Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2015 January 25

= January 25 =

Scipione Rota, a Prince of Acherontia
The Castelsilano article claims it was founded by "Scipione Rota, Prince of Acherontia". I can't find any sources for there being a Scipione Rota, a Prince of Acherontia, or anywhere called Acherontia. Acherontia is a genus of moth. There's no ref in the article, and the content was added by an anon. Did this Prince and his Principality exist? -- Finlay McWalterᚠTalk 00:08, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * The corresponding article in the Italian Wikipedia has "Cerenzia", which, according to the latter's Italian article, was historically known by many names, including Acherontia. הסרפד  (call me Hasirpad) 01:43, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * As for Castelsilano's alleged founder, Scipione Rota of Cerenzia: sources are easily found that show the Rota family was the ruling house of Cerenzia until the early 18th century, when it passed to the Savelli family. I can't read Italian well, and I don't have full access to any of the more reliable-seeming sources, but Wikipedia's version seems to be in accordance with other sources. Scipione seems to have later become a monk. הסרפד  (call me Hasirpad) 03:12, 25 January 2015 (UTC)

Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd
In this article it speaks of Giraldus Cambrensis spending a night in 1188 on his journey round Wales with Archbishop Baldwin in a castle at Rhuddlan that was owned by David. If one were to guess, approximately how many people were entertained (i.e. a hand full, few, dozens, hundreds, thousands)?--Doug Coldwell (talk) 14:27, 25 January 2015 (UTC)


 * Note that the castle Gerald visited was Twthill, Rhuddlan, a modest wooden motte and bailey castle; work on the nearby Rhuddlan Castle, a much grander stone-built affair, didn't start until 1277. I can't imagine that Twthill would have had a great hall capable of seating many more than a hundred, but that's just a guess. Gerald doesn't say much about his stay at Rhuddlan - see The Itinerary through Wales (pp. 128-129) and he also doesn't say much about the size of Archbishop Baldwin of Forde's retinue (Gerald was the official translator) but I suspect it was dozens rather than hundreds, also a guess. Alansplodge (talk) 18:49, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks! Great answer = actually that has helped me a lot.--Doug Coldwell (talk) 18:57, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * My guess is that it was about 60 people (including women and children) = that would fit within your guess. Would the entertainment consist of dancing girls or singers or poets or food or ? Would the entertainment be for other people (i.e. county locals) other than Archbishop Baldwin of Forde's retinue?--Doug Coldwell (talk) 19:23, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Pleased to help. I didn't have much luck with a reference, but see Castle Learning Center - Food and More on the archbishop’s enthronement feast which says; "...a major source of entertainment at a medieval banquet was apt to be culinary in nature, at least in part." Bear in mind that Wales was far from prosperous at the time, so I would guess it was a rather modest affair. Alansplodge (talk) 23:12, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks for another great answer. You have been most helpful.--Doug Coldwell (talk) 12:45, 26 January 2015 (UTC)
 * You have helped me more than you can imagine. Thanks again!--Doug Coldwell (talk) 14:05, 27 January 2015 (UTC)

Jo Indian, Adirondack Mountains
The description for a piece by Eastwood Lane, "Dirge for Jo Indian", reads "Jo Indian was a famous Adirondack Indian who lived and hunted in the vicinity of the mountain bearing his name. Like Chingachgook, Cooper's marvelous embodiment of all that is best in the native North American, Jo Indian met his death in a forest fire." Who was Jo Indian? I found no such mountain, only "Joe Indian Island" in Cranberry Lake. &mdash; Sebastian 22:29, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Maybe Mount Jo? (though it was named after Josephine Schofield, apparently, but there's also an "Indian Pass" on the southern foot of Mt Jo, see here ...) ---Sluzzelin talk  22:39, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks, Sluʒʒelin, nice to meet you again! The explanation about Josephine makes sense to me, and it's referenced, so I would trust that. I'm actually more interested in the person, since Eastwood Lane describes him as famous; the mountain is just one pointer. &mdash; Sebastian 02:30, 26 January 2015 (UTC)
 * "Sim's Island on Joe's Pond" has some information and points to a booklet from 1976 by William Parker Neal titled Indian Joe: The Friendly Indian Guide (the same author also wrote "Molly, Squaw of Indian Joe"). I couldn't find online copies of these booklets, but they can be ordered here. (Always nice to see you, Sebastian)! ---Sluzzelin talk  10:16, 26 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Wonderful, that's a great find! There are actually three booklets on him and his wife, Molly. Now my problem is that I have to decide which to buy. But at $4 apiece, it won't be too hard a decision. &mdash; Sebastian 11:03, 26 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Sebastian, I also found some information at Ne-Do-Ba. ---Sluzzelin talk  17:09, 29 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Nice! That looks like a well researched source in its own right, and it gives me a solid foundation to start an article before I get the booklets. I will probably get around to it this weekend. &mdash; Sebastian 01:59, 30 January 2015 (UTC)

African Union languages template
What happened to the template that dealt with languages of African Union where the top was working languages and the bottom was national or regional languages and Somali, Swahili and Hausa and others was one of them? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.31.17.253 (talk) 23:48, 25 January 2015 (UTC)
 * was deleted in September 2013 following a standard WP:TFD discussion, archived at WP:Templates for discussion/Log/2013 September 14. Is this the template in question? Tevildo (talk) 09:10, 26 January 2015 (UTC)

Yes. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.31.17.253 (talk) 01:20, 30 January 2015 (UTC)