In fact, Maria, archeologists excavated ancient city of Novgorod, the trade center, where the Vikings took furs to be traded to something that came up from Persia and Black sea, even maybe further, from the Silk Road, and found birch bark with writing, mostly runes.
Excavating is hopefully still going on. Something in the soil was acid or less acid enough that the birch bark had survived over 1000 years.
Birch bark is so refined. It looks almost like worked leather. (The comments were very interesting, too . . . I love this collaborative bit of blogging.)
It was meant as a compliment, likening you to the world renowned French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. But tweaking the name to give it a Canadian twist. Notice how explaining a joke causes it to crumble - rather like the frangible items in your house you've been getting photographic mileage from. And there I go, on top of it all, I've ended a sentence with a preposition. In this instance I may deserve "faithful" but certainly not "witty".
BB, thanks, I know it's a let down when the recipient doesn't 'get' the joke and I do it to you so often! Makes me feel ignorant, maybe it's a cultural difference. I was thinking Cartier the explorer being the bear, so I was way off base! But insurance premiums? Besides, I did not strip the birches, I found this lying on the ground beneath one.
Comments
Looks like the remnant of an ancient text on a scroll!
Posted by: maria | 19:09 30 January 2009
Maria got there first. I wonder how this script translates.
Posted by: Joe Hyam | 03:34 31 January 2009
In fact, Maria, archeologists excavated ancient city of Novgorod, the trade center, where the Vikings took furs to be traded to something that came up from Persia and Black sea, even maybe further, from the Silk Road, and found birch bark with writing, mostly runes.
Excavating is hopefully still going on. Something in the soil was acid or less acid enough that the birch bark had survived over 1000 years.
Posted by: ripsa | 04:15 31 January 2009
It's a continent part
axe-head, part shirt;
one shore dulled on ocean
the other rolled-up,
hot from work.
Posted by: Bill | 04:51 31 January 2009
Maria, that may be why I was attracted to this piece of bark that I found. I have been thinking of putting text on it.
Joe, I wonder too!
Ripsa, that is fascinating! I found the information online and some images, including a Karelian piece. Thanks for sharing this.
Bill, great poem, thank you!
Posted by: marja-leena | 21:46 31 January 2009
So Henri Cartier-Bear has left the kitchen and is now stripping bark from silver birches. Should save on insurance premiums
Posted by: Barrett Bonden | 03:40 01 February 2009
Birch bark is so refined. It looks almost like worked leather. (The comments were very interesting, too . . . I love this collaborative bit of blogging.)
Posted by: Bee | 04:32 01 February 2009
BB, you've lost me completely this time :-) But thanks for your faithful witty comments!
Bee, it feels like leather too. Glad you enjoyed the conversation as much as I.
Posted by: marja-leena | 10:43 01 February 2009
It was meant as a compliment, likening you to the world renowned French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. But tweaking the name to give it a Canadian twist. Notice how explaining a joke causes it to crumble - rather like the frangible items in your house you've been getting photographic mileage from. And there I go, on top of it all, I've ended a sentence with a preposition. In this instance I may deserve "faithful" but certainly not "witty".
Posted by: Barrett Bonden | 08:19 02 February 2009
BB, thanks, I know it's a let down when the recipient doesn't 'get' the joke and I do it to you so often! Makes me feel ignorant, maybe it's a cultural difference. I was thinking Cartier the explorer being the bear, so I was way off base! But insurance premiums? Besides, I did not strip the birches, I found this lying on the ground beneath one.
Posted by: marja-leena | 08:50 02 February 2009