Beyond Plastic: Cultural Stories about Infinite Discs’ Discs
A prevalent trend among disc golf manufacturers and companies with their own line of discs is to adopt a naming system or thematic tone for their lineup. For example: Westside Discs molds are typically medieval-related names, Clash Discs name their molds after different food flavors/spices, and MVP uses electrical-related titles.
We (Infinite Discs) have chosen to use various ancient cultures from around the world to name our discs. This post is going to break down the various cultural names we use as inspiration, we will look at stamp artwork that reflects these cultures, and we will discuss what cultures we look forward to using in the future.
Starting at the beginning, the very first mold in the Infinite Discs lineup was named the Exodus and was first run in S-Blend plastic back in 2018. The word Exodus means an extensive departure of a people from one area to another. One of the most famous and well-known historical exoduses is the departure of the Israelites from Egypt to the “Promised Land.” This name was decided after we chose to focus on ancient Egyptian culture to name our discs going forward. Since then, we have branched out and chosen to include all varieties of ancient cultures in our theme.
EGYPTIAN CULTURE
Egyptian culture is believed to date back to the 31st century BCE. The ancient Egyptians are renowned for their contributions to art, architecture, sciences, and polytheistic belief systems, with elaborate temples and monumental structures like the Pyramids of Giza reflecting the centrality of religion which you see reflected on many of our stamps.
The molds that we associate with Egyptian Culture are as follows:
Here are some of our favorite stamps that follow the theme of this culture –
ROMAN/GREEK CULTURE
Roman and Greek cultures, collectively known as Greco-Roman civilization, have profoundly influenced the course of Western history. Ancient Greece birthed democracy, philosophy, and classical arts as well as excelled in architecture, literature, and sculpture. Ancient Rome is most known for their evolution into a formidable empire, therefore inspiring several of our mold names. Both cultures celebrated polytheistic religions, with Greek and Roman mythologies influencing art and literature.
The molds that we associate with Ancient Greco-Roman civilization are as follows:
Here are some of our favorite stamps that follow the theme of this culture –
SOUTHERN AMERICAN CULTURE: MAYAN, INCA & AZTEC
Despite their geographical separation and distinct historical timelines, the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations shared certain characteristics such as advanced agricultural practices, complex social structures, and polytheistic religious beliefs. However, each had unique cultural achievements and political organizations that contributed to their individual legacies.
- Maya: Known for their advanced knowledge in astronomy, mathematics, and hieroglyphic writing. Built impressive city-states with temples and pyramids.
- Aztec: Renowned for their military prowess, impressive architecture, and the complex social structure. Their artistic expressions included intricate codices and sculptures.
- Inca: Famed for their extensive road network, advanced agricultural terracing, and skillful stonework in constructions like Machu Picchu.
Each of these cultures has a disc in the Infinite line up with it’s own name represented. We also include the Alpaca as part of this cultural theme, as each of these cultures relied heavily on these amazing creatures for food and clothing materials.
Here are some of our favorite stamps that follow the theme of this culture –
ASIAN DYNASTY CULTURE
Ancient Asian dynasties were characterized by rich and diverse cultures that significantly shaped the history of the continent. These ancient Asian dynasties reflected an intricate tapestry of philosophies, arts, and scientific achievements, leaving enduring legacies that continue to influence the cultural landscape of Asia today.
Currently, we only have the Dynasty as part of this cultural identity. But we are continuing to work on creating several other molds that fall under this cultural influence.
Here are some of our favorite stamps that follow the theme of this culture –
We’d like to highlight that a number of our molds can be associated with various cultures based on the stamps selected for different production runs. For instance, the Tomb and the Emperor were not initially intended to be part of the Asian Dynasty culture. However, as evident from these stamps below, they share some connection with this cultural theme.
SPANIARD & EXPLORER CULTURE
Ancient Spanish culture, with its roots in a diverse history shaped by various civilizations, has contributed significantly to the cultural tapestry of Europe. The Spanish Golden Age, marked by flourishing arts and literature, colonial expansion, and contributing to the blend of cultures defines this culture.
One of our most recently released molds, the Galleon, begins to cover this culture as a GALLEON is a large, heavily armed sailing ship that was used primarily by European states from the 16th to the 18th century and played a significant role in the exploration and colonization of the Americas.
ANCIENT CULTURE RELATED
The following molds don’t fall under any specific cultural category, but do fall under each category as an integral part of ancient cultures.
SLAB: A slab is a flat, thick piece or slice of material, often rectangular in shape. This term is commonly used in construction and architecture to describe a broad, horizontal surface, such as a concrete slab (that’s where our plastic name comes from) and other ancient structures like temples and pyramids.
RUIN: Ruin refers to the state of decay, destruction, or disintegration of something that was once complete, prosperous, or structurally sound. It can apply to physical structures, such as buildings or monuments, as well as abstract concepts like relationships or plans. As we look back on these ancient cultures, we see much ruin as their once glorious palaces, colosseum, and pyramids are beginning to decay.
RAZE: To raze is to utterly obliterate or demolish, usually in the context of structures, buildings, or entire settlements. Historically, scholars assert that war and conflict were prevalent in nearly all ancient cultures, suggesting that instances of razing likely occurred with some frequency.
MYTH: A myth is a traditional or sacred narrative that explains the beliefs, customs, practices, or natural phenomena of a society. Myths often involve supernatural beings, gods, heroes, and legendary events, serving as cultural stories that convey moral or spiritual lessons. We see that each ancient civilization discussed here had some sort of myth/legend that was passed down through the generations.
CZAR: A czar historically refers to a title used for the emperors or monarchs of Russia. In a more general sense, the term “czar” is sometimes used metaphorically to refer to a person with significant authority or control over a particular area or aspect, such as a “drug czar” overseeing anti-drug efforts.
SCEPTER: A scepter is an ornamental staff or rod, often made of precious materials and adorned with symbolic embellishments. It is a symbol of authority, sovereignty, or rulership and is traditionally associated with royalty, monarchs, or other high-ranking figures. Crowns, attire, and scepters are just a few of the ways that people would be able to recognize who was in charge of that group of individuals or an entire nation.
KON-TIKI: The name for this disc does not have a clear cultural relation, nor a clear description of what it means. This disc was named before our Creative Director was brought on and during a time where the naming process was more random. However, several interpretations can be made for this name. 1. The Kon-Tiki was a raft used for a famous expedition led by Norwegian explorer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl where him and his crew sailed the Kon-Tiki from South America to the Polynesian islands. 2. Large stone heads have been refered to by tourtist as Kon-tiki’s, but are not general known by that name in any cultural significance. Therefore, we can place this disc name under Polynesian culture, which you my see us work more on in the future.
ARE ALIENS REAL???
We find it important to talk about our small use of an Alien theme that weaves it way into several of our cultural stamps. The belief in extraterrestrial influence on ancient civilizations is a popular one. Extraterrestrial guidance suggests that advanced beings from outer space may have played a role in shaping the development of early human societies. The concept of extraterrestrial influence on ancient cultures remains a topic of debate and speculation and we believe it is a fun and creative way to include these views into our artwork.
HOW DO WE CHOOSE DISC NAMES?
Over the years, there have been several means by which a disc is named. But as of 2 years ago, we now have an Infinite Discs Brand Manager and Creative Director who is in charge of ordering every run of discs, choosing and editing artwork, and has the final say when naming discs. Our entire team discusses a host of name options, but our Creative Director has the final say.
Additionally, If you notice, all of our Distance Drivers are strong names (Conqueror, Emperor…). We wanted to be sure to show that something so overstable as an Emperor should have a strong name.
WHAT MOLDS DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO?
2024 is going to be an AMAZING year for some new releases! We currently have a new putter, mid-range, and possibly a fairway driver in the works. Feel free to drop a comment below with your name suggestions! Make sure it falls under one of our cultural identities, or give us a new cultural identity we haven’t thought of yet!
We hope you enjoy our line up of discs as much as we do!
And as always…
Love what you throw, and throw what you love
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