Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2020 August 22

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August 22

An Asian custom

This is more of a "tip of my tongue" question. I remember watching a documentary (it was a show called "Taboo" on) National Geographic (NatGeo) that talked about a custom from a Southeast Asian (or perhaps Pacific) country where consenting teenagers of opposite gender could basically have sex. They would do so in a special raised structure made of bamboo, and I think it was customarily built by the female partner's father. It was quite similar to Night hunting/Bomena of Bhutan and Yobai of Japan but from some other country, I think. Can anyone please help with remembering the name of that custom or in which country it happened, if I'm not misremembering it as being different from Bomena/Yobai. Regards, TryKid ^{[dubious – discuss]} 08:31, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

Well a simple search for 'sex bamboo hut' easily finds [1]. Cambodia is generally considered part of southeast Asia. And although our article on the Kreung has no details, a search for 'kreung sex' finds more discussion of the practice like [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]/[7], [8] which use various names like "bride and groom hut", "maiden hut", "love hut", "houses of the young women" which to be fair by themselves probably aren't great search terms but probably could be combined with other terms. Nil Einne (talk) 09:06, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

Thank you so much! That's what I was looking for. I searched with Vietnam first and didn't even try after that because the result pages were filled with porn. I shouldn't have let that deter me from trying again though. Thanks again, TryKid ^{[dubious – discuss]} 10:26, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

Bude-Light in Trafalgar Square

Various sources refer to a replica Bude-Light in Trafalgar Square, London. However, a Google image search finds pictures of lamps of two different designs; one is on a narrow metal column, the other a broad stone column. How many Bude-lights are there in Trafalgar Square? Where exactly is it/are they? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:09, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

The lamp column in the southeast corner has been converted into a tiny police station.

This view shows a slender version at northeast end of the boundary wall, at the top of the steps leading to the National Gallery forecourt. A matching one is on the end of the corresponding wall in the southwest corner opposite Canada House. A stone-column version terminates the same wall in the southwest corner (shown here) nearest to Admiralty Arch, and in the southeast corner opposite The Strand, the column was converted in 1927 into London's smallest police station. So four is the answer as far as I can tell, two of each type. Alansplodge (talk) 13:08, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

(edit conflict) Those pictures were taken at widely differing times - from the dress some appear Victorian. I can't see anything on Google street view - however I'm travelling up to town tonight and I'll make a point of visiting Trafalgar Square after dark when the streetlights are on - I'll report back after I get home. 2A00:23A8:4015:F500:38A0:573D:6554:4D7 (talk) 13:21, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

The Year-book of Facts in Science and Art (London, 1846) p.30:-

"BUDE LIGHTS, TRAFALGAR-SQUARE - The lanterns for the reception of the Bude Lights to illumine this fine area, exhibit certain novel and meritorious peculiarities of form and construction, which has induced us to engrave them for our columns. The lanterns, four in number, are of an octagonal shape, from the design of Mr. Barry, R.A., and manufactured by Messrs. Stevens and Son, of the Darlington Works, Southwark. They are placed on four large bronze pedestals ; the height of the larger pair, from the base to the bottom of the lamp , is 3 feet six inches, and the diameter, 3 feet 8 inches; from the bottom to the top of the lamp, 3 feet 6 inches; diameter, 3 feet 1 inch. These are to be fixed on the massive granite pillars on the south-east and south-west angles of the square. The two smaller ones are of the following dimensions:— height, 9 feet to the bottom of the lamp ; diameter of square plinth at bottom, 3 feet, on which rests the octagon base, rising 2 feet. Diameter of the column, 13 inches, gradually tapering to 8 inches, 2 bands at proportionate distances. These are destined for the balustrades opposite the National Gallery: the gun metal, of which the whole is composed, is ⅜ of an inch thick. The lamps are to be glazed with flint glass of the substance of an inch, with a 2-inch cut bevel, worked parallel surfaces, and all highly polished. The refraction of light occasioned by these numerous varieties of surface is likely to produce a very brilliant effect; and in the event of another lamp being added, as proposed, to be placed between the fountains, some very novel appearances may perhaps be obtained, especially if the focus of either of the prisms should fall on the jets of water".

Alansplodge (talk) 13:46, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

And the same article with pictures is in the The Illustrated London News, Volume 6 (May 3, 1845) p. 284.

I find it hard to believe that the lamps in Trafalgar Square are replicas, it seems likely that the gas jets were replaced with electric light bulbs, probably in the early 20th century. Alansplodge (talk) 13:52, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

The Story Behind (Allegedly) Londons Smallest Police Station says that the lamps were electrified in the 1930s. A better source would be nice... Alansplodge (talk) 14:36, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

Splendid work, everyone, thank you. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 17:35, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

And I see you've updated the Bude-Light article to cover them. Well done yourself! --184.146.89.141 (talk) 03:10, 23 August 2020 (UTC)

One lamp marks the south-east end of the balustrade. It is identified by the number 44 and has doors reminiscent of Dr Who's Tardis (42 might have been more appropriate). On the corner of The Mall facing the Admiralty Arch is an elaborate standard with no less than three lamps. The base is marked "VR 1878". The south-west end of the balustrade is marked by a lamp identified by the number 53, a twin of the one numbered 42. The pedestal has not been hollowed out, so you can see how the other looked originally. The article amendment is good, but please don't misdescribe something which was no more than a telephone box as a "police station". The north-west end of the balustrade is marked by a similar lamp on a column. Its twin marks the north-east end of the balustrade. All the lamps in the square are electric and light up when it gets dark. 2A00:23A8:4015:F500:B08A:61E4:9579:8DAD (talk) 12:01, 23 August 2020 (UTC)

English Heritage calls it a "police post" [9]. It was a bit more than a 'phone box because it was intended that a policeman or two could use it as a secure observation lookout during disturbances. [10] Alansplodge (talk) 15:15, 23 August 2020 (UTC)

Several sources (example) describe it as a "police station". "VR 1878" does not seem to be a Bude light. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:16, 23 August 2020 (UTC)