Matasha Mazis @mattyhari@qoto.org

#JohnMastodon is proof that things *CAN* go viral here on Mastodon, but the key is that *YOU* are the algorithm. The reason that the John Mastodon meme showed up on other people's timelines is because so many users boosted the posts.

The lesson here is: please don't just favourite something if you really enjoyed it; BOOST it so that other people can enjoy it, too! This is the only reason why I bother to create as large a social graph as I can on Mastodon—to act as an amplifier. You can, too!❤️😉

Day 18 #ArtAdventCalendar
#raku #pottery #vase

Raku, a historic firing technique that originated during the 1500s in Japan. It involves placing molten hot vases in a reduction bin with organic combustible materials. Once the lid is placed on the bin, the fire uses all the remaining oxygen, which creates unique one of a kind effects.

Raku roughly translates as 'happiness in the accident', however the details of each firing are carefully planned.

#art #MastodonArt #Archaeology #MastoArt

Ukraine’s museums keep watch over priceless gold in bid to halt Russian looters https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/18/ukraine-museums-scythian-gold-russian-looters-putin?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

#ukraine
#archaeology
#ArchaeologicalSites
#museums
#WarLooting

Finding the new Twitter "Promotion of alternative social platforms policy" deeply amusing

https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/social-platforms-policy

I guess I'm technically in violation since my Twitter profile links to my personally hosted https://fedi.simonwillison.net/ Mastodon, but presumably if I ran a different ActivityPub server like https://jointakahe.org/ I'd be fine

How about if I fork Mastodon and rename it to Simonodon and run that instead?

In very exciting news, our book is coming out soon 🥳
It’s on the Roman kings and we explore the history through the source material that survives - later written accounts and what is suggested by the archaeology.
Like our podcast, the book is written to be both accessible in terms of how we talk about ideas as well as with plenty of references. That way, you can follow up on the ideas and key details that interest you ☺️
It’s coming out in late January, and pre-orders are most welcome. They’ll help our indie publisher and us!
You can pre-order here: https://highlands-press.com/product/rex/
#AncientRome #Kings #Rex #Book #History @histodons @bookstodon

Brass mail and tortoiseshell cuirass, 17th century (philippines).
When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived to Philippines, they brought with them plate armor and morrión style helmets.
Philippines, has a modest amount of metals. However, the Muslim warriors of Mindanao through piracy made possible the creation of uniques metal armor.

#historia #archaeology
#arqueologo #historiamilitar #militaryhistory #war #conflictarchaeology #histodons #histodon @histodons @militaryhistory

These are two sides of a #Byzantine earring that was found in Tharros #Sardinia, and is dated to the 6th-7th century.
The earring is made of gold with an amethyst bead and white pearls.

#AncientJewelry
----
© The Trustees of the British Museum, 1856,1223.1746

#Russia has turned off the power to #Ukraine, so we are bringing light.

President Zelensky has called on the international community to support the urgent purchase of 50 million LED light bulbs for Ukrainian homes.

We have mobilised €30 million to cover roughly 30 million LED bulbs. These are 88% more efficient and could save the equivalent to the annual output of one nuclear power plant.

Together, we can help protect the people of Ukraine from freezing temperatures and blackouts this winter.

#TombTuesday Tomb of a Sogdian community leader & his wife, who lived in 6thc China, illustrating their Zoroastrian beliefs (the Sogdians were an Iranian people who played a major role in trade along the Silk Road). [Detail from Façade of Sarcophagus of Shi Jun (Wirkak) and Wiyusi: Bird-Man Creature Tending Sacred Fire. Xi’an, 579–80 CE. Shaanxi History Museum, China.
Image courtesy of Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.] https://sogdians.si.edu/shi-juns-sarcophagus/

A charming #Roman enamelled fibula (a decorative pin for fastening garments/a brooch) in the form of a #frog. Animal-shaped brooches were common in Roman time and popular in the north-western provinces of the empire, yet they rarely have the form of #frogs. It has been suggested that frogs had an apotropaic value (i. e. to avert evil), but there is no evidence for this. Found in Ladenburg, dating 2nd century AD. On display at Lobdengau Museum Ladenburg.

#RomanArchaeology #archaeology

Apparently it’s #InternationalMountainDay so here are a few photos of the Usambara Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot and ecological refugium in northeastern Tanzania. We are now exploring the archaeology of the region.

I had the honour of interviewing Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson about their beautiful and brilliant Pinocchio last night. It's on Netflix. If you get the chance to see it on the big screen, you must.

For today's reentry, Orion will use a “skip entry” technique, which has never been tried before with a human spacecraft.
Orion will dip into the upper part of Earth’s atmosphere and use that atmosphere, along with the lift of the capsule, to skip back out of the atmosphere, then reenter for final descent using parachutes.
Advantages:
More accurate landing.
Lower g-forces on astronauts.
Lower heat rate.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/orion-spacecraft-to-test-new-entry-technique-on-artemis-i-mission
Go #Artemis #Orion #NASA #ESA
6/n

These carboniferous sediments are like a book that spans millions of years - telling a story of turbulent environmental change and tropical climates, back when Scotland lay at low latitudes over 300 million years ago 🖤

Happy Birthday to English mathematician Ada Lovelace, born in London #OnThisDay in 1815. Lovelace, the only child of Lord and Lady Byron, is often called the first computer programmer for her machine algorithm written in the 1840s to be carried out by Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine (which existed only on paper at the time).

#AdaLovelace #OTD #WomenInSTEM #history #histodons #HistoryOfScience #WomensHistory

NEW on #SAPIENS

Pseudoarchaeology, conspiracy theories that ancient civilizations were founded by aliens or the denizens of Atlantis, are more than just silly—they’re dangerous.

https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/pseudoarchaeology-racism/

The website for the United Federation of Instances is pretty much done. Please check it out and if you see anything that needs fixing let me know. I plan to officially launch it this weekend but sharing it now for feedback.

https://UFoI.org

If you see anything needing fixing please just jump right in and create a merge request here, no need to ask permission.

https://gitlab.com/ufoi/ufoi-site

Also if your too lazy you can always jut let me know and ill fix it, but a MR would really be much more helpful.

#UFI #UFoI @ufoi

Don't be scared, but aware of predatory publishing. I will speak on Wednesday afternoon in our Open Science Seminar about that including some hands-on-exercises with the think-check-submit checklist, but also briefly touch hijacked journals, misleading metrics and questionable publishing practices. https://www.uni-mannheim.de/news/predatory-publishers/ . Register directly or ask me for the Zoom link, if you are interested. #PredatoryPublishing #OpenScience

Sunrise magic in the Coast Mountains.
(N'Quatqua territory)
#MountainMonday #PhotoMonday #hiking #LandscapePhotography #mountainscape

The German word "Absätze" can mean
- sales
- heels
The German word "Wirtschaft" means
- pub
- economy

So, someone saying "Hohe Absätze sorgen für gute Laune in der Wirtschaft" either means that high sales figures lift the markets' mood - or he is a sexist barfly.

Enjoy our language!