Reconsidering Crafts
From the archives of "To the Best of Our Knowledge"
America's gone craft crazy. Everyone's knitting, or keeping scrapbooks; throwing pots or wood-working. And naturally, there are new chains of stores that carry all the supplies these crafters need, or think they do. In this hour, 
To the Best of Our Knowledge considers what we mean by the word craft." Does it mean a hand-made object that's almost art? Or could it be anything that's thoughtfully done to the very best of the doer's ability? Reconsidering crafts, next time, on To the Best of Our Knowledge.
SEGMENT 1:
Sociologist Richard Sennett's latest book is "the Craftsman" in which he makes the case that our definition of craft should be expanded to include any job a person commits to executing to the best of their abilities. He tells Steve Paulson that lots of working-class people care about what they do, with no expectation of material reward. Also, Anne Strainchamps reports on the new vogue for hand-made goods in America. She visits a major crafts show and speaks with vendors and shoppers, including the authors of "Handmade Nation" who also made a documentary film with the same title. Anne also speaks with Betsy Greer, author of "Knitting for Good!"
SEGMENT 2:
Jessica Helfand is the author of "Scrapbooks: An American History." She tells Jim Fleming that people constructed unique personal narratives out of whatever materials were at hand, long before there was a scrapbooking business to help them. These old scrapbooks are both precious and beautiful.
SEGMENT 3:
Kelly Lambert, author of "Lifting Depression: A Neuro-scientist's Approach to Activating Your Brain's Healing Power," tells Anne Strainchamps about her brain research into how using both hands on crafts projects can be as beneficial to the body as taking psychoactive medication. Also, Leonard Todd wrote "Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave" to explore the history of two families - Potter Dave's and his own. Todd's ancestors owned Potter Dave during America's slavery days. Todd tells Steve Paulson some of the story and something about Dave's pots and his poetry.
Links
Reconsidering Crafts from "To the Best of Our Knowledge"
Activism + Craft = Craftivism
She's Crafty, a local kniting store.
She's Crafty Knits, an on-line kniting store from Australia.
Timeline of Greek Mythology
I was a timeline nerd in college and actualy compiled this timeline. Check out my Exodus Timeline.
2000 BC
Iolkos is burned down
1550 BC
The Mycenaean Age begins
1500 BC
The legendary hero Kadmos with an unknown number of Phoenicians came and founded Thebes. On a high ground, the so-called later Kadmeia, he builds a palace and probably introduced the Phoenician alphabetical writing.
1450 BC
Greeks were on Crete.
1375 BC
The Fall of Knossos.
72 BT (Before the fall of Troy)
Jason is born in Iolchos. Jason's father, King Aeson, is usurped by Pelias, the Kings brother. Jason is spirited away to live with the wise Centaure Cheron on Mt. Pelion.
70 BT
In Colchis, Medea is born a princess.
62 BT
Oedipus born, and after a prophecy, left to die. However instead of dying he comes to be adopted by the King of Corinth, King Creon Polybus.
59 BT
Theseus is born
52 BT
THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE: Jason (20) sets out to reclaim his father's throne in Iolchos, but his uncle Pelias sends him on a quest for the Golden Fleece. Hercules is one of the Argonaughts. So also is Theseus apparently. Ariving in Colchis, King Aeëtes gives Jason certain imposible tasks to accomplish to obtain the Golden Fleece thinking he would die trying. Medea (18), the daughter of Aeëtes, a priestess of Hecate, and a niece of Circe was skilled in the arts of magic. She used her skill in magic to help Jason perform the tasks. As she and Jason fled from Colchis, she killed her brother, Apsyrtus, cut up his body, and threw the pieces one at a time into the sea so that Aeëtes would have to stop many times to retrieve his son's body.
51 BT
THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE: Jason (21) returns from his quest to Colchis, with the Fleece and his exciled bride, Medea. Medea murders King Pelias by tricking his daughters into boiling him alive . Outraged, the people of Iolkos exile Jason and Medea. They find refuge in Corinth.
44 BT
OEDIPUS THE KING: Oedipus (18) receives an oracle that he will kill his father and marry his mother, so he leaves his father, King Polybus, and his mother in Corinth. He travels to Delphi. After leaving Delphi he wanders for sometime and approaches Thebes. There at the cross roads he unwittingly kills his real father, Laius, king of Thebes. Oedipus solves the Sphinx's riddle, is crowned king and unwittingly marries his mother, Jocastas. She would bear him two sons, Polynices and Eteocles.
42 BT
MEDEA: In Corinth, Jason (30) attempts to marry Glauce, the king's daughter. Enraged, Medea kills Glauce and King Creon, murders her two children, and escapes to Athens. There she marries King Aegeus and became the mother of Medus.
Theseus (17) returns to Athens. Medea knows that Theseus is Aegeus true son and tries to poison him. Theseus perceives her plot and stops her. Medea escapes to Asia. Theseus travels to Crete as part of King Mino's tribute to be sacrificed to the Minitaure. He kills the Minitaure and returns to Attica. But because he did not change the sail from black to white, Aegeus, who has been watching for his son's return throws himself into the Aegean Sea. Theseus is crowned king but he lets the people rule themselves. He only wishes to be their Leader.
41 BT
When Hercules kills his family and everyone abandons him, Theseus (18) is faithful. He invites him to stay with him in Athens. Hercules can only stay for a while before his guilt drives him to Delphi. There the priestess tells him he has to make amends by serving his cousin, King Eucrustius with some deeds. Thus begins his mighty deeds.
Meanwhile Theseus travels to the land of the Amazons where he meets Antiope / Hippolyta. She bears him a son named Hippolytus.
40 BT
Theseus (19) meets Pirithas, the son of Ixion and king of the Lapiths. Pirithas invited the centaurs to his wedding to Hippodamia. When they became drunk and tried to rape the bride and other Lapith women, Pirithous and Theseus, led the Lapiths to victory over the centaurs.
Hippodamia bears Pirithas a son Polypoites. A native of Gyrtone, he led the armies of Thessaly on the side of the Greeks during the Trojan War, and later occupied the Trojan horse. After the war, he was present at the funerals of Kalchas and Patroklos. (At least 18 years before 1261, assuming that Polypoites must be at least 18 to "vie for the hand of Helen.")
The Great Hunt of the Calydonian Boar.
35 BT
The Marriage of Peleus and Thestes and the subsequent birth of Achilles. (This assumes that Achilles was old enough to have a son in the Trojan War)
Oedipus and Queen Jocastus bear a daughter, Antigone, and two years latter, another daughter, Ismene.
33 BT
Birth of Helen to King Tyndareus of Sparta and his wife Leda. Thanks to her beauty she will later be considered daughter of Zeus. (12 years before 1261)
29 BT
OEDIPUS THE KING: In Thebes, a plague comes upon Thebes. The oracle says the the plague will be lifted it Lauis' murderer is found. Oedipus (33) vows to find the killer. Word that his (step)father, Polybus, the king of Corinth, has died arrives. Oedipus relentlessly pursues the investigation until he discovers that he is the murderer. Jocastus hangs herself and Oedipus removes his eyes. Antigone is seven years old.
22 BT
OEDIPUS AT COLONUS: Oedipus (40) dies at Colonus in the presance of Antigone (13).
ANTIGONE: The Theban Civil War. Polynices and Eteocles kill eachother in combat. Antigone breaks her uncle's royal degree by burying her brother. She is executed. Ismene dies.
21 BT
In Mycene, Agamemnon marries Clytemnestra (12).
Pirithas' wife, Hippodamia, died. Pirithas convinces Theseus (38) to help him kidnap Helen (12) for his own wife.
At the age of twelve Helen is abducted by King Theseus of Athens who marries her against her father's and brothers' consent. During the absence of Theseus, her brothers Castor and Polydeuces help a revolt by his cousin Menestheus. Menestheus gains the throne and returns Helen to her brothers.
Abandoning their former quest, Pirithas and Theseus go into Hades to kidnap Persephone. Hades tricks them into sitting in the chairs of Forgetfulness.
According to some versions Helen was pregnant and a few months later gives birth to Iphigeneia. She trusts her daughter to her married sister Clytemnestra who will raise her as her own. Soon Menestheus of Athens and other kings and princes gather at Sparta as Helen's suitors. Polypoetes (18), son of Pirithas and Hippodamia, was among those who vied for Helen's hand in marriage.
20 BT
In Sparta, Tyndareus marries Helen (13) to Menelaus of Mycenae. He makes all the Kings of Greece sware to protect himself and his bride. Helen soon gives birth to Hermione. The early deaths of her brothers Castor and Polydeuces, soon make Menelaus Tyndareus successor at the throne of Sparta.
In Hades, Hercules rescues Theseus from his Chair of Forgetfulness. Pirthas, however is not rescued.
19 BT
Theseus (40) marries Phaedra, daughter of Minos the king of Crete and would become the became the mother of Demophon and Acamas. (One year after Theseus rescue from Hades)
SEVEN AGAINST THEBES: Mothers of Thebes petition Theseus the leader of Athens to force Creon to let them bury their sons. (Two years after Oedipus' death)
13 BT
Phaedra, Hippolytus' (16) stepmother fell in love with him. He refused her advances, so she accused him of trying to seduce her and then she killed herself. Theseus believed the allegations and called on Poseidon to punish Hippolytus. Poseidon sent a bull from the sea and Hippolytus' horses were so frightened that they overturned the chariot, dragging Hippolytus. Theseus was reconciled with his son before the young man died.
12 BT
THE FALL OF THEBES: The palace of Thebes destroyed when Adrastos with the Epigonoi conquered Thebes and razed the city. Theseus dies in the kingdom of Lycomedea. (10 years after Seven Against Thebes)
11 BT
After nine years of marriage, Paris of Troy visits Sparta and in Menelaus' absence convinces Helen (22) to flee with him. Menelaus discovers that his wife and guest betrayed him and starts contemplating war. King Priam of Troy marries Helen to Paris.
Achilles was hidden by his mother, Thetis among the daughters of Lycomedes on the island of Scyros so he would not have to fight at Troy, but was found by Odysseus and Diomedes.
According to some sources, it takes Menelaus ten years to prepare for war and gather his allies, I propose one year!
10 BT
IPHIGENIA.: After Artimes' Stag is killed, the bad preist says that the winds will not blow until Agamemnon sacrifices his first born daughter, Iphigenia (10). He sacrificed his daughter to appease Artemis and the winds begin to blow. A thousand ships set sail for Troy.
The Trojan War begins
1 BT
ILIAD: Achilles became the fiercest fighter for the Greeks at Troy and leader of the Myrmidons. He refused to fight after Briseis was taken from him by Agamemnon, but reentered the war after Hector killed his friend Patroclus. He killed Hector in return but died when Paris hit him in the ankle, his only weak spot, with an arrow.
0 BT / 1240 BC
Paris mortally wounded in battle by Philoctetes. Priam marries Helen to Deiphobus, a younger brother of Paris.
Fall of Troy.
Deiphobus is slain by Menelaus who reclaims Helen as his wife. They set sail on their return journey but are stranded on the shores of Egypt.
THE TROJAN WOMEN: The Greek kings decide which women they will each take back to Greece with them as spoils. Agamemnon picks Casandra. She is carried away to the ship as she makes prophecies about her own death in Mycene. As Hecuba, the queen of Troy mourns the loss of her daughter, Andromache arives mourning the death of her late husband, Hector. The Herald takes her son Astyanax awayto be killed, pushed from the highest wall of troy still standing. The women of Troy try to kill Helen but are protected by Menelaus' men. She tries to defend her self to him ubt Hecuba proves all that she said to be lies. Andromache is taken way on Neoptolemus' ship and bares him three sons - Molossus, Pielus, and Pergamus. Hecuba and the rest of the Trojan Women bury Astyanax in the ground laying on Hector's sheild. The Greeks burn what is left of Troy and begin their journey home.
There is unrest in Mycene.
1 AT (After the fall of Troy)
AGAMEMNON: Agamemnon returns to Mycene and is murdered.
THE ODYSSEY: Odysseus becomes hopelessly lost.
8 AT
After spending eight years in Egypt, Menelaus and Helen manage to set sail again and reach the shores of the Peloponnesus. According to Euripides they visit Mycenae, arriving shortly after the murders of King Aegisthus, who was Menelaus' first cousin, and Queen Clytemnestra, who was Helen's sister, by their common nephew Orestes, the new King of Mycenae. Orestes attempts to kill his aunt but fails. The royal couple return to Sparta (or else Helen is taken off by Apollo).
10 AT
THE ODYSSEY: According to the Odyssey, Telemachus of Ithaca visits Sparta seeking information about his father Odysseus. Menelaus and Helen reply that they have not heard of him since they left Troy ten years ago. They mourn their many lost relatives and friends. Odysseus returns to his island kingdom of Ithaca.
30 AT
According to Pausanias, Menelaus dies of old age and natural causes. Megapenthes, his illegitimate son, seizes the throne and exiles Helen. He soon loses the throne to his first cousin King Orestes of Mycenae who is married to Hermione, the only legitimate daughter of Menelaus and Helen and half-sister of Megapenthes. By this point Orestes had also seized the vacant thrones of Argos and Arcadia and becomes the sole ruler of the Peloponnesus. Helen seeks refuge in Rhodes near Polyxo, widow of Tlepolemus, an old friend of hers. Tlepolemus was famously the first man to be killed during the Trojan War. In revenge for her husband's death, Polyxo ordered her maidens to pretend to be the ghosts of the many dead seeking revenge from Helen. Helen committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree. After her death she is deified.
Apox. 1150 BC
Iolkos burns down, marking the end of the Mycenaean Civilization
See History for Kids for more information.
