Arseny
@elstersen.bsky.social
Symbols, myths, anthropology, art, linguistics, history. This is a notebook of TILs: things I wish I could learn more about!
he/him. For my daytime alter-ego, see @khakhalin.bsky.social
Support Ukraine! 🇺🇦
he/him. For my daytime alter-ego, see @khakhalin.bsky.social
Support Ukraine! 🇺🇦
Fern Isabel Coppedge (1883-1951), who should be famous for her landscapes of Buck County, Pennsylvania.
November 13, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Fern Isabel Coppedge (1883-1951), who should be famous for her landscapes of Buck County, Pennsylvania.
A cool question on r/askhistorians : why european architects are so keen of lions, and not bears, while Europe doesn't have lions, but has lots of bears?
The main answer: history! Europe used to have lots of lions, and they became mythological from there
www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
The main answer: history! Europe used to have lots of lions, and they became mythological from there
www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
November 8, 2025 at 6:26 PM
A cool question on r/askhistorians : why european architects are so keen of lions, and not bears, while Europe doesn't have lions, but has lots of bears?
The main answer: history! Europe used to have lots of lions, and they became mythological from there
www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
The main answer: history! Europe used to have lots of lions, and they became mythological from there
www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
Yesterday at about 9 pm: walking past the gates that lead from our inner yard to the street. Someone is clearly trying to open the gate, but failing.
We opened the gate... Two racoons!! They hesitated for a good minute, then left the yard, both of them, disappeared into the outer dark
We opened the gate... Two racoons!! They hesitated for a good minute, then left the yard, both of them, disappeared into the outer dark
October 31, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Yesterday at about 9 pm: walking past the gates that lead from our inner yard to the street. Someone is clearly trying to open the gate, but failing.
We opened the gate... Two racoons!! They hesitated for a good minute, then left the yard, both of them, disappeared into the outer dark
We opened the gate... Two racoons!! They hesitated for a good minute, then left the yard, both of them, disappeared into the outer dark
Turnip. Only turnip. Always turnip.
October 30, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Turnip. Only turnip. Always turnip.
That's why you don't keep them intact once they are toppled; even if you want them in a museum, make them unusable first. (See the next post for some bad and good examples)
October 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
That's why you don't keep them intact once they are toppled; even if you want them in a museum, make them unusable first. (See the next post for some bad and good examples)
Somehow I totally forgot that a city can have more than one team, even though I heard something about the Yankies and the Mets, and I live in Berlin that supposedly also has two competing soccer teams, with a weird random border. That's cool! Thanks once again!
October 28, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Somehow I totally forgot that a city can have more than one team, even though I heard something about the Yankies and the Mets, and I live in Berlin that supposedly also has two competing soccer teams, with a weird random border. That's cool! Thanks once again!
And of course, the art of Mathura is 2000 years old, while Chinnamasta is niche (she's a tantric goddess). But still both are very much the part of the Hindu tradition!
The biggest sin of Hussain seems to be that he was both a Muslim, and so is perceived by nationalists as inherently disrespectful
The biggest sin of Hussain seems to be that he was both a Muslim, and so is perceived by nationalists as inherently disrespectful
October 26, 2025 at 9:16 AM
And of course, the art of Mathura is 2000 years old, while Chinnamasta is niche (she's a tantric goddess). But still both are very much the part of the Hindu tradition!
The biggest sin of Hussain seems to be that he was both a Muslim, and so is perceived by nationalists as inherently disrespectful
The biggest sin of Hussain seems to be that he was both a Muslim, and so is perceived by nationalists as inherently disrespectful
til Hindu puritanism: painter M.F. Hussain received death threats, had to leave India, die in exhile coz of these two paintings that were deemed a blasphemy. One of Mother India, another of goddess Saraswati.
So westerners, knowing Mathura and Chhinnamasta, have a biased perception of modern India?
So westerners, knowing Mathura and Chhinnamasta, have a biased perception of modern India?
October 26, 2025 at 9:16 AM
til Hindu puritanism: painter M.F. Hussain received death threats, had to leave India, die in exhile coz of these two paintings that were deemed a blasphemy. One of Mother India, another of goddess Saraswati.
So westerners, knowing Mathura and Chhinnamasta, have a biased perception of modern India?
So westerners, knowing Mathura and Chhinnamasta, have a biased perception of modern India?
This "crushed to death" is so horrible. On a Good Friday, of all possible dates. I will stop commenting on that, I'm kinda out of words here.
The shrine as it looks now:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margare...
The shrine as it looks now:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margare...
October 22, 2025 at 2:45 PM
This "crushed to death" is so horrible. On a Good Friday, of all possible dates. I will stop commenting on that, I'm kinda out of words here.
The shrine as it looks now:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margare...
The shrine as it looks now:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margare...
A repost from 2020:
1) Geese; 2) Georgian cornmeal halva (ჰალვა); 3) Local farmhouse
Recipe: 2.5 cups corn flour + 1.5 sticks butter → pan 5 min; add 0.5 cups sugar → fry 15 min constantly stirring.
0.75 cups water + 0.5 cups sugar → boiling syrup.
Add syrup to the pan; stir 5 min; spread flat.
1) Geese; 2) Georgian cornmeal halva (ჰალვა); 3) Local farmhouse
Recipe: 2.5 cups corn flour + 1.5 sticks butter → pan 5 min; add 0.5 cups sugar → fry 15 min constantly stirring.
0.75 cups water + 0.5 cups sugar → boiling syrup.
Add syrup to the pan; stir 5 min; spread flat.
October 22, 2025 at 7:37 AM
A repost from 2020:
1) Geese; 2) Georgian cornmeal halva (ჰალვა); 3) Local farmhouse
Recipe: 2.5 cups corn flour + 1.5 sticks butter → pan 5 min; add 0.5 cups sugar → fry 15 min constantly stirring.
0.75 cups water + 0.5 cups sugar → boiling syrup.
Add syrup to the pan; stir 5 min; spread flat.
1) Geese; 2) Georgian cornmeal halva (ჰალვა); 3) Local farmhouse
Recipe: 2.5 cups corn flour + 1.5 sticks butter → pan 5 min; add 0.5 cups sugar → fry 15 min constantly stirring.
0.75 cups water + 0.5 cups sugar → boiling syrup.
Add syrup to the pan; stir 5 min; spread flat.
Here's how Viennese hybrids look like (from a lovely account that is sadly stuck on the death site : x.com/city_crows/s...)
October 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Here's how Viennese hybrids look like (from a lovely account that is sadly stuck on the death site : x.com/city_crows/s...)
But check out Austria. It has BOTH CROWS! Apparently gray ones are mostly in the East, black ones are in the west, but Vienna is packed with BOTH, and they can even hybridize (although these are arealy two different species, so hybrids have reduced fertility)
sauce: www.reddit.com/r/corvids/co...
sauce: www.reddit.com/r/corvids/co...
October 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
But check out Austria. It has BOTH CROWS! Apparently gray ones are mostly in the East, black ones are in the west, but Vienna is packed with BOTH, and they can even hybridize (although these are arealy two different species, so hybrids have reduced fertility)
sauce: www.reddit.com/r/corvids/co...
sauce: www.reddit.com/r/corvids/co...
The maps of their distribution are weird. Left are gray crows (hooded crows), right are black ones (carrion crows). It's not North vs South, it's mostly East vs West, but not quite. Western Germany i black! But Berlin is gray, Eastern Europe style! (And I'm so happy about that tbh, I love them)
2/4
2/4
October 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
The maps of their distribution are weird. Left are gray crows (hooded crows), right are black ones (carrion crows). It's not North vs South, it's mostly East vs West, but not quite. Western Germany i black! But Berlin is gray, Eastern Europe style! (And I'm so happy about that tbh, I love them)
2/4
2/4
I was born in Belarus, and crows of my childhood were gray (fig1). I moved in America, they had black crows, moved to Berlin, we have grays. I thought grays are EU crows.
GUESS WHAT!
Scotland, Berlin, and Italy are gray! but Spain, England and most of Germany have black crows!! (fig2)
1/4
GUESS WHAT!
Scotland, Berlin, and Italy are gray! but Spain, England and most of Germany have black crows!! (fig2)
1/4
October 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
I was born in Belarus, and crows of my childhood were gray (fig1). I moved in America, they had black crows, moved to Berlin, we have grays. I thought grays are EU crows.
GUESS WHAT!
Scotland, Berlin, and Italy are gray! but Spain, England and most of Germany have black crows!! (fig2)
1/4
GUESS WHAT!
Scotland, Berlin, and Italy are gray! but Spain, England and most of Germany have black crows!! (fig2)
1/4
I like how in mid-to-late-19C Britan pig competitions became popular, and ppl wanted mementos of them, so a whole genre of "Prise Pig Paintings" emerged.
What comfy painting would one hang on their wall? A lovely landscape? A pretty face? Fruits and flowers?
Nope! A nice, fat pig! Peak comfy!!
What comfy painting would one hang on their wall? A lovely landscape? A pretty face? Fruits and flowers?
Nope! A nice, fat pig! Peak comfy!!
October 20, 2025 at 10:38 AM
I like how in mid-to-late-19C Britan pig competitions became popular, and ppl wanted mementos of them, so a whole genre of "Prise Pig Paintings" emerged.
What comfy painting would one hang on their wall? A lovely landscape? A pretty face? Fruits and flowers?
Nope! A nice, fat pig! Peak comfy!!
What comfy painting would one hang on their wall? A lovely landscape? A pretty face? Fruits and flowers?
Nope! A nice, fat pig! Peak comfy!!
And btw (I'm very afraid to offend someone!) when I mention Hinduism, I don't mean it as some "bad Christianity", but really as a different theology. Despite visual similarities, the _official_ theology of Orthodox icons and Hindu murti is slightly different. Icons present God, but are not God.
October 15, 2025 at 2:10 PM
And btw (I'm very afraid to offend someone!) when I mention Hinduism, I don't mean it as some "bad Christianity", but really as a different theology. Despite visual similarities, the _official_ theology of Orthodox icons and Hindu murti is slightly different. Icons present God, but are not God.
I learned about Monstrance some 10 years ago, but for me as a non-Catholic it is still such an unusual concept! To attune to the physical presence of God in an object, presented for adoration. Somehow feels like something that's easier to theologically harmonize with Hinduism than with Christianity?
October 15, 2025 at 1:39 PM
I learned about Monstrance some 10 years ago, but for me as a non-Catholic it is still such an unusual concept! To attune to the physical presence of God in an object, presented for adoration. Somehow feels like something that's easier to theologically harmonize with Hinduism than with Christianity?
The aesthetics of it all is so weirdly questionable tho. So yep it's a shrine. But also inside it looks more like a museum, and on days of the dead it presents names of the dead, as if they were victims, heroes. Real pretty on the outside, cherry blossoms and all. Propaganda inside (apprently)....
October 5, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The aesthetics of it all is so weirdly questionable tho. So yep it's a shrine. But also inside it looks more like a museum, and on days of the dead it presents names of the dead, as if they were victims, heroes. Real pretty on the outside, cherry blossoms and all. Propaganda inside (apprently)....
Bike ride to Barnim 🥰
September 28, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Bike ride to Barnim 🥰
OMG the author of one of the formative pieces that shaped my personal taste is on bsky!?!?!!!
It's a weird thing to say, but really, this piece below is like nostalgia for a platonic idea of a city, like a reference point for urbanism, for city aesthetics. Wow!
It's a weird thing to say, but really, this piece below is like nostalgia for a platonic idea of a city, like a reference point for urbanism, for city aesthetics. Wow!
September 27, 2025 at 10:44 PM
OMG the author of one of the formative pieces that shaped my personal taste is on bsky!?!?!!!
It's a weird thing to say, but really, this piece below is like nostalgia for a platonic idea of a city, like a reference point for urbanism, for city aesthetics. Wow!
It's a weird thing to say, but really, this piece below is like nostalgia for a platonic idea of a city, like a reference point for urbanism, for city aesthetics. Wow!
Ernst Steiner, b. 1935, one of the key members of Vienna's Fantastic Realism movement, famous for symbolic-looking paintings that lie somewhere in-between abstract art, imaginative landscapes and fantastic still-lifes. Some of the most meditative paintings I know
sacredartpilgrim.com/collection/v...
sacredartpilgrim.com/collection/v...
September 24, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Ernst Steiner, b. 1935, one of the key members of Vienna's Fantastic Realism movement, famous for symbolic-looking paintings that lie somewhere in-between abstract art, imaginative landscapes and fantastic still-lifes. Some of the most meditative paintings I know
sacredartpilgrim.com/collection/v...
sacredartpilgrim.com/collection/v...
Batak brass ornament. Allegedly it's a buffalo head, but I prefer seeing a hollow knight in a spiraly world. Batak people live in North Sumatra, Indonesia; speak Austronesian Batak languages, are now split 50/50 between Muslim and Christian, but with strong influence of local traditional religion
September 23, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Batak brass ornament. Allegedly it's a buffalo head, but I prefer seeing a hollow knight in a spiraly world. Batak people live in North Sumatra, Indonesia; speak Austronesian Batak languages, are now split 50/50 between Muslim and Christian, but with strong influence of local traditional religion
Miyawaki forests:
1. Learn the species of established forests in the area
2. Prepare the soil (add organic matter, cover with mulch)
3. Plant all species at once (not just early settlers), do it VERY densely!
4. Water and weed for the first 3 years
Produces a mature-looking forest in 1/3 of time!
1. Learn the species of established forests in the area
2. Prepare the soil (add organic matter, cover with mulch)
3. Plant all species at once (not just early settlers), do it VERY densely!
4. Water and weed for the first 3 years
Produces a mature-looking forest in 1/3 of time!
September 20, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Miyawaki forests:
1. Learn the species of established forests in the area
2. Prepare the soil (add organic matter, cover with mulch)
3. Plant all species at once (not just early settlers), do it VERY densely!
4. Water and weed for the first 3 years
Produces a mature-looking forest in 1/3 of time!
1. Learn the species of established forests in the area
2. Prepare the soil (add organic matter, cover with mulch)
3. Plant all species at once (not just early settlers), do it VERY densely!
4. Water and weed for the first 3 years
Produces a mature-looking forest in 1/3 of time!
Apropos, a random recent photo from my latest trip to a flea market. They are not in the center of the frame, but look at the upper right corner - all of these backs and bottoms are Egyptian gods. Most of them pretty bad, but not all. So many of them!!
September 14, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Apropos, a random recent photo from my latest trip to a flea market. They are not in the center of the frame, but look at the upper right corner - all of these backs and bottoms are Egyptian gods. Most of them pretty bad, but not all. So many of them!!