Northern Italy and Venice in World History Perspective

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Northern Italy and Venice in World History Perspective THOMAS MOUNKHALL Northern Italy and Venice in World History Perspective uring the past year, my wife and I took a trip through Northern Italy and Venice. The Djourney started in Milano, went north to Bellano and Tirano and then came south to Verona. The second leg of the excursion went north again through Trento and the Sud- Tyrol, which was Austrian territory until 1919 CE. The tour ended with a five day stay in Venice. As interesting as this tour proved in terms of gaining insight into Italian history, its value to me as a world historian was in increasing my knowledge about northern Italy’s place in world history I saw this ever where, from a museum in Milano focused on Roman Milano, through a medieval pilgrimage site in Tirano, to a Fascist-dedicated water tower in the Lake Isola region. What struck me most were the many cross-regional connections that directly influenced the region’s people during Post-Classic and Early Modern World History. Yet, northern Italy has always taken second place to the South multicultural south on that score, in terms of both research and teaching about world history. This study seeks to demonstrate the influence of these trans-regional linkages on north- ern Italy and Venice. Specific, teachable examples, with supporting classroom exercises, will provided. These are classified into six categories: long distance trade, technological diffusion, architectural diffusion, cultural diffusion, disease diffusion and flora diffusion. Even though these six groups will be treated separately in this work, in many cases their effects can be easily developed in an interrelated manner. Long-Distance-Trade From the 12th to the 15th century CE, the city state of Venice was the number one entrepot of long- distance trade in Western Europe. Its location at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea, which gives relatively easy access to seaborne routes to the Middle East and North Africa, was a huge factor in its commercial success. The Adriatic Sea lead directly into the Grand Canal of the city, which was the place where the grandest merchant houses were built. These three- story structures were places of business and family residences at the World History Connected Vol. 18, no. 2 June/July 2021 © 2021 by World History Connected Mounkhall | Northern Italy and Venice in World History same time. The ground floors of these buildings were storehouses and the second and third floors served as living quarters. (Please see Image 1 in Appendix.) The Rialto Spice Market was the center of Venetian long-distance trade. Located right on the Grand Canal, it was the place where Central Asian, Middle Eastern and North Afri- can goods were bought and sold. Luxury non- European goods dominated this exchange with silks, perfumes, cinnamon, ginger and especially black pepper occupying places of priority1. Goods traded for these non- Western items included timber, furs and honey all of which had been transferred to Venice by Hanse merchants from the Baltic Sea Region. (Please see Image 2 in Appendix.) The Catholic Church’s rule that Friday had to be meatless greatly contributed to the long- distance links of Post- Classic Venice. Cod are indigenous to the Grand Banks off the coast of Newfoundland and the French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1533 CE witnessed see- ing circa a thousand Basque fishing vessels in the region harvesting the fish. The cod were salted, which preserved them until placed into fresh water. This product of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean was introduced to Italy in 1443 CE by Catalans.2 (Please see Image 3 in Appendix.) Technological Diffusion There are a few noteworthy examples of Byzantine technological ideas in Northern Italy. The roof of the Duomo in Milano, where construction began in 1386 CE, is supported by many flying buttresses. The conventional belief is that these impressive architectural ele- ments have their origin in Western European 12th century CE Gothic design but in reality, their beginnings were in the 4th century CE Eastern Roman Empire. An excellent exemplar can be found at the Rotunda of Galerius in Thessaloniki, Greece which was constructed in 306 CE. One of its roof sections is supported by two massive exterior buttresses. (Please see Image 4 in the Appendix.) The Chiesa di Santa Marta in Bellano, Italy, which was constructed in 1455 CE, fea- tures a beautiful dome situated over a square floor space. This design predates the Chiesa di Santa Marta by nine hundred years and its origin was in the 6th century CE Byzantine Empire. A round dome over a square floor space was initially developed in the great Byz- antine Church of Hagia Sophia, which dates to 537 CE and is located in Constantinople/ Istanbul, Turkey. In addition to the round dome over a square space, the Byzantine architects developed the architectural element of the pendentive. Four of these triangular pieces of stone served to take the weight of the dome to the floor by way of four columns located in the corners of the square floor space. The dome of Santa Marta is held up by four beautiful examples of pendentives. (Please see Image 5 in Appendix.) A few buildings in Monte Isola, which is on an island in Lake Iseo in Northern Italy, exhibit outdoor painted sculptures in the tradition of Luca della Robbia from 15th century 2 Mounkhall | Northern Italy and Venice in World History CE Florence, Italy. To the casual viewer, these statues seem to be a twenty-first continu- ation of a Renaissance art form, but this is not the case. The painted colors on the exte- rior sculptures are protected by a tin glaze process initially developed in 9th century CE Abbasid Dynasty Baghdad, Iraq. Muslim chemists cultivated this ceramic invention in an attempt to approximate the quality of Chinese blue and white porcelain. They failed in this attempt, but the process was transferred by Muslim artisans from the Middle East across North Africa and into Islamic Spain. From Andalusia, the tin glazed method diffused into Italy and became a standard process for the della Robbia business. (Please see Image 6 in the Appendix.) A second exemplar of this Medieval Muslim craft can be found in the village of Bolz- ano, Italy. A museum there has a room warmer on display that dates from c. 1770 CE. The outer covering of this apparatus is tin glazed ceramic, which is colored blue and white. The geometric color scheme is much closer to its Islamic prototype from the 9th century CE Abbasid Dynasty in Iraq than the della Robbia referenced above. The originators of this chemical process were trying to copy Chinese Tang Dynasty porcelain, which favored a blue and white pattern. (Please see Image 7 in the Appendix.) The Sforza Castle located in Milan is a fine model of polycentrism. It was initially constructed as the base of the Visconti Lords in c. 1368 CE. The design of the fortress with straight walls was effective for the 14th century CE but new weaponry required architec- tural innovations by c. 1500 CE. In the early 16th century CE, Milan was controlled by the Sforza Family, who hired Leonardo da Vinci to remodel the castle in light of the influence of cannons in Italian Renaissance warfare. The cannon was invented in Italy during the 15th century CE but its antecedents stretched across the Middle East, Central Asia to Medi- eval East Asia. Gunpowder and early firearms both date to Song Dynasty China 960–1279 CE. However, it was the Mongols, who carried this technology across Central Asia to the Middle East in the 13th and 14th centuries CE. From Southwest Asia, Muslims took the technology into Western Europe by way of North Africa and Islamic Spain. Following the use of early firearms in the Spanish Reconquista and the Hundred Years War, a recogniz- able cannon appeared in 15th century CE Italy. As a consequence, the straight walls of the Visconti fortress became obsolete and were replaced by the star fort design which was also a technological innovation of Renaissance Italy. This innovative plan featured triangular bastions built at intervals along the castle walls with earthen ravelins constructed in front to absorb cannon balls before they hit the walls. (Please Image 8 in the Appendix.) Architectural Diffusion Northern Italy has many beautiful exemplars of architecture that has been directly influ- enced by Islamic design. The ogee arch, which has an exaggerated pointed style at its apex, has its origin in Medieval Persia.3 Trade contacts with Venice brought this style of arch into 3 Mounkhall | Northern Italy and Venice in World History Western Europe. The Chiesa di San Martino in Tirano, Italy exhibits an excellent example. (Please see Image 9 in Appendix.) There are many attractive examples of the mixtilinear (intermixed triangles and cir- cles) arch in Northern Italy. This architectural element features a Roman arch but instead of being uniform in shape it displays many angles inside the arch. Its origin was in 11th century CE Moorish Spain and from there it spread to Muslim North Africa. Architectural historians4 believe that it came into Venice as a result of Venetian trade connections with the Levant and was used to decorate San Marco Basilica by 1175 CE. (Please see Image 10 in Appendix.) The simple pointed arch can be seen throughout Northern Italy, It was first used in the construction of the al- Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in 780 CE. From this initial usage, the design diffused along with Muslim imperialism to the city of Cairo, Egypt where it was employed in the building of one of the first mosques in this urban area.
Recommended publications
  • “Saint Peter's by the Sea”
    “Saint Peter’s by the Sea” A Spiritual Pilgrimage to Rome and Sicily Rome, Vatican City, Taormina, Castelmola, Mount Etna, Castlebuono, Cefalu’, Agrigento, Piazza Armerina and Siracusa A twelve Day Italian Journey April 29th – May 10th, 2019 “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.” ~ Goethe KEYROW TOURS 60 Georgia Road Trumansburg, New York 14886 Tel: 315.491.3711 Day#1: Departure for Italy Monday: April 29th, 2019 In conjunction with AAA Travel (Ithaca, NY), Keyrow Tours is pleased to make all flight arrangements, including primary flights originating from anywhere in the United States, and international flights. We will depart from a major international airport located on the east coast of the United States (most likely Boston) and fly directly into Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci Airport. Transportation to and from your primary airport of departure is each person’s responsibility. “What is the fatal charm of Italy? What do we find there that can be found nowhere else? I believe it is a certain permission to be human, which other places, other countries, lost long ago.” ~ Erica Jong KEYROW TOURS 60 Georgia Road Trumansburg, New York 14886 Tel: 315.491.3711 Day #2: From Pagan Temples to Patrimonial Churches Tuesday: April 30th, 2019 Morning arrival at Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, Rome After passport control and collecting our luggage, private minivans will transfer us to our hotel, located in Rome’s historical center. Pranzo! (Light lunch included) Time to shower and unpack The Centro Storico (Historic Center) A.) Campo Dei Fiori Rome’s daily farmer’s market is a five minute walk from our hotel: fresh vegetables and fruits, cheese, meats and fish.
    [Show full text]
  • Palestinian Community in Italy
    Palestine International Institute Aspiring to Bind Palestinians in Diaspora and Expatriates to the Homeland The Palestinian Community In Italy Table of Contents Foreword Acknowledgement Chapter One | Italy: The History, Politics and Social Systems A Historical Résumé From Renaissance to Unity On the Road to Fascism The Second World War (WWII) The Provisional Government Leads the Country to a Republic System of Government ►Parliament ►Rival Political Parties Social Status Economic Status Chapter Two | The Islamic Community in Italy The Beginnings The Nature of the Islamic Presence in Italy Major Islamic Associations ►The Islamic Cultural Center in Rome ►Union of Islamic Communities ►Association of Italian Muslims ►The Islamic Religious Group (Coreis) Chapter Three | The Palestinian Community in Italy: Past and Present History of Palestinian Immigration Palestinian and Arab Organizations Italian Political Powers ►Left-Wing Parliamentary Parties ►Left-Wing Non-Parliamentary Parties ►Center Parties ►Right-Wing Parliamentary Parties ►Right-Wing Non-Parliamentary Parties ►The Radical Party The Palestinian Political and Media Activity 1 Refining the Experience and Integrating with the Society ►Decisive Events Marking Crossroads Persistent Problems that Need to be Overcome The Present Situation and Horizons of Hope Summary Foreword The Palestine International Institute (PII) pioneers in producing studies provided by researchers in the Diaspora, in coordination with the Institute, under the broad category 'Palestinians in Diaspora'. This time we are pleased to present our readers with the new study titled, ‘The Palestinian Community in Italy’. This study falls under the category of the Horizontal Studies series which examines the emergence and evolution of communities and tackles issues related to the origins, structure, mak-eup, size, problems and challenges facing Palestinian communities in the Diaspora.
    [Show full text]
  • Southern Italy - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia 7/17/11 10:20 AM Southern Italy from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Southern Italy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 7/17/11 10:20 AM Southern Italy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Southern Italy (Italian: L'Italia Meridionale) or colloquially Il Mezzogiorno (Midday) is a wide geographical, historical and cultural definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the southern half of the Italian state, encompassing the southern section of the continental Italian Peninsula and the two major islands of Sicily and Sardinia, in addition to a large number of minor islands. It coincides with the administrative regions of Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Apulia, Molise, Abruzzo, Sicily and finally Sardinia, that is considered as part of Southern Italy more for geographic reasons than for historical and socio-economic reasons.[1][2] Some also include the most southern and eastern parts of Lazio (Sora, Cassino, Gaeta, Cittaducale and Amatrice districts) within the Mezzogiorno, because these territories were part, along with all the already listed ones (except Sardinia), of the historical Kingdom of Two Sicilies. Southern Italy carries a unique legacy of peculiar nature, archeology and culture. It features many major tourist attractions, such as the Palace of Caserta, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other famous archaeological sites (many of which are protected by UNESCO). Southern Italy is also well known for its beautiful beaches, woodlands and mountains (preserved in several National Parks), its medieval towns, its rich cuisine and its colorful folklore. The history of Southern Italy boasts numerous kings, queens, princes, popes, writers, poets, philosophers, knights, artists, architects, craftsmen, musicians, scholars, scientists, politicians and farmers.[3] The Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) uses the term Southern Italy also for identifying one of the five statistical regions in its reporting, but excluding both Sicily and Sardinia, which form a distinct statistical region denominated Insular Italy.
    [Show full text]
  • 2013 6Th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece: Abstract Book
    2013 6th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece: Abstract Book Mediterranean Studies Abstracts Sixth Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece Edited by Gregory T. Papanikos THE ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH 1 6th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece: Abstract Book 2 6th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece: Abstract Book 6th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece Edited by Gregory T. Papanikos 3 6th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece: Abstract Book First Published in Athens, Greece by the Athens Institute for Education and Research. ISBN: 978-960-9549-44-8 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, retrieved system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover. 8 Valaoritou Street Kolonaki, 10671 Athens, Greece www.atiner.gr ©Copyright 2012 by the Athens Institute for Education and Research. The individual essays remain the intellectual properties of the contributors. 4 6th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 26-29 March 2013, Athens, Greece: Abstract Book TABLE OF CONTENTS (In Alphabetical Order by Author's Family name) Preface 9 Conference Program 11 1. Women’s Strategic Needs in Recreational Public Spaces, The 17 Case of Nablus, Palestine Mokarram Abbas 2. Digital Activism: Junctures of Transition in Post-Revolutionary 18 Egypt Randa Aboubakr 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Open THESIS SUBMISSION5.Pdf
    THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHREYER HONORS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES ACCIDENT, OPPORTUNITY, AND FAMILY TIES: NORMAN "STATE-BUILDING" IN SOUTHERN ITALY 999-1085 SEAN C. SURFACE SPRING 2013 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree in History with honors in History Reviewed and approved* by the following: Kathryn Salzer Associate Professor of History Thesis Supervisor Michael Milligan Senior Lecturer in History Honors Adviser * Signatures are on file in the Schreyer Honors College. i ABSTRACT Accident, Opportunity, and Family Ties: Norman "State-Building" in Southern Italy 999- 1085 analyzes the slow and tumultuous takeover of southern Italy and Sicily by Norman immigrants in the eleventh century. Inheriting from their forebears in Normandy a uniquely flexible definition of kinship, these invaders were highly adaptable to the chaotic political landscape of Italy in the High Middle Ages. Entering the scene as mercenaries, pilgrims, and adventurers seeking glory, over the course of the eleventh century they became bandits, then landowners, then counts beneath the native rulers, and finally achieved the status of ducal powers. With no apparent plan leading to this conquest, and many signs that they were possessed of a peerless ability to take advantage of their neighbors' disorder, the Normans under the (in)famous Robert Guiscard and his family created a powerful duchy, and by the middle of the twelfth century the Kingdom of Sicily, which would exert considerable influence over the affairs of the great powers of the papacy, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire throughout the Crusader Era. The translation of social values, particularly the role of kinship between the Norman rulers, and how these values affected the course of the conquest and its aftermath are the subject of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • BYZANTINE ROYAL ANCESTRY Emperors, 578-1453
    GRANHOLM GENEALOGY BYZANTINE ROYAL ANCESTRY Emperors, 578-1453 1 INTRODUCTION During the first half of the first century Byzantium and specifically Constantinople was the most influentional and riches capital in the world. Great buildings, such as Hagia Sophia were built during these times. Despite the distances, contacts with the Scandinavians took place, in some cases cooperation against common enemies. Vikings traded with them and served in the Emperors’ Court. Sweden’s King Karl XII took refuge there for four years after the defeat in the war against Peter the Great of Russia in Poltava. Our 6th great grandfather, “ Cornelius von Loos” was with him and made drawings of many of the famous buildings in that region. The Byzantine lineages to us are shown starting fr o m different ancestors. There are many royals to whom we have a direct ancestral relationship and others who are distant cousins. These give an interesting picture of the history from those times. Wars took place among others with the Persians, which are also described in the book about our Persian Royal Ancestry. Additional text for many persons is highlighted in the following lists. This story begins with Emperor Tiberius II, (47th great grandfather) born in 520 and ends with the death of Emperor Constantine XI (15th cousin, 17 times removed) in battle in 1453. His death marked the final end of the Roman Empire, which had continued in the East for just under one thousand years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. No relations to us, the initial Emperor of the Byzantine was Justin I , born a peasant and a swineherd by initial occupation, reigned 518 to 527.
    [Show full text]
  • Hidden Aspect of Muslims and Christian Relations in the Crusader States
    Hidden Aspect of Muslims and Christian Relations in the Crusader States By George Archer B.A. May 2006, State University of New York at Stony Brook M.A. August 2009, The George Washington University A thesis submitted to The Faculty of The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences of The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of the Arts August 31, 2009 Thesis directed by Mohammad Faghfoory Professor of Religion Abstract of Thesis Hidden Aspects of Muslim and Christian Relations in the Crusader States This thesis examines the meeting of Near Eastern Muslims and Western European Christians in the 11th and 12th century Latin Crusader Kingdoms. As the crusaders were by definition enemies of the Islamic religion, and settled for several generations in the midst of the Islamic world, they were forced to adopt increasingly more complex and tolerant views of religious ‘others.’ A religiously mixed culture of Christian and Islamic elements began to form, which I shall here attempt to demonstrate and analyze. I will track the early history of this period with an account of the European development of Islamophobia in the 9th-11th centuries based on historical record. After the First Crusade created Latin nations in the Eastern Mediterranean in 1099, the role of Islam in the psyche of the crusaders began to change as they became acclimatized to Islamic cultures and practices. Using primarily eyewitness testimonies from both Christian and Muslim sources, I will expose what can be deduced about these people’s attitudes on Islam in the Crusader States.
    [Show full text]
  • Holy Warriors and Bellicose Bishops: the Church and Warfare in Early Medieval Germany
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by SJSU ScholarWorks San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Master's Theses Master's Theses and Graduate Research Summer 2015 Holy Warriors and Bellicose Bishops: The hC urch and Warfare in Early Medieval Germany Nicholas Edward Friend San Jose State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses Recommended Citation Friend, Nicholas Edward, "Holy Warriors and Bellicose Bishops: The hC urch and Warfare in Early Medieval Germany" (2015). Master's Theses. 4585. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.h7db-86zn https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4585 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses and Graduate Research at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HOLY WARRIORS AND BELLICOSE BISHOPS: THE CHURCH AND WARFARE IN EARLY MEDIEVAL GERMANY A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of History San José State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Nicholas E. Friend August 2015 © 2015 Nicholas E. Friend ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Designated Thesis Committee Approves the Thesis Titled HOLY WARRIORS AND BELLICOSE BISHOPS: THE CHURCH AND WARFARE IN EARLY MEDIEVAL GERMANY by Nicholas E. Friend APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY August 2015 Dr. John Bernhardt Department of History Dr. Jonathan Roth Department of History Dr. Allison Katsev Department of History ABSTRACT HOLY WARRIORS AND BELLICOSE BISHOPS: THE CHURCH AND WARFARE IN EARLY MEDIEVAL GERMANY By Nicholas E.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Creating the Lost Silver Map of Al-Idrisi
    RE-CREATING THE LOST SILVER MAP OF AL-IDRISI Entertainment for he who longs to travel the world In 1154 the Muslim scholar Al-Sharīf al-Idrīsī The silver disk is now lost, and the Entertainment compiled a geographical compendium for the survives only in the form of later manuscript copies. Norman ruler of Sicily, King Roger II, entitled the In a groundbreaking project, Factum Foundation Entertainment for He who Longs to Travel the World has teamed up with the Bodleian Library, the (Nuzhat al-mushtāq fi’khtirāq al-āfāq). The cartographic historian Professor Jerry Brotton, and Entertainment contained seventy regional maps Daniel Crouch Rare Books to re-create al-Idrisi’s of the known world, as well as a world map that fabled silver disk from an Ottoman copy of the represented the most technically sophisticated Entertainment held in the Bodleian Library, mapmaking of its time. Drawing on classical Oxford. Neither facsimile nor copy, this re-creation Graeco-Roman learning and Islamic geography, combines painstaking historical research with combined with accounts of contemporary travellers, advanced digital techniques and the highest levels Idrisi used his geographical data to make a single of craftsmanship. It pays tribute to the lost original, round map engraved onto a silver disk and set offering yet another layer to its complex and unique into a wooden table, with the Arabian peninsula history, and generating new research into one of and Mecca at its centre. the greatest of all Muslim mapmakers. Al-Idrisi and Roger ii: Mapping the world in the twelfth century A descendent of the prophet Mohammed via the King Roger was profoundly interested in ancient powerful Shi’a Idrisid dynasty, Abu Abdullah cartography.
    [Show full text]
  • Vandals, Romans and Berbers 1St Edition Kindle
    VANDALS, ROMANS AND BERBERS 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Andrew Merrills | 9781351876117 | | | | | Vandals, Romans and Berbers 1st edition PDF Book Sea of the Vandals. The best Vandal warriors were formed into five cavalry regiments, known as Vandali Iustiniani , and stationed on the Persian frontier. He reintroduced "harsh measures against the Catholic ecclesiastical hierarchy" but "worked to maintain positive relations with the Romano- African lay elite," his intention being to split the loyalties of the two groups. Entire inland communities were decimated, and formerly flush Marrakesh was wracked with famine. The Vandals departed with countless valuables. Tunisian Revolution. Instead, the Portuguese went with tactics where they had clear technical advantages: naval warfare and advanced firearms. But tactics from the Years of Lead were revived after the Casablanca trade-centre bombings and a military raid of a Western Sahara protest camp, when suspects were rounded up — in Human Rights Watch reported that many of them had been subjected to abuse and detention without counsel. In Michael Mass ed. It is an important addition to the fields of early Christian, late antique and North African studies. The Germanic mythological figure of Aurvandil "shining wanderer; dawn wanderer, evening star ", or "Shining Vandal" is reported as one of the "Germanic Dioscuri ". However, Heather also notes that "personal belief must have also played a substantial role in Gaiseric's decision making. Ben Ali rule. The ensuing centuries were one long lesson for the Romans in minding their manners. They made peace and stayed on the eastern bank of the Danube. BC Magna Graecia 8th—3rd c.
    [Show full text]
  • A Complex Network Analysis of Inbound Tourism in Sicily Davide
    A complex network analysis of inbound tourism in Sicily Davide Provenzanoa, Rodolfo Baggiob a Department of Economics, Statistics and Business, University of Palermo E-mail: [email protected] b Master in Economics and Tourism, Bocconi University and National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University E-mail: [email protected] =============================== International Journal of Tourism Research (2019) doi: 10.1002/JTR.2343 =============================== Abstract In this paper the complex dynamics of inbound tourism in Sicily are analyzed for the period 1998-2017. The Horizontal Visibility Graph Algorithm is used to transform the overnight stays time series into a network whose topology is investigated by standard network analysis. Discontinuities in the domestic and international tourism demand were identified in order to detect signals of change and the timing of the directional change in tourism growth. The network degree distribution confirms the complex structure of the destination and reveals the random, and thus more unpredictable nature of the international tourism demand in Sicily, compared to a more stable domestic segment. Some policy implications are drawn. Keywords: Tourism; network analysis; horizontal visibility graph algorithm; time series; island; Sicily 1 Introduction Sicily is an autonomous region located in the south of the Italian Peninsula and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Because of the past dominations by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Vandals, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, the Emirate of Sicily, the Normans and the Kingdom of Aragon, Sicily has a rich and unique art, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. The island is also known for its stunning golden beaches, quaint fishing villages, and, of course, for the capital, Palermo, famous for its street food and its extraordinary architecture.
    [Show full text]
  • Henna in 12Th Century Sicily
    1 Henna for Christmas Mass in Sicily, 1184 Catherine Cartwright-Jones PhD 2017 i Ibn Jubayr spent some winter weeks in Palermo on his return from his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1184. He observed Sicilian women going Christmas mass at the Church of St. Mary of the Admirals, La Martorana. “The Christian women's dress in this city is the dress of Muslims; they are eloquent speakers of Arabic and cover themselves with veils. They go out at this aforementioned festival clothed in golden silk, covered in shining wraps, colorful veils and with light gilded sandals. They appear at their churches bearing all the finery of Muslim women in their attire, henna and perfume.”1 1 Ibn Jubayr, Rihlat Ibn Jubayr, (Beirut 1962) 307. Translated by A. Metcalfe, Muslims and Christians 97. La Martorana (c. 1143) was commissioned by George of Antioch, the chief vizer of Roger II Copyright © 2017 Catherine Cartwright-Jones PhD TapDancing Lizard ® LLC 2 What was it about these hennaed, veiled women going to Christmas mass that caught Ibn Jubayr’s attention, and why did he feel that it was important to comment on them? Ibn Jubayr was a highly educated Muslim geographer, traveler, and poet from Valencia, Spain, when al- Andalus was a cultural mosaic of European and North African people, Christian, Jewish and Muslim, as was Sicily.ii Ibn Jubayr traveled to Mecca to expiate a transgression and to gain a greater understanding of the changing world around him. Though Muslim culture had expanded into southern Europe and been welcomed as an improvement on the collapsing Roman Empire and European Dark Ages, the Muslim territories were under pressure by Northern European armies.
    [Show full text]