Kenyanthropus platyops

1.      Dr. Meave Leakey and his colleagues at the National Museum of Kenya unearthed fossils on 1998 and 1999 in Kenya during field work sponsored by the National Geographic Society. According to the findings it is belonging to a new genus of human ancestor, K.enyanthropus platyops. It is estimated 3.2 to 3.5 million years old.

2.      Australopithecus afarensis or popularly known as Lucy is the partial skeleton discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. The scientist have believed that Lucy  is the  ancestral species but this was changed when the Kenyan fossils(K.enyanthropus platyops) recovered. One distinguishable feature is the flatter face of K.enyanthropus than Australopithecus. Hence, Leakey concluded that there are two lineages existed as far back as 3.5 million years.

3.      The most popular theory about human ancestry in early 1980’s, was that many scientist and archaeologist have believed that there was a single common human ancestor, which gave rise to successive species within the past 3 million years.

4.      Leakey’s discovery could result to paradigm shift for it changed our belief about human evolution and it requires us to adjust our view about it. The notable changes or new ideas presented are the following:

a.       two lineages existed as far back as 3.5 million years

b.      the early stages of human evolution are more complex

c.       there is no direct competition between K.enyanthropus and Australopithecus for food resource based on the molar teeth recovered

5.      Meave Leakey’s discovery suggests that the truth, that we are believing now about human evolution is perhaps not the actual truth. Anyway, his discovery is a great helped to unlocked the mystery of the past especially the human evolution.   For previous years, we encountered Omo 1 and Omo 2 which both discovered in Ethiopia and we also encountered Australopithecus Ramidus which some scientist thought as the missing link to prove that we came from the monkey. Now new species was discovered the K.enyanthropus platyphos and proved that it is different from another species. Perhaps, we will hesitate which fact we need to believe in, but this discovery is very important to point up and illustrate the kind of people existed 3 million years ago, their environment and how they lived and survived.

The Impact Meave Leakey’s Discovery of K.enyanthropus platyops

The past is really full of mystery and secrets. Sometimes we ask ourselves who are really our ancestors and how we become what we are now.

Last 1998-1999, Dr. Meave Leakey and his colleagues from the National Museum of Kenya unearthed fossils belonging to a new genus of human ancestor, the kenyathropus platyops. The world was shocked to this news as it was published in Nature, one of the prominent scientific journals. It altered our understanding about human evolution and offer new theory on how human exist. According to the report, the major difference between the two is that the Kenyathropus and Australopithecus show that they had different diets and could have existed side by side without direct competition for food resources based on the small molar teeth found. Furthermore, both tooth size and face shape relate to the way a species chews its food.

The discovery nullifies the theory of the scientist and archaeologist in 1980’s that there was a single common human ancestor, which gave rise to successive species within the past 3 million years. It also suggests the possibility that there are another species existed prior to Australopithecus and Kenyathropus that are waiting to be unearthed by another archeologist or scientist  that may result to another major paradigm shift.

In other word, looking backward to know our origin is a very difficult task.  It is really true that human evolution is a very complex process and always a debatable topic for more than century.

Ancient Egyptian Burial Customs

1.      Mummification is the preservation of the dead; the main purpose of it is to give a soul use of its body in the afterlife.

2.      Mummification is a costly process that took months to complete. The skilled embalmers removed vital organs, then dried and wrapped the body in strips of linen. At first mummification was a privilege reserved for rulers and nobles but eventually ordinary Egyptian also won the right to mummify their dead.

3.      The scene and inscription in burial tombs tell us about how the spirit was preserved. Commonly to protect the spirit of the deceased they include the writings or the adaptations of the myth about the death of Osiris and spells to protect the deceased on his or her dangerous journey to the underworld. A figure known as “shabtics” functioned as servants for the deceased.

4.      Weighing of the heart is a ritual and final step in the transition to the afterlife, it depict the judgment of Osiris as he weighed a souls’ heart against the feather of truth, those he judged to be sinners were fed to the crocodile-shaped Eater of the dead, while those worthy souls entered the “Happy Field of Food”.

5.      One of the notable characteristic of ancient Egyptians belief about death is the transition from the mortal world to eternal life. Consequently, the body had to remain intact and receive regular offerings of food and drink.  Based on their burial custom I can conclude now that all ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife and spent their lives preparing for it. Pharaohs built the finest tombs, collected the most elaborate funerary equipment, and were mummified in the most expensive way. Others were able to provide for their afterlives according to their earthly means. Regardless of their wealth, however, they all expected the afterlife to be an idealized version of their earthly existence.

Notable Egyptian’s  Burial Customs

Ancient Egyptian burial custom is more notable as compare to other groups or civilizations existed. Though, we all know that it has also similarity to other like for example to the Chinese burial tradition of burying important things like porcelain and replica of important possession with the dead but remain their customs never outdid.

The religion of the Ancient Egyptians was extremely important to them and their belief in various gods and goddesses were fundamental to their religion. That is why it also reflected to their burial customs. Let me explain their connection to the three burial customs that I selected: the mummification, food and drink offering and inscribing figure and writing in the coffin.

Mummification is the process of preserving the dead to remain intact to give a soul use of its body in the afterlife. The Egyptians believed that the soul were perishable and therefore at great risk. The tomb, the process of mummification, rituals and magic spells promoted the well-being, and ensured the preservation, of the dead and the elements of the soul called the Ka, Ba and Ahk.

Food and drink offering was also important to them because they worshipped their dead - deceased family members that became Akh. Akh (meaning "effective being"), had the power to affect the living. They could do harm to people (like give sicknesses) or good (like influence the Gods in their favor). The dead only became Akh if they had proper funerals and their living family made daily offerings to them. These family members would then worship the dead and ask for their support and help. Therefore, they  do this to make sure that their dead relatives will turned to Akh.

Finally, inscribing figure and writing in the coffin was also important to them to protect the deceased on his or her dangerous journey to the underworld. As mentioned earlier the writing depicts the death of Osiris and spells to protect the deceased on his or her dangerous journey to the underworld.

To generalize, the burial customs of ancient Egyptian has really connection to their belief and religion. I hope it helps you to understand and appreciate now their customs.

A human is an animal

ASUANG 7th issue by papermonster

For the second time,  one of my poem  will be featured in ASUANG by PAPER MONSTER PRESS

A. English Literary

1. The Teratoma by S.E. Salvidge
2. Ode to Maria Ozawa by Mark Alvin Jabrica
3. Welcome to Wonderland by Beatrice Howard
4. Homemade Puree by Xenia Chloe Villanueva
5. Exit Wounds by Joel Toledo
6. A vaccine shot for bad dates by Reya Mari Veloso
7. Alimpungat by Jenni de Leon-Slater
8. Where the cats are always sleepy by F. Jordan Carnice
9. Mummy by Ayn Frances dela Cruz

B. Filipino Literary

1. Itsura ni Macky Serrano Salvador
2. Diacetylmorphine Fl[u]shback ni Michael Alegre
3. Aswang ni Mark Angeles
4. Malikmata ni Francisco Arias Montesena
5. Ang Hula ni Jose Jason Chancoco
6. Litanya ng Matandang Ulopong ni Tilde Acuna
7. Puno ng Duhat ni Jomark Baynado
8. Alay na Villanelle ni Daniw Santiago
9. Aguwada ni Noel Sales Barcelona
10. Kumot ni Jenni de Leon-Slater
11. Kagat ni Lolito Go

C. Music

1. Digmaan ng Anak Dalita
2. Save Slam Dance by Flash Elorde
3. Casket Fields by Lee Lazaro
4. Computing Fever by Kyril Dice
5. Catharsis by Fherrond
6. Aswang by Thomas James Slater
7. End by Neuter Lover
8. Brutal Battalion by Mannequin
9. Swing my Ass to Death by Read our Lines
10. Under the Sun by Civil Love

D. Art (to follow)
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SUPPORT ♥! SUPPORT PMP'S 7TH ISSUE! ;)

a dreary evening
full of thousand spears and shields
a feasts of demons

sa tuwing kita'y nahahagkan
tila papel ang mundong aking pinapasan
at tayo'y mga ibong malaya na pasirko-sirko
sa malawak na parang

yakapin mo ako panaginip
iduyan ang hapo kong isip
sa saliw ng mga kuliglig
na nakayakap sa sanga ng mangga
hilumin mo ang sugatan kong kaluluwa
na sa pagdurusa'y hapong-hapo na.