Aren't these paracord balls cool? They could be strung together on wire for fun and colorful bracelets ad necklaces. The creator of the video tutorial is TIAT short for Tying it all together.


It's a rounded Turk's Head knot (although it does resemble a Monkey's Fist knot ). TIAT made a Turk's Head mat and rolled it up.  Both knots have interesting histories.



Monkey's fist                       Monkey's Fist Knot via WikipediaThe Turk's Head is not only decorative but it has a useful function. It indicates when the rudder is in the central position - when the knotted spoke of a ship's wheel is in the upright position.

The Monkey's Fist is also a nautical decoration but as it forms the weighted end of a short piece of rope, these were often used by 19th century sailors as handy weapons in street and tavern brawls.

Alexander cuts the Gordian Knot, by Jean-Simon...Alexander the Great cutting the Gordian knot via Wikipedia

The Turk's Head knot was most likely the knot featured in the story of Alexander the Great and the Gordian knot. He and his army had come to the ancient city of Gordion (in the present day Anatolia region of Turkey) to visit the temple of Zeus.

He was drawn to the old ox cart there which had an intricate cornel bark knot binding the yoke and wooden pin to the central shaft of the cart.  The ends of the knot were not visible making it difficult to see how it could be untied. According to local legend, the person who could undo it will become ruler of Asia.

 Alexander the Great ( 356 –  323 BC)

The earliest historical source reported Alexander removing the wooden pin and thus releasing the knot completely from the yoke and cart shaft. He could then undo the knot as the ends were now exposed. But the most popular story (which some historians discredit) has this historical overachiever slashing the knot open with his sword. The "Alexandrian solution" is now our way of describing a bold and speedy end to an intractable problem.

That night a thunder and lightning storm occurred which was taken as a sign that Zeus was pleased. Alexander, as we know, did go on to conquer much of Asia, getting as far east as India before his homesick and near mutinous men forced him to turn back.

If you have time and find it, watch the BBC documentary  about the Gordian knot from historian, Michael Wood's award winning series, In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great.

References
Michael Wood (2001) In the Footsteps of Alexander The Great: A Journey from Greece to Asia


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