TERRA SYMBOLICA

On December 29, 1170, the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket was murdered by four of King Henry II's knights - seemingly on orders from the King. St Thomas was canonised three years later. See our TERRA SYMBOLICA video on THE CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, LEWISHAM w/Chris Wolter here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYRgA...

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 4

TERRA SYMBOLICA

My article 'Until it Sleeps: Interpreting Metallica's use of the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch' was published in Literature & Aesthetics 35:1 (2025). It explores the relationship between the lead singer James Hetfield's personal struggles and the music video for the song from a theological point of view. I just received the hard copy from my friend, former supervisor and editor of the journal Professor Carole Cusack. Thanks Carole!

It's been a Metallica themed year for me. I saw them live in November at Accor stadium from the vantage point of the Snake Pit, and made a video for TERRA SYMBOLICA based on my experience there (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px0s6.... I also caught Hetfield's sweatband, which was a nice piece of synchronicity since I not only wrote the article (linked below) but I also presented a paper based on the article for St Mark's National Theological Centre's research seminars, the recording of which is also linked below. Gosh, I just love Metallica 🙂

TERRA SYMBOLICA Metallica video: see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px0s6...

Until it Sleeps article: openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/.../view/21008

Until it Sleeps video presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_RE2...
@followers

#metallica #M72WorldTour #M72 #m72sydney

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 25

TERRA SYMBOLICA

TERRA SYMBOLICA©, Latin for "Symbolic Earth" or "Symbolic Terrain," is a YouTube channel dedicated to symbolism in architectural spaces, art, film, and more. Run by Dr Mario Baghos and featuring guest scholars, TERRA SYMBOLICA© applies insights from theology, philosophy, psychology, and religious studies to make sense of, and to celebrate, the symbolic world(s) we either consciously or unconsciously inhabit. Please follow me on facebook and subscribe at the following link. (Also, please like and share the videos!)

youtube.com/@mariobaghos

2 months ago | [YT] | 5

TERRA SYMBOLICA

Last night I watched Dario Argento's 1975 Italian giallo masterpiece DEEP RED (Profondo Rosso) for the fourth time in two years. It might not sound like a lot but trust me it is at this stage in life. I introduced my mate Adam to it; as I did to my wife Victoria (who loved it, but wondered why I was subjecting her to it so late at night!), and before that to Russell Gore who did the TERRA SYMBOLICA reflection with me on it about five months ago.

They don't make films like this anymore. The wide camera shots and angles, atmospheric and progressive music, deployment of realism and surrealism all combine in exceptional cinematography. The self-aware dialogue between characters is often directed to the viewer in a way that only in retrospect makes you realise that the Argento has been asking you to pay attention all along. It's a great film, but not for the faint-hearted. If you watch it (it's available on YouTube), then feel free to check out our breakdown at TERRA SYMBOLICA here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTulE...

4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 4

TERRA SYMBOLICA

LET'S OGG! It was amazing to have briefly met Spanian this afternoon in front of the ICC at Darling Harbour, Sydney. As the TERRA SYMBOLICA video that I recorded about a month ago with Vasily Makeev (linked below) shows, I am a fan. Watching his videos, I've found him to be honest, raw and affable, and that's just the way he engaged with Victoria and I this afternoon. I might have bombarded him a bit in regards to TERRA SYMBOLICA, but that's what excitement does to you. Anyway, Godspeed adlay--looking forward to your next adventure!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s96z2...

6 months ago | [YT] | 7

TERRA SYMBOLICA

"… the obelisk as a whole symbolised the primordial hill, with the pyramid at its top representing the sun. In erecting an obelisk, the Pharaoh was both associating himself with the sun god as a demiurgic figure, and also trying to establish a correspondence between the celestial and terrestrial realms through the obelisk’s vertical orientation. In other words, the obelisk was both an imago mundi and an axis mundi; with the pyramid at its peak constituting a micro version of its funerary equivalent..."

- From my book 'From the Ancient Near East to Christian Byzantium' (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2021), p. 30.

Available at a 25% discount when one enters PROMO25 at the checkout at the following link: www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-6627-…

Photo: The Great Obelisk at the temple of Karnak. Photo by Harry Mavrolefteros (used with permission on p. 31 of my book).

2 years ago | [YT] | 3

TERRA SYMBOLICA

… the kings of surrounding cities including Kish, Ur and Isin, always sought recognition at Nippur’s temple of Ekur, which was built as a ziggurat, described by Mircea Eliade as a “cosmic mountain” (which we have just seen was reflected in the etymology of this temple’s name as “mountain house”). In this way, the Ekur was considered both an image of the world (i.e. as a “cosmic mountain”) and a centre “linking heaven and earth,” not merely through its designation as such (i.e. Duranki), but concretely through the ziggurat which was intended, through its high platform, “to raise the home of the god even closer to heaven.”

- From my book 'From the Ancient Near East to Christian Byzantium,' p. 3-4.

Available at a 25% discount when one enters PROMO25 at the checkout at the following link: www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-7674-…

Image: Ruins of the Mountain House at Nippur (Wikimedia Commons)

2 years ago | [YT] | 4