bookofjoe

Iconic Sutton Hoo Helmet May Actually Come From Denmark

A discovery by a metal detectorist in Denmark has raised questions about the origins of the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet (above), thought for decades to have links to Sweden.

The detectorist found a small metal stamp on an island in southern Denmark, with similar markings to those on the famous helmet.

Peter Pentz, a curator at the National Museum of Denmark, says the discovery raises the possibility the Sutton Hoo helmet may in fact have originated in that country.

The archaeologist told the BBC that if the helmet is indeed proved to have come from Denmark, it could change our understanding of the balance of power in 7th Century northern Europe.

[The copper-alloy stamp depicts a a warrior on horseback.]

Sutton Hoo is thought to be the burial site of King Raedwald, an East Anglian ruler who died in 624 AD.

First excavated in 1939, more than 260 artefacts were uncovered at the Suffolk estate, including the iron and copper clad helmet, considered one of the period's greatest treasures.

Other items, like a shield and drinking horns, also show a connection to Scandinavia.

The helmet (top), now housed in the British Museum, is decorated with various motifs, including two small panels depicting warriors on horseback.

It is believed to have been influenced by earlier Roman styles and historians previously thought it may have come from Uppland, in eastern Sweden, as similar motifs depicting warriors on horseback have also been discovered on helmets there.

Historians think it might have been an heirloom or diplomatic gift.

But researchers at the National Museum of Denmark now say the recently unearthed metal stamp bears a "striking similarity" to the helmet's motifs.

[Curator Peter Pentz said the stamp is "the closest link we've ever seen" between Denmark and the Sutton Hoo helmet.]

The green-tinged copper alloy stamp was found two years ago, by local archaeologist Jan Hjort. He says he was scouring a field with a metal detector on the Danish island of Taasinge, when he unearthed the metal object.

At first he thought it was a common "picture plate", but after closer examination, he realised it was something "extraordinary", he told the BBC.

"What is unique is the motif," he says. "It's a very powerful image."

"The stylistic similarities are so significant," Mr Pentz, the curator, says. "This is the closest link we've ever seen."

Similar motifs have also been found in Germany, but this is the first unearthed in Denmark.

[The Sutton Hoo burial site was first discovered by a self-taught archaeologist, Basil Brown, in 1938.]

Mr. Hjort's find was handed to a local museum but it has only recently been studied.

The item measures just 5cm by 4cm (2" by 1.6"), and is now believed to be a stamp or "die," also known as a "patrice."

While the pattern is not identical to the Sutton Hoo helmet, after close study of the two fragmented helmet panels, Mr. Pentz says there are "many similarities."

"If we focus on the horse itself, we see that it's the same horse," he says, pointing to its nose piece, mane, ear, and tail.

He thinks the Sutton Hoo and Danish motifs are closer than their Swedish counterparts, suggesting the helmet may have actually originated from or around the Danish island.

The curator believes Taasinge may have been home to a 7th Century metal workshop.

A thin sheet of silver, possibly used for producing foils, and other metal scraps have been found in the area.

"I would say this die comes from the same workshop, or comes from the environment of the Sutton Hoo helmet," Mr. Pentz says.

The Anglo-Saxon ship burial site at Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge in Suffolk, is widely considered to be England's "Valley of the Kings".

"It really did revolutionize our understanding of the Anglo-Saxons," says Laura Howarth, an archaeology and engagement manager at Sutton Hoo, now a National Trust estate.

Anglo-Saxon refers to groups of people who came to England from Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Even 86 years later, there have been fresh digs at the site, and new theories emerging about the burials.

The Sutton Hoo helmet was painstakingly pieced back together over many years after it was first uncovered broken into hundreds of pieces.

It is now on display at the British Museum.

Ms. Howarth calls the helmet the "face of the Anglo-Saxon period."

"It's the artistry and the craftsmanship behind the helmet," she says. The Danish discovery shows Sutton Hoo is "not a finished book," Ms Howarth adds.

"Looking at it, it's definitely part of this kind of family of designs that are happening at this time," she says, pointing out that there are other items with strong links to Sweden in the Sutton Hoo burial grave and a German motif also shares close similarities.

Mr. Pentz believes the new find builds on to a theory that Denmark was more important during this era than previously thought, potentially placing Sweden and England on the periphery of a central Danish "power base."

However, the National Trust's Ms. Howarth is more skeptical. "It's quite a lot to pinpoint exactly the relationship and the power dynamic that was existing between Denmark, Sweden, and the community at Sutton Hoo at this time, just based off one find," she says.

Mr. Pentz says there are "some obstacles" to his theory.

The Sutton Hoo helmet foils were fragmented into countless pieces and the Danish stamp is very worn.

As a next step, he hopes there will be detailed 3D scanning of the motifs.

The find was also discovered in area that has seen little excavation work, and it's possible that the stamp may have been traded or transported from elsewhere.

It will go on display at the country's National Museum in Copenhagen in April.

[via the BBC]

Sand Up Timer — Hourglass in Reverse

From websites:

An hourglass that seems to work by magic.

The colored sand inside flows from the bottom to the top....

Do you believe in magic?

Even if you don't, it's hard to remain skeptical when faced with magical objects like this inverted hourglass.

The hourglass appears miraculous because the sand inside it behaves in a completely unexpected way, seemingly reversing the laws of physics.

Indeed, the sand inside flows upward.

When faced with objects like this, it's truly difficult to remain indifferent.

The hourglass overturns our beliefs, and the only explanation for its functioning must be magic.

However, by observing it carefully and thinking a little, you can figure out the trick.

The hourglass is filled with water, which shouldn't reverse the laws of physics.

The presence of the liquid, however, suggests the trick.

The sand used is made of a material that floats, and the hourglass is very thin and almost flat.

This slows the sand's rise, which thus occurs only a little at a time.

It's a surprising and fascinating gadget that remains a pleasure to look at even after you've figured it out.

Features and Details:

• Measures approximately 10 minutes

• Blue, Black, Red, or Green

• 4.6"H x 2.6"W x 0.9"D

• Plastic

Red: $37.13.

Blue: $41.99.

Black: €6.62.

Green: $34.

Wait a sec — what's that song I'm hearing?

3D Crosswalk

From StreetArtUtopia:

3D Crosswalk To Slow Down Speeding Cars

In the small fishing town of Ísafjörður, Iceland, an exciting development in pedestrian crossing safety popped up — almost literally.

A new kind of speed bump has been painted that appears to be 3D by way of a cleverly-detailed optical illusion.

Not only does the innovative design give foot-travelers the feeling of walking on air, but the 3D painting also gets the attention of drivers, who will be sure to slow down their speed once they spot the seemingly floating "zebra stripes."

Icelandic environmental commissioner Ralf Trylla called for its placement in Ísafjörður after seeing a similar project being carried out in New Delhi, India.

With the help of street painting company Vegamálun GÍH, his vision of pedestrian crossing signs became a reality.

See it in action below.

[via lewildbeast]

A Swim Through Jellyfish Lake

Jellyfish Lake in Palau is home to approximately 13 million jellyfish. Their mild stings mean you can snorkel in their midst and capture beautifully surreal scenes such as these.

[via Kottke]

The saddest comment to ever appear on bookofjoe

That's it above, published at 11 am yesterday.

And that's saying something since over 48,000 comments have been published since boj inception on August 24, 2004:

The comment featured up top is even worse than the ones I used to get from people whose comments for one reason or another didn't appear in the sidebar: they accused me of censoring them and/or deleting comments I objected to.

What a joke!

Anyone who frequents boj knows I would never ever do stuff like that.

In fact, bookofjoe is the ONLY website I know of that doesn't require commenters to identity themselves/register/complete Captchas etc.

Every other site out there has either eliminated comments completely or screens them before posting them.

"Do companies send you products for free to promote on your website?"

No.

I've never ever accepted a free product or payment for featuring — or "promoting," as the comment suggested — something on bookofjoe.

And I never will.

The things I feature appear here because I like them or I find them odd or bizarre or otherwise unique or interesting.

The reason my book appears in the upper right hand corner is because I like the cover, which iUniverse, my publisher, designed for me back in 2001.

Full disclosure: I average about $10/year in book royalties but don't receive a check annually because there's a minimum payment threshold of $20.

"There are so many options on folding snips starting at $4 up to $12 at Walmart??"

Indeed.

In "Lady Windermere's Fan," Oscar Wilde had Lord Darlington quip that a cynic was 'a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.'

Just so.

You can always find something that costs less if you look long and hard enough: perhaps someone who persistently points out that fact would find a better and more productive use of their time by starting a website called

Cheap at twice the price

Just sayin'....

Read "Lady Windermere's Fan" — first performed on Saturday, February 20, 1892, at the St. James Theatre in London — here.

Free — the way we like it.

Watch "Lady Windermere's Fan" — a number of movie and theatre versions are available — here.

Again, free — the way we like it.

Wait a sec — what's that song I'm hearing?

No, not that one — this one.

92 Social Media websites from 2009

I tried all those in the first column: only backflip, Bēhance, Blogger, and blurb still function as real destinations rather than fake/spam/ghost/sites.

Of the rest, eBay, Etsy, last.fm, LiveJournal, reddit, soundcloud, tumblr, and twitter/X are still alive.

I got bored after the low yield on the first column and didn't check each of the remaining 69.

Go ahead, be my guest, and let us know if you find others still doing what they set out to do.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

'Disgusting — clean your house' — Part II: Roz Chast strikes back

At this time yesterday I featured a slice of life video premiere shot here at bookofjoe World Headquarters©®™ the day previously.

Two longtime boj readers were as dismayed as two YouTube channel commenters by what they saw (below).

Nonpareil cartoonist Roz Chast crafted a response which appears up top.

Once upon a time in Los Angeles I lived in a superclean and stylish apartment that was so immaculate that even after I'd been there for years, people seeing it for the first time asked, "Did you just move in?"

It's taken a half century for me to do a full 180°.

"Chacun à son goût."

Got Plants? Folding Pocket Secateurs

From websites:

This ingenious folding tool features a pair of high performance secateurs and then some.

Up to whatever tasks come its way, it totes with ease in a belt-looped pouch.

Deft in design, the handle hides an additional saw and knife.

Features and Details:

• Folds down to 3.5" x 1.2"

• Stainless steel blades

• Weight: 8.5 oz

$54.91.

Dancing Sifaka Lemurs of Madagascar: 'Possibly my favorite species in all the world' — Richard Dawkins

I won't argue.

'Disgusting — clean your house'

Above, two comments on a YouTube video I posted early this morning before I went out for a run.

Harsh!

What the commenters can't know is that the dishes piled in my sink have been washed and dried: I'm too lazy to put them away so I just leave them there ready to use.

Below,

the video to which they objected.

You be the judge.

bookofjoe's Favorite Thing: Phillips OneBlade Shaver

Back in April I published a post headlined "bookofjoe's LEAST Favorite Thing: Braun Series 9 Pro Electric Shaver," featuring a poorly functioning, difficult to use "Top of the Line" device that set me back $269.76.

You could look it up.

Anyhoo, among the comments on the post was one from reader nonom who wrote, "But on your theme of shaving a couple of times a month, the Philips OneBlade is fantastic. It won't get as close as a proper shave, but it will get EVERY hair, pretty much in one pass. Super fast and effective."

I took a flutter on the OneBlade and it turns out to be as good as noted in nonom's comment.

Light, easy to use, and it works way better than the Braun which cost over seven times more.

This feature:

is so elegant, it reminded me of something Steve Jobs might have come up with.

Wonderful ergonomic design and — bonus! — it comes in one color: bookofjoe green!

$37.96.

Wait a sec — what's that song I'm hearing?

Take Me To A Useless Website

Via Clive Thompson who wrote:

Since 2012, Tim Holman has been collecting links to "useless" web sites.

Over a decade on now, he has produced, as he calls it...

... a hub for all things quirky and weird on the internet.

This includes sites that are just weird-as-heck animations, like "Pug In a Rug", as well as oddball creative tools, like "Paint With Text," which lets you draw images using a string of prose taken from Alice in Wonderland.

You can read through his archives sequentially; he's done Q&As with many of the creators of these useless sites, and they're super interesting.

But for me, the best part of Holman's collection?

It's his randomizer — if you go to "Take Me To A Useless Website" it will send you to one selected at random.

I clicked it a couple of times and was sent to this online memory game, a maze generator, a collection of optical illusions, and the Checkbox Olympics.

Fair warning: there goes the day.

'Darker Than You Think' — Jack Williamson

His 1948 novel "... originally saw print as a 40,000-word "complete novel" in the December 1940 issue of the legendary pulp magazine Unknown. Williamson revised and expanded the text in the fall of 1947 while working as wire editor for the Portales Daily News.... The book version, published by Fantasy Press in 1948, more than doubled the length of its prior incarnation...," wrote Douglas E. Winter in his 1999 introduction to the novel's republication.

Up top, the cover of the 1948 first edition.

Consider that Williamson employed Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle (first formulated in 1927) and reality as a probability function not today — when such concepts are accepted and bandied about (oftimes erroneously, but that's another subject entirely) — but 85 years ago in 1940, when Philip K. Dick was a boy of 12.

Excerpts from Williamson's book:

"The theory joins it all together.... I don't know physics enough to explain all the technical ramifications, but my friend made the point seem simple enough. The link between mind and matter, he says, is probability."

"Living things are more than matter alone.... The mind is an independent something — an energy complex, he called it — created by the vibrating atoms and electrons of the body, and yet controlling their vibrations through the linkage of atomic probability.... That web of living energy is fed by the body; it's part of the body — usually."

"But that vital pattern, in us, is stronger than in true men.... More fluid, and less dependent on the material body. In this free state... we simply separate that living web from the body, and use the probability link to attach it to other atoms, wherever we please — the atoms of the air are easiest to control... because the oxygen and nitrogen and carbon are the same atoms that establish the linkage in our bodies."

"No common matter is any real barrier to us in this free state.... Doors and walls still seem real enough, I know — but wood is mostly oxygen and carbon, and our mind webs can grasp the vibrating atoms and slip through them, nearly as easily as through the air."

"My friend taught me how to smooth the random vibrations from the heavier elements in the wood and the paint that otherwise would be something of a barrier."

Her greenish eyes fixed intently on the lower panels of the door — and Barbee remembered old Mondrick's lecture on probability. All matter was mostly empty space, he said; only the random collisions of vibrating atoms kept the little black lamp from falling through the seemingly insubstantial desk. Nothing in the universe was absolute; only probabilities were real. And the mind web, according to this theory of April's unknown friend, governed probability.

Before her greenish stare, the bottom half of the study door melted into misty unreality. For an instant Barbee could see the dark screws that held the hinges, and all the mechanism of the lock, as if in an X-ray view. Then the metal faded also....

For the way was closing. The dark screws and the metal of the lock appeared again, and then the ghostly outline of the wooden panels turned suddenly real. Weakly, he blundered against the door. It flung him back, solid as it seemed. He tried to remember old Mondrick's lecture and that theory of April's friend. All matter was mostly emptiness. Nothing was absolute; only probabilities were real. His mind was an energy web, and it could grasp the atoms and electrons of the door by the link of probability. It could smooth the random vibrations which made the door a barrier.

Reeling, he stared at the solid-seeming panels. Gropingly, he tried to dissolve them again. Only probabilities were real, he remembered — those were merely words. The door remained solid.... Slowly, in a fumbling way, he got hold of a curious, novel sense of extension and control.

A misty spot came in the wood. Uncertainly, he widened it.... He tried again.... The space came wider. He... stumbled at the door, and sprawled through it....

Nothing anywhere was absolute, and only probabilities were real. His free mind was a moving pattern, an eternal complex of mental energy that grasped atoms and electrons by the linkage of probability to be its vehicle and its tools. That mental web could ride the wind, and slip through wood or common metal.

"We're never quite so powerful as we feel in this free state.... Because our usual bodies are left behind, and our moving mind complexes can draw only upon the chance energies they happen to grasp from the atoms of the air or other substances we possess, by the linkage of probability. All our power lies in that control of probability....

"This universe, to me, is strictly mechanistic. Every phenomenon that takes place in it — from the birth of suns to the tendency of men to live in fear of gods and devils — was implicit in the primal superatom from whose explosive cosmic energy it was formed. The efforts that some distinguished scientists make to find room for operation of a free human will and the creative function of supernatural divinity in such apparent defects of mechanistic determination as Heisenberg's principle of uncertainty — those futile efforts are as pathetic to me as the crudest attempt of a witch doctor to make it rain by sprinkling water on the ground. All the so-called supernatural, Mr. Barbee, is pure delusion, based on misdirected emotion and inaccurate observation and illogical thinking."

The glass dissolved as his free mind reached out to find the linkage of probability and grasp the shivering atoms to be a part of himself as he passed. The embedded steel wire yielded more slowly....

Barbee objected no more. In this glorious awakening from the long nightmare of life, all his values were changed.

"Dead minds don't leave fossils in the ground, you know. Dr. Mondrick thought they did, however, in language and myth and superstition."

If you want your own copy (of the republication — not the first edition, silly billy) you can find it here.

Or you can read it here free, the way we like it.

Brain Drain Sponge Holder

This immediately made me think of Homer Simpson.

From websites:

You don't need to be a brainiac to use this sponge holder.

Whether in the shower or in the kitchen, Brain Drain will keep your sponge in mind.

Make sure to do a good job cleaning — it's watching you!

$12.99 .

Hundreds of Robots Move a Shanghai City Block

Timelapse footage of 432 "crawler robots" moving an entire city block of historic houses at the rate of 33 feet a day.

The buildings were temporarily shifted so that an underground mall could be built, and then moved back on top.

As I've remarked here regularly over the years, "They do things differently in China."