> I assume Greg has some substantial thoughts on what the Esrolians
are
> really like, and will share them in due course.
Though events in Esrolia occur in the early part of the Hero Wars so...
> Cultures are substantially shaped by geography and technology.
and origin, migration, conquest. For example N.American culture is iunfluenced by its antecedent cultures
> but they were land-locked (although made good use of streams,
rivers,and lakes with their
> canoes),
There were a couple of very big lakes... Also to what extent are Esrolians influenced by water. The Holy Country navy seems to have its origin in the East Isles, the coastal cities seem to have a Malkioni origin...
> in a cool temperate climate, weren't metal users,
OK, but we can elimante those discrepancies, it is a case of taking useful parts.
> didn't have any form of herd animal, practiced slash and burn
horticulture
Had women in charge of the sacred duties of farming, myths abouts the three grain goddeses. Agricultaraly there are good and bad points.
> backed by large amounts of hunting, lived in long-houses, and
didn't have cities.
Well the cities are Malkioni, and longhouses do fit with Vingkotlking origins. Agreed the hunting is probably out.
But consider if we view the Iroquois as a model for early esrolian culture, and then add metalworking, permanent instead of semipermanent settlements etc. we could move towards Esrolian culture.
Importantly they had matriachal clans that formed federations which bears a resemblance to the Esrolian model.
I'm trying to suggest there is much to draw on, not that the two are the same.
I don't know enough about Evans Minoan culture to comment on what could be taken from it. My only worry is that most of the other Mediteranean civilisations seem to be Pelorian analogues. I could not find any books by Evans on a quick search of Amazon, only critiques of his position.
Ian
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