Mahmoud Shelton - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mahmoud Shelton

A solution to the nearly 150-year-old Bay Area enigma

On the Mysterious Companion of Santa Claus Despite modern fantasies to the contrary, there must b... more On the Mysterious Companion of Santa Claus Despite modern fantasies to the contrary, there must be no doubt that the identity of Santa Claus is the same as Saint Nicholas, the very popular patron saint of children in traditional Christendom. Of course, the memory of any saint in this secular age is a strange anomaly, and it must be admitted that the most persistent contemporary attributes of Santa Claus do not belong to Saint Nicholas' hagiography, such as the residence at the North Pole, his miraculous flights, and his community of "elves." These elements would seem to be entirely outside of traditional Christianity. This is not simply a recent development, since earlier formulations of Santa Claus in Europe have included a companion for him who was often by definition from outside Christendom. Among the regional variations, two of the most celebrated examples are Zwarte Piet or "Black Peter" who would have come from Moorish lands, and the demonic Krampus, who would not have come from the human domain at all. The role of this companion was invariably to dole out punishments to the "naughty" in contrast to the munificence of Santa Claus. Now, a distinction between the sacred attributes of Mercy and Rigor is in keeping with traditional symbolism, as may be understood from René Guénon's Le Roi du Monde; yet it is important to observe here that the characterization of Rigor as being somehow outside of the Christian order is in some regard due to a peculiarity of Christianity itself. The historical role of Jesus was solely as spiritual master, and it is this priestly role that corresponds to Mercy in the human domain. The attribute of Rigor relates to the function of the warrior, and is perhaps best symbolized by the sword, and the historical Jesus did not concern himself with either. From this "imbalance," as it were, derives the notion of the separation of Church and State. What is more, certain other legacies of this perspective are relevant here, such as the location and nature of Hell. For Christianity, this realm of punishment is ruled by the Devil and his agents, and so there is an irreconcilability between the Divine world of Mercy and an "evil" world of Rigor. Not unrelated to this irreconcilability is the notion of a war between God and the Devil rather than Jesus and the Devil; but then again, the Athanasian doctrine of consubstantiation refuses to make a distinction between God and Jesus. This last point is far from irrelevant, given the historic support of Saint Nicholas for this theological position. That "Black Peter" should have come from the world of Islam is therefore significant. Obviously for Christendom, the presence of Islam within its borders would necessarily be perceived as sinister. Christians had still been able to admire that the earliest Muslims were like "knights in the day and monks in the night." This example, of course, followed that of the Prophet Muhammad, who is described in the Holy Qur'an as being sent "as a Mercy to the worlds," 1 and yet whose traditional titles included "Owner of the Sword." During his miraculous Night Journey and Ascension through the 1 XXI, 107.

On the Discovery of the Blinkerwall Under the Baltic Sea With the publication in February 2024 of... more On the Discovery of the Blinkerwall Under the Baltic Sea With the publication in February 2024 of an academic paper having no less than sixteen authors, 1 the discovery was announced of a "Stone Age megastructure" beneath the surface of the Bay of Mecklenburg in the Baltic. The title of the paper reveals the scientists' presumption, namely that this wall structure was utilized for hunting before sea levels rose. The authors compare their discovery with other examples around the world, including a hunting site in Greenland without any wall whatsoever. Another example, the so-called Olson site along the Continental Divide in America, at least has walls; but as I have mentioned in my essay on the "Mystery Walls" of the American West, 2 a hunting interpretation for the linear cairns of the Olson site is completely unconvincing. Needless to say, there is no scientific evidence from the seafloor that the comparable example from the Baltic, dubbed the Blinkerwall, was used for hunting. Indeed, it appears that the Blinkerwall is yet another example of a Mystery Wall, being at most a few feet high, at least originally, and running for the better part of a mile without enclosing anything. This discovery is of interest for reasons other than the authors suppose. The Blinkerwall is presented as "among the largest known Stone Age structure in Europe;" but for this to be true, it would have to be assumed that the countless stone walls of Europe were never repurposed from comparably ancient linear cairns, and this cannot be proven. In any case, what the Blinkerwall certainly represents is a linear cairn not subjected to repurposing, and due to its position, the scientists are confident in dating it to more than 10000 years before the present. The archaeologists have projected a comparable date for the Olson site, even if specific cairns in that complex may have been more recently constructed (or perhaps repaired). Elsewhere in America, archaeologists have habitually chosen to ignore the comparable wall structures that remain upon the landscape, most of which would be rather ineffective for hunting. There has, however, been some progress lately in properly attributing these linear cairns in America to its Native civilization, at least in Eastern North America. A recent volume, Our Hidden Landscapes: Indigenous Stone Ceremonial Sites in Eastern North America, 3 brings together contributions from Native representatives as well as archaeologists willing to stand against the academic refusal to recognize Native stone constructions. Among these contributions is Norman Muller's "Interpreting Row-Linked Boulder Sites from Georgia to New England" 4 which focuses on a particularity of Native linear cairns that is likewise present in the Blinkerwall: the deliberate and sometimes impractical

On the occasion of Imbolc

A new discovery at an ancient mystery

A consideration of Jodorowsky's claim, "Dune did not belong to Herbert as Don Quixote did not bel... more A consideration of Jodorowsky's claim, "Dune did not belong to Herbert as Don Quixote did not belong to Cervantes."

More reflections on the Great Conjunction and Dune

Among the distinguishing characteristics of 2020/1442 is the astronomical event known as the "gre... more Among the distinguishing characteristics of 2020/1442 is the astronomical event known as the "great conjunction," that is, the celestial meeting of Saturn and Jupiter. Knowledge relating to this event was inherited by Western sky watchers 1 from savants in Islam, and in particular from Abu Ma`shar al-Balkhi ("Albumasar"), who in turn had access to even older sources. The traditional study of the heavens proceeded on the basis of correspondences between what was above and what was in the world below, and not on the notion that in the skies could be found the mechanistic causes of worldly fortune. According to this study, the meeting of Saturn and Jupiter was recognized as among the greatest of celestial portents; and despite the modern relegation of this shared traditional perspective to ignorant superstition, the most recent great conjunctions have been preceded by extreme examples of modern insecurity. The arrival of the year 2000 was marked by the apprehension of the "Y2K" phenomenon, while the declaring of a pandemic has brought profound societal disruption this year. These examples are perhaps reason enough to briefly consider certain aspects of the symbolism, if not all the scientific details or implications, of this conjunction. 2 The meeting of Saturn and Jupiter occurs in cycles of various duration, depending on the position of that meeting in relation to the stars. Even though the planets come together every 20 years, the most basic cycle of this event is of 60 years that accounts for the movement of these conjunctions through the wheel of the zodiac. More precisely, the planets meet in 3 different houses during this cycle that are in a trigonal relationship to each other, and so the geometry of the triangle becomes apparent: This year the planets meet in the house of Aquarius; however, due to equinoctial precession, the conjunction appears in the constellation of Capricorn. What is remarkable 1 I use the term "sky watchers" deliberately to avoid the distinction between astronomy and astrology, a distinction that did not exist in the traditional sciences. 2 It may at least be noted that the conjunction of 2000 was not easily observable, which is certainly not the case this year, and that the meeting of Saturn and Jupiter in 2020 is to be their closest conjunction since 1623.

The relationship between Dune and Twin Peaks is deeper than is popularly imagined. As was indicat... more The relationship between Dune and Twin Peaks is deeper than is popularly imagined. As was indicated for the first time in Mysteries of Dune, there is a source illuminating both works that belongs to the mythology of Alexander or Iskandar Dhul-Qarnayn. Attention has already been drawn to the importance of several themes in that mythology, specifically the Water of Life and the mountainous barrier against demonic forces, that figure in these modern stories. The examination of these themes was by no means exhaustive, and there remains in fact another that is of particular relevance to Twin Peaks. Since it does not explicitly figure in the novel by Frank Herbert, it was not addressed in Mysteries of Dune; yet its presence in David Lynch's recent work only confirms the validity of our observations, and so it may not be without value to look more carefully at this other motif from the mythology of Alexander.

Accompanying the phenomenon of George Lucas' Star Wars are a host of apparent contradictions, fro... more Accompanying the phenomenon of George Lucas' Star Wars are a host of apparent contradictions, from the futuristic technology of "a long time ago" to the fact that the more recent films concern events taking place before the original trilogy. On a more significant level, while many are aware that the meaning of the story is informed by elements mined from ancient myth, there is an unrecognized inspiration for Star Wars that derives from the civilization of Islam. More specifically, the Jedi Knights may be identified as emboding the traditions of futuwwah, or "spiritual chivalry." On this level, some of the apparent contradictions in Star Wars prove to be complementary, and Lucas may be recognized as having established a remarkable balance within his great work. What is more, Lucas has been able to warn his vast audience of the distinction between the reality of spiritual chivalry and its counterfeit, a distinction that has become increasingly relevant in the context of unfolding events.

Among the ridiculous ventures of Disney's Lucasfilm, Dave Filoni's Ahsoka has the greatest reason... more Among the ridiculous ventures of Disney's Lucasfilm, Dave Filoni's Ahsoka has the greatest reason to be taken seriously. After all, Filoni might be considered a direct successor to George Lucas in Star Wars storytelling, since he served as a veritable apprentice to Lucas in the development of the long-running Star Wars: The Clone Wars series prior to the sale of Lucasfilm. The greatest legacy of their collaboration is the character of Ahsoka Tano herself, who, like Lucas' "prequel" trilogy, was treated with particular derision before being embraced by Star Wars fans. At the very least, Ahsoka as a female Jedi gives the lie to the claim that the character of Rey in the Disney "sequel" trilogy was somehow necessary in order to counterbalance the masculine bias of Star Wars. Leaving aside the issue of gender, it is worth acknowledging the chivalric type that Ahsoka represents. As a sidekick to the hero Anakin Skywalker, she exhibits by necessity some picaresque qualities, at least according to the etymology of the term. "Picaresque" literally relates to "piercing;" in Ahsoka' case this is expressed through the barbs she trades verbally with her master. 1 In a similar manner, Dave Filoni served for years as a kind of sidekick to George Lucas, with his signature hat serving as a roguish emblem. More telling in this regard, perhaps, is the voice acting Filoni has contributed to the Star Wars universe, since he distinctively performs as a comical droid sidekick.

The Muslim Magazine, 2000

The appearance of Guy Ritchie's "Aladdin" during Ramadan, the Month of Lamps, provides an opportu... more The appearance of Guy Ritchie's "Aladdin" during Ramadan, the Month of Lamps, provides an opportunity to revisit this study of the story's profound symbolism.

Books by Mahmoud Shelton

Arthurian Matters of Britain: Celtic, Christian, Islamic, 2024

Pendragon: Essays Collected for the Coronation of King Charles III, 2023

Guardians of the Heart: Essays on Sacred Geography, 2022

In addressing aspects of the Klamath water crisis, 54 I have referred to the ancient "dams" or "w... more In addressing aspects of the Klamath water crisis, 54 I have referred to the ancient "dams" or "walls" of the Klamath Basin, including the so-called "China Wall" attributed to the cattle baron Jesse Carr. These stone structures might better be described as "linear cairns," 55 and since such structures are not restricted to this region, a separate investigation is called for. The example of Carr's "China Wall" is helpful when evaluating other examples of such cairns, however, and not least because the expression "Great Wall of California" 56 has been used in describing them in a wider geographic context. As we have seen, the stone segments 54 See "The Klamath Balance" and "The Modocs and a World's Heart." 55 This term distinguishes these features from the linear "stone rows" of Europe that are comprised of separated stones, which should be compared instead with Native examples of closely positioned stones that align with landscape features; in these cases, however, the stones are not stacked, and so these are not cairns.

Guardians of the Heart: Essays on Sacred Geography, 2022