纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 065泰诺仪式用椅（3）

The Taino people believed that they lived in parallel with an invisible world of ancestors and gods, from whom their leaders could seek knowledge of the future. A duho would be owned only by the most important members of a community, and it was the vital means of getting through to the realm of the spirits. It was in one sense a throne, but it was also a portal, and a vehicle to the supernatural world.

It's about the size of a foot-stool, a small curved seat, carved out of rich dark wood, highly polished and gleaming. Carved at the front is a grimacing¹, goggle-eyed creature, which looks almost human, with an enormous mouth and wide ears. It's got two arms planted on the ground, and these two arms form the front two legs of the stool. From there a broad curve of wood sweeps upwards², like a wide beaver³ tail, supported at the back by two more legs. This creature looks like nothing on earth, but one thing is certain - it's male. Underneath⁴ this strange composite being, and between the hind⁵ legs, are carved male genitals.

泰诺人相信，他们的世界与另一个看不见的、有祖先与神灵生存的世界并存，而他们的首领可以向那个世界问询未来，只有族群中最权高位重的人才能拥有一把作为通向神灵世界必要媒介的都何。从某种意义上来说，它相当于王座，同时也是通往超自然世界的门户与工具。

它的大小与踏脚凳相当，是个小型曲面长凳，用深色木材雕刻，经过细致抛光与打磨。凳子前端雕刻着一个面部扭曲、双目外突、阔嘴大耳的类人生物，它的双臂向下伸展，形成凳子的两条前腿，其后是宽大的弧形凳面，像海狸的大尾巴，由两条后腿作为支撑。它不像地球上的任何一种生物，我们可以肯定的只有一点，即它是雄性的。因为在这个四不像生物的后腿之间雕刻有男性生殖器官。

 

1 grimacing   

v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• But then Boozer drove past Gasol for a rattling, grimacing slam dunk. 可布泽尔单吃家嫂，以一记强有力的扣篮将比分超出。 来自互联网
• The martyrdom of Archbishop Cranmer, said the don at last, grimacing with embarrassment. 最后那位老师尴尬地做个鬼脸，说，这是大主教克莱默的殉道士。 来自互联网

2 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

3 beaver   

n.海狸，河狸

参考例句：

• The hat is made of beaver.这顶帽子是海狸毛皮制的。
• A beaver is an animals with big front teeth.海狸是一种长着大门牙的动物。

4 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

5 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。