For the past month or so, I have been researching the medieval Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, in what is today the southeastern region of Turkey, for a novella I am currently working on. So imagine my shock (and horror) on February 6 to hear the tragic news of the earthquake that devastated that particular area of Turkey and nearby Syria, killing thousands and utterly disrupting the lives of so many. In honor of the land, the people, and the long human history in that part of the world, I wish to share a story about Shahmaran, an ancient Mother Goddess from that region. (Both a movie and a tv show have come out in recent years, neither of which I have seen). Her legend claims she was killed, but as her essence is one of life, death, and rebirth, this is a story of hope after death and disaster.
Snakes Alive
Snakes Alive
Snakes Alive
For the past month or so, I have been researching the medieval Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, in what is today the southeastern region of Turkey, for a novella I am currently working on. So imagine my shock (and horror) on February 6 to hear the tragic news of the earthquake that devastated that particular area of Turkey and nearby Syria, killing thousands and utterly disrupting the lives of so many. In honor of the land, the people, and the long human history in that part of the world, I wish to share a story about Shahmaran, an ancient Mother Goddess from that region. (Both a movie and a tv show have come out in recent years, neither of which I have seen). Her legend claims she was killed, but as her essence is one of life, death, and rebirth, this is a story of hope after death and disaster.