[Aztlan] Possible flower match to earspool.

[Justin Kerr]

Dear Greg,
There are a number of excellent drawings in The FAMSI / Schele database of
how the ear assembly was used. The assembly is composed of a number of
flares and rosettes, as well tubular beads. These parts are put together on
a (probably sinew) string, the string passes through the earlobe with the
jade elements on either side. I have included below a URL to one of Schele's
drawings from Palenque which demonstrates clearly how the ear assembly
operated. 

http://research.famsi.org/uploads/schele/hires/01/IMG0027.jpg

Justin Kerr

-----Original Message-----
From: aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org [mailto:aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org]
On Behalf Of Greg Sandor
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 5:41 PM
To: Martha Gottlieb; aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Subject: Re: [Aztlan] Possible flower match to earspool.

Were the ears pierced and the tobacco put in the hole to be absorbed into
the bloodstream?

Regards,

Greg

(614) 517-7204
greg at gregsandor.com
http://www.gregsandor.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martha Gottlieb" <megom at adelphia.net>
To: <aztlan at lists.famsi.org>
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Aztlan] Possible flower match to earspool.


> Hi Folks   -   Looking at Justin's latest post -------- 
> It sure looks like a match to me.  It seems to me there are three species
> concerned here.
> Nicotiana glauca - Tree tobacco - the yellow flowered plant that is 
> pictured.
> A powerful plant containing anabasine, similar to nicotine - and thus 
> another
> hallucinogenic insecticide.
> N. sylvestris - the other plant figured; is white flowered (usually). 
> This
> is a common flower garden plant - with a lovely fragrance.
> N. tabacum - tobacco itself.  The flower is usually shorter that  the long
> tubular earplugs illustrated by Justin.
> My question is --- why Tree Tobacco ?   Was it smoked?  That's one rough
> smoke.  Was it, like tobacco, added to Balche ?  Anabasine, like nicotine,

> is
> a cholinesterase inhibitor - but a stronger one.  It can be deadly, for
> instance, if it is mistaken for tobacco and chewed.
> I know I've seen ear plugs like this here and there, but I don't  have a
> sense of how common  they are.   Are there any on vases?
> Neat, Justin.   All this stuff under our noses all the time. 
> Observation!
> Martha Gottlieb
>
> On Friday 23 February 2007 11:15 am, Justin Kerr wrote:
>> Dear Friends.
>>
>> I thought I might throw this out for discussion. Although there has been
>> considerable discussion as to the specific type of animal species in 
>> terms
>> of supernaturals, the plant world doesn't get as much attention.
>>
>> Here is a possibility that certain types of ear decorations were based on
>> the tobacco flower.
>>
>> The URL is www.mayavase.com/match.pdf
>>
>> Justin Kerr
>
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