Talk:Xoanon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This original article of this name described an Occult publishing house Xoanon Publishing. However 4 of the 5 links to this page were for the wooden statue of Greeky myth. I've moved the occult article to a more appropriate name, and have created a stub here for the Greek myth reference. Please expand! Cje 08:43, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Picture

I'm worried about this picture. What in the text is it illustrating? It's clearly not an xoanon, is it even Greek? Twospoonfuls 18:59, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

It's Cypriot, and therefore Cycladic in art historical terms (IIRC), which is usually thought of as Greek or something close. I believe it's here because it's the closest thing to a xoanon in the Commons; it's probably close to what they looked like even if it's a different material. I'm pretty sure that no acutal xoana survive. TCC (talk) (contribs) 21:13, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

Yes, but did they speak proto- or Mycenean-Greek? Or were they ethnically related to the Greeks? Don't ask me, I get all my information for wikipedia! Seriously though, this picture seems to have little or nothing to do with the subject, I really think it ought to be removed. Twospoonfuls 17:53, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Have you then an illustration of a xoanon to replace it with? And why not? Look at the illustration to see how much labor has gone into reproducing a xoanon in the soft stone. Why for you does a xoanon have to speak "proto-Greek"? On what basis are you assuming that among xoana conserved in classical Greek temples none pre-dated the arrival of the Greeks? Are concerns about Greekness or not-Greekness of modern Cyprus affecting your response to the image in some way? Do you understand that they are irrelevant? The illustration evokes a xoanon better than a Waterhouse painting evokes a nymph or a naiad. If the illustration is misleading in any way at all, why not discuss that in the article? --Wetman 18:56, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Cyprus in particular was a major cultural crossroads, and was influenced by Anatolian, Cretan, Levantine, Egyptian, and Aegean cultures. Certainly during LCIII (corresponding to LHIII on mainland Greece) there was a large influx of Mycenaean Greek settlers or refugees. So there were Greeks present on the island, yes. Whether or not this particular object was carved in imitation of wooden xoana I can't say since I have no other information about it, but it certainly resembles them as they were often described. It's very tempting to see a relationship between a cult object like this and the hermai of Classical times. TCC (talk) (contribs) 20:11, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

You got me going there for a moment. My powers of deduction tell me that you, sir, are being facetious. I hope I don't come across like a shirty wikipedian in that way. Twospoonfuls 20:14, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

If my highly-colored and rather too pointed leading questions weren't thought-provoking, then they have failed. Perhaps the image juxtaposed with the text is too provocative also. Some published text about xoana being rendered in more permanent stone would cure any ills. Shouldn't be hard to find some a propos remarks about xoana as prototypes of stone carvings. Cycladic? Any suggestions? --Wetman 07:40, 10 August 2007 (UTC)