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OP Re: aposematic
Reminds me of a most popular word we threw aroung indiscriminately in ancient art history/classical archaeology -- apotropaic, Gk apo + trepein, turn (turning away/warding off [evil/bad things/grave robbers, etc.]). Basically, anything ugly, foreign or otherwise inexplicable is considered to be apotropaic. Typical examples are sphinxes, gorgoneia. beasts like lions, esp in an architectural context, protomes (cf. med. gargoyles), phalloi, eyes, etc. It's not always easy to explain how a sphinx drawn on an 8" pot would be meant to turn away [evil], and one suspects that it's often a simplistic, catch-all explanation ...
Cheers
CM Witt
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!" alliedog 07/16/07 03:26 PM Re: "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!" Jackie 07/16/07 05:53 PM Re: "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!" Agki 07/16/07 05:59 PM Re: "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!" tsuwm 07/16/07 06:49 PM Re: "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!" wow 07/19/07 04:27 PM
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