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Banana Freak

My wife says that I am a Banana freak, she is right, but its about four months ago. Now I am here in Pakistan, and Bananas are very expensive, I don't remember if I have had banana since I am here. No Banana, no Banana cakes.
I am looking forward to eat lots of  Bananas and cakes.

I remember when I was little we use to go with mum to her village in Kashmir, where my grandfather had a banana tree, and I do remember that he use to pick green (un-ripped) Bananas from the tree and bury them in the ground, then after couple of days he took them out and they were ripened. I don't remember the taste but remember the shape of them, they were quite big bananas.

Thanks from once Banana Freak.

History Of Banana

The banana as we know it today is a specifically-grown species of the wild banana. It originated from seed bearing relatives in the Pacific and the South-East of Asia.

The wild banana was not edible, but it was discovered that by crossing two inedible, wild species, one could grow a sterile plant that bore the banana as we know it today. Because of its sterility, once this new edible fruit was discovered, it was spread using offshoots from the base of the plant. Some people argue this was the first fruit 

farmed by men. The history of bananas is displayed here with a timeline:

2000 B.C.

Bananas have apparently originated in Malaysia

600 B.C.

Bananas are cited in Buddhist texts

327 B.C.

Alexander the Great's army recorded for the first time in history the existence of banana crops in the indian valleys. Alexander is also credited for bringing the banana from India to the western nations.

63 B.C.

Antonius Musa - the personal doctor of the then Roman emperor Octavius Augustus - was credited for promoting cultivation of the exotic African fruit from 63 to 14 B.C.

200 A.D.

Organized banana plantations have been recorded in China

650 A.D.

Islamic conquerors helped bananas make their way to Madagascar, and then spread to the African mainland by vegetative propagation. Here in Africa many genetic mutations occurred, that produced different species of bananas. Portuguese traders then spread the fruit from Africa to the Canary Islands

1502 A.D.

The Portuguese and the Spanish are credited for bringing bananas to the Carribean and to America. According to Spanish history, Friar Tomas de Berlanga brought the first banana root stocks to the Western Hemisphere. A Chinese variety was sent to England, where it was named "Cavendish" after the Duke of Devonshire's family. This variety and its sub-groups account for much of the commercial banana cultivation. Even though several other varieties are now cultivated for commercial purpose, they only account for about 20 of 300 different species.

17th century

Its Guinean native name - "banema" - which became "banana" in English, was first found in print

1836 A.D.

The yellow sweet banana is a mutant strain of the green and red cooking bananas, discovered in 1836 by Jamaican Jean Francois Poujot. He found that in his plantations, one plant was bearing yellow fruits rather than red or green. Upon tasting the new discovery, he found it to be sweet in its raw state, without the need for cooking. He quickly began cultivating this sweet variety.

1876 A.D.

Bananas are introduced to American families as an exotic dessert. From here it will grow and become a staple fruit. They were officially introduced to the American public at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Each banana was wrapped in foil and sold for 10 cents.

1900 A.D.

Bananas are now considered a commodity and are traded by large companies. The United Fruit Company is credited for being of the first to commercialize bananas

Thanks to new transport technologies such as refrigeration, bananas have become widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, bananas grow in most tropical and subtropical regions with the main commercial producers including Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil and Ecuador.

Banana Tree

Today's Topic Banana

History of Weaving through Images

Weaving

A Brief History of Weaving

Weaving is the systematic interlacing of two or more sets of elements usually, but not necessarily, at right angles, to form a coherent structure. No one knows when or where the weaving process actually began, but as far back as there are relics of civilized life, it is thought that weaving was a part of developing civilizations. Because of the perishable nature of textile goods, information found about the beginning stages of weaving is sketchy, and tracing the development of textiles is a difficult task and a tremendous challenge. Due to nature's hazards of erosion, climatic conditions, insects, and fire, few examples of early woven fabrics survived. Therefore, much of what is written about primitive weaving is based on speculation. There are, however, certain circumstances under which remnants of fabrics have survived: arid regions, bog lands, sealed tombs, and extremely cold areas. Because of these artifacts, we are fortunate to have some examples of early textiles and weaving tools.
The everyday needs of our prehistoric ancestors probably led them to create objects using fiber as a medium. It is thought that ancient humans instinctively used weaving as an aid in their quest for basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing. It is not unlikely that people might have realized the possibilities of the woven structure after observing spider webs, birds' nests, or the construction of a beaver's dam. These findings probably led to the interlacing of twigs or vines, and resulted in netting which surely assisted humans in catching fish and trapping game. In addition, by using twining or braiding techniques, it is likely that primitive people learned to make mats to cover floors of huts, which helped insulate against dampness or cold. Eventually, people used weaving skills to make exterior coverings for shelters, so they would be somewhat protected from harsh weather and/or from predators.
Archeologists believe that basket making and weaving were probably the first "crafts" developed by humans. Once primitive people learned ways of creating a woven structure, the possibilities were endless: netting, coverings for huts, containers for goods, carriers for the young, rugs, blankets, hammocks, pouches, body coverings. Along with our ancestors' ongoing quest for survival, there is evidence of an unconstrained desire by humans to embellish the objects created. The use of natural dyes on reeds or the combination of varying sizes and colors of weaving elements to create patterns, was likely an an attempt to express individualism and an aesthetic sensibility. Human beings naturally have a strong compulsion to be creative, and our records show that this trait was prevalent in our ancestors' lives thousands of years ago.
Research indicates that cultures on every continent devised crude looms and methods of making webs, and further study tells that us there was great similarity in the looms constructed and in the weavings produced.

The Prehistoric Origins of Weaving

With modern sophisticated methods of radiocarbon testing and DNA testing, today's scientists are much better able to assign accurate dates to archeological findings than they were even a decade ago. The exact date of the first handwoven works, however, continues to remain a mystery. Nevertheless, there is evidence of cloth being made in Mesopotamia and in Turkey as far back as 7000 to 8000 BC.
Since fabric remnants have been difficult to find, to say the least, some historians use other sources as guides in piecing together our textile heritage. One valued artifact is the funerary model of a weaver's workshop, which was found in an Egyptian tomb. This model contains a horizontal loom, warping devices and other tools, and weavers in action. We can also take note of the garments worn by the people.
Ex. 1. Funerary model of a weaver's workshop. Egypt, 19th century B.C.E.


Another artifact, which is highly valued, is the piece of pottery below with the imprint of a textile structure etched in its exterior. It is believed that an early craftsperson formed this pot by lining the interior of a woven basket with wet clay. Heat was provided to shrink and harden the clay, at which time, the basket fell away leaving its mark on the outside of the pot.


Ex. 2, Neolithic pottery with weave imprint, found in the Thames near Mortlake; from the British Museum.

Weaving in Egypt

Sealed tombs in Egypt's Nile Valley have brought forth fabrics dating back as far as 5000 BC. The predominant fiber found in Egypt was linen, a product of the native flax plant. A simple plain-weave pattern, an over-under stitch, was used for the construction of cloth. This plain weave structure was the dominant stitch until about 2500 BC. Wool was accessible in Egypt, as well, but was considered a fiber of the lower classes, namely, herdsmen and farmers.
Wool garments are rarely found in Egyptian tombs. In fact, Egyptian law placed certain restrictions on the use of wool. One such law forbade members of the priesthood to wear wool next to their skin or to wear wool into a place of worship. Cloth make from wool was thought to be crude and irreverent. Fabric made with cotton was much more acceptable and has been found in Egyptian tombs, but cloth made with linen was always considered the highest quality material and was used in mummy wrappings of the aristocracy.

Weaving in Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, became the center for commerce and was known to have textiles of quality. Because of its location, Mesopotamia was a major pathway for trade and for other developing civilizations. Archeologists found Sumerian clay tablets dating back to 2200 BC, which provided evidence of a flourishing weaving industry. The Babylonians followed with weavers who specialized in certain areas of the craft. For example, embroidery became such an important textile art form to this culture that the technique came to be known as "Babylonian".

Weaving among the ancient Hebrews

Ancient fabrics from the Hebrew world date back as early as 3000 BC. Many of the yarns produced by the Hebrews were multi-plied, up to 72 ply, and the Bible indicates that some garments contained threads made of gold and silver. Wool was used more than any other fiber in this area, white wool being the finest. Course wool, black wool, and horsehair were considered secondary. Hebrew priests were required to wear pure linen. In the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 22:11), we are given detailed information about the practices of early Hebrew weaving. One law stated that it was prohibitive to wear fabrics made from a mixture of linen and wool fibers. Another Hebrew law forbade married women to spin yarn in public places or to spin yarn at night by moonlight. Because of the active nature of the spinning process, such an act might reveal a woman's arms, and if this were to occur, it would give a husband the right to divorce his wife.

Weaving in China

One of the most fascinating stories in the development of weaving comes from China. Several legends have been told about the discovery of silk, but there is one that has become the most noted of all. In the 27th century B.C.E., during the reign of Emperor Huang-Ti, a disease began to destroy the trees in the royal mulberry grove, so the emperor asked his empress to study the problem. Empress Hsi-Ling-shi spent time in the groves and noticed that small white worms were devouring the mulberry leaves. The worms then would crawl to the naked stems below where they would spin silvery, white cocoons. According to legend, Empress His-Ling-shi took some of the small cocoons to her apartment for closer observation, and there one of the cocoons accidentally fell into a bath of warm water. As water was absorbed into the cocoon, the tiny pocket began to unravel revealing a delicate network of fibers. The empress pulled a small filament from the network and realized the fiber was a continuous thread, hundreds of feet long. In fact, one cocoon can contain a single filament measuring over 1,000 yards. With the discovery of the silk fiber, His-Ling-shi found the secret of acquiring a very rare and exquisite thread, one that could be used without first going through the spinning process.
As weavers in China began using silk in many of their elegant garments and tapestries, and later, as fabrics began to be exported, people outside of China became envious and somewhat resentful of the discovery. Despite the interest and curiosity of others, the process of cultivating silk remained a mystery and a well-kept secret to the outside world for over 3000 years.

Weaving in Switzerland

Another area where artifacts of prehistoric weaving were found was the region of the Swiss Lake Dwellers, a culture dating back to about 5000 B.C.E. Here archeologists discovered woven linen scraps and spinning whorls, an indication that this culture had advanced knowledge of the subject.

Weaving in Peru

We are fortunate to have examples of early Peruvian textiles and weaving tools. Most of the relics, which date back to 5800 B.C.E., were found in burial sites. Tools were simple, but weavings show a great variety of techniques, including tapestry, embroidery, and pile weaves. Cotton was grown along the coast and was the predominant fiber used in the lower elevations. In the mountainous areas, the Peruvians raised sheep and llama for wool and alpaca.

Bead Stringing

Bead stringing is the putting of beads on string.

It can range from simply sliding a single bead onto any thread-like medium (string, silk thread, leather thong, thin wire, multi-stranded beading wire, or a soft, flexible wire) to complex creations that have multiple strands or interwoven levels. The choice of stringing medium can be an important point in the overall design, since string-type mediums might be subject to unwanted stretching if the weight of the beads is considerable. Similarly, certain bead types with sharp edges, such as hollow metal beads or some varieties of stone or glass, might abrade string and cause the strand to eventually break.

The simplest design would be a single bead centered as a focal point on the string medium. The ends of the string could be simply knotted together or components of a clasp might be attached to each end.

Next in complexity would be stringing multiple beads onto a single strand. Here alone are numerous opportunities for adding elements to the design concept. All the beads might be identical. The beads might be varied (in shape, color, type or any combination thereof) and used either in a random assortment or in a deliberate repeating pattern. Items not strictly defined as beads, such as pendants or "drops", might be placed within the strand to serve as focal points or accent elements in the design.

Knotting is a next level of proficiency in creating strands. Here the stringing medium (traditionally silk thread or another similar, synthetic medium) has knots tied into it as a means of separating the individual beads from each other. The traditional strand of pearls is a well-known example of this technique. Pearls are threaded onto silk, and a knot is tied between each one to not only space them for greater individual prominence but to also keep them from rubbing directly against each other and risking the abrasion of the nacre that gives them their luster. This classic design can be varied by adding or using other varieties of beads or varying the number and placement of knots used.

Multiple strands can be created using either the simple stringing or the knotting technique. Here, depending on the overall design, greater advance planning may be called for. If the bead pattern is random, the only concern would generally be that one strand be sized shorter than the next, so they will all lay flat and not interfere with each other when worn or displayed. However, if a specific repeating pattern is planned, then careful planning will be required so that the placement of matching portions of the pattern between the strands are aligned properly. A beading board, generally a flat panel with measured curved indentations in several staggered lengths, is a useful tool for spacing the beads to work out the desired pattern. Once the design has been worked out, joining the strands together might require special multiple-strand clasp fixtures unless there is a single knotting point or specific design element that will accommodate it.

Braid or Braiding

 braid (also called plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strands of flexible material such as textile fibres, wire, or human hair. Compared to the process ofweaving a wide sheet of cloth from two separate, perpendicular groups of strands (warp and weft), a braid is usually long and narrow, with each component strand functionally equivalent in zigzagging forward through the overlapping mass of the others.

The simplest possible braid is a flat, solid, three-strand structure in some countries/cases called a plait. More complex braids can be constructed from an arbitrary (but usually odd) number of strands to create a wider range of structures: wider ribbon-like bands, hollow or solid cylindrical cords, or broad mats which resemble a rudimentary perpendicular weave.

Braids are commonly used to make rope, decorative objects, and hairstyles (also see pigtails, French braid). Complex braids have been used to create hanging fibre artworks.

Braiding is also used to prepare horses' manes and tails for showing, polo and polocrosse

Braiding creates a composite rope that is thicker and stronger than the non-interlaced strands of yarn. Braided ropes are preferred by arborists, rock climbers and in sport sailing because they do not twist under load, as does an ordinary twisted-strand rope. These ropes consist of one or more concentrictubular braided jackets surrounding either several small twisted fibre cords, or a single untwisted yarn of straight fibres, and are known as Kernmantle ropes.

In electrical and electronic cables, braid is a tubular sheath made of braided strands of metal placed around a central cable for shielding againstelectromagnetic interference. The braid is grounded while the central conductor(s) carry the signal.

Another use is for litz wire which uses braids of thin insulated wires to carry high frequency signals with much lower losses from skin effect or to minimiseproximity effect in transformers.

Flat braids made of many copper wires are also sometimes used for flexible electrical connections between large components. The numerous smaller wires comprising the braid are much more resistant to breaking under repeated motion and vibration than is a cable of larger wires.

Similar braiding is used on pressurized rubber hoses, such as in plumbing and hydraulic brake systems in automobiles. Braiding is also used for fibres for composite reinforcements.

A property of the basic braid is that removing one strand unlinks the other two, as they are not twisted around each other. Mathematically, a braid with that property is called a Brunnian braid.