We're the Mesopo-TAY-MEEE-ANS!

Dear Readers,

I'm going to turn this one over to dad, because I never know what he's talking about when he talks about work:

One of the interesting things about Los Angeles is that it appears to have a bit of an ancient Near East fetish. Not so much the universities, as you might expect (although there's a lot going on there, too) -- no, I mean the broader culture.

People will tell you that Glendale is the most Armenian place in America, and let me tell you -- those Armenians like them some ancient Near Eastern nostalgia. Mostly that plays out in names of restaurants and such, but straight down the hill from our house on the main road is this:



The first time I saw that (after I drove off the road), I took it as a clear Yahwistic omen that we were to buy this house. I mean, given, someone really didn't do their art history homework on this one -- I believe the technical term for this style is not "Urartian" but "Neo-Assyrianish" -- still, points for enthusiasm.

If it was an omen, there may be another house somewhere around Commerce, CA, that would have been equally divinely approved for us (although it would have been a long commute), because of this:







According to this Web site (and who would doubt the information of someone who reviews outlet malls for fun?): "The exterior of the Citadel Mall was created to look like the Babylonian palace of King Sargon II! The unusual Babylonian/Assyrian archetectural [sic] style was dreamed up by the owner of a tire-production company (first owner of this complex), and was built back in 1929. During its long history, this building was also used in the filming of the epic Hollywood movie, Ben Hur!"

The construction date makes it a late reflex of the popular fascination with Mesopotamia that started around the turn of the 20th century -- before the great Depression and the Second World War made such things look decadent (again), I suppose. Why is it that, to my knowledge, our very recently deceased Gilded Age didn't give rise to such ambitious Babylonisms? (I mean, Urartu Restaurant... that's just not a contender. Neither is this.)

So in sum, even on the far side of the world from the Holy Land, I am surrounded by reminders of my research. There is something right about the fact that they preside over outlet malls and banquet facilities.

I suppose if I were more of the Falwell stripe, I might take these as symbols that I have come to "Los Angeles Babylon," a cauldron of unholy loves singing about my ears. Instead, when I drive on the freeways of the Golden State, I simply enjoy hearing echoes of a very old culture in this young city.

...

Dear Readers,

Maddie here again. See what I mean? Gibberish. Back to me next time.

--Maddie