Mummy Season in Peru, Italy, Egypt

(Photos Reuters Mendivil)

Ancient mummies from thousands of years ago capture attention in the midst of the modern world. Automatically, Egypt takes pride of place when mummy find announcements are made. But Peru is unraveling the conventional wisdom with the news that archaeologists in the middle of the capital city of Lima, have unearthed a 1300 year old lady mummy. Unraveling the intricacies of the pre-Columbian Wari culture uses these burial rituals will consume anthropologists for years. What stays consistent through the years are the human scavengers through out history that rob the tombs. sometimes its the professionals that consider them a find and put the treasures on display for all to see and marvel over. What makes a bit of difference is the intent on opening the grave and the permissions granted. There is a reason 1925 discovery began the great King Tut curse affecting prominent curators and explorers alike after seeing the sarcophagus. The blue eyes in this map mock up are rather creepy but the 1300 year old mask had them pinned on, leading the archaeologists to name her The Lady of the Mask.

The woman was from the Wari culture, said archaeologist Isabel Flores, who heads work at the Huaca Pucllana, a mud-brick complex several blocks large located in the Miraflores district of Lima.

"It is an important find, because we have found over the years several tombs that have been looted, but never one that was intact," Flores told AFP on Tuesday.

"It is a woman because in the surrounding area we found offerings and textile items like those of a (female) weaver," Flores said. The archaeologists also found ceramics and the remains of children who were offered as sacrifices to accompany the dead person in the afterlife.

The Wari robe found has an intriguing pattern design on it. More interesting, is that the accomplished road building culture came before the Incas. This find may yield insights for years to come.

The Lima grave had three mummified adults, but its clear that the lone child found was part of the common ritual sacrifice of the Wari culture to the sea and their land. Peru is also finding more cultural treasures and artifacts in the Andean highlands making a strong case for placement in the pantheon of cradle of civilization titleholders.

In Egypt, finds in King Tut's tomb bring questions such as paternity of the 2 fetuses found in a box, nowadays they would be called preemies, or why were the girls were inside Tut's tomb the first place from a cultural standpoint.

Then, there is the German couple, Helmut and Erika Simon who in 1991, climbed Simulaun Glacier in Italy when much to their surprise, discovered a body on ice. Shock set in when the classification of the remains are carbon pinpointed as prehistoric. The Italian city government of Bolzano sponsored the gingerly intricate removal of the Mummy, authenticates it with national resources, takes possession of it, releases pictures of the mummy, makes it available for public tours, earns millions of euros over time, but gave a chintzy offer to the couple of 5000 euros for their trouble. Both nations laid claim to The Iceman. Finally, German couple sued Italy fourteen years ago and are just now coming to a settlement after a chintzy offer by the Italians. What is it with Italy demanding their stuff, like art works, but not giving rights to others for making a discovery or keeping ancient treasures they officially looted in the name of fascism? (Photos EPA)

For years, Bolzano's provincial administration have been offering the Simons 50,000 euros.

In spurning the fee, the Simons cited the estimated four million euros a year the Iceman generates for restaurants, hotels and souvenir-sellers in Bolzano alone - not to mention a worldwide industry of TV programmes, documentaries and books.

They filed suit to establish who found the prehistoric hunter and who should get the proper reward.

Italian law lays down a finder's fee of 25% of a discovery's value.

More interesting, The Iceman is now said to be cursed after seven people mysteriously died under curious circumstances. Helmut Simon died in a mountaineering accident in 2004.

Filmmaker turned author Hugh Thomson, spent years trekking across Peru, yet touches the spirit that the key to understanding country is to acquire knowledge of it ancients roots. As a testament to that he brings his love of lore and his historical wanderings to paper in A Sacred Landscape: The Search for Ancient Peru. I'll say it again one of the best books to be found on pre-Columbian history is 1491 from Charles Mann. It is a must have for any well stocked library.

Models of Yesteryear Make Comebacks

Baby boomers are getting older and they don't like it. Fashion publishers see a shrinking pool of disposable income held by twenty somethings and they don't like it. Models in the their late thirties and forties are in heaven because the lady boomers love them. Fashionistas the world over are clawing to get a new look at the late 30, 40 and 50 somethings supermodels like Iman, Stephanie Seymour, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista (switch hitting as both blonde and redhead) or Cindy Crawford on the catwalk or in publications.

What was old is now hip again. Models have the shelf life of two percent milk. Supermodels of days gone by were one name monikers. Today's bumper crop of global teenyboppers do not exude the same haute couture cachet to older women with big bucks. Big names with decades of experience are kicking the little newbies to the curb for the one names of the 1990's. Nothing was as much of a shock for the pasty fashion world as the resounding success of the all black model edition of Vogue Italia. Even though the entire magazine is in Italian, it is the hottest selling surprise item Condé Nast has going. Naomi Campbell, Veronica Webb, Tyra Banks, Iman and Gail O'Neil are featured in gorgeous photos in the now collectors item magazine.

While fashion continues to celebrate youth and search for the latest "It-model", there are some styles that simply don't work on waifish young frames - and the revival of Eighties power dressing is one of them.

This spring, fashion is celebrating clothes for real women, from the ultra-womanly silhouettes at Yves Saint Laurent to the easy, female-friendly shapes at Chloé. For women everywhere – and not just former supermodels – that's got to be good news.

Generational catwalk combat returns. Many of the 1990 era Supermodels are old enough to be the moms of the new discoveries. That's the point. Big name fashion labels are going for star power. The almost 40 Naomi Campbell, who Steve Meisel photographed to perfection in V, is Yves Saint Laurents model of choice while Claudia Schiffer is delighting Salvatore Ferragmo. Sixty something Lauren Hutton of the famous teeth will be in Vanity Fair representing for the September issue dedicated to the resurgence of the endangered supermodel. (photo: VF/Mario Testino)

Michael Gross puts it perfectly in Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women. With the supermodels returning they are a fount of hard knocks and knowledge to share if the younger set would take a moment to really listen.

Happy Birthday youngest Birthday ever, Beloved Mother Mine, lover of all things fashion. What is old is new again, Thank Goodness, but most importantly, Thank You & Love ya always! Fashionista to be, Maya arrived today - on your birthday!

Pompeii Ruins Declared Endangered

Mount Vesuvius overlooking Pompeii

In the Roman month of August 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted for the better part of a day spewing volcanic ash, poisonous gas and pumice into the sky burying the community alive in Pompeii in one of the biggest pyroclastic flows. The molten humpback of a mountain took almost 18,000 years to build the type of power that burst forth from inside the earth. Pompeii became a legend not seen until found by accident 1700 years later in the treacherous year of 1748. During that time, the City of London burned, the Masstricht suffers capture and an area named Civita coughed up a long held secret, intact. King Charles III took possession of the art most deemed to enhance his royal collection, but surprisingly, to me at least, it never left the country remaining on display in the Museo Nazionale in Naples, Italy today. Unfortunately, there was a greedy free for all with everything else not glued down culminating in the indignity of a dump truck maneuver of filling in inconvenient villas. After an excavation, under French and Italian rule alike, lasting from 1748 to 1923, Italy retains command of these ancient artifacts. Many of the people who died were uncovered still holding the expressions of the moment of terror, now part of plaster casts made for exhibitions. Today, the neglected state of Herculaneum and Pompeii further provides embarrassment to the new third times the charm Berlosconi Italian government for it's need to declare a state of emergency for the ruins. (BBC/Discovery Channel)

"Every year at least 150 sq m (1,600 sq ft) of fresco and plasterwork are lost for lack of maintenance," Antonio Irlando, a regional councillor responsible for artistic heritage, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Ministers intend to appoint a special commissioner to oversee the site, and have earmarked extra funding for it.

According to analysts, the ruins have suffered from lack of investment, mismanagement, litter and looting.

Lately, Naples has had severe difficulty upholding its benevolent to the arts image what with tens of thousands of tons of trash on curbs for weeks beckoning every hungry rat and disgusting maggot to call the rank streets their best infestation resort, ever. Twice in the last six months, Rome has had to deliver an edict to Naples to clean itself up as local control of dumps between citizens, mobsters and government resulted in the streets being replete with waste. Naples, Campania is/was a place of respite, Neapolitan delights like Pizza and usually calm seaside beauty where artists, archaeologists and anthropologists working on uncovering even more of the commune. After deputizing Italian police officers as garbage collectors, Rome now has has had the humiliation to call upon the art world to restore the ruins, again. And that's without factoring in that Mount Vesuvius retains every bit of its power to erupt in terrible magnificence again with an estimated 3,000,000 people now living up close in the volcano's shadow.

Naples historic city center received the coveted UNESCO World Heritage site designation in 1995 while nearby Pompeii, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata received the award on 7 December, 1997. Italy is blessed with an abundance of sites on the United Nations list. UNESCO sites have suffered some catastrophic damages lately, and it is painful to see that it continues, especially as Pompeii the ancient, is one of the most visited tourist sites in the world.

Pompeii has been hit by a fall in tourism to the Naples area since the onset of the latest refuse emergency. According to official figures, the number of visitors last month was 13% down on a year earlier. The region as a whole lost more than 20% of its tourism.

Extraordinary commissioners are becoming a favourite device of Silvio Berlusconi's fledgling third government, which has already appointed one ad hoc administrator for the Naples refuse crisis and three more for what the Italian media terms "the gypsy emergency". Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, an archaeologist and director of the British School at Rome, said the key to preserving Pompeii would be a "programme of continuous maintenance."

Joanne Berry uses the power of illustrations of paintings and frescoes and the scope of information found in a city left mostly intact after the volcanic eruption in a most wonderful book, The Complete Pompeii.

Italian Vogue Goes Black for July

Fashion features style. Style changes, wearing out its welcome in the blink of a jaundiced fashionista's eye. One thing stays and sticks no matter the fashion model. Black is the new black. Skin. July 2008 will be a historic edition of Vogue Italia as the fashion rag of record features only black models or those of African heritage. There have been many an edition featuring only white models as normal for haute couture in the course of the monthly publication.

This will be the first time a major magazine features women of color on the cover and on each page requiring a model. Mixed ethnic or outright African supermodels come from all over the world and one or two notable brown sets of cheekbones have the iconic status of one name, but not the opportunities or dividends paid to their white counterparts. Sadly, this historic issue is a result of pressure brought about from protests comprised of designers, models and their agents in New York City. The issue is photographed by Steven Meisel, Pat McGrath on makeup with Guido Palau wielding the golden blow dryer and silver hair brush. Interspersed amongst the fashion pictorials are stories about black women in the arts and entertainment in the issue edited by Franca Sozzani.

Italian Vogue's editor, Franca Sozzani, said her decision was influenced by the New York group, as well as by Barack Obama's success in the US presidential primaries.

Meisel said: "I thought, it's ridiculous, this discrimination. It's so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race - every kind of prejudice.

"I have asked my advertising clients so many times, 'Can we use a black girl?' They say no."

Naomi Campbell faces six months wearing the same outfit in a real prison, commands attention on the most famous designers' and dilettantes catwalks and continuously demonstrates she has a Prada she-devil of a time controlling her narcissistic temper. However, she has rightly and justly stated she is a woman of color alone inside the power corridors of a pasty vanilla fashion world. We are so fortunate that concurrently American Vogue will deign to touch the topic with an article lamenting and showcasing the lack of black models in fashion. US Vogue decides who is in the magazine. They have not found the black fashion market one to cultivate as preservation of entitled exclusivity of deciding who is in the magazine is by a multitude of editors, production assistants and bean counters that are predominantly Caucasians. These management attitudes are dopey descendants of the unenlightened supremacist editorial direction deciding black models would play to stereotypes if the motifs were African inspired and they remain pigeon holed.

Black style saw an unbelievable uptick this week when the six foot tall model-like Mrs. Barack Obama co-hosted "The View" on American television sporting a black and white dress that sold out in a chain of stores ironically named White House Black Market. NBC's Today Show featured the designer, Donna Ricco, of Michelle's sleek tank dress. Runways in 2008 featured lineups with models of African descent for fall collections during fashion weeks all over the world. It highlights the problem that black people are interchangeable fashion icons rather than intrinsic insiders of the fashion management milieu. Diversity is a feature of everyday life rather than notable exceptions needing special editions or fashion footnotes. In the 1950's Paris embraced Josephine Baker and other notable people of color from entertainment, but not a full integration at all levels of society high and low throughout Europe and it continues today.

Money sparks the bottom line discussion as covers are judged by how well they sell. The market to which the magazine is targeted is predominantly white. Magazine sales figures fluctuate even with the stunning physical glory of Naomi on the cover. Not only does the model selection need consistent diversification, but so do the positions behind the cameras and the homogeneous editorial staffs could certainly expand their ranks and market possibilities. The recently departed courtier creator of prêt-a-porter, Yves Saint Laurent, the first major designer to use a black model on the runway, should be an inspiration to more designers and editors to follow in his footsteps. Fashion is about color - it should also appreciate its naturalness on the model as well.

Featured in the historic issue of Vogue Italy comes the enthralling story of a Sudanese supermodel, Alek Wek, demonstrating the photogenic look that stuns. Her autobiography is in the aptly named, Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel.

Shrove & Fat Tuesday on International Parade

The Festival of Venice, inaugurated in 1268, and revived in 1980, brings out a collection of rigid masks created by master artisans possessing exquisite details and mystique. En vogue, elaborate Victorian Costumes disguise the wearer since Italy's various rulers got their knickers twisted enough that these celebrations of debauchery in a refined atmosphere caused heartburn and vicious crackdowns. Maybe they were never invited to the grand palazzos.
In the Louisiana French Quarter, Mardi Gras, gorgeous François that translates into Fat Tuesday; is a soulful celebration with mystic krewes and bedecked saints marching in with crowds of swarming tourists wanting to be in any number to grab the gold, green and regal purple plastic doubloons thrown from feathered floats. Haiti brings symmetry with their identical chicken masks.

Brazil's Carnival has a storied samba history audaciously worn to show off skin sparkles in the shimmy parade. Only Japan has more Japanese, as these Japanese-Brazilians get their 2008 dance party on in fine fashion flash. Denmark embraces the slathered buns or delish danish at Fastelavn qnd works them off at parades and parties across Bavaria.

In Sao Paulo, the city with the biggest concentration of the 1.5 million Japanese descendants living in the country, the carnival parade will include a 1,000-strong contingent of Japanese samba dancers -- led by a native Japanese woman, Yuka Sugiura, 36.

He enthused that Sugiara, who moved from Nagoya, Japan to Brazil eight years to indulge her passion for samba, was "a great dancer -- and really beautiful as well."

Preparing for consequences from too much partying in Recife, Brazil; once again, the Catholic Church is scandalized and threatening excommunication at the lack of upholding the missionary position with some of the preparations involving condoms and morning after pills. Rio de Janeiro's mayor,Cesar Maia, got things off to a rollicking start by calling it "Earth's biggest party", other nations and participants may beg to differ.

From "Twelfth Night" it takes 47 full days to get worked up for the final night of circus atmosphere and celebrating mostly the same thing around the world for centuries. In the international spirit, braided rapper and hip hop artist "Coolio" was the master of ceremonies in Venice.



A grand story of fiction around a choice in the election of the Brazilian president makes for a great read with real insight into the nation's culture at every level. Brent Alan James is a new author bringing Carnival King: The Last Latin Monarch to great audience applause.

The Spanish Steps: A Plastic Makeover

Before & After

For two centuries, the beauty of the Spanish Steps enticed Roman tourists to gaze from the top of the steps down to the landmark Fontalla della Baraccia or inelegantly in English - the Fountain of the Old Boat. A juvenile bald 55 year old, Graziano Cecchini, decided to put an end to the idyllic setting by unleashing over a half million colored plastic balls from the top of the stairs, making the steps invisible in a bouncing tidal wave of tomato red, fuschia, lemon overripe lime and electric blue balls, flooding the historic fountain. All in all, a fine way to disrupt(entertain) tourists, get maintenance crews wearing blending bright vests and orange to herd the wayward balls for collection by a massive parade of garbage trucks.

“It is an artistic operation that documents with art the problems that we have in Italy,” Mr. Cecchini said at the scene. He was later detained by police, news agencies reported.

Now, this is the same artistic iconoclast who dared to turn the waters of the historic Trevi fountain cherry red, making the authorities charge him with defacing a historic monument last October. Cecchini dyed a Roman fountain artifact because it was his way of protesting the Italian government's sponsorship and overspending on a film festival. It did not endear him to an angry and shocked citizenry having such a cavalier and callous attitude towards their treasure. Coins are allowed to be tossed and if you make a wish then one shall return according to the local custom when I was there. After the Dye Art Incident, it was determined Trevi suffered no permanent damage. The bountiful Fountains of Rome are treasures in their own rights.

Ooh, come with me back to Rome where we can watch it happen in all its neon glory...






Many of the fountains in Rome were commissioned by sitting Popes. Pope Urban VII was fortunate in his selection the Baroque artisan Bernini for the Fontalla della Baraccia. Fountains Of Papal Rome is an offering from Mrs. Charles McVeagh.

Valentino: An Era of Fashion Elegance Ends

Ciao! Au Revoir! Adieu! Kiss-Kiss. On 23 January, 2008 there will be a grande exit for the final exhibition of Monsieur Valentino's haute couture amidst Auguste Rodin's sculptures on the ultra chic Left Bank. Forty-five years of making fashion about élégance, drama and oh so, très chic. It would not be the glorious high fashion world without bodice ripping dramas or fits of piques that last decades and Valentino's life has not been without drama.

"I want to stop at the height of my glory," the 75-year-old fashion legend said after unveiling his last ready-to-wear collection in October, also in Paris.

"It will be a grand collection, a grand show, somewhat unique with a lot of gowns," a spokesman at the Valentino fashion house told AFP. (photos courtesy of IMAX TREE & AFP)

Valentino, the urbane Italian born as Valentino Clements Ludovico Garavani, stays ever enchanted with Paris having made the French capital de rigueur to launch his womens wear since 1989. He studied in France and apprenticed under Guy Laroche, before brandishing his own designs to be bought by no less than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Bold color or the emphasis of a singular trademark color for a show is a Valentino classic. His White Collection stopped them in their tracks and R.E.D. was a new Valentino sensation in the go-go Nancy Reagan red eighties. Liz Taylor's last wedding was in a gorgeous yellow chiffon Valentino under the open skies. In a gesture towards his birth home, Milan takes the honor for the menswear seasonal debuts. His next foray into fashion will most like be for operas where dealing with divas is an everyday thing - and Valentino has experience with top flight divas.

But fret not, a male and female Italian duo will work to keep the House of Valentino exhibiting its designs on the catwalks of fashion for years to come. She is from the House of Gucci, he is from the Home of Prada. To keep it truly international, the House of Valentino is now owned by an investment firm in the United Kingdom. My favorite quote from Rome on Valentino is:

"There's the pope and there's Valentino. In this city I don't know who else is as famous," Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni has said.

Like the Queen of England, Valentino loves his dogs, a half dozen pugs. Photographed in Valentino are Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman, Elizabeth Hurley and Elle Macpherson.


To purchase this 2007 book, Una Grande Storia Italiano. Valentino Garavani edited by Armando Chitalino, Matt Trynauer and Suzy Menkes, one will need the bank account of the Queen or a loan from Jo Rowling, because it is the most expensive book on fashion I have seen. It is completely illustrated and the cover is in Valentino's signature red with delectable black type. For Fashion, one must do their part. The book sells for a mere one thousand five hundred dollars USD, but Amazon is giving 10% off. Take advantage.