Ideas Have Legs

There is some irony to which bits of the world we consider Europe. The first Christian State in the world was Armenia. 'European Civilisation' sees itself as a progression from Egypt and Greece and Rome. The Old Word 'Cradles of Civilisation' were not in any of the current European Union countries. The Indo-European and Afro-Asiatic languages give tangible evidence that ideas have legs. Some choices of National symbols are also ironic in their attempt to develop a unique identity. During the first Crusade Henry II took a fondness along with Genoa to the cross of Saint George, also shared by the country Georgia. Saint George was born in Lod, Israel (then Lydda, Syria) and died in Izmit, Turkey (then Nicomedia). When Constantinople (the capital was moved from Rome in 330) became Istanbul in 1453, both the Ottoman's and Russians saw themselves as the inheritors of the Roman empire. So did the Holy Roman Empire. When we start to describe things we love by characteristics and ideas, we realise how many of the ingredients we share.

Old World Cradles

Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Indus Valley and the Yellow River