Interior Decorating
Procession of the Holy Carpet
A vanished, rather homely and charming rite of the Islamic religion.
Full essay here.
At the beginning of the century, there were several types of popular ceremonies in Egypt that have disappeared or faded with time. One such ceremony is the procession of “El Mahmal” or “The Holy Carpet.”
The yearly celebration involved the Egyptian government manufacturing a new cover for the Holy Kaaba and offering it to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After the cover is prepared in the factory, a large ceremony takes place in Cairo, where a parade organised by the Egyptian army tours the different districts of the city.
The parade included a caravan of decorated camels carrying the Holy Carpet, as well as many other gifts. After the caravan ends its tour in Cairo, it starts its long trip, guarded by the Egyptian army, across the eastern desert, then on to the Suez Canal and Sinai till it reaches Palestine.
From Palestine, it goes directly to Saudi Arabia, crossing its northern borders to the heart of Hijaz, then to Mecca. Normally it reached Mecca before the pilgrimage season, where another ceremony takes place that ends with the covering of the Kaaba with the Holy Carpet.
Posted By: Paul - Sun May 06, 2018 -
Comments (0)
Category: Religion, Interior Decorating, Middle East, Twentieth Century
World’s Largest Sofa
More on the sponsoring company.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 27, 2017 -
Comments (8)
Category: Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Furniture, Interior Decorating, 1960s
Mystery Illustration 15
Why was this horse brought inside a house, if not just as a photo stunt?
The answer is here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 31, 2016 -
Comments (8)
Category: Animals, Interior Decorating, 1960s
The Sonic Bed
Sonic Bed - Kaffe Matthews from Avatar on Vimeo.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 19, 2016 -
Comments (4)
Category: Avant Garde, Interior Decorating, 2000s, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
Armored Velvet
This stuff sounds like having a shag carpet sprayed onto your walls. Might have been a cool effect for a bachelor pad.Unfortunately I can't find any pictures of what it looked like, so I can't tell how awesome/disgusting the stuff really was. I bet the fibers would get easily torn off, and then how would you patch it?
It seems to have disappeared from the market sometime around 1970.
The Deseret News - Oct 18, 1967
Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph - Aug 10, 1968
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 16, 2016 -
Comments (8)
Category: Interior Decorating, 1960s
Texas Toilets
Just in time for Christmas! Visit "Lone Star Western Decor" for all your cowboy-themed toilet gifts. Six pages of items here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 18, 2015 -
Comments (7)
Category: Hygiene, Regionalism, Foreign Customs, Interior Decorating, North America
Drs Casey & Kildare in Pillowcase Form
[Click to enlarge]
An early example of Dakimakura. I understand Richard Chamberlain still has a warehouse of these which he will sell upon request.
Original ad here (page 31).
Posted By: Paul - Sun Aug 24, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Celebrities, Comics, Sex Toys, Interior Decorating, 1960s
O. J. Wangen, Evil Paint Seller
It makes no difference whether you want your house painted or not; whether you want to use Sherwin-Williams or another brand; whether you plan to do it yourself or employ a different company. None of this counts in the face of O. J. Wangen's plan for world domination. "Let us have our way... We will have it, all or part of it in the end."
Original ad here. (Scroll down at link.)
Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 18, 2012 -
Comments (6)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Evil, Newspapers, Interior Decorating, 1900s
The Standing Broom of Prattville
The Prattville Standing Broom is an old story from 2009, but I think it deserves a place on WU.Especially since it's inspired an entire subgenre of broom-standing-on-their-own videos on youtube. Here's just one, picked at random:
Posted By: Alex - Sun Mar 18, 2012 -
Comments (2)
Category: Stupidity, Interior Decorating
Essential Beatnik Pad
[Click text to enlarge for readability]
Or:
Original story here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 04, 2012 -
Comments (5)
Category: Interior Decorating, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1950s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |