Discovered in 1910, nearly two hundred years after the first excavations at Pompeii, the site later dubbed the Villa of Mysteries contained many finds typical of the ruined Roman city, including the ashen outlines its long dead inhabitants. But a cryptic –and remarkably well preserved — series of frescos uncovered inside hinted at a story entirely different than that of the other townsfolk that met their apocalyptic end, along with Pompeii itself, after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Soon enough, it became plainly evident to archaeological authorities that the Villa of Mysteries was in fact as site of worship for that very same Bacchanalian mystery cult and set aside for a certain for a particular ceremony. Close examination of the masterfully executed frescoes revealed the steps of an esoteric ritual, presided over by Bacchus, that aimed to induct upper class females into the rigors of marriage — a psychological preparation for entrance in the next phase of womanhood. 
As depicted on the walls of the Initiation Room, the soon-to-be wed initiate would have been begun by consuming a cup of Kykeon - an intoxicating and possibly hallucinogenic brew — and then be led through a series of mysterious sacraments meant to parallel the scared union of Bacchus and Ariadne. At the end, after a confrontation with the god of love, Eros, the young participant would be fit to marry.
History of Father’s Day
Father’s Day is a well known holiday celebrating dads, forefathers, and male parents in general. It is a fairly recent holiday and was instituted as a complement to the established Mother’s Day celebration. Father’s Day was created in the early years of the 20th century and it usually consists of family activities such as gift giving or dining out. Dads around the world probably have closets full of bad ties given over the years since fathers are notoriously difficult to find an appropriate gift for.
Ms. Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the holiday during a Mother’s Day sermon at her church in Spokane, Washington in 1909. She put together a celebration for her father on June 19, 1910 and was the first person to champion an official holiday to honor fathers in general. There was support from groups such as the YMCA, YWCA, and numerous churches but it still took many years to get the holiday officially recognized. People considered Father’s Day to basically be a joke and did not take it seriously. Mother’s Day was looked forward to and celebrated with sincerity but Father’s Day was the object of parody and the butt of many jokes often printed in newspapers. They saw it as the beginning of frivolous holidays including Professional Secretary Day or National Clean Your Desk Day, etc.
| In 1913 a congressional bill was introduced but was not quickly successful. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge put his support behind the idea. Several trade organizations formed a committee during the 1930s and made an effort to bring legitimacy to Father’s Day. It was not until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson signed a proclamation formally recognizing it as a federal holiday. As with many holidays, Father’s Day has become increasingly commercialized with multitudes of retailers marketing a wide range of merchandise and gift ideas for dad. The trade |
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| groups of the 1930s often participated in the mocking of Father’s Day and promoted gifts at the same time. The Mother’s Day holiday is very sentimental and its legitimacy is not questioned since it is a proper homage to the contributions of our mothers. Speaking as a father, it is also as important to recognize the important role father’s play even if we are difficult to shop for. A bad tie is just fine. | ||||||||||||
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Jewelry in History, a Famous Diamond from the French Courts to a Contemporary Museum. The Hope Diamond has had an intriguing journey through history, augmented by legend and confirmed by the beauty of cut and color it retains. It is a gem that can be said to be among the most famous pieces of jewelry in the world and has a heritage traceable at least to the 1600’s. Its story begins with a goddess and progresses through generations of owners and thieves who suffered or celebrated under the Hope Diamond’s influence. 
It is told that the stone was taken from the eye of a Hindu Goddess and that its removal brought a curse upon anyone who became associated with it. The more factual history is that in 1669 a large blue triangular diamond of roughly 115 carats was included in the inventory of sale to King Louis XIV by a French merchant named Tavernier who had brought it from India. It was subsequently cut in size, to become the 67 carat stone in the King’s collection, later denominated the French Blue, and was worn by him on ceremonial occasions.
More than a hundred years later in 1792 the French Blue, still in possession of the French monarchy, was stolen. As France succumbed to the Revolution, the singular gem was lost and would resurface only in 1812, diminished in size again and bound for a new home. It is thought to have passed through the hands of the British monarchy but was then recorded in 1839 among the gem’s in the collection catalogue of the British Henry Philip Hope. By 1910 what had been the quiet prize of a 17th century expedition had passed through many hands, changing in size and setting, and emerged as a feature of intrigue and glamour in the high society circles of the new millenium. 
The legend of the curse of the Hope Diamond added to its mystique as a gem of royalty and a victim of fugue and clashes of fortune. Today its aura has been tempered by its new home, at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C., but it remains uniquely beautiful in its blue-hewed crystalline structure.
