#MermaidMonday: Atargatis of Ashkelon

November 27, 2023

Atargatis, also known as Ataratheh and redubbed Derceto by Pliny the Elder, was a chief goddess in northern Syria, with evidence of her cult being discovered at Palmyria. She was a fertility goddess but also presided over her city at Aleppo, called Hierapolis by the Greek, where she was the baalat (the “mistress”) and presided over the welfare of her people: doves were sacred to her, as a testament to her role as love goddess, but she’s also connected to fishes and it’s said she turned into a fish herself. She’s today’s profile on my Patreon.

books and literature

Werewolves Wednesday: The Wolf-Leader (24)

A werewolf story by Alexandre Dumas père. Chapter XXIV: Hunting Down the Were-Wolf Thibault had got well ahead of the dogs, thanks to the precaution he had taken of making good his escape at the first note of the bloodhound. For some time he heard no

August 6, 2025 10:00 am

architecture, engineering and construction

Poetry Reading List for Architects

Why Look to Poets for Lessons on Space? Architecture, as a discipline, has long claimed dominion over the notion of space. From Vitruvius’ triad of firmitas, utilitas, venustas to Le Corbusier’s declaration of the house as “a machine for living in”, architects have positioned themselves

August 6, 2025 10:00 am

architecture, engineering and construction

A Jury of Her Peers

A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell At first glance, A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell might appear to be a little novel tucked away in the archives of early 20th-century American literature. However, beneath its seemingly simple narrative lies a profound

August 5, 2025 11:00 am