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Sylvia Rose
Jun 6, 20247 min read
Messalina: Death & Desire in Ancient Rome
Valeria Messalina, known as Messalina, is a provocative figure in Roman history. She's notorious for her strong sexual appetites and...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 5, 20249 min read
Poppaea Sabina: Child Bride to Roman Empress
Poppaea Sabina is a beautiful, ambitious woman embroiled in the plots and schemes of Imperial Rome. She manipulates her way to the bed of...
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Sylvia Rose
Mar 11, 20245 min read
Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans
Black is among the first pigments in the palette of early humans. By Paleolithic times, black defines lines, shadows and meaning. Black...
63 views
Sylvia Rose
Jan 10, 20244 min read
Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral
Salt is an essential mineral of life. In food it stimulates taste and is among the oldest preservation methods. Part of the human taste...
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Sylvia Rose
Dec 20, 20234 min read
Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia
Cinnamon birds appear in folklore of Eurasia shortly after Arab merchants begin trading with ancient lands to the north. Cinnamon enjoys...
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Sylvia Rose
Dec 19, 20235 min read
Cinnamon - Spice Trade of Ancients
Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum ) is the oldest known spice in the world. The fragrant bark comes into popular use by c. 2000 BCE, when Egyptians...
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Sylvia Rose
Nov 28, 20232 min read
Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds
Ornithomancy or augury is first recorded during the Hittite Empire (c. 1450 - 1180). From ancient Greek "take omens from the flight and...
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Sylvia Rose
Nov 20, 20234 min read
Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits
The Minoan Genius (pl. Genii) spirit appears as a hybrid animal merger of animals which can include lion, snake, hippopotamus, crocodile,...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 21, 20233 min read
Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek
Hephaestus is a Greek god of fire, volcanoes, metal work, blacksmiths, metallurgy, forges, sculpting, carpenters and artisans. A smith's...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 19, 20234 min read
Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation
Liber is an ancient Roman wine god whose feast Liberalia is celebrated March 17. He predates Bacchus; early historians see Liber as a...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 10, 20236 min read
Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg
A European phenomenon, the Wild Hunt is a supernatural event crossing several cultures including German, Norse, Roman, French, English...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 9, 20234 min read
Pagan Christmas Yule Fests: Frau Holle
The Festival of Frau Holle decks the halls from her Feast Day 25 Dec to the 5-6th of January. An ancient German goddess, Frau Holle...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 8, 20235 min read
Mulberry Tree (Morus): Uses, Folklore & Myth
Benefits of mulberry (Morus) include personal health, wood, silk, color for yarn and food. Romantic myth surrounds fruitful mulberry...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 5, 20234 min read
Folk Magic: Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)
Amanita muscaria , fly agaric or fly amanita is the most widely recognized of the psychoactive plants and fungi. The use, folklore and...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 3, 20235 min read
Pagan Solstice Fests: Mithras & the Sun
Inspired by Persian Mithra, Romans recreate ancient cult rituals and religious mysteries in the worship of Mithras, based on the older...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 1, 20236 min read
Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe
Holly, yew and mistletoe, the most cheerful and celebrated of seasonal plants, are also the most poisonous. These three toxic beauties...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 30, 20236 min read
Pagan Solstice Fests: Saturnalia
Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival, is originally held on 17 Dec. Festivities are later extended to Dec 23 to align with other...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 24, 20235 min read
Death Cap Mushrooms: Deadly Poison
Death Cap Mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) are deadly poisons of assassination and accident. Native to Europe, death caps are naturalized...
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Sylvia Rose
May 13, 20233 min read
Romanesque - Magic of Light & Stone
Europe is famous for Romanesque architecture. Grand, elaborate stonework with stunning use of windows, vaults and arches appears in...
55 views
Sylvia Rose
May 1, 20233 min read
Steam & Style - Agrippina of the Rhine
This is the story of paddle steamship Agrippina of the Rhinel the fate of the Empress Agrippinal; and the lowdown on Victorian era trends.
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