The first human settlements... before the bronze age, before the iron age and even probably before the stone age, didn’t happen because people liked each other’s company. "As the old saying goes, there's safety in numbers... and fortifications. "If you have any doubt about how wood, stone and later even steel walls helped shape human civilization, all you need to do is take a close look at most of our cities, especially the older ones."
posted by Effigy2000 on Jul 18, 2009 - 38 comments

Fantoche is another real-world cel animation from the creator of Walking, blu. [blog, work]
His other (more traditional) animations are likewise imaginatively evolutionary.
posted by carsonb on Sep 21, 2007 - 21 comments

Brazil Wants to Build a Wall Social and economic problems out of control? No problem. Brazil plans to literally build a 10 foot wall to separate the haves from the have nots.
posted by muppetboy on Apr 12, 2004 - 27 comments

Medieval Wall Painting in the English Parish Church A growing, and already comprehensive resource, with many (occasionally gruesome) images and scholarly commentary. A directory of images which can be seen in parish churches. Some interesting sub-pages :- Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Works of Mercy, Scenes from Genesis, and the Warning Against Idle Gossip.
posted by plep on Oct 31, 2002 - 5 comments