Fly in the Works by Chipka
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Description
I read—once—that flies were revered in ancient Egypt. Their common form adorned simple necklaces, often worn by warriors. When we think of ancient Egyptians, we think of people unlike ourselves. We idealize them, and in a way, I suspect this has to do with their own quiet reverence of annoying, buzzing insects. For all that we know of the ancient culture of Egypt, the members of that culture remain elusive. When we think we know things about them, we discover new mysteries. They were mathematicians. They were grand architects. Their achievements are purely human, yet as we look at their pyramids (structures that have outlived anything we’ve built) we say that aliens, or Atlanteans had a hand it. We are only beginning to guess how the pyramids were built, and we’ve recently discovered that slaves were not a part of the work-gangs responsible for their construction. The pyramids were built by craftsmen and laborers whose families received rather generous pay. Work gangs rotated on a meticulous schedule. In a way, I think that members of the world’s modern cultures find it disturbing that diminutive people with bad teeth and questionable hygiene could build something as complex and mysterious as a pyramid.
Flies are similar. We assume more than we know. We know very little about them. Ah, there are people who study them, but theirs is a small number in our globe-spanning socieity.
Unlike ancient Egyptians, flies repulse us…well…some of us. I’m weird. I like them. Like an ancient Egyptian warrior, I find their behavior worthy of emulation. Flies are, after all, masters of the quick skirmish. They are nearly impossible to catch. You have to cheat and use something sticky, or go after them with a swatter that enjoys only a 50% success rate. You can’t just squash one, and if one gets into your bedroom at 8 in the morning, you know it. The ancient Egyptians found this admirable. A warrior was expected to evade death in the ways that a fly evaded catastrophic swatting. Often, warriors would wear subtle necklaces decorated with flies as a kind of totemic source of power. It’s odd…the ancient Egyptians worshipped 460 gods and goddesses throughout the pre-Christian/pre-Muslim dynasties, but none of those divine entities were ever depicted as a fly. I guess, like us, the ancient Egyptians thought of flies as annoying things, biting things, things one should inflict only on one’s enemies.
I am not an ancient Egyptian. I’m too tall. I suck at math. I don’t like lifting heavy things just so that some king with nine souls can enjoy an afterlife full of onions, bread, and beer as thick as oatmeal. I am like them, however, in that I see something in flies. They are intriguing creatures…they have cute little gyroscopes tucked under their wings. They look like helicopters with delta wings, and they come in fabulous colors. Most of the time. Chicago flies are mostly drab, but their eyes are nice. We do have metallic green ones, blue ones, and strange long-legged flies in the colors of copper, bronze, and sunlight stuck in the depths of a lurid hallucination. We have fruit flies with red eyes and fashionable stripes on their abdomens. Most commonly, we have drab flies…black and gray things with surly attitudes. We have ghetto flies—and like any resident of da hood they pack heat, so watch out.
I’ve learned of amazing flies in Russia. They’re the size of cargo helecoptors, I hear. They blacken the skies of Siberia. This, I suspect is mild exaggeration. Mild. They probably just make the skies a bit gray. I hope to see them one day, I hope to photograph them. But until then, I’ll content myself with the ones I commonly see in a dusty, drab truck yard.
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As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope this holiday season marks the end of a great year and the beginning of an even better one for all of you.
Oh, and do zoom...there are some nice little fly-details to see.
Comments (18)
kgb224
Superb capture and story my friend.
Sea_Dog
Amazing capture. Wonderful detail. I love the story, too. Great work as usual.
myrrhluz
Excellent capture! An ordinary fly, in an ordinary place and both look extraordinary. Very interesting narrative!
koosievantutte
a very fine capture indeed. it is quite amazing that most people do not see people from other times as 'real' people. they do not differ so much from what we are now. once i heard a number of people discuss a lecture which was about the middle ages. the lecturer was a good one apparently. he had made them realise that the people in the middle ages were real every day people.
Meisiekind
I am one that are mostly repulsed by flies... We have an abundance of them during summer and they always seem to know exactly when cooking is being done in the kitchen... That is when they arrive with their families for a home cooked meal! I burn citronella candles and normal candles to keep them at bay and then eventually end up with a boiling hot kitchen from all the open flames.. However, I must agree with you on their eyes! They are gorgeous and this image gives so much eye detail! Our flies are not trained to sit still for a photo!!! LOL... Hope 2010 holds much success and joy and health for you dear friend! Hugz, Carin :)
kwami
amazing work
helanker
YEA YEA, it is smiling too HUH?..If you think you can fool me to like a fly, like you did with the bench biter, you think wrong. I dont like flies, because they are freaking annoying and try to eat my food and even lay their disgusting eggs in my liver pâté and who knows, where they were sitting before that? Nope I dont like flies, but it was an excellent story and the shot was great. LOL! Anyway, I wish you a Happy New Year :-D
bmac62
Outstanding image Chip. My what big eyes. But can any good come from a fly? I didn't think so, but now I know the ancient Egyptians sure did. Fine read my friend and the best New Year ever to you! May all your wishes come true.
durleybeachbum
I really like all inverterbrates, and know how crucial they are to our survival. I also like flies, providing, as Carin points out, they are not in my kitchen. Their penchant for licking dogpoo and then popping into the house and licking for example my bacon renders them unwelcome in the extreme at the table. I resort to chemical WOMD...well, I fire one squirt at the offender and it drops dead shortly after. "Sorry", I say. A great read and an inspired title for ths super shot. Very best wishes for 2010, Chip...I hope for you what you desire.
ladyraven23452
cant say i like flys myelf but you did good some things just dont stay put so you can get a shot i know im still trying to get a shot of my frogs. love it.
MrsRatbag
Excellent reflections on an annoying subject, Chip!
auntietk
I had never considered flies as a totemic symbol for warriors, but of course it makes perfect sense. They can lurk and be totally stealthy, or loud and annoying, making you duck and cover. They cause strong reactions in beings so many times their size it's incredible. A biting fly on an elephant's hide bothers the elephant, and the fly gets what it wants. Fascinating thoughts this morning, my dear! A fabulous photograph (which I DID zoom on), and a great read.
flora-crassella
wonderful shot!!!! Had we not fly, we had no dragonflies and birds...... Happy New Year!!!!!
beachzz
Flies---who would ever have thought they could be so interesting? Wonderful shot, and as always, the story you tell is every bit as good. Happy New Year, my friend. Here's hoping 2010 brings another great RR group together, in whatever location we can manage!!
Roxam
"Their common form adorned simple necklaces, often worn by warriors." The Gold Of Valor was awarded by The Pharoah to military Generals--those who (or whom) had distinguished themselves on the battlefield-- it was the most ancient and valuable of military decorations, made of pure gold, a symbol great prestige and honor.... ...those Siberian flies might be expatriate Texans ;->
danapommet
Super macro and awesome title. Enjoyed the narrative. Dana
dadon72
Such "alien" looking creatures... I always love a good macro and no exception here... great shot.
RickGot
Great capture, very nice use of the "ancient" fly and the modern mechanical background ... near-perfect composition. Very clear macro with superb use of depth of field as well.