How Ancient Cultures Viewed Clouds - Essay Example

Cloud Formation Introduction Different cultures interpret the world around them differently and this is the beauty of diversity. Cultural values are shaped through different influences on a society. Among these influences religious influences was often the most important in the primitive societies while scientific influence is strong in relatively current and developed societies. In this paper, cloud formation will be discussed in detail. Firstly, scientific explanation of cloud formation will be given. It will also be discussed how ancient cultures viewed cloud formation and what was their opinion regarding clouds. Different ancient taboos will also be explained regarding cloud formation. The use of clouds in the works of artists and writers from different cultural backgrounds will also help us shed light on different cultural and aesthetic interpretation of could formation. In the end, personal views regarding cloud formation and how cultural, scientific, and aesthetic interpretations come together to form a general understanding regarding clouds and their importance. How Clouds are formed? Clouds are formed by the cooling of air that consists of water vapors in the atmosphere. The saturation of air due to cooling of water vapors in the air leads to droplets which appear as clouds. The dust particles in the atmosphere also play a role in cloud formation. Water vapors get attached to very small dust particles and this leads to cloud formation. Clouds can also be formed with ice crystals and usually clouds at very high altitude are created by ice crystals. This is the process through which clouds are formed. It is a scientific process and no magic is involved in creation of clouds. As we move upward in the atmosphere, air temperature tends to decrease. This in turn reduces the capacity of air to store water vapors which leads to cloud formation. Clouds essentially have moisture in them and this is why they are a source of rainfalls. Clouds also serve an important purpose of providing shade to human beings. They also protect humans and animals from harmful radiations of the sun that can cause skin problems. Clouds are essentially water vapors and therefore their reaction with different temperature and air pressure leads to their movement. How Ancient Cultures Viewed Clouds? Ancient cultures views clouds as something magical because they were beyond their comprehension. Clouds were revered in some cultures due to their association with rainfalls. When clouds appeared people felt protected from the sunshine and sometimes it lead to rainfall which helped forge a positive perception with regards to clouds. This, however, does not mean that ancient cultures were perfectly comfortable with cloud formations. The fact that clouds changed shapes troubled many people and casted doubts in the minds of people. Overall, it can be safely said that ancient cultures viewed clouds as something magical because it was at that time foreign to human capacity of knowledge. Clouds were also seen by ancient cultures as an expression of God’s will. In the ancient Chinese culture, people interpreted different patterns in cloud formation as an indication of what God felt (Kieeman & Barrett, 2005). The fickle nature of cloud formation was difficult to understand and this is why it is understandable why ancient Chinese cultures related cloud formation to God’s will. It was not possible in ancient times to scientific explain clouds and their formation. People had to rationalize how clouds formed and it seemed logical to link it with religion and God. It was also easy to believe that everything which was difficult to understand at that time was explained as a paranormal phenomenon. Ancient Chinese culture was also very mystical which is why the association between God’s will and cloud formation seem reasonable for the people of ancient times. Navajo tribe of Native Indians still believed and still believes that looking at the clouds while they are moving is not good because it leads to reduced ability to run fast (Bulows, 1982). This belief, however, has no obvious rationale but Navajo people have believed in this for thousands of years and still traditional Navajo people believe in this myth. Looking upward towards the sky might trigger some dizziness because clouds seem to move all the time. This is possibly why cloud formation and movement is linked to slow running. In culture of Somalia children are discouraged to point their fingers to the clouds because it is believed that it brings bad luck (Abdullahi, 2001). This is also interesting because this belief has been strong in Somalia from ancient times. Rain clouds are considered sacred and this is why it is possible that children were taught not to point at them. It is also important to note that the climatic conditions of Somalia are very dry and water is scarce. This is why rain clouds were seen as something positive and the aim was not to do anything to make them go away. Pointing towards clouds might lead to lack of rainfall is just superstition however it is understandable why people have developed such myths. Ancient aborigines of Australia believed that blood of male members of the society can attract rain from clouds and this is why male blood was used in the ceremony in which rain was called upon (Schneider, Root, & Mastandrea, 2011). The aborigines were able to make association between clouds and rains, and believed that rituals performed for the rain God can lead to rains. The association between male blood and rain signifies how important rain was considered by ancient Australian people. Males enjoyed dominance and sacrificing their blood gives an indication that rain was highly welcomed in aborigines’ society. In ancient Hindu civilization clouds were seen more connected to sun and people of that time saw clouds as items that pay homage to the sun (Mongiovi, 2003). Cloud formation was also seen to depict shapes of important things like cattle and horses (2003). In Hindu culture too, it seems that cloud formation was linked to divinity and people thought of clouds as sacred entities. Cloud formation was also explained through important things of the time because horses and cattle were used extensively in ancient times. Use of Clouds in Artists and Writers of different Cultures Clouds have been used in poems, paintings, and fictional work for many years. Clouds are represented in nature and, therefore, painters have used clouds quite often in their work. Especially landscape painters have used clouds in their paintings in order to depict the beauty of natural environment. Clouds have also been used to depict the mood and feeling of people, cities, and overall societies. The use of clouds has also been prominent in fictional work where writers have made connection between clouds and hope. Clouds depict a ray of hope because they provide shade in the sunny season and also signal rainfalls which are generally perceived as positive. Clouds have also been used in poems as a form of poetic expression. Because of their movement clouds have been used to depict messengers in poems. The use of clouds in aesthetic work is closely related to general beliefs and perception regarding clouds. Ancient cultures saw clouds as mystical and paranormal entities, and painters and poets have also used their imagination to interpret clouds in different forms. The use of clouds in aesthetic work is more related to the view of ancient culture than modern scientific view. The work of English painter John Constable is famous for the use of clouds. He portrayed clouds as an important element of nature in his paintings. Clouds also feature regularly in his paintings alongside with trees and rivers. Another important feature of Constable’s work is that he has put many of his observations in his paintings regarding clouds and weather, and has successfully made the association between humidity and rain (Parkinson, 1998). Clouds are presented as elements that add beauty in the overall nature in Constable’s painting which also lead to rainfall. Francesco Guardi was an Italian painter and clouds feature in his works too. One of his most famous paintings of the city of Venice depicts the general mood and condition of the society. The significance of the painting is huge considering the time in which it was painted because at that time Venice was losing its power. The painting depicts through clouds and overall environment about the true state of the city (The Economist, 2012). The use of clouds in Guardi’s paintings is great because he was used clouds to depict sorrow and sadness in his paintings. In his work, clouds are used to show dullness instead of the glorious natural beauty. This is another interesting use of clouds in aesthetic work. American painters have used rain clouds in their work to depict anger and wrath (Novak, 2007). This is another dimension of the use of clouds in aesthetic work. Rain clouds look dangerous and often bring thunderstorm. This is why they can be easily associated with wrath. In paintings artists have to use patterns and symbols to convey their message and American painters have used clouds to show rage and furry in their paintings. This representation of clouds is different from the work of English and European painters. In the novel ‘When Raining Clouds Gather’ African writer portray cloud as a symbol and ray of hope (Head, 1995). The novel depicts the tough life of African region and the importance of rain and clouds. Clouds are presented as ray of hope for the downtrodden people of the country. Clouds provide shelter from burning sun and hints towards an impending rainfall. This is why they are represented in the novel as a ray of hope for the poor farmers. The main message of the story is that raining clouds can lead to prosperity and this is how clouds are represented in the novel. In ancient Indian civilization poets like Kalidasa have used clouds in their poetry beautifully. In one poem Kalidasa has represented clouds as messengers between two separated lovers (McGinnis, 2013). This is another interesting representation of clouds because it uses poetic imagination beautifully. The representation of clouds as messengers who can communicate the message of love between two separated lovers is beyond any rationale but it builds upon the movement of clouds from one place to another. Clouds can be seen by common man as moving all the time and this is why using them as messengers seem understandable in a poetic sense. Personal Views on Cloud Formation Clouds are viewed by the scientific community differently than artists and poets. Also ancient cultures viewed cloud formation differently from today’s well accepted scientific explanation. I personally think that it is easy for the less intellectually advanced to accept or craft any explanation with regards to a phenomenon which is beyond their comprehension. This is why ancient cultures made a wide range of assumptions with regards to clouds and their formation. The mystical message behind cloud formation was easy to deduce similar to stars, sky, and other unexplained phenomenon of the time. Science today has accurately defined why clouds are formed and what purpose they serve and it is clear that it has nothing to do with God’s will or good or bad luck. Certainly pointing towards them cannot neither attract rainfall nor turn rain clouds away. But it is interesting to observe how ancient cultures viewed cloud formation. Upon deep thinking it becomes clear that ancient people, although were far of the reality, were able to get some basic facts right. Clouds can lead to rainfall and this is why they were seen as something magical and mystical. They also serve important purpose of providing shade and absorbing harmful radiations of the sun. Clouds were seen even by ancient people as attractive because of their significance. This leads us to the understanding that although ancient people didn’t completely understood clouds and the scientific phenomenon behind them, they still had a general understanding of the positive effects of clouds. This is how we can bridge the understanding between scientific explanation of clouds and the explanation of clouds given by ancient cultures. Ancient cultures also were familiar with the relationship between sun and clouds to a certain extent. Some cultures showed understanding of how sun and clouds were closely related however their logical and reasoning was not very scientific. Still, they were able to understand that there was a close association between sun, cloud, and rain. It is also important to note that climatic conditions of a region played an important role in forging relationships between different natural events. People from warmer climates understood to respect and revere clouds because they made an association between rainfalls and clouds. This is how the ancient cultures forged some sort of understanding on clouds formation. The use of clouds in the work of poets, writers, and painters is also related to the beliefs of ancient culture. It is perfectly understandable that there is disconnect between aesthetic and scientific understanding of cloud formation. Artists and poets use their imagination to represent and depict realities around them, and are often not interested in scientific facts. This is why we can see that cloud formation is viewed by artists differently from the scientific community. Artists have portrayed clouds as a ray of hope or a sign of anger. These representations are closely related to the thinking of ancient cultures. Also artists from different ethnic backgrounds have depicted cloud formation differently. Cultures that experience water shortages see clouds as a ray of hope and symbol of perseverance. This is because water and rainfall are highly valued by such cultures. Artists from regions where rainfall is not essential but adds to the beauty of environment see clouds as elements of natural beauty. Clouds are also related to sadness or sorrow in areas that experience too much rainfall. This is how representation of clouds in the work of artists, poets, and writers is affected by their cultural and ethnic affiliations. There is, however, some harmony between the understandings of all three communities regarding concept of clouds. The basics of cloud formation and their function were understood by the ancient culture, scientific community, and artists of different cultural backgrounds. There is a common meeting ground for all different kinds of understandings. Clouds are related to rainfall and they provide protection from sun. This reality was understood by even the ancient cultures and artists have also depicted this in their work. A common meeting ground with regards to cloud formation is therefore eventually achieved. Conclusion Clouds are formed due to condensation of water vapors and dust particles. Ancient cultures have viewed cloud formation as mystical and magical. Artists of different cultures have represented clouds as angry, sad, beautiful, and messengers. There is a common ground of understanding between artists, scientists, and ancient cultures. The main realities regarding cloud formation and purposes of clouds were well understood by even the earliest of civilizations. Artists also portrayed clouds depending on their cultural affiliations while scientists gave concrete and detailed explanation of cloud formation. The basic reality however remains the same because clouds lead to rainfalls and provide shade from sunshine. References Abdullahi, M. (2001). Culture and Customs of Somalia. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group Bulow, E. (1982). Navajo taboos. New Jersey: South westerner Books Francesco Guardi’s Venice: Poetry in Painting. (2012). The Economist. Retrieved on 21st June, 2013 from http://www.economist.com/node/21564527 Head, B. (1995). When Rain Clouds Gather. London: Heinemann International Literature and Textbooks Kleeman, T. & Barrett, T. (2005). The Ancient Chinese World. Oxford: Oxford University Press McGinnis, M. (2013). The Painted Cloud Messenger: based on the Meghaduta by Kalidasa. South Dakota: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Mongiovi, J. (2003). The Two Pillars. Sinfonia.org. Retrieved on 21st June, 2013 from http://www.sinfonia.org/resources/writings/Mongiovi/TheTwoPillars.pdf Novak, B. (2007). Nature and Culture: American Landscape and Painting, 1825-1875. Oxford: Oxford University Press Parkinson, R. (1998). John Constable: The Man and His Art. London: Victoria & Albert Museum Schneider, S., Root, T, & Mastandrea, M. (2011). Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather: Abs-Ero. Oxford: Oxford University Press Read More