The Mintakan Tapestry.

[Trekker4747]

The Mintakan Tapestry is the piece of fabric given to Picard by the proto-Vulcanoid race on Mintakan III. A race of people who for a short time believed Picard to be a (their) God due to circumstances involving a disabled/malfunctioning duck-blind and transportation.

This piece of cloth, after picard recieves it, can often be seen draped over the back of his desk-chair in either his quarters or Ready Room. (it seemed to move a lot.)

Maybe it's just me and my world prespective and how I apply it to how I watch Trek, but this tapestry is part of why I a)love TNG and b)love Trek.

This little piece of cloth has incredible meaning to Picard. For a short time these people felt he was a god. Their god and wanted to do things for him to please him and this is their gift to their god. (Even though it was given to him after they learned the truth.)

Part of that to me is the epitome, the socilogical "danger" and the wonder of interstellar travel and Trek. The interacting with other civilizations -especialy those less advanced than the Federation- and the consequences it can have.

To have something in your posession from a group of people who worshiped you must be something amazing to mull over. Of all of the trinkets Picard gathered during his travels (another big one being his Ressik Flute) this one is, in my mind, the most awe-inspiring.

 

[22 Stars]

I agree, but would have to vote for the Flute as the #1 TNG artifact. I think the Christie's auction proved that out as well.

 

[cultcross]

I agree. I loved the tapestry, and all it meant to Picard. It was a nice piece of non-random set dressing to add to a room to say 'this is Picard's'.

Plus it represented, all by itself, continuity in TNG for about 3 full seasons

 

[Holdfast]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

 

[Trekker4747]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

I'm impressed the stone naskos survived the crash as well as it apparently did.

 

[Holdfast]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

I'm impressed the stone naskos survived the crash as well as it apparently did.

Those Kurlans built 'em to last.

 

[cultcross]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

Oddly enough this thread had made me think of that scene too, but for a different reason. I always hated how casually he discarded that; granted his family photo album was very important both to him and to the movie's theme, but the setup of that artefact also gave it great personal significance to him. And the implication that the only thing he considered worth saving is his album, beaming away to a departing ship straight afterwards, is strange. Particularly when all his stuff is back in his quarters on the E without comment.

 

[SiorX]

I agree, but would have to vote for the Flute as the #1 TNG artifact. I think the Christie's auction proved that out as well.

Slightly OT, but $40,000? That's hardcore money to be paying for something that's basically a penny whistle with a tassle on.

 

[erastus25]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

Or it shows that the writers/propmasters either forgot what the thing was or underestimated our attention to detail. Your explanation is significantly more satisfying though.

 

[Trekker4747]

It's also possible the family album (why was it in the ready room anyway? Last we saw it was in his quarters) was most immediately important to him to collect and all of his other belongings were gathered and sent to him later. We know that the Mintakan Tapestry makes it to the Enterprise-E, it's possible the Kurlan Naskos (if it completely survived), the Ressik Flute and other artifacts were collected by clean-up crews and shipped to Picard at a later time.

But right-away, Picard's family album was most important.

 

[Holdfast]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

Or it shows that the writers/propmasters either forgot what the thing was or underestimated our attention to detail. Your explanation is significantly more satisfying though.

I'm not so sure - Generations has quite a few little visual details like that, across a number of scenes. For all the flak it gets for various reasons (some justified), I think there's some real care & attention on screen and it rewards rewatching. I really like it as a movie, regardless of some plot weakness.

 

[erastus25]

I liked the Kurlan naskos (or however it's spelled) - you know, the one Picard's old archaeology prof gave him. He truly venerated that item. Though I really appreciated the scene at the end of Generations where he hurls it aside, to find his family photo album. That showed just how important Family had become to him, even compared to something as priceless as the naskos.

Or it shows that the writers/propmasters either forgot what the thing was or underestimated our attention to detail. Your explanation is significantly more satisfying though.

I'm not so sure - Generations has quite a few little visual details like that, across a number of scenes. For all the flak it gets for various reasons (some justified), I think there's some real care & attention on screen and it rewards rewatching. I really like it as a movie, regardless of some plot weakness.

Yeah, I wasn't intending to criticize Generations as a movie. I'm just have a hard time believing they would intend for Picard to throw aside a priceless archaeological discovery with personal significance. Maybe TPTB forgot what it was and didn't realize until after production was completed.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I always liked this tapestry and was glad to see it as part of his Ready Room decor on the Enterprise-E. Unfortunately, Stuart Baird had the propmasters remove it from the set when he did NEM.

 

[RobertScorpio]

I always liked this tapestry and was glad to see it as part of his Ready Room decor on the Enterprise-E. Unfortunately, Stuart Baird had the propmasters remove it from the set when he did NEM.

I totally agree..I like your SUPERMAN "S"...looks like the Golden Age Superman's S!

Rob

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I always liked this tapestry and was glad to see it as part of his Ready Room decor on the Enterprise-E. Unfortunately, Stuart Baird had the propmasters remove it from the set when he did NEM.

I totally agree..I like your SUPERMAN "S"...looks like the Golden Age Superman's S!

Rob

Thanks! It's Wayne Boring's rendition of the S-shield from the 50s.