Wow. That’s cool.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that rosary bread in person, or one that’s extremely similar. Has it ever been shown at the Harvard Busch-Reisinger museum?
(I love the one that was at the Busch-Reisinger, and spent a huge amount of time visiting it. It’s one of the most magnificent works of wood carving I’ve ever seen.)
Evidently, there are lots of those intricate rosary beads around – and they did come in certain patterns.
Part of the talk was a compare/contrast of very similar beads from one workshop (in Bruges? I forget), but it was 4 different sets based on the same theme. Because they were handmade, they weren’t exactly the same, but they were extremely similar.
Then i probably saw a similar one. It was also in boxwood, and extraordinarily detailed, with a lot of depth. And tiny, of course.
I don’t recall knowing that it was a rosary bead. I knew it was used for private religious contemplation, of course.
This is a multi-parter – the original post… and the comments
Brethren!
What joy it brings me to write to you all!
I have sent this tablet as I have a business opportunity and seek a trustworthy citizen to to assist me with a very profitable trade deal.
You do not know me but but you have my word as a wealthy prince of the sea people’s that I am a man of honour.
Recently it has come to my attention that Eu-nasir (rest his spirit) has passed away, leaving 110 Talents of unclaimed HIGH QUALITY copper ingots hidden in a cave in Dilmun.
I need your help, my friend, to travel to Dilmund and claim this copper for ourselves and as payment I shall have delivered to you 60 Talents of the earnings.
All you have to do to secure this trade deal and prove yourself is give to the bringer of this tablet the equivalent of half your share of ingots (to be returned in the future) to facilitate my travels from my kingdom and through mesopotamia to procure the copper. He will accept anything of value from bronze shekles to precious rocks but none of that new fangled iron stuff - It will never catch on.
Once payment has been made to me I will embark on my journey and arrange passage of your share of ea-nasirs copper within one cycle of the moon.
Your trustworthy friend,
Prince Laodokos of the Sea Peoples.
Choice comments:
This all sounds very good except your name – Laodokos – has a touch of the Ahhiyawan about it. And like everyone says, “beware Ahhiyawans bearing business proposals and/or wooden effigies to marine deities”. (I’m paraphrasing)
Are you the same Prince who contacted us about an extended Chariot warranty
weird that I and Z basically transposed each other.
I can’t stop watching this one.