PDF Version In times of crisis, companionate love—rooted in friendship and shared struggles—reveals its power. The story of David and Jonathan told in book of 1 Samuel 18:1–4, 19:1–7, and 20:1–42 in the Old Testament (King James Bible, 2024) is … Continue reading
Category Archives: ancient cultures
Milk Jug Symbolizes Love among the Turkana People
PDF version A milk jug is an object with an evident utilitarian function—consumption. However, the Turkana women cherish the milk jug as an aesthetic object. What is so special about milk and the milk jug? The Multivocality of Symbols Symbols … Continue reading
Sex and the Sacred in North American Indigenous Art
PDF version Anthropologist Charles Lindholm (2006) writes about romantic love as a yearning for the sacred. According to philosopher Irving Singer (1984), romantic love is a combination of various aspects of love, ranging from the libidinal to the ideal. The … Continue reading
How the Australian Bullroarer Invokes the Happiness of Sexual Love
PDF version Aboriginal Australians had a longstanding belief that tjurunga—the bullroarer—brings happiness in life and lovemaking. Why so and how? Over years, anthropologists explored the rituals associated with these culturally symbolic objects. What is the Bullroarer? The bullroarer is a … Continue reading
The Indian Myth of Kamadeva, the Hindu God of Love
Many modern Western symbols of love date back to the early Greeks and Romans. Eros was the Greek god of love, while Cupid was the Roman god of love and desire. The image of a chubby Cupid aiming love arrows … Continue reading
When Ancient People Began to Kiss for Love
Anthropological studies of modern societies have revealed that sexual and romantic kisses are not universally present across different cultures. Such a display of affection as kissing was once considered obscene. Who first thought of kissing as a way to show … Continue reading
A Woman Should Enjoy Her Body in Bed
In the poems of Ars Amatoria, Ovid taught Roman men and women the art of love. For example, in one of his poems, he advised a woman that she should enjoy her body in bed. The Roman poet Ovid lived … Continue reading
The Way You Eat and Drink Affects Your Love Affairs
The excerpts from Ovid’s “Ars Amatoria” suggest that in love affairs, women should be mindful of what and how they eat and drink. Many scholars are familiar with the writings of Ovid, the ancient Roman poet. He rose to prominence … Continue reading
Step 3 to Make Him Believe He Is Loved, as Ovid Wrote
Here I quote step 3 of how to “Make Him Believe He Is Loved,” as Ovid recommended women master the art of love with a man. Many people who study love are familiar with the works of the Roman poet … Continue reading
Step 2 in Making Him Believe He Is Loved, as Ovid Advised
Here I quote step 2 of how to “Make Him Believe He Is Loved,” as Ovid suggested women learn the art of love with a man. Many Western scholars are familiar with the poems of Ovid, the ancient Roman poet … Continue reading