up. I recognize the style entirely. "Naqadan" is distinct but does indeed get heavily influenced by Nubian in diverse manners pastoralists that I will go into another day):
These ancient water bottles are much older and seem to have been used by broader Stone Age peoples, as Southern African hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari desert were found to use them. It became very useful in the Bronze Age all the way to antiquity in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions. It was noted that ancient Neolithic peoples in the Negev desert also utilized eggshells, for probably the same reasons. Ostrich eggshells were found in sites across the Somaliland region in archeological contexts as well.
Now, this is the other aspect I wanted to briefly mention. Namely, extending to supplement the feather head cultural/traditional aspects of martial status. See, previously I delved into more diverse aspects to show how, in the Somali context, it was about earning such prestige through killing, while emphasizing through other cultures and more ancient contexts, this meant more than just killing, but a martial prowess status. Well, in this context, I have more evidence showing that the Somali males received one ostrich eggshell by battling and killing a lion, while additionally adding to that the feather used was from the ostrich and that it was attached to a harpoon that made sure it was stuck in the hair, and they also used red-wool, in this spesific case:
“Men’s hairpin of special design, adorned with an ostrich feather and red wool, called khoribàl, ornament of a lion-slayer, used by the Ogaden Mohammed Zubier of Afmedo (Lower Juba).”
Also, this depiction from a 1930 painting is rather realistic. In older texts or from Somali lore, you often hear of violent lion encounters:
Had the man defeated the lion, he would surely deserve an ostrich feather on his head.
Here is a text from a book from the mid-19th century:
The book also mentions that the Somali men who killed another used to paint the right center of the shield red.
These are extra images just showing how the average Somali looked, although it is not limited to this:
(This would be a woman before marriage in a general context.)
Typical of a married woman.
All of these are Somali depictions. 14 is worn a bit clumsily, but it is the gist.
These are typical of pastoral clothing, although limited in the totality of diversity of the entire that would probably shift in context and place in certain more urban conditions. But this kind of style is probably the most salient Somali attire that has ancient roots and is pretty baseline representative either way.
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