The Bristol Museum has graciously allowed me to use from their collection three photos and two site maps of Los Guachimontones produced by Adela Breton in the 1890s for my thesis free of charge. While I cannot share with you all the high resolution copies, I can share links to their site that do show lower resolution versions of the photos and site maps.

The photos appear to be the central altar for Circle 2, which is the prettiest of the guachimontones restored at the site. While Circle 1 is much larger than Circle 2, it also suffered more damage from modern farming. Only half of it's 12 platforms could be resorted. The altar was also badly damaged from looters. Some of the damage was filled in by restoration efforts, but the huge looters pit presented an opportunity to create a stable path to the top of the altar without damaging the rest of the structure. So if you search on Google for guachimontones and see something like this, it was taken from the top of Circle 1's altar looking towards Circle 2.

http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/multimedia/entry.php?request=resource&irn=173630&width=700&format=jpeg

http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/multimedia/entry.php?request=resource&irn=173629&width=700&format=jpeg

http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/multimedia/entry.php?request=resource&irn=173632&width=700&format=jpeg

This is one of the site maps,

http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/details.php?irn=229150

This is the other site map,

http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/details.php?irn=229149

What I find amusing about Breton's site maps are the number of platforms she draws. For Circles 1, 2, and 3 she drew 8 platforms. She did say in a letter to a colleague that the maps were quick sketches, so I won't fault her too much. But only Circle 3 has 8 platforms. Circle 2 has 10 platforms and Circle 1 has 12 platforms.

Including these photos and site maps won't impact my thesis too much. I want to include them so they get published somewhere, so that people can see their condition before restoration (few photos exist unfortunately), and so that Breton can get recognition for identifying these structures so early. I wish she had published them at the time so more people could have investigated the region earlier, but what are you going to do? I don't want to take away from Phil Weigand's work on these structures and this area. Without him we would be nowhere and there is no argument on that. And he really is the first person to identify the structures and publish on them despite criticism from colleagues at the time. But recognition for Breton is still deserved.

Anyway, just wanted to share and I hope you all enjoy looking at old photos of archaeology sites as much as I do.

Edit:

Yay! I received an email today on the timeline for an edited volume on architectural energetics I am making a contribution to. My chapter draft needs to be submitted by September 1st. If things go smoothly, the entire volume will be sent out for external and publisher review next March with publication presumably sometime after that. Whoo!

"Why have we gotten so many questions about Ireland in the last couple of days?" I said to one of the other mods.

...

Right then.

https://heavyeditorial.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/screen-shot-2016-03-16-at-6-01-47-pm.jpg

In r/PoliticalDiscussion there was a post about a Puerto Rican referendum on statehood/status being held this year. Some commenter said that people would resist changing the flag because people have grown up with it their whole life and wouldn't like the change.

When Alaska and Hawaii became states, was the switch from a 48 star flag, which had been in use for nearly 50 years, controversial in anyway when the flag changed from 48 to 49 to 50 stars?

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, pulp writer Robert E. Howard (sometimes called 'The Last Celt' by admirers for his interest in Irish history, its influence on his fiction, and his own identification as an Irish-American) had a few words to say about the Irish people:

What you say of the youth and enthusiasm of the Celtic race is true, but I fear the good points of the race are balanced by points not so good. Celtic treachery is as well established as Celtic mysticism; Celtic dissention, jealousy and fickleness brought the English into Ireland and kept them there. The Gaels have never learned to act with each other; in later years many of the great leaders of Irish independence have been Celtized Englishmen. Why, it was only a part of the Irish who broke the Danes at Clontarf, and Mac Gilla Patrick not only refrained from aiding his countrymen, but actually attacked the Dalcassians as they returned and dogged their trail clear into Clare. And the great Brian Boru won the crown from Malachi by treachery. The history of the Irish race is one of betrayals, and only the incredible vitality of the breed has allowed it to exist at all.

Celtic nature has its moments of spontaneous gaiety and good nature, but it has depths of dark brooding and unexpected cruelty. It is wayward and uncertain as the wind; as water that flows to the sea and the grey waves of the sea. The Celt is oppressed by the everlasting sadness of the world and the fleeting shadows of this ephemeral dream we call reality. He is a primitive creature of rivers and shadows and dreams that can instantly turn to nightmares. He is moved and shifted by all winds that blow; his actions are determined by moods that pass over his soul like the shadows of wind-blown clouds across the grass. He fights the wars of all peoples and wins all battles except his own. He builds colossal cities and shivers in their streets, a beggar. He watches, unmoved, the slaughter of thousands, and breaks his heart over the falling of a leaf. He gives his coat to a stranger and robs his brother. A word can make him swear friendship for his enemy, and a word can make him turn against his best friend. He is Ishmael and his brothers are the Sons of Hagar. I am going to venture to quote here a rhyme of mine, of little worth, but in which I tried to create, in my crude way, some hint of the restlessness and discontent that is the heritage of all men of Gaelic blood.

Rueben’s Brethren

“Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.”

Drain the cup while the ale is bright,

Brief truce to remorse and sorrow!

I drink the health of my friend tonight —

I may cut his throat tomorrow.

Tonight I fling a curse in the cup

For the foe whose lines we sundered —

I may ride in his ranks when the sun comes up

And die for the flag I plundered.

Kisses I drank in the blaze of noon,

At eve may be bitter as scorning —

And I go in the light of a mocking moon

To the woman I cursed this morning.

For deep in my soul the old gods brood —

And I come of a restless breed —

And my heart is blown in each drifting mood

As clouds blow over the mead.

• Robert E. Howard to H. P. Lovecraft, Oct 1930, Collected Letters of Robert E. Howard 2.94-95