Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2024 March 10

= March 10 =

Is this vessel unique?
Are there any parallels to the lovely item on the block? https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/256977 Temerarius (talk) 14:53, 10 March 2024 (UTC)
 * The museum record verifies my initial impression: this is a vase with a lid. Lidded vases are common throughout history and are often called urns. This particular example has an unusually shaped lid. Cullen328 (talk) 09:03, 14 March 2024 (UTC)

M. Daumer, painter
Who is the artist, signed M. Daumer, on this print ? Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 18:08, 10 March 2024 (UTC)


 * By far the most famous artist with a similar name was Daumier, but he had different initials and was not really into birds and flowers, so it's not him. AnonMoos (talk) 23:05, 10 March 2024 (UTC)
 * Some searches online found an artist by the name of Mike Daumer, but none of the signatures seem to match. GalacticShoe (talk) 01:07, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
 * The same print is offered for sale, for wildly differing prices, by other sellers:, . All are located in the US, so it is likely the artist is also US-based. --Lambiam 23:36, 17 March 2024 (UTC)

Where to find information on a subject
Hello, I would like to know about the legality of farting on someone. Would it be considered assault or battery? And if so, under what circumstances? Has anyone ever been successfully prosecuted for farting on someone else? Swomlord (talk) 18:28, 10 March 2024 (UTC)


 * As stated at the top of this page, we cannot give you legal advice. In any case, the law will vary from one country to another. Consult a lawyer. Shantavira|feed me 09:13, 11 March 2024 (UTC)


 * - the Internet, of course, using your favourite search engine.
 * — "An Austrian man in has been fined 500 euros (A$820) for breaking wind loudly in front of police ... the alleged incident ... in ... Vienna, saw the offender fined for 'offending public decency'."
 * Mitch Ames (talk) 02:57, 13 March 2024 (UTC)

Ancient paving stone tiling
I don't know whether this question is best asked in humanities, mathematics, or science.

Many years ago I ran across an online article about ways to tile various sizes of rectangular and square stones in ancient times, for use as outdoor paving in well-to-do yards and possibly public spaces. I recall the article showed examples of patterns used in history.

The tile article on Wikipedia mentions tiling in an ancient context but not the specific technique of arranging squares and rectangles in a modular periodic way, but it looks non-periodic due to the arrangement.

Searching online, I can find examples of what modern flooring marketers call a "Versailles" pattern: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/527061962610986488/ - that one is made of four shapes, two sizes of square and two sizes of rectangle. Here is a similar one tiled out: https://www.tilesbay.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/thumbnail/1000x1000/fcd7d8d06e95a3dc3254afa7d33852f2/m/o/montauk_blue_16_sft_ashlar_pattern_gauged_slate_6_.jpg - although that site calls it an "Ashlar" pattern.

The online article I read years ago had examples that were far more complex, using more or less variations of squares and rectangles. I could swear there was a name for this tiling technique but I cannot find anything except that "Versailles" marketing term. Does anyone know what this is called? ~Anachronist (talk) 23:24, 10 March 2024 (UTC)


 * Tesselation ? --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 06:05, 11 March 2024 (UTC)


 * I found Typical Flagstone Paving Patterns (maybe not the exact site you had in mind). AnonMoos (talk) 06:26, 11 March 2024 (UTC)


 * Not tesselation but that has a picture of something related: Pythagorean tiling, which involves two different size square tiles.
 * Yes, I had come across that site as well. What I recall discussed ancient patterns, showing multiple designs similar to this. I also found this large design.
 * I could swear there was a term for this sort of thing. ~Anachronist (talk) 03:15, 13 March 2024 (UTC)