[UA] Re: TABOO

[David M Jacobs]

At 03:36 PM 20/04/02 +0200, Robin Pfeifer wrote:

>Saul wrote:
>
>"Actually, incest is the closest we come to a universal taboo; in other
>words, nearly every culture known to Western science considers incest a
>serious no-no."
>
>'Nearly' because of ancient Egypt I presume, where marrying your sister was
>ok and even expected as long as you were the pharao.

Actually, it wasn't as common in Egypt as was previously believed.  In the 
past decade or so, new genealogical/forensic data and revisions of older 
discoveries suggest that whilst it did occur, it was mainly in cases where 
there would otherwise be no viable mate for the pharaoh.

>Any other examples?

IIRC, Caligula had an ongoing affair with his sister, and I wouldn't be 
surprised if other Roman emperors had similar relationships.

>BTW, cannibalism doesn't have any icky association with me either. Still,
>the phrase 'they taste like biscuits' from a King short story stuck... I'd
>reall like to know.

Of course, there was the F Murray Abraham line (I forget the movie), where 
he took off Hannibal Lecter: "It tastes like... chicken!!!"  #%o)



David M Jacobs
dmjacobs at zipworld.com.au
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~dmjacobs/
ICQ UIN: 17027598

"'Kevin,' David interrupted, 'what the Germans should have done
was show the Russians a dead cat and ask them to explain it.'

"'That would have stopped the Soviet offensive right there,' I said.
"Zhukov would still be trying to account for the cat's death.'"

— from Valis, by Philip K Dick


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