For many fans of the fantasy genre, an interest in the lowly tinker may come from the mythology built up in the Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss. Others may have been intrigued by the title of John Le Carre's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (I preferred watching the mini-series to the movie, but one had Sir Alec Guinness). Some may have grown up with tinker toys to fuel their imaginations. Okay, I'll admit it, that's where my interest comes from. Patrick ('cause we're so close) has certainly fleshed out the role of these men of the road, but is that picture accurate? Did he completely invent the mythology surrounding them? Damn, got me. I don't know the first thing about these people. I guess I'll have to do some research and find out.
Wikipedia gives us an interesting starting place, as always. Here we find that tinkers were itinerant smiths who mended household utensils (of tin, brass, iron). The title is apparently 13th Century in origin. It is thought that this occupation was often adopted by the Travelers (similar to the Gypsies) native to the UK. The term was subsequently used in disparaging fashion. More interesting, in this article, is the origin of the term "tinker's dam" (note: not "damn"), which refers to the temporary hole filler used as a mold for solder when repairing a pot or pan. Thus clarifying the phrase, "Not worth a tinker's dam." (for those of us especially confused by the curse connected to ignoring Mr. Rothfuss' characters).
As we begin to dig deeper, we find that a tinker would not only mend pots and pans, but sell them as well, though still traveling from place to place. They might have large packs or drive carts to transport their wares. Dictionary definitions suggest that the word is connected with a jack-of-all-trades. "To tinker," has come to refer to amateurish work. Nobody seems to have respect for these gentlemen (though it's unclear if it's because of their occupation or their heritage). Strangely, the name Tinker does not derive from the same place as the occupation, so The Admirable Tinker (Jepson 1903) and its ilk are of no help to us.
Further trades are attributed to the tinker in different texts. They seem willing to branch out into related fields. In Pioneer Life (Wright, Corbett 1940), we find that Colonial era tinkers would create new metal-ware, even carrying molds to this end. Knife sharpener is added to the list of services by various sources, including Tinker Aesop (Vickers 1869). In this specific story, the title character may be a thinking man, but he mentions that the others of his calling are drunks. Furthermore, one can glean from this specific text that because of his profession he can dress plainly, his profession is not heavily taxed and that tinkers are in general congenial to each other (though they don't often travel together). Our image is now taking a little more shape.
Tinkers appear rather poor and disreputable, according to stories and legends. In "The Tinker's Hut," the titular building is located on a desolate windswept mountainside. The contents of the home are also described in a rather negative light. The King and Tinker Pub takes its name from a ballad in which James I gets separated from his courtiers, but makes his way to a pub where he befriends a tinker. When the courtiers show up, the King is apparently embarrassed (the story is unclear exactly why, but it appears to be the specific "tinker" that is at issue). Songs seem to give the tinker a lascivious bent, much like the idea of the traveling salesman taking advantage of lonely housewives, but some of these refer to the Tinkers as a people (Gypsies/Travelers) instead of the occupation specifically.
I must say that this quest, while entertaining (especially the songs), has been largely fruitless when compared with my research into other occupations. The tinker's role seems to be one which everyone understands, but few bother to mention at any length. Wandering from town to town they sold small goods, repaired metalwork and sharpened cutlery. Their reputation was generally negative, for a variety of reasons (warranted or not), though their services were widely utilized. It seems that, for now, these people will remain in large part a mystery to me. Do let me know if you have any knowledge to share.
basic - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker
list of old occupations and connected duties - http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/t.html
"The Tinker's Hut" - http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3940&context=ocj
King and Tinker Pub - http://www.enfield.gov.uk/info/200044/about_enfield/1793/historic_enfield
fiddle music about tinkers - http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/TIN_TOL.htm
"The Tinker" - http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/irish-songs-ballads-lyrics/the_tinker.htm
"The Jolly Tinker" - http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/tommy_makem/the_jolly_tinker-lyrics-1130971.html
"The Jolly Tinker" (different version) - http://home.comcast.net/~jfwtm/JTlyrics.html
"The Drunken Tinker" - http://www.bluegrassnet.com/lyrics/the-drunken-tinker#.Uw6-9oWXDKc
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Travelers' Accomodations
Travel is one of the staples of Fantasy stories. In these tales, our creations wander the world, experiencing it all with fresh eyes to pass on to our readers (or something like that). Often times, amongst our party of wanderers is a crafty woodsman (or lady) who can do for our intrepid creations. They can construct a lean-to or find an abandoned cave (or simply clear the occupants). Getting from one place to another is often simply an obstacle to be overcome, but it need not always be so. Not every night in the wilderness needs to be spent out of doors and each little hamlet you pass through will be distinct from the others in some way. Out-of-the-way places are opportunities, like any other, to grow your characters in front of your audience.
Currency is an important issue, before we get any further along. Smaller villages will probably not have much on hand, especially if they are not along a trade route. Cash is not especially useful in a place that has little extra. Barter is the normal method of exchange in a small community. "I'll help you press the grapes if you give me a share of the wine." Gold will not feed a family or till a field, so travelers may have to pay in with work or goods (feel free to be creative). Currency is a limiting factor in all businesses dealing primarily with travelers.
The first important question is, "What kind of place would cater to travelers?" The simple answer would be, "Any place that has something to gain from them on a regular basis." A small village might have an inn or a tavern if it is along a main road. When a king builds a fortress, a pub might spring up to accommodate the garrison. Basically, there needs to be a profit in it. I once traveled a long dusty road in Brasil. We stopped for a bite in this narrow building, left open to the wind. Chickens wandered the parking lot. All they had on offer were pre-packaged goods and quick fried (though tasty) morsels on display in a glass case. For a North American example, I'll point you toward the roadside burger joint and its greasy repast. These places will offer you enough to sustain you on the road, but little more. What then might you expect in an older time?
Passing through a small town where they don't often see strangers, your adventurers may need to stay in a barn. Private residents might handle irregular trade if they have a guest room. This is common today when you travel to small towns (plus you can get some great deals and fantastic home-cooked meals). Recently popular destinations also boast this kind of accommodation when no inn or hotel has yet sprung up to cater to the new visitors. Now they may advertise, but at the time you would have to knock on doors or ask someone in the street. If you want competition for your travelers' coin, you need to have an excuse for redundant services, otherwise it should be more along the lines of, "I hear the widow Jones hosts the odd traveler or you could try the Petersons. Their son just went off to join the army"
There might be a pub in the town if it is large enough and the locals deal in currency, instead of bartered goods. When I was traveling in England, I came across a town that had no hotels, but some locals (who gave me a ride into town from the train station) pointed me to a pub, which had rooms to rent upstairs and served an appropriately greasy English breakfast. Pubs are a staple of many small towns today, serving as meeting places and community centers. Lodging is a secondary business for a pub, so might be perfect for seasonal farmhands or visiting travelers. The important thing to remember is that to run a pub in this small town, you must be able to supply the stock and have money in the community (local or transient) to support it.
Inns are another possibility for accommodation. In larger towns there might be centers of government or the locals may host regular markets, which could necessitate accommodating travelers. Size would naturally depend on the regularity of visitors. Rooms would be much like modern hostels, offering private rooms and/or shared dormitory style rooms. Much like restaurants today, inns would be difficult businesses to develop. Start up costs are large for such an enterprise and staff would be hard to come by. Cooks, especially, are worth their weight in gold. Remember, there was no market research and there were few banks to provide capitol for new ventures. Starting a business was a mixture of hope, faith and ignorance (with who knows which quality being the most important). Even in a relatively large settlement, if there is no through traffic, there may be little call for an inn.
Hotels (differentiated from Inns by not offering food) would evolve only in the most developed of cities. Restaurants of similar quality are requisite companion businesses. Traditionally, visiting dignitaries would stay with the local Lord, so hotel guests would primarily consist of businessmen and traders. Logically, the decor would be of finer quality than neighboring inns. However, since they offer less in the way of services (no food), a given hotel may simply be a cut-rate room for the night (think rooming-houses). In other words, economic development does not equate to quality. Additionally, because a hotel may require less staff, it is a less risky business than restaurant (which has perishable supplies as well), so an underutilized hotel could hang on for quite some time, creating a rather atmospheric setting for your travelers to stumble upon.
Once you have decided where your traveler will stay, you can decide what they will experience (or maybe you work the other way around). How are customs here different than what they are used to? What are the plates made out of? Do they use utensils? Are the beds made out of straw, corn husks, goose down? Maybe the proprietor will ask your adventurers to help slaughter the pig for dinner (it's an honor in this town). Adventurers are novel, or dangerous, or glamorous, or not to be trusted, depending on the locals and their experience. Will they be robbed, or picked on, or murdered in their beds? Maybe the cook takes a shine to them and packs them a little something to tide them over on the road. The owner's son might start pretending to be a great warrior to get some attention. For some reason, strangers often bring out our deepest fears and desires. We fill up the spaces in them that we don't understand with our own dreams and prejudices. There in no limit to what we can learn from that.
Last week I stumbled across an article (see below) that inspired the meat of this post. It discussed great cities birthed along the African coast (probably) in response to developed trade routes. It is thought that traders visiting these cities did not stay at hotels or inns, but in the homes of its residents. Permanent, semi-private spaces were thought to have been used as markets. This makes sense when you consider the seasonal nature of the business, with traders traveling annually on the monsoon winds and only staying as long as they have goods to buy or sell. These were not holiday getaways and they were not stopovers to the interior, so there would not have been the traffic necessary to support independent businesses. Local people saw an opportunity and took advantage. Traders may have had a pervasive impact, but it was seasonal.
http://www.archaeology.org/issues/116-1401/features/1634-swahili-coast-towns
Currency is an important issue, before we get any further along. Smaller villages will probably not have much on hand, especially if they are not along a trade route. Cash is not especially useful in a place that has little extra. Barter is the normal method of exchange in a small community. "I'll help you press the grapes if you give me a share of the wine." Gold will not feed a family or till a field, so travelers may have to pay in with work or goods (feel free to be creative). Currency is a limiting factor in all businesses dealing primarily with travelers.
The first important question is, "What kind of place would cater to travelers?" The simple answer would be, "Any place that has something to gain from them on a regular basis." A small village might have an inn or a tavern if it is along a main road. When a king builds a fortress, a pub might spring up to accommodate the garrison. Basically, there needs to be a profit in it. I once traveled a long dusty road in Brasil. We stopped for a bite in this narrow building, left open to the wind. Chickens wandered the parking lot. All they had on offer were pre-packaged goods and quick fried (though tasty) morsels on display in a glass case. For a North American example, I'll point you toward the roadside burger joint and its greasy repast. These places will offer you enough to sustain you on the road, but little more. What then might you expect in an older time?
Passing through a small town where they don't often see strangers, your adventurers may need to stay in a barn. Private residents might handle irregular trade if they have a guest room. This is common today when you travel to small towns (plus you can get some great deals and fantastic home-cooked meals). Recently popular destinations also boast this kind of accommodation when no inn or hotel has yet sprung up to cater to the new visitors. Now they may advertise, but at the time you would have to knock on doors or ask someone in the street. If you want competition for your travelers' coin, you need to have an excuse for redundant services, otherwise it should be more along the lines of, "I hear the widow Jones hosts the odd traveler or you could try the Petersons. Their son just went off to join the army"
There might be a pub in the town if it is large enough and the locals deal in currency, instead of bartered goods. When I was traveling in England, I came across a town that had no hotels, but some locals (who gave me a ride into town from the train station) pointed me to a pub, which had rooms to rent upstairs and served an appropriately greasy English breakfast. Pubs are a staple of many small towns today, serving as meeting places and community centers. Lodging is a secondary business for a pub, so might be perfect for seasonal farmhands or visiting travelers. The important thing to remember is that to run a pub in this small town, you must be able to supply the stock and have money in the community (local or transient) to support it.
Inns are another possibility for accommodation. In larger towns there might be centers of government or the locals may host regular markets, which could necessitate accommodating travelers. Size would naturally depend on the regularity of visitors. Rooms would be much like modern hostels, offering private rooms and/or shared dormitory style rooms. Much like restaurants today, inns would be difficult businesses to develop. Start up costs are large for such an enterprise and staff would be hard to come by. Cooks, especially, are worth their weight in gold. Remember, there was no market research and there were few banks to provide capitol for new ventures. Starting a business was a mixture of hope, faith and ignorance (with who knows which quality being the most important). Even in a relatively large settlement, if there is no through traffic, there may be little call for an inn.
Hotels (differentiated from Inns by not offering food) would evolve only in the most developed of cities. Restaurants of similar quality are requisite companion businesses. Traditionally, visiting dignitaries would stay with the local Lord, so hotel guests would primarily consist of businessmen and traders. Logically, the decor would be of finer quality than neighboring inns. However, since they offer less in the way of services (no food), a given hotel may simply be a cut-rate room for the night (think rooming-houses). In other words, economic development does not equate to quality. Additionally, because a hotel may require less staff, it is a less risky business than restaurant (which has perishable supplies as well), so an underutilized hotel could hang on for quite some time, creating a rather atmospheric setting for your travelers to stumble upon.
Once you have decided where your traveler will stay, you can decide what they will experience (or maybe you work the other way around). How are customs here different than what they are used to? What are the plates made out of? Do they use utensils? Are the beds made out of straw, corn husks, goose down? Maybe the proprietor will ask your adventurers to help slaughter the pig for dinner (it's an honor in this town). Adventurers are novel, or dangerous, or glamorous, or not to be trusted, depending on the locals and their experience. Will they be robbed, or picked on, or murdered in their beds? Maybe the cook takes a shine to them and packs them a little something to tide them over on the road. The owner's son might start pretending to be a great warrior to get some attention. For some reason, strangers often bring out our deepest fears and desires. We fill up the spaces in them that we don't understand with our own dreams and prejudices. There in no limit to what we can learn from that.
Last week I stumbled across an article (see below) that inspired the meat of this post. It discussed great cities birthed along the African coast (probably) in response to developed trade routes. It is thought that traders visiting these cities did not stay at hotels or inns, but in the homes of its residents. Permanent, semi-private spaces were thought to have been used as markets. This makes sense when you consider the seasonal nature of the business, with traders traveling annually on the monsoon winds and only staying as long as they have goods to buy or sell. These were not holiday getaways and they were not stopovers to the interior, so there would not have been the traffic necessary to support independent businesses. Local people saw an opportunity and took advantage. Traders may have had a pervasive impact, but it was seasonal.
http://www.archaeology.org/issues/116-1401/features/1634-swahili-coast-towns
Friday, February 21, 2014
Tea (traditions)
As promised, today's installment of information in our exploration of the world relates to tea drinking and traditions around the globe. Tea was my first "adult" beverage. I remember feeling very grown up drinking tea with my Mom in the morning before school (this was something like the 3rd grade). Yes, yes, it was only the women in my family who drank tea. What of it? It wasn't until my rebellious high school years that I started greasing my hair back and switched to the devil coffee. The only other experience I had with tea as a youth was at the one Chinese restaurant in the area. My, how times have changed. Following in the footsteps of boutique coffee shops, a few specialized tea purveyors have cropped up in the USA. It has taken my home country a long time to catch up to the rest of the world.
The origins of tea are steeped in mythology, but most seem to agree that its drinking began in China (2727BC, if you want a date). Originally, tea was used for its medicinal properties, often mixed with orange, ginger and other herbs. Somewhere between 350 and 600AD, the demand necessitated the farming of tea trees. Early on, tea was especially popular at Buddhist monasteries, where the properties of caffeine were appreciated as an aid for extended meditation. Tea became a commodity at this point, sold in brick form, with amounts broken off at need. Tea Classic (780AD) was the first major work on the subject, consisting of three volumes and detailing proper tea from seed to cup, including a tea ceremony using 27 pieces of equipment. During the Sung Dynasty (690-1279AD) tea became more and more ritualized. Tea was picked by young women with nails of a certain length (to the rhythmic beat of drums of cymbals), who were careful to not let the leaves touch their skin. During this time, tea leaves were powdered and the drink was prepared with a whisk. Cups became wider to accommodate this method of preparation. Tea houses evolved and competitions began around the creation of the finest cup. Eventually, custom returned to steeping tea leaves. By the end of the 14th Century, tea was consumed by the commoners as well as the elite. At this time, different methods of processing tea were developed, leading to the creation of many modern varieties, such as green, black, oolong, et cetera. Modern day production and consumption remains high throughout China, which continues to use the beverage as both pleasure and medicine.
They say records of tea drinking in India date back to 750BC. Zen Buddhism's founder was said to have started its use. Commercial production did not begin until the British East India Company bought up land to break China's monopoly. Before that time, villages would pick the leaves from wild native plants to fill their needs. Early on it was eaten pickled or as a sort of soup. Later it was drunk with buffalo or yak's milk and seasoned with spices (today: cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and cloves). Indian teas vary based on their region of origin. During Colonial times, all of the best tea was exported, leaving locals with the dregs (seems like a theme). Today, most Indians drink tea with milk and sugar and will ritually offer it to guests upon their arrival (home or business). Busy streets in India are lined with tea stalls where patrons sit on low benches, drinking from small glass cups and conversing with neighbors. Clay cups are used at train stations, which are smashed after use, as an offering to the earth and to ensure other castes haven't used them. They may all share a love for tea, but some differences...
Japan's history with tea began (much to their displeasure, I'm sure) in China. Visiting monks were served tea by the Emperer Shomu (729AD) and decided to bring the beverage home. Early on, tea was drunk on by imperial court nobles and Buddhist monks. As tea production increased, its consumption spread to the nobility and the samurai class which participated in Chinese styled tea competitions (13th C). Most famous to outsiders is the Art of Tea, embodied in the Japanese tea ceremony (thank you "The Karate Kid"), which is steeped in Zen Buddhism and employs powdered green tea (matcha). This new ceremony (aka not the Chinese one) developed between the 15th and 16th Century. Proper execution of the tea ceremony is highly ritualized and can create a transcendental experience for both host and guest. As in China, the production fine tea utensils became an art form appreciated and curated by practitioners. With the growth in local tea production, its consumption spread to the lower classes (circa 15thC). Today, green tea is often served with or at the end of meals, with other varieties served with sushi or western style meals. In temples and gardens, tea is generally served to the visitor with a tranquil view and a local sweet.
Europe finally caught the tea bug in the 17th Century. In 1606, the first shipments were sent to Europe by the Dutch East India Company. The British East India Company (there seem to have been a bunch) placed its first order in 1664 to satisfy the interest sparked by Catherine of Braganza, Charles II's Portuguese princess. Tea was actually introduced to the English population via coffeehouses. Until 1784, tea was so expensive that it inspired a healthy smuggling trade, including cutting it with other materials. The custom of afternoon tea is said to have emerged in the early 19th Century (we all know about the little sandwiches and such, yes?). At the time, it was common to serve only two meals a day (breakfast and dinner). Tea time helped to bridge the gap (fashionable dinner could be served at 8PM). "Low tea," observed by the elite usually happens around 4PM, while "high tea" for the middle or lower classes happens around 5-6PM (usually in place of dinner). The "high" in high tea refers to the height of the table (usually the dinner table). Tea gardens became popular in 1730, for capping off a night of dancing and fireworks with a refreshing cup. Tea shops evolved in 1864 and became popular places for unescorted ladies to meet with their friends in public in a reputable manner. A noteworthy side-effect of Britain's desire for tea was that the
British EIC (which had the monopoly) took control of large portions of
India to protect their investment. While it did take a while for it to arrive, tea certainly transformed British culture (well, the Irish too, since they drink more tea than the English these days).
Tea arrived in Russia in 1638, following a diplomatic mission, as a present from the Mongolian Khan. The Czar's representative refused the tea and the unwanted gift was handed over to the court in Moscow. It did not become popular (or widely available) until the 1870s, and was limited at that time to aristocratic families, often for medicinal purposes. The Russian "tradition" was codified by the 19th Century literary giants (Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov), who helped to define the Russian national character. In 1901, with the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, prices dropped dramatically and consumption jumped to one pound per person, per year. Samovars (originally from Persia), able to maintain heat over long periods, were traditionally
used to boil the water and became synonymous with Russian tea culture. The Russian tea pot typically has three levels, with the bottom containing hot water for diluting, the middle layer holding a strong black tea, and the upper layer holding an herbal or mint tea. These three layers would be mixed upon serving and possibly sweetened with sugar, jam or honey. Meals are most often taken at home in Russia, so tea is the social solution, whether going out for a cup or inviting someone over. Today, simple black tea is the variety of choice and is always served to guests with some kind of food (generally sweets, but savory items can be served to friends). Sugar and milk are usually available on the Russian table. Tea, like any other social occasion is an excuse for fellowship and long conversation.
Goodness, I still have a lot of reading to do on this subject. After all, I only got through the intro from Yoder's paper Myth and Memory in Russian Tea Culture (give me a break, it's 25 pages, nobody pays me for this). Of course tea had an impact on plenty more cultures than those I've discussed. It is amazing how such a little thing like tea can have such a distinct influence on culture, economics and politics. Drinking tea can apparently give you a transcendent experience as well cure your tummy-ache, assuming the smugglers didn't cut it with something unsavory (would that make it sweet?). There are plenty of links below if you want to do a little more reading, but it's time for me to get some sleep. I hope you've enjoyed the exploration as much as I have.
China - http://www.china.org.cn/learning_chinese/Chinese_tea/2011-07/15/content_22999489.htm
China - http://www.tenren.com/teahistory.html
India - http://www.tea.in/history
India (with general timeline) - http://assamteaxchange.com/abouttea/history.asp
India - http://www.deeshaindiatea.com/history-of-indian-tea.html
Japan - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2041.html
Japanese Tea Ceremony - http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/history.html
Japan - http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/information/INFOJapanHist.asp
Japan - https://www.itoen.co.jp/eng/allabout_greentea/history_of_tea.html
England - http://www.tea.co.uk/page.php?id=95
England - http://www.britainexpress.com/History/tea-in-britain.htm
English Afternoon Tea - http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/information/history-of-afternoon-tea/
Russia- http://gorussia.about.com/od/russian_drinking/a/Tea-Time-In-Russia-Russian-Teatime-Traditions.htm
Russia - http://www.pitt.edu/~slavic/sisc/SISC8/yoder.pdf
Russia - http://www.teamuse.com/article_001202.html
Russia - http://www.russianlife.com/blog/tea-time-in-russia/
The origins of tea are steeped in mythology, but most seem to agree that its drinking began in China (2727BC, if you want a date). Originally, tea was used for its medicinal properties, often mixed with orange, ginger and other herbs. Somewhere between 350 and 600AD, the demand necessitated the farming of tea trees. Early on, tea was especially popular at Buddhist monasteries, where the properties of caffeine were appreciated as an aid for extended meditation. Tea became a commodity at this point, sold in brick form, with amounts broken off at need. Tea Classic (780AD) was the first major work on the subject, consisting of three volumes and detailing proper tea from seed to cup, including a tea ceremony using 27 pieces of equipment. During the Sung Dynasty (690-1279AD) tea became more and more ritualized. Tea was picked by young women with nails of a certain length (to the rhythmic beat of drums of cymbals), who were careful to not let the leaves touch their skin. During this time, tea leaves were powdered and the drink was prepared with a whisk. Cups became wider to accommodate this method of preparation. Tea houses evolved and competitions began around the creation of the finest cup. Eventually, custom returned to steeping tea leaves. By the end of the 14th Century, tea was consumed by the commoners as well as the elite. At this time, different methods of processing tea were developed, leading to the creation of many modern varieties, such as green, black, oolong, et cetera. Modern day production and consumption remains high throughout China, which continues to use the beverage as both pleasure and medicine.They say records of tea drinking in India date back to 750BC. Zen Buddhism's founder was said to have started its use. Commercial production did not begin until the British East India Company bought up land to break China's monopoly. Before that time, villages would pick the leaves from wild native plants to fill their needs. Early on it was eaten pickled or as a sort of soup. Later it was drunk with buffalo or yak's milk and seasoned with spices (today: cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and cloves). Indian teas vary based on their region of origin. During Colonial times, all of the best tea was exported, leaving locals with the dregs (seems like a theme). Today, most Indians drink tea with milk and sugar and will ritually offer it to guests upon their arrival (home or business). Busy streets in India are lined with tea stalls where patrons sit on low benches, drinking from small glass cups and conversing with neighbors. Clay cups are used at train stations, which are smashed after use, as an offering to the earth and to ensure other castes haven't used them. They may all share a love for tea, but some differences...
Goodness, I still have a lot of reading to do on this subject. After all, I only got through the intro from Yoder's paper Myth and Memory in Russian Tea Culture (give me a break, it's 25 pages, nobody pays me for this). Of course tea had an impact on plenty more cultures than those I've discussed. It is amazing how such a little thing like tea can have such a distinct influence on culture, economics and politics. Drinking tea can apparently give you a transcendent experience as well cure your tummy-ache, assuming the smugglers didn't cut it with something unsavory (would that make it sweet?). There are plenty of links below if you want to do a little more reading, but it's time for me to get some sleep. I hope you've enjoyed the exploration as much as I have.
China - http://www.china.org.cn/learning_chinese/Chinese_tea/2011-07/15/content_22999489.htm
China - http://www.tenren.com/teahistory.html
India - http://www.tea.in/history
India (with general timeline) - http://assamteaxchange.com/abouttea/history.asp
India - http://www.deeshaindiatea.com/history-of-indian-tea.html
Japan - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2041.html
Japanese Tea Ceremony - http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/history.html
Japan - http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/information/INFOJapanHist.asp
Japan - https://www.itoen.co.jp/eng/allabout_greentea/history_of_tea.html
England - http://www.tea.co.uk/page.php?id=95
England - http://www.britainexpress.com/History/tea-in-britain.htm
English Afternoon Tea - http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/information/history-of-afternoon-tea/
Russia- http://gorussia.about.com/od/russian_drinking/a/Tea-Time-In-Russia-Russian-Teatime-Traditions.htm
Russia - http://www.pitt.edu/~slavic/sisc/SISC8/yoder.pdf
Russia - http://www.teamuse.com/article_001202.html
Russia - http://www.russianlife.com/blog/tea-time-in-russia/
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Founding a Religion (part IV)
In the last post of this series, I finished with some comments on the relationship between a given god and his/her worshipers. Motivation, for both parties, allows for an incredible amount of flexibility when designing a religion. The more I think about this concept, the more it sparks my imagination. One of the great questions is, "What does God want from me?" For a writer, the opportunity to answer the question in your own world is almost too delicious, even if your characters never discover that truth.
In polytheistic belief systems, the deities are usually assigned specific aspects or responsibilities by which they are identified. The Greek/Roman pantheon are all thought of as, "The God of XYZ." Catholicism, in effect, emulated this concept with the intercession of Saints in specific realms of need or occupations. Each being has their own realm and their own responsibilities. Sometimes these roles have been designated by the most powerful of the gods, sometimes they're fought over (or gambled over) and sometimes they are simply essential to the gods' personalities. These responsibilities then seem to impart motivation to the deities.
Saying that Ares was the God of War is akin to saying that Einstein was a scientist. Throughout their existence, both loved and created, had dreams and ambitions. It is awful to limit your view of any creature to the one thing they are best known for. Just like Jesus or Mohammed, the Gods of the polytheistic world had (or have) personalities and faults. Gods have hopes and desires. They have never been simple archetypes. People did not worship Wisdom, but the embodiment of wisdom. Fully fleshing out the gods of your pantheon is as important as developing any other character in your tale.
It's important to remember (for me too) that much of the mythology we've been exposed to is a more final polished version. Some of the gods may have been formed contemporaneously as complementary powers, like Earth, Wind and Fire (wait, that isn't right). In all likelihood, most gods developed independently and were later incorporated into the greater pantheon as cultures and populations mixed. Familial connections could be forged at any point. Tales of their deeds would have traveled and evolved in the course of the move. I like to imagine being a believer contemporary with their active cults, following news of my God's movements. I wonder if it would be like hearing people proclaim miracles today.
Ascribing desires to a god can be a tricky business. One method of creating a motive for a god is to imagine gods as creations of the human psyche. Through the power of belief (individual or congregation), a god is created in the form believed. These gods would develop independent personalities as time went on, but rooted in the culture that birthed it, establishing similar desires. The power of Fritz Lieber's gods "in Lankhmar" is based on the number of worshipers each has. Methods of increasing congregation size in the real world vary wildly and meet with different degrees of success (don't spill your seed upon the ground). Like any other character, gods need motivation to do anything. When you have established how the gods came to be, you're closer to knowing what your gods want/need, then you can start figuring out how they go about getting it, or convincing their followers to do it for them.
Trouble is, assuming we could understand what a god wants/needs, why would they tell us? It might give us some measure of power over them. What god wants that? The primary way for worshipers to get clues about this is from the directives the gods give their followers. Assuming the task is accomplished, what result do the believers see? Perhaps a boon is granted to the faithful, but is this a result of a power boost or is it simple the whim of the god? What if they fail? Does their God stop talking to them? Has it died? This leads to the maddening question, "How much truth is my God giving me?" This can be supplemented with the question, "Is God just fucking with me?" Gods do seem to like their amusements. This is just a small sample of the sadistic pleasure you can take in making your own world.
In polytheistic belief systems, the deities are usually assigned specific aspects or responsibilities by which they are identified. The Greek/Roman pantheon are all thought of as, "The God of XYZ." Catholicism, in effect, emulated this concept with the intercession of Saints in specific realms of need or occupations. Each being has their own realm and their own responsibilities. Sometimes these roles have been designated by the most powerful of the gods, sometimes they're fought over (or gambled over) and sometimes they are simply essential to the gods' personalities. These responsibilities then seem to impart motivation to the deities.
Saying that Ares was the God of War is akin to saying that Einstein was a scientist. Throughout their existence, both loved and created, had dreams and ambitions. It is awful to limit your view of any creature to the one thing they are best known for. Just like Jesus or Mohammed, the Gods of the polytheistic world had (or have) personalities and faults. Gods have hopes and desires. They have never been simple archetypes. People did not worship Wisdom, but the embodiment of wisdom. Fully fleshing out the gods of your pantheon is as important as developing any other character in your tale.
It's important to remember (for me too) that much of the mythology we've been exposed to is a more final polished version. Some of the gods may have been formed contemporaneously as complementary powers, like Earth, Wind and Fire (wait, that isn't right). In all likelihood, most gods developed independently and were later incorporated into the greater pantheon as cultures and populations mixed. Familial connections could be forged at any point. Tales of their deeds would have traveled and evolved in the course of the move. I like to imagine being a believer contemporary with their active cults, following news of my God's movements. I wonder if it would be like hearing people proclaim miracles today.
Ascribing desires to a god can be a tricky business. One method of creating a motive for a god is to imagine gods as creations of the human psyche. Through the power of belief (individual or congregation), a god is created in the form believed. These gods would develop independent personalities as time went on, but rooted in the culture that birthed it, establishing similar desires. The power of Fritz Lieber's gods "in Lankhmar" is based on the number of worshipers each has. Methods of increasing congregation size in the real world vary wildly and meet with different degrees of success (don't spill your seed upon the ground). Like any other character, gods need motivation to do anything. When you have established how the gods came to be, you're closer to knowing what your gods want/need, then you can start figuring out how they go about getting it, or convincing their followers to do it for them.
Trouble is, assuming we could understand what a god wants/needs, why would they tell us? It might give us some measure of power over them. What god wants that? The primary way for worshipers to get clues about this is from the directives the gods give their followers. Assuming the task is accomplished, what result do the believers see? Perhaps a boon is granted to the faithful, but is this a result of a power boost or is it simple the whim of the god? What if they fail? Does their God stop talking to them? Has it died? This leads to the maddening question, "How much truth is my God giving me?" This can be supplemented with the question, "Is God just fucking with me?" Gods do seem to like their amusements. This is just a small sample of the sadistic pleasure you can take in making your own world.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Coffee (traditions)
Alright, originally I intended for this post to include tea as well, but it quickly became obvious that the size would spin out of control, so I decided to split it. Please feel free to comment on mistakes or omissions.
This is a subject close to my heart as coffee was so much a factor in my adolescence. I didn't start with alcohol until I was twenty, so coffee was a social outlet. The coffeehouse thing was in full swing in the 90s and my friends and I got our fill over a few games of rummy, with live jazz floating in the background (the place burned down and remains a hole in the ground). If we weren't there, then we were at the Middlesex Diner, which was open all night, had a bottomless cup of coffee and wouldn't throw you out as long as you ordered something to eat (cinnamon toast was $0.99). Coffee is what provided a forum for like minded folks to meet and fueled those late night discussions. However, the relatively modern explosion in the USA is only the latest chapter in the long history of the beverage.
Most people thinking of traditional cafe culture immediately think of Paris and the curbside tables jammed with people watching long-legged women with small dogs. These may be iconic, but the first coffeehouse in Paris was established in 1672. Some say the first coffeehouses in Istanbul (then, Constantinople) opened in the 15th Century. From the Middle East, the beverage and tradition moved to Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean community before heading North.
Coffee served in Turkey is a different beast from what most of the world enjoys, though it doesn't seem to be quite the same as the "Turkish Coffee" I've been served in the US and Europe. In my experience, Turkish Coffee is quite like coffee in the USA, but between two layers of "mud" (coffee grounds), it's not too surprising that this was wrong. First of all, coffee in Turkey is generally consumed as a digestive. Water should be drunk first to cleanse the palate. Served in small ceramic cups, you are supposed to sip coffee slowly during conversation. The service (sometimes in a copper case) as well as the form (with the grounds on the bottom and thick foam on the top) are intended to insulate the coffee so you can savor it. Any variety of coffee bean may be used (no coffee is grown in Turkey, remember?), but needs to be more finely ground (a fine powder) than other forms. Sugar is added to taste during the brewing process and should not be added later as this would mess with the insulating layer. In addition to conversation and coffee, smoking is common at this time after the meal, which may include water pipes. Only one cup is generally consumed after a meal, though it may be followed with tea if you want to continue the conversation.
Coffee reached Venice from the Islamic world in the 16th Century. Amusingly, the Italian method of drinking coffee is almost opposite that of the Turkish. Coffee there is generally downed in one gulp while standing (though still in small portions). Italian coffee drinking has informed the current international craze and works from the base of espresso (a single shot of coffee) and naturally, our terminology is all wrong. Additionally, milky coffee is never drunk after noon (basically it's only taken before breakfast), though a drop of booze in it at that time is "corretto." Regular top ups of caffeine throughout the day are common. Most Italians have their favorite regular haunt (or favorite barista) they visit every day where they will gossip, and argue about sports and politics. The Italians seem to have introduced variety to the coffee world, though they don't accept all of its modern iterations with various flavors and ingredients so popular in the USA (funny how it works the same way with beer in the USA).
Vienna and coffeehouses are almost inextricably linked (even recognized by UNESCO). The first coffeehouse was opened there in 1685, but these businesses reached their peak in the 19th Century when famous artists, writers, politicians and scientists became regular patrons. Spending time in one of these establishments can be an all day affair. In these coffeehouses, you could find a broad selection of newspapers to peruse from across Europe, as well as all the latest literary journals. Service in Vienna is given more attention with waiters providing prompt service and refilling water glasses unasked (if you've ever been to Europe, you know how big of a thing this is) and never delivering the bill unless asked. At the beginning of the 20th Century, a Viennese coffeehouse could be a very posh affair with crystal chandeliers and waiters in tails. Marble tabletops are still a common feature, though the grandeur has faded over time as the dark wood paneling gathers layers of cigarette ash. Coffee comes in a variety of guises here as well (see the second Vienna link below), including topping off with whipped cream or cherry brandy. Oh, and while you visit, don't forget to have some cake or pastry. It's delish and perfectly authentic (coffee and cake is a standard meet-up idea in Germany as well). Cafes offer a variety of small meals and deserts to tide you over while devouring the news of the day.
My time in Prague allowed me to visit quite a few of the landmarks (and work in some). Coffeehouses in Prague were modeled on those of Vienna. Vaclav Havel helped to preserve Cafe Slavia, where he and friends would congregate and instigate, though Kafka and his buddies preferred Cafe Arco across town (though not at the same time). I always enjoyed meeting friends at Cafe Louvre (though mostly we drank beer) to shoot some pool in a rather elegant setting. Many large cities in Central Europe were similarly inspired by the Viennese model.
In London, coffeehouses multiplied greatly in the late 17th Century. As in Vienna, the English coffeehouse was a place for high and low to mingle, but generally didn't include women. A one-penny entrance fee was required, but could generally be afforded by and but the poor (which is a big step in such a hierarchical society) . The drink itself was strong and sweet as the Turkish variety, though in larger served in larger portions and perhaps not prepared with the same level of care. Coffee was almost a cultural revolution in London (where folks normally drank alcohol to get through the day). The stock exchange, insurance industry and auctioneering were all founded within London coffeehouses. Naturally, not all coffeehouses were economic hotbeds. They varied wildly depending on the neighboring population and businesses. However, they were all geared towards the exchange of information and opinions, with all the newspapers to provide one if you didn't have your own.
How is it that I've gone this long without discussing Paris again? First, Parisian cafes are not coffeehouses. They often serve a full menu, including wine. Some also have little shops attached to buy those cigarettes you want to smoke while looking good. Coffee arrived in Paris in 1685, thanks to Jean de Thevenot, but was brought to popularity as the result of a visit from the Turkish ambassador in 1669 and was first sold publicly in 1672. At first, it was sold in markets and from door-to-door, but finally the first real coffeehouse was established in 1689. This cafe became the haunt of such luminaries as Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and so on. Coffee was taken extremely sweet, which led to popularizing the use of sugar. Voltaire's favorite drink was said to be a mixture of coffee and chocolate, which is the first mention I've seen of this blend. As in many other nations, cafes became centers for artistic and political discussion, notably serving an important role in the French Revolution. Cafes tended to draw certain crowd which might not have been as diverse as in some other cities. An interesting feature that seems to separate Parisian cafes from those of other nations is that women seem to have been prominent fixtures. In fact, cafes became so popular and widespread that entertainments began to be offered to draw new patrons and keep the old ones. Again, as cafes rose in importance, public drunkenness decreased, doubling the apparent health effects of the beverage.
Brazilian coffee may be a huge export, but it was only introduced to the country in the 19th Century. The most common form to find your coffee is as a small complementary cup of cafezinho after a meal. It surprised me to see cafezinho available even in the dirtiest of buffets (which are very common, though not all dirty), squeezed out of a blue plastic thermos. This coffee tends to be of relatively low quality and sweet enough to give you a toothache. In Rio and some of the other large cities, you can find older European inspired coffee experiences complete with the good stuff, but most coffee is sold at lunch counters or in restaurants. Coffee served in the home tends to use the same aluminum espresso makers you'll find in many Italian households, but still heavily sugared (sugar is also a big national product).
Wow, that took forever and I've barely scratched the surface (sorry Asia as well as most of Africa and South America). As we've seen, coffee played an important role in the artistic and political development of the Western World (I guess in the East it's more of a tea thing anyway. I'll get to that soon, promise). It not only provided an alternative to alcohol (making more clearheaded discussion possible), but also a forum for the discussion of the important issues of the day. Man, we thought we were so hip in the 90s, hanging out in the guts of an old row house, playing cards and listening to bad poetry (though Cafe News did in fine tradition have magazines and newspapers). Little did we know that we were simply following in the footsteps of the millions before us, sharing hopes and fears with our fellows over a hot cup'a joe.
general (conflicting info) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse tradition in Iran - http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1279.html
Turkish coffee - http://www.deliciousistanbul.com/blog/2012/10/16/enjoy-turkish-coffee/
Making Turkish Coffee - https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/How_to_make_Turkish_Coffee_s/54.htm
Guide to drinking the stuff in Italy - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/6246202/Italian-coffee-culture-a-guide.html
Italian drinking - http://www.nellositaly.com/the-culture-of-italian-coffee.html
Vienna - http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/saving-the-vienna-coffee-houses
Vienna - http://www.viennadirect.com/food/coffee.php
London - http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/
Paris - http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B701/16MB701.html
Rio - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/travel/25dayout.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
This is a subject close to my heart as coffee was so much a factor in my adolescence. I didn't start with alcohol until I was twenty, so coffee was a social outlet. The coffeehouse thing was in full swing in the 90s and my friends and I got our fill over a few games of rummy, with live jazz floating in the background (the place burned down and remains a hole in the ground). If we weren't there, then we were at the Middlesex Diner, which was open all night, had a bottomless cup of coffee and wouldn't throw you out as long as you ordered something to eat (cinnamon toast was $0.99). Coffee is what provided a forum for like minded folks to meet and fueled those late night discussions. However, the relatively modern explosion in the USA is only the latest chapter in the long history of the beverage.
Most people thinking of traditional cafe culture immediately think of Paris and the curbside tables jammed with people watching long-legged women with small dogs. These may be iconic, but the first coffeehouse in Paris was established in 1672. Some say the first coffeehouses in Istanbul (then, Constantinople) opened in the 15th Century. From the Middle East, the beverage and tradition moved to Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean community before heading North.
Coffee served in Turkey is a different beast from what most of the world enjoys, though it doesn't seem to be quite the same as the "Turkish Coffee" I've been served in the US and Europe. In my experience, Turkish Coffee is quite like coffee in the USA, but between two layers of "mud" (coffee grounds), it's not too surprising that this was wrong. First of all, coffee in Turkey is generally consumed as a digestive. Water should be drunk first to cleanse the palate. Served in small ceramic cups, you are supposed to sip coffee slowly during conversation. The service (sometimes in a copper case) as well as the form (with the grounds on the bottom and thick foam on the top) are intended to insulate the coffee so you can savor it. Any variety of coffee bean may be used (no coffee is grown in Turkey, remember?), but needs to be more finely ground (a fine powder) than other forms. Sugar is added to taste during the brewing process and should not be added later as this would mess with the insulating layer. In addition to conversation and coffee, smoking is common at this time after the meal, which may include water pipes. Only one cup is generally consumed after a meal, though it may be followed with tea if you want to continue the conversation.
Coffee reached Venice from the Islamic world in the 16th Century. Amusingly, the Italian method of drinking coffee is almost opposite that of the Turkish. Coffee there is generally downed in one gulp while standing (though still in small portions). Italian coffee drinking has informed the current international craze and works from the base of espresso (a single shot of coffee) and naturally, our terminology is all wrong. Additionally, milky coffee is never drunk after noon (basically it's only taken before breakfast), though a drop of booze in it at that time is "corretto." Regular top ups of caffeine throughout the day are common. Most Italians have their favorite regular haunt (or favorite barista) they visit every day where they will gossip, and argue about sports and politics. The Italians seem to have introduced variety to the coffee world, though they don't accept all of its modern iterations with various flavors and ingredients so popular in the USA (funny how it works the same way with beer in the USA).
Vienna and coffeehouses are almost inextricably linked (even recognized by UNESCO). The first coffeehouse was opened there in 1685, but these businesses reached their peak in the 19th Century when famous artists, writers, politicians and scientists became regular patrons. Spending time in one of these establishments can be an all day affair. In these coffeehouses, you could find a broad selection of newspapers to peruse from across Europe, as well as all the latest literary journals. Service in Vienna is given more attention with waiters providing prompt service and refilling water glasses unasked (if you've ever been to Europe, you know how big of a thing this is) and never delivering the bill unless asked. At the beginning of the 20th Century, a Viennese coffeehouse could be a very posh affair with crystal chandeliers and waiters in tails. Marble tabletops are still a common feature, though the grandeur has faded over time as the dark wood paneling gathers layers of cigarette ash. Coffee comes in a variety of guises here as well (see the second Vienna link below), including topping off with whipped cream or cherry brandy. Oh, and while you visit, don't forget to have some cake or pastry. It's delish and perfectly authentic (coffee and cake is a standard meet-up idea in Germany as well). Cafes offer a variety of small meals and deserts to tide you over while devouring the news of the day.
My time in Prague allowed me to visit quite a few of the landmarks (and work in some). Coffeehouses in Prague were modeled on those of Vienna. Vaclav Havel helped to preserve Cafe Slavia, where he and friends would congregate and instigate, though Kafka and his buddies preferred Cafe Arco across town (though not at the same time). I always enjoyed meeting friends at Cafe Louvre (though mostly we drank beer) to shoot some pool in a rather elegant setting. Many large cities in Central Europe were similarly inspired by the Viennese model.
A
small body-colour drawing of the interior of a London coffeehouse from
c. 1705. Everything about this oozes warmth and welcome from the
bubbling coffee cauldron right down to the flickering candles and kind
eyes of the coffee drinkers – Source. - See more at:
http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/#sthash.Z63PAN5t.dpuf
A
small body-colour drawing of the interior of a London coffeehouse from
c. 1705. Everything about this oozes warmth and welcome from the
bubbling coffee cauldron right down to the flickering candles and kind
eyes of the coffee drinkers – Source. - See more at:
http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/#sthash.Z63PAN5t.dpuf
In London, coffeehouses multiplied greatly in the late 17th Century. As in Vienna, the English coffeehouse was a place for high and low to mingle, but generally didn't include women. A one-penny entrance fee was required, but could generally be afforded by and but the poor (which is a big step in such a hierarchical society) . The drink itself was strong and sweet as the Turkish variety, though in larger served in larger portions and perhaps not prepared with the same level of care. Coffee was almost a cultural revolution in London (where folks normally drank alcohol to get through the day). The stock exchange, insurance industry and auctioneering were all founded within London coffeehouses. Naturally, not all coffeehouses were economic hotbeds. They varied wildly depending on the neighboring population and businesses. However, they were all geared towards the exchange of information and opinions, with all the newspapers to provide one if you didn't have your own.
How is it that I've gone this long without discussing Paris again? First, Parisian cafes are not coffeehouses. They often serve a full menu, including wine. Some also have little shops attached to buy those cigarettes you want to smoke while looking good. Coffee arrived in Paris in 1685, thanks to Jean de Thevenot, but was brought to popularity as the result of a visit from the Turkish ambassador in 1669 and was first sold publicly in 1672. At first, it was sold in markets and from door-to-door, but finally the first real coffeehouse was established in 1689. This cafe became the haunt of such luminaries as Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and so on. Coffee was taken extremely sweet, which led to popularizing the use of sugar. Voltaire's favorite drink was said to be a mixture of coffee and chocolate, which is the first mention I've seen of this blend. As in many other nations, cafes became centers for artistic and political discussion, notably serving an important role in the French Revolution. Cafes tended to draw certain crowd which might not have been as diverse as in some other cities. An interesting feature that seems to separate Parisian cafes from those of other nations is that women seem to have been prominent fixtures. In fact, cafes became so popular and widespread that entertainments began to be offered to draw new patrons and keep the old ones. Again, as cafes rose in importance, public drunkenness decreased, doubling the apparent health effects of the beverage.
Brazilian coffee may be a huge export, but it was only introduced to the country in the 19th Century. The most common form to find your coffee is as a small complementary cup of cafezinho after a meal. It surprised me to see cafezinho available even in the dirtiest of buffets (which are very common, though not all dirty), squeezed out of a blue plastic thermos. This coffee tends to be of relatively low quality and sweet enough to give you a toothache. In Rio and some of the other large cities, you can find older European inspired coffee experiences complete with the good stuff, but most coffee is sold at lunch counters or in restaurants. Coffee served in the home tends to use the same aluminum espresso makers you'll find in many Italian households, but still heavily sugared (sugar is also a big national product).
Wow, that took forever and I've barely scratched the surface (sorry Asia as well as most of Africa and South America). As we've seen, coffee played an important role in the artistic and political development of the Western World (I guess in the East it's more of a tea thing anyway. I'll get to that soon, promise). It not only provided an alternative to alcohol (making more clearheaded discussion possible), but also a forum for the discussion of the important issues of the day. Man, we thought we were so hip in the 90s, hanging out in the guts of an old row house, playing cards and listening to bad poetry (though Cafe News did in fine tradition have magazines and newspapers). Little did we know that we were simply following in the footsteps of the millions before us, sharing hopes and fears with our fellows over a hot cup'a joe.
general (conflicting info) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse tradition in Iran - http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1279.html
Turkish coffee - http://www.deliciousistanbul.com/blog/2012/10/16/enjoy-turkish-coffee/
Making Turkish Coffee - https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/How_to_make_Turkish_Coffee_s/54.htm
Guide to drinking the stuff in Italy - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/6246202/Italian-coffee-culture-a-guide.html
Italian drinking - http://www.nellositaly.com/the-culture-of-italian-coffee.html
Vienna - http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/saving-the-vienna-coffee-houses
Vienna - http://www.viennadirect.com/food/coffee.php
London - http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/
Paris - http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B701/16MB701.html
Rio - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/travel/25dayout.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Monday, February 10, 2014
Creature Culture (part 4)
In this series, I've gone through a number of the issues involved with making invented cultures function realistically. However, with all of this working through the minutia, I've skipped over an interesting basic question: how do you create a Fantasy social structure that is controlled by women? Unfortunately, drawing from human history (as far as I know) leaves us with a blank. Modern life has redefined gender roles in humans for a variety of
reasons, mostly related to technology. It is important to forget modern
life when designing a culture in an entirely different setting. I know
it sounds obvious, but my goal in creating a character/culture is to
make it fit within the world it lives. Within our Fantasy worlds we have the
freedom to work with biology and natural history (as is my general
preference) to create just such an culture.
There are no reasonable arguments as to why men have held a dominant role in shaping human culture apart from physical traits. As with all animals, male and female roles are generally defined by what works best given the tools at hand. It is in no way provable that men are smarter or wiser than women (as much as men have tried to say otherwise). However, there do tend to be general differences between the genders beyond our sexual organs (though they are important as well). Consequently, in a Fantasy setting based on the Medieval period, to create a female dominated society, we must alter the physical.
Human men generally have greater physical strength than their female counterparts (yes, there are always exceptions). In the natural world, this generally translates into a greater ability to fend off or kill predators as well as prey animals. For humans it also makes men more able to construct shelters, carry wood to build fires, till fields and so on. There is nothing to say that women can't do this, or didn't do it, simply that men seem to be built for it. A simple method to make females dominant would be to make them larger than the males (like the Amazons). There are certainly plenty of examples of this in the natural world. Many species of bird have larger females and we all love those praying mantis ladies. Physical strength is not the whole story in the evolution of gender roles, but it's a good starting place.
While on the subject of power, I'd like to address the use of magic as a game-changer. If this power were only available to ladies it would certainly alter the social structure. It's within your rights as creator, I just don't know that I would want to grant exclusive power of this type without a balance on the other side. Nature doesn't really work that way. Perhaps ladies are better at it (or some aspect of it) because of something inherently feminine. Maybe there are social prohibitions that have grown up around the use by men because of some ugly history. How magic could impact gender relations over history is a little too big to go much deeper today, so we'll just leave it here.
One of the arguments as to why men have dominated human history is reproduction. The physical strain placed upon a female human to carry a child is enormous. While a woman can continue to work when pregnant (I'll never forget reading The Good Earth), it is limiting. Childbirth is dangerous for both the mother and child. To reduce these risks could lessen the female's dependance on the male for protection at these times and allow women to become ascendant. There are multiple reproduction plans which could encourage this. By laying eggs, females are not burdened by carrying the gestating fetuses. Danger to the offspring is usually offset by multiple eggs and the eggs are often guarded by both parents. Multiple smaller offspring is a viable alternative. There could even be some kind of multi-stage development, like certain insects or amphibians (though they also start as eggs). If you remove the reliance of the female on the male for protection while propagating the species, you allow for all sorts of social restructuring.
Child rearing is another physical reason that women have held a support role. After giving birth, the human female's role (like that of many animals) is not over in relation to her children. Milk produced by the mother (which starts as a result of producing the offspring) is the healthiest thing out there for the kids. From my limited exposure to young 'uns, I've seen that the little ones feed all the time and at all hours. Consequently, they need to be with mom until they can start to feed on another source. Yes, wet nurses were sometimes used by rich ladies (before formula). Yes, we now drink the milk of other animals, but that certainly wasn't entirely safe before pasteurization. Having little ones is a beautiful thing, but it slows the ladies down. Young that can take care of themselves right off the bat could alleviate this (though if you remove lactation, do the ladies still have boobs?). Human children are just too dependent on mother in the early stages, making mothers again require male protection.
Human reproduction comes out roughly 50/50 men/women (yes, I know there are more women than men). As an evolutionary development, it seems effective. If two offspring survive, it's likely that they can make more. Now, lets say that we skew this one way or the other. How would that change things? If there were ten times the number of women, would they band together to protect the males? If there were ten times the number of men, would the women be able to pick and choose? I find the second option likely to be worse for women, but you might be able to work something out (I'd be interested to read it). I'm not sure if the queen of an ant colony is the boss or the servant of all (though some would argue that this is the case for all good governments).
The goal of every species is to perpetuate itself. When you look at humans from this evolutionary standpoint, you see that the ladies do most of the perpetuating. If children are literally the point of existence, then men primarily function as enablers (and carriers of genetic material). The purpose of the family group is to protect and educate the young so that they can later produce subsequent generations. The position of the woman in Medieval society was an outgrowth of this evolutionary imperative, but in your Fantasy world, it needn't be the same. Many of the suggestions I've made in this post would definitely change what it means to be "human," but then I never said I was helping you design humans and you never said that your humans were from Earth. You can apply these ideas to any or all of the creations that populate your world, but always remember that when you start altering your ladies physically, you will alter them psychologically as well (and the guys in response).
There are no reasonable arguments as to why men have held a dominant role in shaping human culture apart from physical traits. As with all animals, male and female roles are generally defined by what works best given the tools at hand. It is in no way provable that men are smarter or wiser than women (as much as men have tried to say otherwise). However, there do tend to be general differences between the genders beyond our sexual organs (though they are important as well). Consequently, in a Fantasy setting based on the Medieval period, to create a female dominated society, we must alter the physical.
Human men generally have greater physical strength than their female counterparts (yes, there are always exceptions). In the natural world, this generally translates into a greater ability to fend off or kill predators as well as prey animals. For humans it also makes men more able to construct shelters, carry wood to build fires, till fields and so on. There is nothing to say that women can't do this, or didn't do it, simply that men seem to be built for it. A simple method to make females dominant would be to make them larger than the males (like the Amazons). There are certainly plenty of examples of this in the natural world. Many species of bird have larger females and we all love those praying mantis ladies. Physical strength is not the whole story in the evolution of gender roles, but it's a good starting place.
While on the subject of power, I'd like to address the use of magic as a game-changer. If this power were only available to ladies it would certainly alter the social structure. It's within your rights as creator, I just don't know that I would want to grant exclusive power of this type without a balance on the other side. Nature doesn't really work that way. Perhaps ladies are better at it (or some aspect of it) because of something inherently feminine. Maybe there are social prohibitions that have grown up around the use by men because of some ugly history. How magic could impact gender relations over history is a little too big to go much deeper today, so we'll just leave it here.
One of the arguments as to why men have dominated human history is reproduction. The physical strain placed upon a female human to carry a child is enormous. While a woman can continue to work when pregnant (I'll never forget reading The Good Earth), it is limiting. Childbirth is dangerous for both the mother and child. To reduce these risks could lessen the female's dependance on the male for protection at these times and allow women to become ascendant. There are multiple reproduction plans which could encourage this. By laying eggs, females are not burdened by carrying the gestating fetuses. Danger to the offspring is usually offset by multiple eggs and the eggs are often guarded by both parents. Multiple smaller offspring is a viable alternative. There could even be some kind of multi-stage development, like certain insects or amphibians (though they also start as eggs). If you remove the reliance of the female on the male for protection while propagating the species, you allow for all sorts of social restructuring.
Child rearing is another physical reason that women have held a support role. After giving birth, the human female's role (like that of many animals) is not over in relation to her children. Milk produced by the mother (which starts as a result of producing the offspring) is the healthiest thing out there for the kids. From my limited exposure to young 'uns, I've seen that the little ones feed all the time and at all hours. Consequently, they need to be with mom until they can start to feed on another source. Yes, wet nurses were sometimes used by rich ladies (before formula). Yes, we now drink the milk of other animals, but that certainly wasn't entirely safe before pasteurization. Having little ones is a beautiful thing, but it slows the ladies down. Young that can take care of themselves right off the bat could alleviate this (though if you remove lactation, do the ladies still have boobs?). Human children are just too dependent on mother in the early stages, making mothers again require male protection.
Human reproduction comes out roughly 50/50 men/women (yes, I know there are more women than men). As an evolutionary development, it seems effective. If two offspring survive, it's likely that they can make more. Now, lets say that we skew this one way or the other. How would that change things? If there were ten times the number of women, would they band together to protect the males? If there were ten times the number of men, would the women be able to pick and choose? I find the second option likely to be worse for women, but you might be able to work something out (I'd be interested to read it). I'm not sure if the queen of an ant colony is the boss or the servant of all (though some would argue that this is the case for all good governments).
The goal of every species is to perpetuate itself. When you look at humans from this evolutionary standpoint, you see that the ladies do most of the perpetuating. If children are literally the point of existence, then men primarily function as enablers (and carriers of genetic material). The purpose of the family group is to protect and educate the young so that they can later produce subsequent generations. The position of the woman in Medieval society was an outgrowth of this evolutionary imperative, but in your Fantasy world, it needn't be the same. Many of the suggestions I've made in this post would definitely change what it means to be "human," but then I never said I was helping you design humans and you never said that your humans were from Earth. You can apply these ideas to any or all of the creations that populate your world, but always remember that when you start altering your ladies physically, you will alter them psychologically as well (and the guys in response).
Friday, February 7, 2014
Tea and Coffee (logistics)
Alright, so you've got your setting all mapped out and you're tired of your heroes spending time at the pub (you filthy commies). What is an author to do? Plain old water is boring and often polluted. There ain't no sports drinks here (I'm not too worried about copyrights since I don't make money off of this, but I get the feeling these folks might come after me. These guys and that cheese-eater fronted entertainment group). We need some kind of beverage to consume on the regular to get you through the day. Carbonated beverages seem to be out the window. What does that leave? For most of us, those beverages are tea and coffee.
It seems that the history of tea began thousands of years ago in ancient China or India, but our worlds are made up, so don't worry about who found it first. The tea plant that we know and love (producing: black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, etc) grows best in climates that maintain steady temperatures year round, but enjoy opposing rainy and dry seasons. Altitude doesn't seem to matter much, but will slow the maturation and growth cycles. Soil is preferably deep and well drained. Tea is harvested every week or two during the growing season. Wild, the bushes can grow quite large, but under cultivation they are usually planted in rows and trained into a fan shape approximately four feet wide to increase the harvesting surface (you only take the leaves at the end of the sprig). This caffeinated concoction has become popular the world over, but production is obviously not so simple. Of course, if you want to make it work differently in your world, I won't stop you.
Obviously, not all tea is made from the tea plant. Herbal teas (aka tisane, according to wikipedia)
include basically any other plant matter steeped in hot water. Often these are herbal remedies and seem to fit more snugly in your woods-witch handbook. These would include beverages like the ginger tea my Czech friends swear by to fix up their colds or the chamomile tea you drink at night as a soother. Raistlin Majere (Dragonlance series) had his mixture to help with the cough. Many herbs that we know and love have been used for medicinal purposes throughout history and were staples of the medieval garden. Indeed, at the time, herbal cures were probably the most efficacious thing out there. Especially for those who lived near nature, a little herb lore is almost a certainty (and don't forget your poisons, you need to know what to avoid eating in the woods too). Who doesn't like a little soother at the end of a long day, or a warm-up when you've just come in from slaying that mean old ice dragon?
Coffee is a much different beast than its caffeinated cousin. The two main varieties are robusta and arabica (Vlad Taltos drinks something similar in Mr. Brust's entertaining series). Arabica beans grow best in subtropical regions at 1800-3600 feet, or equatorial regions at 3600-6300 feet. Robusta coffee grows within 10 degrees of the equator between sea level and about 3000 feet. Coffee can be grown in conjunction with other crops as it is a shade loving plant which can reach 15 feet in height if left unpruned. Fruiting occurs once a year, producing bunches of coffee cherries, which ripen over the course of 5-6 months (faster ripening and higher yield if solo cropped, though much harder on the soil and environment). These fruits have a sweet-tart taste to them. The seeds of these cherries are the coffee beans. The legend is that an Ethiopian goatherd spotted his amped charges eating these berries and passed the knowledge along. The beverage may not have been developed in your world, but someone could know about the berries (or coca leaves for that matter, but that's a different post).
There are plenty of alternative beverages to explore if you don't want your creations sounding like alcoholics to certain audiences (look, man, it's only a problem if it gets in the way of your life). Humans have been experimenting with the world around us since we figured out we need to eat to survive. Brewed beverages of all sorts have made their way into our culture because of their health effects and because they taste much better than plain old boiled water. While herbal concoctions may have been the most common of these examples found in medieval Europe, there is no reason your world can't incorporate more. I don't know where your characters live or what kind of plants grow there, but everybody need a little pick-me-up now and again. Cheers.
http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/tea_grow_it.html
http://www.tea.co.uk/tea-growing-and-production
http://botanical.com/
http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=68
http://www.ico.org/planting_e.asp?section=About_Coffee
http://www.thanksgivingcoffee.com/blog/?p=174
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Jobs - Mason
The title of the working mason has become clouded with the history of the occult and with conspiracy theories related to the fraternal organization known as the Freemasons. While the two are historically linked, the political activities of the larger organization are not the topic of today's post. The history of the stonemason is about as long as that of human settlement. The use of quicklime and plaster have been found in prehistoric constructions. Shaping stone to conform to the needs of humanity has been a skill developed over thousands of years on every continent that humans reside.
Gaps in knowledge did occur between those who created the marvels of the ancient world and the men men who designed the soaring monuments of the medieval. Developments in Geometry have long been coupled with practical applications related to construction, but the masons of this period in Europe were not formally educated. Even if the mason could read, the knowledge of the ancients was not available to him. Apprenticeships were conducted on site, with students learning the practical aspects of the art under the watchful eye of a master mason. Through this on-the-job training, young masons would learn about design, proportion and load distribution without the mathematical models and precision engineering of the modern architect.
During the Medieval Period, the Master Mason was the man in charge of the entire construction process. He was the architect, builder, engineer, and chief overseer. As a skilled artisan, his status was firmly in the middle class. His offices were often on-site, sometimes purpose built within the building under construction. In medieval communities it was common that only the most important of buildings were built from stone (fortifications and churches mostly). Consequently, masons often lived a nomadic lifestyle, traveling from job to job (though some of the great cathedrals did take quite a long time to finish).
Not every mason was a master mason, and not every master mason was in charge of the project on which they were working. The rank of "master" was a title conveyed by the guild to denote a level of competence and experience. Once an apprentice had completed his education (around seven years), it was traditionally required that he work as a "journeyman," traveling from job to job to acquire the experience necessary to be considered a "master" and go into business for himself. These journeymen would work as laborers and stone carvers on the projects of others. Each mason had a personal symbol that he would carve on to a completed block to identify his work. Whenever a mason arrived to work on a new job site, he would be tested by the Master to ensure the quality of his work. Information appears to have been readily shared among masons with styles and techniques commonly being imitated by contemporaries.
Scheduling for work was largely seasonal. Construction occurred in the spring and summer months when mortar could set properly. During this time, the master mason would be occupied with overseeing all of the workers on site, including carpenters, glaziers, laborers and other masons. Scaffolding, wooden forms and simple cranes were used to maneuver and set the stone in place. Stone was transported by water or by cart. Larger stones would be shaped at the quarry to make them lighter for transport. Cold weather months were occupied with creating and modifying designs as well as shaping the stones to be fitted when the weather cooperated. This also gave time for the laid stones to settle. Full scale templates were used for shaping and assembling the stones. The completion of larger projects could take decades.
Tools employed by the mason were deceptively simple. The two essential tools for shaping stone were the hammer and chisel. These were used not just for cutting and smoothing large blocks, but also for producing the fine detail and carving so richly executed in the Gothic Period. The straight edge was important for ensuring a smooth surface for fitting stone and also as part of a level. A plum bob could be attached to the straight edge to ensure a course of stone was level across multiple blocks. Set squares were used for drawing and checking right angles. The most famous symbol of the masons is the compass. The compass was the only known mathematical tool employed by the masons and was employed to create regular arcs and circles for drawings and templates. Dividers were basically a measuring rope or stick. These were used to maintain consistent proportions throughout the construction process. Masonry trowels were used to apply and handle mortar, much like today. It is possible that other tools were used at the time, but records are scanty at best and most research relies on pictorial representations of the time.
Considering the simplicity of the tools and the limited levels of education available at the time, the accomplishments of the medieval masons are truly stunning. There were some over-reaches that brought the odd cathedral crashing down, but these were few and far between (or at least fixed before catastrophic failure). These men had a strong grounding in the practical aspects of their trade, collaborating with all of the other specialists on site, as well as their peers. A master had to be a good organizer and motivator as well as a draftsman, and a salesman interfacing with the client (who was invariably a high ranking official). Lacking the higher maths employed by modern day architects, these men designed and built structures that continue to entrance and beguile.
General - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemasonry
General - http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/architecture_medmason_01.shtml
General - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval_masons.htm
General - http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1530.htm
Workspace - http://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/Downloads/ichs/vol-2-1579-1598-holton.pdf
Marks - http://www.eylhs.org.uk/Masons.pdf
Tools - http://www.designspeculum.com/Historyweb/shelby%20medieval%20masons%20tools%20I.pdf
Design - http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/compassandrule/medieval-drawing
Tools and Math - http://www.maa.org/sites/default/files/pdf/news/Horizons-April03-McCague.pdf
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Creature Culture (part 3)
I started the Creature Culture series back at the inception of this blog. It's one of the parts of world building that I really enjoy, imagining how these mythical/magical creatures could really exist in my world. We've discussed a bit about biology and some about internal social structures, but in a Fantasy world, these cultures will have to interact somehow. Hatred, war, and conquest is a simple suggestion for how these cultures will relate, but if these are in fact intelligent creatures (and of similar military capacity), they may want to find some way to create a mutually beneficial relationship. The question then is, "How do we trade?"
One of the basic conceits of role-playing games is the idea that there is a "common" language. Generally, this is the primary human tongue and anyone we need to converse with is fluent. Unfortunately, real life is not so neat. Latin was the language of learning for quite some time in Europe, just as French became the language of diplomacy. English has pretty widely become the language of business in recent years (at least for international trade). Basic trade can be accomplished with little to no shared language, but that would hardly be acceptable for enduring partnerships. Often, traders or others with limited contact with a culture would develop a pidgin language. This is basically a streamlined version of one language, or a simplified combination of both (George Martin has the "trade talk" as his sailors pidgin taking a bit from this and a bit from that). Most of your average workers and sailors didn't spend a whole lot of time learning the finer points of regional dialects, but they would work out some way to ask for certain things. For specialists, it's perfectly reasonable that they've spent time at study, but where did they learn? For thoughts about how to portray non-native speakers, try my post Foreign Languages. Misunderstanding, or a lack of understanding, due to language barriers are a common occurrence. Don't be afraid to use it.
If you make contact with a foreign civilization, it's always good to see if they do something better than you. First it's important in case negotiations break down and you end up going to war, but secondly, if they do something better and at a reasonable rate, it's all to the good. Trade can alleviate some of the lacks your other cultures have. If your elves don't mine, they can now have a source of metal or finished goods. If your dwarfs don't grow things very well, now maybe they have a source of grain. If your orcs love vodka, but they're not good at handling a still (or simply don't have bathtubs for their gin), then oh happy day. There are obvious parallels today with commodities like oil, steel, copper, timber and rare earth elements. By having trade partnerships, certain lacks that each of these cultures might feel alone can be alleviated. Naturally, this can be manipulated and played for advantage by any or all involved. All civilizations have a product or craft that is unique to their cultural heritage (though some will not be prized as highly as others). If nothing else, certain peoples could be willing workers for a less populous people who are more capable artisans. In the modern world, people move for work all the time. It was no different in the pre-industrial world (when they weren't tied to the land in a feudal system).
War is one of the constants in the worlds we create (you need conflict to have a story?). Military alliances are one of the favorite foundations for successful trade partnerships. Who wants to give an enemy something that they want? There are usually specific terms under which one ally will come to the aid of the other. Some nations have been quite famous in history for producing a certain type of warrior (bowmen, pikemen, halberdiers, axe weilders). History is littered with these agreements, fulfilled or not. Trade alliances usually offer protections for traders traveling within the other country. There may be some kind of envoy living in the capitol (or most important port) of its ally to oversee their people. The alliance may offer preferential terms for trade, or the right of first refusal on goods produced. Having envoys and eyes in another country allows access to knowledge (via spies, yay!) that might otherwise be hidden from your government. Cultural exchange can then develop, people get to know each other and sexytime commences (writer's note: sorry, I'm still getting over a cold). Military alliances open up new theaters of war for your soldiers as well as interesting cultural clashes. Would a foreign general know best how to use your well trained elite fighting force? Allies of necessity from war time can become trade partners during the peace and vice versa.
Trade is an amazingly complicated system which can be simplified with a few generalities. I remember as a kid learning about the Triangle Trade (slaves go to the Caribbean, which sends sugar to North America, which sends rum to Africa). Obviously the system was much more complex than this, with many players, but by stating the prime goods involved, you can see what each needed from the others. The Caribbean needed workers for the plantations. The English Colonies needed raw materials to fuel their factories. Africa needed manufactured goods that they did not have the technology (or raw materials?) to produce. Why all of these statements are true could fill a thousand blog posts, but they start to create images in our minds and as an author, this is what I want to do. I want to create a ground for my reader's mind to play on. With a few simple sketches, I can create a people or a country or a continent to fill in later if the story takes me there, all with the simple mechanic of supply and demand.
One of the basic conceits of role-playing games is the idea that there is a "common" language. Generally, this is the primary human tongue and anyone we need to converse with is fluent. Unfortunately, real life is not so neat. Latin was the language of learning for quite some time in Europe, just as French became the language of diplomacy. English has pretty widely become the language of business in recent years (at least for international trade). Basic trade can be accomplished with little to no shared language, but that would hardly be acceptable for enduring partnerships. Often, traders or others with limited contact with a culture would develop a pidgin language. This is basically a streamlined version of one language, or a simplified combination of both (George Martin has the "trade talk" as his sailors pidgin taking a bit from this and a bit from that). Most of your average workers and sailors didn't spend a whole lot of time learning the finer points of regional dialects, but they would work out some way to ask for certain things. For specialists, it's perfectly reasonable that they've spent time at study, but where did they learn? For thoughts about how to portray non-native speakers, try my post Foreign Languages. Misunderstanding, or a lack of understanding, due to language barriers are a common occurrence. Don't be afraid to use it.
If you make contact with a foreign civilization, it's always good to see if they do something better than you. First it's important in case negotiations break down and you end up going to war, but secondly, if they do something better and at a reasonable rate, it's all to the good. Trade can alleviate some of the lacks your other cultures have. If your elves don't mine, they can now have a source of metal or finished goods. If your dwarfs don't grow things very well, now maybe they have a source of grain. If your orcs love vodka, but they're not good at handling a still (or simply don't have bathtubs for their gin), then oh happy day. There are obvious parallels today with commodities like oil, steel, copper, timber and rare earth elements. By having trade partnerships, certain lacks that each of these cultures might feel alone can be alleviated. Naturally, this can be manipulated and played for advantage by any or all involved. All civilizations have a product or craft that is unique to their cultural heritage (though some will not be prized as highly as others). If nothing else, certain peoples could be willing workers for a less populous people who are more capable artisans. In the modern world, people move for work all the time. It was no different in the pre-industrial world (when they weren't tied to the land in a feudal system).
War is one of the constants in the worlds we create (you need conflict to have a story?). Military alliances are one of the favorite foundations for successful trade partnerships. Who wants to give an enemy something that they want? There are usually specific terms under which one ally will come to the aid of the other. Some nations have been quite famous in history for producing a certain type of warrior (bowmen, pikemen, halberdiers, axe weilders). History is littered with these agreements, fulfilled or not. Trade alliances usually offer protections for traders traveling within the other country. There may be some kind of envoy living in the capitol (or most important port) of its ally to oversee their people. The alliance may offer preferential terms for trade, or the right of first refusal on goods produced. Having envoys and eyes in another country allows access to knowledge (via spies, yay!) that might otherwise be hidden from your government. Cultural exchange can then develop, people get to know each other and sexytime commences (writer's note: sorry, I'm still getting over a cold). Military alliances open up new theaters of war for your soldiers as well as interesting cultural clashes. Would a foreign general know best how to use your well trained elite fighting force? Allies of necessity from war time can become trade partners during the peace and vice versa.
Trade is an amazingly complicated system which can be simplified with a few generalities. I remember as a kid learning about the Triangle Trade (slaves go to the Caribbean, which sends sugar to North America, which sends rum to Africa). Obviously the system was much more complex than this, with many players, but by stating the prime goods involved, you can see what each needed from the others. The Caribbean needed workers for the plantations. The English Colonies needed raw materials to fuel their factories. Africa needed manufactured goods that they did not have the technology (or raw materials?) to produce. Why all of these statements are true could fill a thousand blog posts, but they start to create images in our minds and as an author, this is what I want to do. I want to create a ground for my reader's mind to play on. With a few simple sketches, I can create a people or a country or a continent to fill in later if the story takes me there, all with the simple mechanic of supply and demand.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)