Of Ships and Deer: early Western Mediterranean ship graffiti reappraised

Re‐analysis of the Hal Tarxien prehistoric ship graffiti, the incised figure on a pottery sherd, from the Neolithic site of Grapceva cave on a Croatian island, known as the ‘Hvar boat’, and the Villanovian‐Etruscan bronze razor from Bologna allow the last two to be reinterpreted as animals rather than ships, and the first to be dated to the Bronze Age Cemetery phase of the site. These findings require the earliest ship graffiti in the western Mediterranean to be reconsidered.     

Tocqueville: Democratic Politics and the Modern Soul. Introduction

Abstract

This paper explores Prince Hal's relationships with his great friend Falstaff and his great enemy Hotspur, who dominate the young prince's life as he prepares to rule England and conquer France. Hotspur and Falstaff could not be more different, and seem deliberately drawn by Shakespeare to represent distinctive and opposing points of view: Hotspur is an honor-loving and courageous warrior who covets danger and fame, Falstaff a selfish and dishonorable rationalist who has no regard for danger or fame. I will argue that the lessons Hal learns from Hotspur and Falstaff, especially concerning honor, are the key to his stunning political success. While Hal seems to stand somewhere between these two extremes, and so might be characterized as moderately attached to honor, I will question this conclusion and suggest another.     

Robert Newall's Primary Record of the Prehistoric Ship Graffiti at Hal Tarxien,Malta: new thoughts on their significance

Recent research on now indistinct ship graffiti in the Third Temple at Hal Tarxien led to discovery of a full‐size record made 50 years ago. Correspondence elucidates contemporary interpretation of the context. Colonization of the island from Sicily c.5000 BC probably involved large flotation devices similar to those identified on the lowest tier of graffiti. A Neolithic date for some of the images finds support with the identification of a raft supporting the cult statue located in the same part of the temple.