art-of-swords:

The Urumi

The urumi (meaning, “curling blade”) is a long sword made of flexible steel, sharp enough to cut into flesh, but flexible enough to be rolled into a tight coil. Originating in South India, it was most popular in the North Malabar Coast of Kerala and is often mentioned in the ballads of the region.

In kalaripayat, the urumi is always the last weapon taught because of the danger it poses to the wielder. The weapon is called urumi in northern kalaripayattu and chuttuval in the southern style. The word chuttuval is derived from the Malayalam words chuttu (coil/spin) and vaal (sword).

The sword is a flexible band of steel three-quarters to one inch in width, and long enough to reach from the fingertip of one hand to the finger tip of the other hand when the hands are held outstretched (usually about four or five and a half feet).

It has a small handle with a cover. Often there are multiple belts on a single handle, which makes it more dangerous to the opponents and wielders alike. In modern times it is often made from used band-saw blades and packing bands.

Agility and skill are more important to master the weapon rather than strength or aggression. Twirling and controlling the urumi is a difficult and dangerous art, and is therefore taught only to the best. Incorrect use can result in the flexible sword wounding its wielder, and great concentration is required during use, even by experts. The urumi is most useful against multiple opponents.

When not in use, the urumi is worn around the waist like a belt. Since women often wore belts it was a convenient weapon for them to carry. Unniyarcha, one of the heroines of the ballads of the northern Malabar coast, was said to have been adept at wielding the urumi. It was also a good weapon for duels since thrusting with the point of the sword was not permitted in duels in South India.

Source: Wikipedia 

(via heliotropepjs)

therothwoman:

thedailywhat:

New Fair Tales of the Day: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Germany), 500 previously unpublished fairy tales were discovered. The tales, which date to the 1800s, originally were collected by a historian named Franz Xaver von Schonwerth, “a contemporary of the Grimm brothers.” Now selected tales have been introduced to the world in a book published by Erika Eichenseer, a cultural curator in the Bavarian region of Oberpfalz.

Eichenseer says the fairy tales aren’t just for kids: “Their main purpose was to help young adults on their path to adulthood, showing them that dangers and challenges can be overcome through virtue, prudence and courage.”

Clearly, as evidenced by one tale of a maiden who escapes a witch by transforming herself into a pond. The witch then lies on her stomach and drinks all the water, swallowing the young girl, who uses a knife to cut her way out of the witch.

[aggregate]

This is my new favorite way to kill witches.

archiemcphee:

Here’s an awesome little piece of history:

Archaeologists in the Burnt City have discovered what appears to be an ancient prosthetic eye. What makes this discovery exceptionally awesome is the striking description of how the owner and her false eye would have appeared while she was still alive and blinking:

[The eye] has a hemispherical form and a diameter of just over 2.5 cm (1 inch). It consists of very light material, probably bitumen paste. The surface of the artificial eye is covered with a thin layer of gold, engraved with a central circle (representing the iris) and gold lines patterned like sun rays. The female remains found with the artificial eye was 1.82 m tall (6 feet), much taller than ordinary women of her time. On both sides of the eye are drilled tiny holes, through which a golden thread could hold the eyeball in place. Since microscopic research has shown that the eye socket showed clear imprints of the golden thread, the eyeball must have been worn during her lifetime. The woman’s skeleton has been dated to between 2900 and 2800 BCE. 

So she was an extraordinarily tall woman walking around wearing an engraved golden eye patterned with rays like a tiny sun. What an awesome sight that must have been.

[via TYWKIWDBI]

(via janeturenne)

therothwoman:

moraniarty:

thedeerstalkerisparamount:

To support the movement for marriage equality in the U.K., Ben & Jerry’s is changing the name of its apple pie ice cream to Apple-y Ever After, with a design featuring a wedding cake topped with two grooms. More.

ALL THE AWARDS TO BEN & JERRY’S

FOUR FOR YOU BEN & JERRY’S

FOUR FOR YOU

I saw this yesterday and thought it was just a mock-up. This is awesome but…just in the UK? On the other hand, seeing two married dudes as posterboys for the most American flavor ever gives me hope.

(Source: gaywrites)

luciferinthethroneroom:

buzzfeed:

21. This Puffer Fish
Secret To Happiness: Taking life as it comes. 
Favorite Thing: Being the second-most poisonous vertebrate on the planet.

[The 26 Happiest Animals In The World]

LORA OMG LOOK AT THIS ADORABLE BLOWFISHIE OMFG.

(via fluorescentbird)

janeturenne:

agapi42:

biichama:

cephiedvariable:

seaslugs:

snakewife:

curvesappreciationsociety:

obeythelittlebear:

factorygirl-photography:

(via penisu, kateoplis)

I will reblog this literally every time I see it on my dash.

gaywrites:

This is not quite new, but European clothing store Polarn O. Pyret still has the right idea in selling clothes for kids without distinguishing boys’ clothes from girls’ clothes. More on their strategy here. 

(via astudyinawesome)

srrrevans:

madseason:

HOLY SHIT GUYS, LOOK AT THIS

A little over a year ago I drew this picture of rule63!Sherlock-and-John (also on tumblr):

and today I got an LJ comment notification from shizayats saying that she and her friend had recognized themselves in the drawing and decided to cosplay it. LOOK AT THIS, I JUST. CAN’T STOP FLAILING, I’M SO UTTERLY DELIGHTED.

HEY CHECK OUT THE COSPLAYERS’ OTHER TWO PHOTOS FROM LJ:

doctorwho:

Missing Episodes of Classic Doctor Who Recovered!

Two classic episodes of Doctor Who - thought to be missing forever - have been returned to the BBC archive.

Episode 3 of the William Hartnell adventure “Galaxy 4” and Episode 2 of Patrick Troughton’s “The Underwater Menace” were purchased by film collector Terry Burnett at a village fete near Southampton in the early 80s. He had been unaware that the canisters contained material missing from the BBC.

Thanks to the kind loan by Mr Burnett, the classic footage has been shown today at the British Film Institute’s annual “Missing Believed Wiped” event at the National Film Theatre in London. Host at the event was Doctor Who writer and actor Mark Gatiss who said: “Christmas has come early for Doctor Who fans everywhere. It’s always wonderful when a missing episode turns up but it’s been years since the last one so to have two is just brilliant. Add to that a proper bit of action from the legendary Chumblies (and the horrifying Rills!) plus the utterly mesmeric Patrick Troughton on great form. Well, what more could we all ask for?”

Over 100 episodes of Doctor Who from the 1960s still remain missing. The tapes were routinely wiped once the rights to repeat them had expired. It seems unfathomable to us today, but before the advent of DVDs and iPlayer, grainy black and white material was thought to no longer be of interest to the television audience. However, many film prints sold overseas have since been returned. These latest discoveries are the first complete episodes to have been located since 2004.

None of the four episodes of the 1965 adventure “Galaxy 4” were known to have survived, although a short extract had been retained. “The Underwater Menace” dating from 1967 is now the earliest surviving complete episode featuring Patrick Troughton’s performance as the Second Doctor.

Research has shown that the returned episodes originated from the ABC channel in Australia. In fact, the copy of The Underwater Menace is still missing a few short sections which were removed by the Australian censors upon its original transmission Down Under. Fresh scans of the missing material have been made by the National Archives of Australia and will be incorporated into the restored episodes ahead of a DVD release.

Details of a commercial release will be announced by 2 entertain in 2012.

(via firebirdy)