SoA Forums

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/17/british-rebellion-against-roman-legions-caused-by-drought-research-finds

Over to you....

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476849-iron-age-site-was-a-purple-dye-factory-for-centuries/

Hopefully of interest...

Finally got around to chronicling last week's WotR battle based upon Thomas' One Hour Wargames Scenario #4, Take the High Ground.

My recollection of battle at Battle of Solden Hill, BatRep.
My opponent's recollection of battle at Battle of Solden Hill.

all too true...

We humans tend to get domestication of cats wrong because we see it from our perspective. In fact, at some point in prehistory, the King of the Cats summoned a council on the way forward.  This drew up a list of requirements for their future comfort. These included warm, dry sleeping places, a fire to keep warm in winter, a constant supply of food and staff at their beck and call. They agreed the best way to achieve this was to domesticate the ape-descendants.

Just to say that having been honoured by the presence of a genuine farm cat, I agree with David. They are a valuable member of the team. They may exhibit some signs of domestication but these aren't compulsory 

Had a think..

fu - originaly 'battle-axe' by the time of the Liao Shi also used as a generic axe.

yue - the shou yuan (western Han) specificaly says it's an axe with a long handle.
(there was some confusion in early commentators as to which, fu or yue, had the long or short wooden handle)

fuyue - as a compound word, modern romantisied stuff (think Victorian names for European polearms).

All seems highly questionable to me; I think they are probably reversing the order of religious offering and useful, low maintenance domesticated animal.  Why do you sacrifice an animal to a god?  Because it has a perceived value.  Cats keep your grain stores less nibbled by rodents.  They are also cute and, when they can be arsed, ostensibly affectionate.  They are not really suitable for pastoralists as they are less mobile than, say, a dog, and not much use at keeping wolves and lions at bay unless named Greebo.  But once you settle down and start cultivating cereals...

Ditto chickens.  I highly doubt that people started to domesticate chickens to offer to a god.  They kept chickens for eggs, meat, feathers, and then thought that they ought occasionally to offer one to the god because it was a sacrifice of something useful.  And not forgetting that in many cultures, you got to eat the animal after the sacrifice once the god (and priest) had had his share.

https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/25096125.viking-gold-jewellery-found-cauliflower-field-cornwall/

Where's my spade....