Posted on 11/04/2005 3:06:15 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
My mother bought this big clay pot years ago at an antique store somewhere. She said it was an urn. The top, which was once sealed, has been cut open, and she put decorative grass in it.
I was dusting it off today, and became interested in finding out what the writing on it says. I don't know its origin or what it might say. I have often thought perhaps it is the name or information about it's original occupant. I don't know its age or country of origin, I only guess that it appears to be Asian lettering.
Anyone have any idea what it says?
to my eye it appears to be vestiges of Kanji or Chinese calligraphy - particularly the character on the far right of the image, and the top element of the central character.
there is also the possibility of "debased sanskrit" used in various forms by Buddhists throughout Asia.
I can read none of the above - I cannot even positively identify any of them.
the pot itself resembles incense urns I have seen from Japan I suggest pinging FReepers familiar with Asia from direct contact. Start with AmericanInTokyo and expatguy
Thank you.... for size reference since the size isn't apparent... it's big... probably 3 gallons - over a foot tall and foot in diameter.
going by the grain of the hardwood upon which it rests, I would have said it was more like one gallon, tops.
Being the expert in Chinese writing that I am my best intrepretation is "Made in J_pan."
bear in mind that a standard gallon milk jug is roughly 5.5"x5.5"x9"
you have a ruler handy?
That's the place! I lived in Douglas City sometime ago. Left when the Bay area folks starting moving in and ruining the neighborhood.
I was stationed at the Weaverville CDF station in the 70's and drove through Douglas City many times. I also flew hanggliders off Weaver Bally and we had a landing area nearby.
I know what you mean about the neighborhood going to hell.
No, but I have a gallon milk jug :~D
Oh - and thanks all for your interest and responses!
I'm interested to follow the lead about the Chinese workers, because to me that makes sense... both why it's rather crude by oriental pot standards, and why it might be ~here~.
Klaatu Barada Niktu
What does that mean Sam?
"I know every language but Greek."
"That's amazing!"
"And it's all Greek to me."
[really old Vaudeville routine? I don't know]
Well, after long study, I have to conclude that I have no idea what it is. ;')
However, it looks more like an origin in the Indian subcontinent, and also looks not all that old.
In short, I just dunno.
However, as one of my teachers used to say, most of education is the learning of where to look up things. ;')
Ancient Scripts, A to Z
http://www.ancientscripts.com/ws_atoz.html
Omniglot, a guide to written language
http://www.omniglot.com/
It says "MADE IN CHINA"
Speaking of Chinese workers... This site has some similar shaped things, and perhaps similar materials:
http://www.cprr.org/Museum/Ephemera/CPRR_Chinese_Pottery.html
Then due to the miracle that is google, I also stumbled across some of the most remarkable urinals I've ever seen:
http://www.clarkmade.com/show.html
~chuckling at the urinals~
Thank you!
On looking it up, I find that the answer is even more bizarre than I realized:
"The phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" originates from the 1951 Cold-War-era science fiction film The Day The Earth Stood Still. The phrase "Gort, Klaatu barada nikto" was used to stop Gort, the robot in the film, from attacking.
There is no known translation for the phrase, although the word "Klaatu" would seem to refer to the name of the humanoid alien. One popular, though officially unconfirmed, translation has the word "barada" meaning "alive" and the word "nikto" meaning "not" (by comparison with the Latin nix); thus, "Gort, Klaatu is not alive."
Ever since the term was originally used, the phrase continues to show up in popular culture.
The words are seen in the 1982 film Tron, posted on a sign hanging in the hero's cubicle.
In the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, three of Jabba the Hutt's skiff guards are named Klaatu, Barada, and Nikto.
In the 1984 computer game Robot Odyssey this phrase appears upon solving one of the puzzles, that disables a sentry robot.
In an episode of the 1987–1996 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series, three aliens encountered by Donatello and Rocksteady are named Klaatu, Barada and Nikto.
In the 1992 film Toys, the character Leland Zevo speaks the phrase to stop a rampaging sea creature.
In the 1993 film Army of Darkness, the third installment of the Evil Dead trilogy, Ash has to speak similar words in order to retrieve the Necronomicon. He fails to remember it properly ("Klaatu... verada... necktie?") and thus awakens a horde of malicious Deadites.
In the SNES video game Lost Vikings 2, variants of the phrase were used (such as "Klatu, Veratu... Howriyucan!") as teleport spells at the end of a series of levels; like the misspoken version in Army of Darkness, they do not work quite as desired, though the correct version is eventually remembered.
In the Sci-fi series Farscape episode I Shrink Therefore I Am, John Crichton mocks the alien bounty hunters that invaded Moya by repeating the phrase - which of course makes no sense whatsoever to them.
In the 2004 videogame Spider-man 2 Mysterio says these words in the burning theatre scene.
Jimmy says it as a magic spell in the episode of Jimmy Neutron where a big shot producer comes to Retroville and makes a movie with Jimmy and his friends.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer) "
**I got it from "Army of Darkness." Had no idea of the phrase's long history until you asked.
But the only reason it even stays in my head is because the phrase frequently appears in FR posts!
Heh... well, it appears you can use it for a lot of things, it's good to know!
Anyhow, that's probably what it says ;-)
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