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Some general remarks
Louis’ Salon will be archived in a few days, and
I want to offer some observations about it before it closes. The fact that
there has been rather little discussion is almost certainly a result of
the excellence with which it was prepared and presented. That is, there is
little to criticize or about which to debate. After a brief overview of
what is known about ensis, he compared the morphologies that the Turkmen
groups use for an ensi motif, and continued with some interesting ideas
about the interpretation of that motif as a representation, presenting a
rational basis for those ideas.
This Salon essay is nearly unique
in the literature on motif origins, evolution and meaning, and should be a
model for others in the future. The most common format that has been used
is to begin with a few facts and add layers of speculation and fantasy,
liberally sprinkled with age attributions based on the familiar paradigm:
I like old rugs. I like this rug more than I like that rug. Therefore,
this rug is older than that rug.
I opened the discussion of
this Salon with congratulations to Louis. I congratulate him again for
producing something of lasting value to Rugdom. Not only for the insights
it presents, but for the rational approach with which they are
presented.
Steve Price |