What a fascinating discovery at 'King Arthur's Castle' can teach us about human culture.

Eric March
08.05.16

Archeologists in the U.K. just unearthed ... a really old wall at Tintagel Castle.

Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

And it's a big deal.

Researchers believe the wall in question is a part of the "seat of the rulers of the early medieval kingdom of Dumnonia," who ruled parts of southwestern England over 1,400 years ago, according to a BBC report.

An archeologist works at the excavation site. Photo by Emily Whitfield-Wicks/English Heritage.

"This is the most significant archaeological project at Tintagel since the 1990s," Win Scutt, a director on the project, explained in a release. "The three-week dig this summer is the first step in a five-year research programme to answer some key questions about Tintagel and Cornwall’s past."

Legend has it that Tintagel was the birthplace of King Arthur. And while Arthur is, at best, questionably real, the old royal seat is very real.

A sculpture of Merlin at Tintagel Castle. Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

And, this, per the BBC, is pretty cool:

"Discoveries at the site also include large amounts of pottery from the eastern Mediterranean used for olive oil and wine, as well as Merovingian glass and fine Phocaean tableware from the west coast of Turkey."

It's yet another piece of evidence that national cultures — even very old ones — are hodgepodge stews of influences from all around the world.

Items excavated at the dig site. Photo by Emily Whitfield-Wicks/English Heritage.

It's tempting to think that British people have been "British" as we conceive it today — eating fish and chips, sipping Earl Grey tea, and singing "God Save the Queen" every night before bed — since the dawn of time.

In reality, it appears that at least some ancient Britons were merrily, Greek-ily lapping up olive oil while drinking from French wine glasses and eating off of plates from the Middle East.

It isn't particularly surprising — after all, Britain was a Roman colony until the fifth century A.D., and the Romans had footprints all over Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

But it's still important to remind ourselves of this — specifically, whenever a politician promises to beat back foreign trade, keep out a certain group of people, or make this, that, or the other country great again.

It's certainly possible, technically speaking, that a culture, city, or country may have been "great" or "greater" in the past.

A sculpture outside Tintagel Castle. Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

But if it was, it probably wasn't because it was somehow perfectly isolated, free of contribution from elsewhere in the world.

Even if that contribution is flatware and a condiment to dip crusty bread in.

In that way, the Tintagel discovery isn't just a triumph for our understanding of obscure sixth-century British history.

Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

It's a reminder that the notion of a "pure" national culture, one uncorrupted by outside influence, is as mythical as Merlin and Arthur.

culture england tintagel castle dumnonia win scutt king arthur merlin purity
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Young women across the globe share the pressures they face to get married and have kids.


Women around the world are constantly bombarded by traditional and outdated societal expectations when it comes to how they live their lives: meet a man, get married, buy a home, have kids.

Many of these pressures often come from within their own families and friend circles, which can be a source of tension and disconnect in their lives.

Global skincare brand SK-II created a new campaign exploring these expectations from the perspective of four women in four different countries whose timelines vary dramatically from what their mothers, grandmothers, or close friends envision for them.

SK-II had Katie Couric meet with these women and their loved ones to discuss the evolving and controversial topic of marriage pressure and societal expectations.

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"What happens when dreams clash with expectations? We're all supposed to hit certain milestones: a degree, marriage, a family," Couric said before diving into conversation with the "young women who are defining their own lives while navigating the expectations of the ones who love them most."

Maluca, a musician in New York, explains that she comes from an immigrant family, which comes with the expectation that she should live the "American Dream."

"You come here, go to school, you get married, buy a house, have kids," she said.

Her mother, who herself achieved the "American Dream" with hard work and dedication when she came to the United States, wants to see her daughter living a stable life.

"I'd love for her to be married and I'd love her to have a big wedding," she said.

Chun Xia, an award-winning Chinese actress who's outspoken about empowering other young women in China, said people question her marital status regularly.

"I'm always asked, 'Don't you want to get married? Don't you want to start a family and have kids like you should at your age?' But the truth is I really don't want to at this point. I am not ready yet," she said.

In South Korea, Nara, a queer-identifying artist, believes her generation should have a choice in everything they do, but her mother has a different plan in mind.

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"I just thought she would have a job and meet a man to get married in her early 30s," Nara's mom said.

But Nara hopes she can one day marry her girlfriend, even though it's currently illegal in her country.

Her mother, however, still envisions a different life for her daughter. "Deep in my heart, I hope she will change her mind one day," she said.

Maina, a 27-year-old Japanese woman, explains that in her home country, those who aren't married by the time they're 25 to 30, are often referred to as "unsold goods."

Her mom is worried about her daughter not being able to find a boyfriend because she isn't "conventional."

"I really want her to find the right man and get married, to be seen as marriage material," she said.

After interviewing the women and their families, Couric helped them explore a visual representation of their timelines, which showcased the paths each woman sees her life going in contrast with what her relatives envision.

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"For each young woman, two timelines were created. One represents the expectations. The other, their aspirations," Couric explained. "There's often a disconnect between dreams and expectations. But could seeing the difference lead to greater understanding?"

The women all explored their timelines, which included milestones like having "cute babies," going back to school, not being limited by age, and pursuing dreams.

By seeing their differences side-by-side, the women and their families were able to partake in more open dialogue regarding the expectations they each held.

One of the women's mom's realized her daughter was lucky to be born during a time when she has the freedom to make non-traditional choices.

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"It looks like she was born in the right time to be free and confident in what she wants to do," she said.

"There's a new generation of women writing their own rules, saying, 'we want to do things our way,' and that can be hard," Couric explained.

The video ends with the tagline: "Forge your own path and choose the life you want; Draw your own timeline."

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