A friend arrived a few days ago at our home and pulled out a bottle from under his coat and on seeing his action my mind leaped back into the past and I thought he had brought me a bottle of poitÃn [the home distilled white whiskey]. The magical drink of old Ireland and the famed base of rubs when mixed with olive oil as a treatment for greyhounds and arthritic joints.
I was of course totally wrong and found out that the liquid was white vinegar; hence the first word in the title 'pickled' the hand carved [inners] were made by his brother-in-law and depict the implements used in the crucifixion.The long legged cross, the nails, mallet (hammer), spear, an axe for cutting the tree, a saw for cutting and a ladder - which I think represents ascension ?
To me personally not having any religious beliefs in any shape or fashion. I find this bottle and it's contents rather bizarre to say the least, although I do admire the craftsmanship...
I have never ever seen anything like this before and would be very interested in reading your thoughts.
It's different, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteI thought so too Janet :-)
DeleteI have lived in a convent for 9 years, because of "circumstances", friend heron ... they gave me an education in psych nursing and taught me manners in living ... but then I left them for a man's love ... which was just another illusion ... and that's what makes life livable and interesting ... ya ? ... meouw ... anyway ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct life is interesting and quite varied at times [wink !] thank you Cat
DeleteHi Mel - I'd be non-plussed too ... but I'd like to know more ... interesting to put it mildly! Pity about the poitin though ... well I'm not sure I've seen a stranger 'thing' ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThank you Hilary, I am quite mystified too !
DeleteRoman torture instruments as ornaments? I agree, bizarre!
ReplyDeleteI Agree, totally illogical ...
DeleteI'm even more curious as to how the maker managed to get all that carved material in through the neck of that bottle? Or maybe the bottom came out? I'm not religious either, but it's a nice piece of craftsmanship!
ReplyDeleteEvery piece goes in through the neck of the bottle and is all assembled using tweezers and glue. Which is exactly how they put ships in bottles and all is done with a great deal of patience.
DeleteWith this particular one the maker poured in vinegar which also relates to the crucifixion.
Thank you for the comment Val.
Well two thing come to mind, a) he knew how to get large thing into a small gap, and b) was he making a statement about his loss of faith? Its the vinegar that does it ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you Thelma for sharing your thoughts.
DeleteI agree with your first one. Knowing the family as I do, well they are all very devout: so no I don't think he has lost his faith - the vinegar relates specifically to one single act during the crucifixion; it was when Jesus called out for a drink and they offered him a sponge filled with vinegar, that is the relevance.
I actually know quite a lot about this religion.
For I am an atheist who studied christian theology for a number of years as an enquiry into that religion !
Intriguing & slightly mystifying gift for a non religious person! However you do have to admire the craftsmanship ... I must say I do prefer the ship in the bottle even though we are both a little hazy of where it sailed off to!
ReplyDeleteHello Snappy !
DeleteYes I thought it was a very strange gift to give me. On the other hand we have had a variety items passed to us by a certain Christian sect over the years [nod,nod,wink!] You are right about the craftsmanship too.
Ah' that ship in a bottle... yes.
O, sweet Jesus. That strikes me as extremely strange.
ReplyDeleteVery glad that you have supported my thoughts Mitchell!
DeleteHm, I remember a song by the Police - Message in a bottle.... you wouldn't know it Mel, its not Irish.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen anything like this, its fascinating though and even more since you call it pickled!!! For my own part I owned a nativity scenery on a very small scale - Christmas in a nutshell - since it was built up in half a walnutshell.
I liked this bottle, hopefully it will bring you to contemplate for many hours on how they got it in there. It's as puzzling how God managed to fit all of us into one single humanity. You have to admit, all things taken into consideration, that mankind is a complex bunch of people, living their lives and letting their stories show , as transparent as in a glass bottle, and still a mystery since everyone of us is unique. I hope you own a pickled ship too.......
Am not surprised that you like this bottle Solveig and if you lived around the corner or along the road, you would have had it placed on your doorstep. Actually I know exactly how it was made - there is no mystery there for me - not any aspect of it.
DeleteMrs H knows about the Police and the song too - I imagine that it was brought out at time when I was busily engaged with work. Yet I do have memories of Deep Purple in particular 'Smoke on the water' which is still one of my favourites :-)
As you say, Heron, the 'how' just brings admiration for patience but as for the object itself I'm afraid that I consider it bizarre and think that I would do so even if I did have any religious beliefs (which I do not although I came to that decision after a great deal of consideration of religion - particularly Christianity).
ReplyDeleteHello Graham thank you for commenting.
ReplyDeletePeople do some very strange things with their spare time and this is just another example.