Read Chapter 18 of your book. Choose a work of art or architecture from the Chapter or online as long as it is prehistoric or ancient. You may use the book as a source or you may explore somewhere else not listed in the book if you are feeling curious. Do some research on a search engine and write a paragraph about that place. Feel free to use descriptive language. You may include links to images if you would like. You may write about the meaning of architecture, art, or symbols from these sites.
68 comments:
The Snake Goddess figurine has been discovered in many different styles throughout the Minoan culture.
It was found about 1600BCE in a storage room in the Palace of Knosses, Crete. It is a very interesting piece of artwork.
The figurine is of the Goddess Athena (who generally represented wisdom at the time) holding two snakes; one in each hand.
These snakes are said to represent the symbols of death and rebirth. She wears a crown with poppy pods around it possibly
indicating the use of opium during her worship. On top of her crown sets the figure of a lion cub, these were usually
associated with royal houses.
Mainly this piece of artwork is known to represent fertility for several reasons such as
the coloring of her dress being a yellow tint; during this time yellow was believed to be a feminine color. It is also
said this figure represents her as "Mother Earth" as the snakes are a symbolism from the ground, as well as a charm to
keep one safe; as it was found in households for the most part.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k244/Natalie_036/snake20goddess.jpg
The "Venus" of Lespugue --
The Venus of Lespugue is made out of mammoth ivory and is 5 and 3/4" high. In 1922 it was found in a cave in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains which are located at the border of France and Spain.
She represents fertility and the continuation of life. The majority of pieces from this time (about 90%) were women because they were recognized and respected as the life-givers and priestesses.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/Babitonga/miscelanea/aaa600px-Venus_de_Lespugue_28replic.jpg
Stele of Hammurabi
Hammurabi was the king of Babylon around 1800 B.C. The shiny black diorite pillar was discovered in 1901 at at the acropolis of ancient Susa during an archaeological expedition under the direction of M.J. De Morgan. The stele is decorated with a picture of Hammurabi being commissioned by the sun god, Shamash to inscribe the laws. The code contains roughly 4,000 lines of text containing about 282 laws, a historical prologue, and a literary and religious epilogue. The Stele contains the oldest existent code of laws in the world. The statutes were in force in Canaan from the days of the Patriarchs and shows many analogies with the Laws of Moses. The discovery of the Hammurabi Stele was one of the most important in Biblical Archaeology. It is an original document from the time of Abraham, containing a highly advanced system of law and a remarkably advanced time period. The Stele of Hammurabi is currently located in the Louvre Museum in France.
Height: 2.26m
Width: 2 feet
Depth: 1.5 feet
proteus.brown.edu/.../image.html?imageid=2166165
"She-Wolf"
There are many legends told around the world about the She-Wolf. Some people believe that the She-Wolf is another aspect of the Triple Goddess, a single deity who is depicted in three aspects: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. In one tale, she gave three souls to her son, King Erulus, in order to protect him from those who wanted to put an end to his reign. When he was finally overthrown, King Erulus had to be killed three different times. Another legend told by the Romans, describes how a She-Wolf became the surrogate mother of the twin brothers, Romulus and Remus who later became the founder’s of the city of Rome.
Not only is the She-Wolf recognized in Roman legends, but she also represents a religious symbol in different festivals for tribes around the world. For example, the Amazon tribe, Neuri, idolized the Triple Goddess. A few days out of each year the Neuri tribe would “turn themselves into wolves” by wearing wolf skins and masks to honor the She-Wolf. Another tribe in Ireland also became “wolf-people” during their yuletide feast. This tribe would consume the flesh of cattle as wolves would, and later turn back into their human form. Some tribes also believed that by passing their newborn children through a wolf skin, the child would receive a “second birth from the wolf.”
http://werewolves.monstrous.com/she-wolf.htm
The Acropolis of Athens
Acropolis in Greek means "top (of the) city". The acropolis was where the center of life was. The Acropolis in Athens was built to replace that destroyed by the Persians in 480 BCE. The central building of the Acropolis was the Parthenon, a temple to the city's goddess Athena.
The Sphinx of Senwosret III from 1878-1841 B.C.E. in Egypt, has the face of Senwosret III of Dynasty 12. The sphinx is a crouching sphinx and not a standing sphinx. The difference between a crouching and standing sphinx was that the crouching sphinx was viewed as a guardian of sacred places, and the standing as a conquerer.
The sphinx symbolizes the strength of a lion with the image of a man. "..With the body of a lion and the head of a human, the sphinx symbolically combined the power of the lion with the image of the reigning king" (Metropolitan Museum of Art). This sphinx was carved from a block of grained ornothosite gneiss from Nubia. Some critics believe the headress covering the neck shields the awkward transition from the head and lion body.
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/egyptian_art/sphinx_of_king_senwosret_iii/objectView.aspx?&OID=100000400&collID=10&vw=0
Absorbed in the jungles of Quintana Roo is Chacchoben(the place of red corn)Mayan Ruins. A city dedicated to worship and adoration.
Located about 110 miles south of Tulum, Mexico and 45 miles West of Costa Maya, Mexico.
Settlement by the Maya estimated at 200 BC and the structures date from 700 AD. Most of the structures were known to be modified up to five times during the occupation period then unexpectedly abandoned.
The ceremonial center covers approximately 2 sq. miles, beyond the center lies more massive temples. The Mayans used red paint made from from cinnabar and marcusite which covered the temples completely and represented a sacred color.
The first human settlers in Chacchoben date as early as 1000 BC.
My husband and I visited these ruins about a year ago and it was nice to learn about this incredible culture and merge into the past.
http://www.chacchobenruins.com
The two ancient works of art that intrigued me include the hu and nao which are from the early dynasties of ancient China. Dynasty in its formal definition is a sequence of rulers from the same family who are successful, wealthy, etc. Back in ancient time, China was ruled by a plethora of dynasties. Each dynasty had 30 kings or more that ran the capitals. The Shang dynasty people (1600-1046) BCE were experts at making jade and silk. The Shang people had weapons, chariots, and vessels. They invented a writing system for China that utilized oracle bones for worship. The oracle bones came from various animals such as the turtles and use of their shells. The Zhou Dynasty people (1122-256) BCE were experts at casting bronze and iron. The Zhou people had crossbows, horses, and ox-drawn plows. They introduced coinage at the time. Traditionally, the Zhou were mightier than the Shang as shown in recordings of battles. The hu from the Shang Dynasty was a vessel-shaped vase used as a wine container during rituals. The nao from the Zhou Dynasty was a bell made to be struck at that was used in musical performances. Its shape can be mistaken for use as a drinking chalice. The striking patterns on both are different, but they both have the taotie mask, signifying many symbols of animals in various myths. The design included any animal with its jaw and eyes shown in the repeated patterns. For instance, a dragon represented as a taotie symbolized fear and force for enemies, but for the own clan symbolized protection. Keep in mind that there are many different styles of hus and naos that were used back then.
http://www.pam.org/asp/collections/collection_listing/asian/china/didactic/the%20arts/bronze/hu/hu.html
http://www.pam.org/asp/collections/collection_listing/asian/china/didactic/the%20arts/bronze/nao.html
Hi, my name is David Amador.
I’m studying Liberal Art as a major.
I’m not sure what kind of art I like, and this is because I never had the curiosity to explorer more about art. So I’m open to be exposed to any kind of art.
Thank you.
The Mask of Agamemnon dates back to 1500 BCE. It was discovered in Mycenae in Greece. When found in 1876 it was believed to be the funeral mask of the Greek leader Agamemnon, although the origin of the mask predates this leader's life. However, the name was kept anyway. The authenticity of the mask has been formally questioned, but the debate remains open today. Some claim that the man who discovered the mask, Heinrich Schliemann, manufactured it because the mask does look a bit like him.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/MaskeAgamemnon.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Heinrich_Schliemann.jpg
http://www.radioanywhere.co.uk/upload/35/492.medusa_design%5B1%5D.jpg
http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/P23.1B.html
It always called my attention how this woman became a monster with her head full of snakes.
In Greek mythology, Medusa ("Queen"), was a monstrous female character whose gaze could turn people to stone. Some classical references describe her as one of three Gorgon sisters. Medusa,
Stheno, and Euryale were monsters
with brass hands, sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous serpents. In the most well known version of the myth, Medusa originally started out as a beautiful human. She was raped by Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Poseidon was an arch-rival of Athena's since at one time he vied for patronage of Athens; the soon-to-become
Athenians chose Athena's offering of the olive tree over Poseidon's offering of horses or a spring of water. Upon discovery of the
desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes and her glance would turn all living creatures to stone. She was banished beyond the Hyperborean lands. While Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon, she was beheaded by the hero Perseus with help from Athena and Hermes. From her neck came her offspring: Pegasus and Chrysaor. Perseus used Medusa's head to rescue Andromeda, kill Polydectes, and, in some versions, petrify the Titan Atlas. Then he gave it to Athena, who placed it on her shield Aegis.
Allison K. Wasylkiw
"Venus of Melos"
Ancient art amazes me with its masterful technique and beautiful design. The “Venus of Melos” (around 100 BC) was the ideal form female beauty in ancient Greece. Her nude body represents her as “the Roman Venus, goddess of love and beauty, born out of the foam of the sea”. She stands in the contrapposto pose, which forms and s-shape with the body, and is considered very appealing to the eye. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to this sculpture and now we see her in close to ruin. Over time gravity has weakened the strength of her arms and therefore they had fallen off some time ago. What a site it would have been to view Venus in all her glory. Also, in my opinion, her body language seems to be full of passion and yet her face is peaceful and void of emotion. The “Venus of Melos” is one of my favorite statues because she represents natural beauty and exudes confidence, the best attribute of any woman.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/2489586908_e1e94eccb8.jpg?v=0
The marble statue of Nike of Samothrace was discovered in 1863 by Charles Champoiseau. It is displayed in the Louvre in Paris. In Greek Mythology, Nike was regared as the bestower of vicyory, both in war and contest. It is said that the side of the battle she landed on would be the victor. The weight of this piece is 275 lbs. And the height is 72".
http://www.sandrashaw.com/images/AH1L21Nike.jpg
I went back to 1922, to Thebes, to uncover the tomb of Akhenaten's successor, aka king Tut, but while in the tomb I discover a chest dipicting the pharoah hunting while riding a chariot, and its outer face was completely painted with gesso upon this prepared surface there were a series of bright coloured painted designs of hunting scenes upon the curved panels of the lid, and battle scenes upon the sides, and upon the ends were representations of the king in lion form, trampling his enemies under his feet. The illustrations give a faint idea of the delicacy of the painting, which surpasses any kind that Egypt has produced so far. No photograph could do it justice too, even in the originals a magnifying glass is essential to give these paintings appreciation of the smaller details in them, such as the stippling of the lions' coats, or the decoration of the horses' trappings. I knew from the moment I looked at it we needed to take it back to the egypt museum in Cairo.
-- Nathan Connors
Rock paintings of Bhimbetaka
Prehistoric artists cared little for detail, yet much knowledge can be derived from gazing upon the simple sketches. The rock paintings of Bhimbetaka depict the difficulties of native man's life struggles and also the his accommplishments. Some of the rock paintings found still have their sharp lines and luster, but a few are also blurred, due to the artists' painting a picture over another four or five times. These rock paintings were created as a means of escape from suffering and as devotion to supernatural entity. Most of them are not planned or organized nicely.
David is a sculptured depiction of the biblical figure who slayed the Philistine warrior Goliath. Michaelangelo sculpted the same figure but Gianlorenzo's is different because it shows David throwing the stone whereas Michaelangelo's simply shows david standing before the battle. Also, in Michaelangelos' sculpture David is nude whereas Gianlorenzo depicts David wearing a robe. The sculture is made of marble and is full-scale.
Although She-Wolf of the Capitol (circa 500 bc) is actually an Etruscan sculpture, it is associated with Roman art. The bronze statue, which stands 85 cm (33 in) high, is the symbol of the city of Rome. Rhea Silvia, a beautiful Vestal, daughter of Numitor king of Alba Longa, had a romance with god Mars and gave birth to twin sons Romulus and Remus.
Amulius, Numitor's brother and new king of Alba Longa, ordered that Rhea Silvia killed for having lost her virginity and her twins drowned in the River Tevere. One of the servants eliminated Rhea Silvia, another one put Romulus and Remus in a small trough, but could not bring himself to throw the twins in the river; instead, he left them near the bank. In the morning, the babies were hungry and crying. A she-wolf happened to go by and her maternal instinct induced her to stop and nurse them. Days later the shepherd Faustulus and his wife Larentia, picked up the twins and raised them as their own children.
SuperStock/Capitoline Museums, Rome/Canali PhotoBank, Milan.
The Laocoon Group:
Laocoon, a Trojan priest,tried to warn the Trojans about bringing the wooden horse into the city, because he felt it was a trick. The horse was being given to the Trojans by the Greeks as a gift, but was full of Greek soldiers. He stabbed the wooden horse with his spear to check and see if it was empty. To quickly silence Laocoon, Poseidon and Athena sent two serpents to kill Laocoon and his two sons. This piece of art work was said to have been created between 42 and 20 BC. The marble statue is located in the Vatican Museums, in Rome and stands roughly 7ft tall. The statue was found on January 14, 1506 near the ''seven halls'' on the Esquiline Hill in Rome. This sculpture is the work of three artists Agesander, Athenodorus, and Polydorus. Some artistic historians believe the piece was created for political purposes and was given to the Roman commander Scipio Africanus. The piece is said to symbolize the fall of Troja.
My name is Sara Lampp and i chose Nike of Samothrace.
I chose this sculpture because it just really caught my eye and struck me as beautiful.
It is from the Hellenistic Age, which according to about.com starts officially at the time of Alexander's death. It is after the Classical age and before the Greek emmpire was mixed with the Roman empire.
Created some time between 240 and 190 BCE, Nike is goddess of Victory in Greek or known as Winged Victory. It was discovered by Charles Champoiseau. This is one of the more famous sculptures of her and is on display at the Louvre in Paris.
http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/greecehellas1/a/greecehellenist.htm
http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_nike04.htm
http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500817&bmLocale=en
I've chosen Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. It dates back to the Renaissance era. It was designed to demonstrate the proportions of the human body. This drawing has been used in many humanist movements and organizations because of Leonardo's stress on the importance of scientific observation, his role in Renaissance Humanism, and also of course his role in the history of art.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e17/ladyphantastico/vitruvian_man.jpg
The Stele of Hummurabi created around 1760 b.c.e. is impressive to me because it represents an attempt by the early Babylonian civilization to codify laws to govern an era of rough and often lawless civilization. The stele is a piece of sculpture using the material of extrusive volcanic rock, basalt which contains a lot of salica and salt crystals that have been compressed from intense heat and pressure. The actual sculpture technique used is a kind of low relief sculpture in which the figures and even the cose inscribed are not free standing in the round. One of the artistic components of the sculpture is that you can view all the figures at the top of the stele from any angle without distortition. The artist portrays Hammurabi with his hand to his mouth which denotes a sign of respect for the Sun God, Shamash who is portrayed with the identifying rays of light that protrude from his shoulders. The fact that the figure of the Sung God is larger than Hammurabi's figure denotes the status of the God's greater and mightier relationship with his humble servant, but divine appointee, Hammurabi. A fine metal stylus would have been used to inscribe the basalt slab with the code of law using one of the early forms of written expression, cuneiform script from Old Babylonia characterized by wedge shaped pictographs.
The Stele of Hummurabi created around 1760 b.c.e. is impressive to me because it represents an attempt by the early Babylonian civilization to codify laws to govern an era of rough and often lawless civilization. The stele is a piece of sculpture using the material of extrusive volcanic rock, basalt which contains a lot of salica and salt crystals that have been compressed from intense heat and pressure. The actual sculpture technique used is a kind of low relief sculpture in which the figures and even the cose inscribed are not free standing in the round. One of the artistic components of the sculpture is that you can view all the figures at the top of the stele from any angle without distortition. The artist portrays Hammurabi with his hand to his mouth which denotes a sign of respect for the Sun God, Shamash who is portrayed with the identifying rays of light that protrude from his shoulders. The fact that the figure of the Sung God is larger than Hammurabi's figure denotes the status of the God's greater and mightier relationship with his humble servant, but divine appointee, Hammurabi. A fine metal stylus would have been used to inscribe the basalt slab with the code of law using one of the early forms of written expression, cuneiform script from Old Babylonia characterized by wedge shaped pictographs.
Stonehenge has facinated people for many years with its unknown secrets. There have been many theories as to what secrets it contains. Some people believe it has religious qualities while others believe it to be a calendar, and like all ancient mysteries there are always the aliens. The method of stone hinge is quite ingenious using a mortice and tenoon joint to secure the lintels to the posts. There were eight different periods of construction on the site with each one adding their own distinct quality to it.
The piece of art I chose for this assignment was the statue of Nike of Samothrace and it was discovered in 1863 by Charles Champoiseau. It is displayed at the Lourve in Paris,France. In greek mythology the meaning "nike" meant victory in war and contest.The statue of Nike of Saomathrace weighed 275 pounds and stood roughly 7 feet tall.
"She-wolf"
The She-wolf is a very interesting piece of art that is known as the symbol of Rome. Back in 500 B.C. Rhea Silvia, a Vestal (vigin), had twins (Romulus and Remus) with the god Mars. The "Vestal cult" didn't like this too much, so they sent out servants to kill Rhea Silvia and her twin boys. The servant that was order to kill the boys didn't have the heart to so he just left the boys on a river bank. In the morning when the boys awoke they cried because they were hungry; thats when a wolf can and used her "maturnal instincts" to feed the 2 crying boys. It is thought that these boys were kept alive by this She-wolf because they needed to "fulfill their destiny." The She-wolf statue is made of bronze and stands 85cm tall. Originally it was just the She-wolf and the boys were created and put on there during the Renaissance time period.
The Colossal Buddha which is located in imperial cave 20 was constructed in A.D. 460. The statue was put up in the time of the reign of the Northern Wei dynasty. The Tuoba Tartars who were from Central Asia and invaded China in A.D. 386 had taken to the Buddist religion and constructed the statue as a way to both honor Buddha and get away from the ancestor worship that the Chinese had used. The Tuoba Tartars put chinese clothing and other methods to give the Buddha statue a look in which the Chinese could relate to in order to bring them to the Buddhist beliefs. The Statue has gone through much wind and rain damage but still stands to this day. It stands 45 feet with it's head standing at 13 feet high.
http://www.archaeology.org/9609/abstracts/yungang.html
The stone hendge is known as one of the many wonders of the world, and there's no doubt its a wonder because many question how it is they came to be. The simple question on how it was created is answered with nothing but guesses and its purpose tosses up even more questions in the air. Some believe it was used as an observatory, others believe it to have religous ties. No matter what their true purpose or reason for existance the Stone Hendge will always be a little miracle.
The stone hendge is known as one of the many wonders of the world, and there's no doubt its a wonder because many question how it is they came to be. The simple question on how it was created is answered with nothing but guesses and its purpose tosses up even more questions in the air. Some believe it was used as an observatory, others believe it to have religous ties. No matter what their true purpose or reason for existance the Stone Hendge will always be a little miracle.
The sculpture of Nike the "goddess of victory" in the Louvre is amazing to look at! How her wings strech out behind her. Even though her head is missing the scuplture is still beautiful. With her wings in the wind it looks like she flying.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_nJ8TCqigJag/R4b6IR0L9QI/AAAAAAAAA1U/umFYDwLNlTM/europetrip+105.jpg
She Wolf
The She Wolf, also known as the Capitoline Wolf, is one of the icons of the founding of Rome. The story behind this was that there were twins who’s father was overthrown by his brother and he ordered the twins to be cast into the Tiber River. They were found and raised by a She-wolf until they were discovered by a herdsman who raised them from then on. The She-wolf is made of bronze and stands 75 cm. high and 114 cm. long. It was long thought to be an Etruscan work from the 5th century B.C. and the twins were added in the 15th century B.C. sculpted by Antonio Pollaiuolo. But carbon dating has found that it was probably sculpted in the 13th century. But it is unclear as to when it was actually erected, there were a number of medieval references. It was used by Rome for the 1960 summer Olympics and in the Roman football club.
The Arch of Constantine was erected 315ce to commemorate the triumph of Constantine I after his victory over Maxentius in the battle at the Milvian Bridge. The arch is located in the valley of the Colosseum. The Arch of Constantine is the largest of only three such arches to survive in Rome today.The arch is a three way arch measuring 21 m in height, 25.7m in width and 7.4 m in depth. The arches and supporting piers are built of white marble in opus quadratum. The main inscription on the arch of constantine reads " To the Emperor Ceasar Flavius ConConstantinus, the greatest, pious, and blessed Augustus: because he, inspired by the divine, and by the greatness of his mind, has delivered the state from the tyrant and all of his followers at the same time, with his army and just force of arms, the Senate and People of Rome have dedicated this arch, decorated with triumphs."
http://www.umehon.maine.edu/images/hon111/forum/Colosseum%20&%20Arch%20of%20Constantine.jpg
Statuette of Amun
Amun, in ancient Egyptian culture, was one of the most important gods, and statues of him have been found in many tombs. The link provided shows a prime example of a statuette cast entirely of gold, showing that Egyptians held the deceased in high regard, ass to give them treasures in the afterlife.
Amun is thought to be the "supreme god" or "creator", very similar to Greek mythology's Zeus.
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/egyptian_art/statuette_of_amun/objectview_enlarge.aspx?page=7&sort=5&sortdir=asc&keyword=&fp=1&dd1=10&dd2=31&vw=1&collID=31&OID=100001249&vT=2
This picture remind me of something in the old days. It also reminds me of the video game halo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Romano-Celtic_mirror_(Desborough).jpg
The link above leads to the piece of prehistoric art I chose.It is a mirror that dates back to the 1st century ce. It was found in Desborough, Northants which is mor commonly known as Northamptonshire. What I really loved about it was the way both Roman and Celtic styles were combined. The shape and use of material were technologies taught to the early Brightons by the Roman conqueres but the intricacy of the spirals and knots are very indicative of the celtic influence that we still see in the present day. The Almost leaf-like shape of the swirls are used to represent the cultures spirituality flowing with the natural world and how connected the two are. Fro two competely different and conflicting cultures, the styles merry well together and in a way we usually dont get to see.
Katie Ross-
Worshippers and deities from the Abu Temple in Tell Asmar, Iraq were figurines made of limestone, alabaster, and gypsum. They constisted of many different sizes, the largest one standing 30 inches tall. The figurines represented the Sumerian people's local gods. These gods had their own title of control and were responsable for pleading the cases of their communities to the other gods. The small figurines were stand-in for the people to symbolize their continuous worship. There are large eyes painted on the figurines because the Sumerians felt the eyes were a window to the soul.
Queen Nefertiti's historic bust has been world renowned. She was married to King Akhenaten. Their union produced six daughters. Queen Nefertiti's name means "the beautiful". She ruled along side her husband and was said to have influenced him to be a monotheistic by believing in one god, Aten. Her natural beauty enhanced the jewelry she wore. She is believed to have made makeup for which the makeup gurus Iman and Queen Latifah were influenced. She has been a world icon for all women. Her beauty exemplifies strength, humility and tells us to lift our head high, that we are worthy. Queen Nefertiti is the mother in law of King Tut.She is of the 18th dynasty, a well respected royal family. She is a work of art that reveals beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
Ishtar Gate
Around 575 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar II constructed the magnificent Ishtar Gate in the capital city of Bablyon. This grand arched gateway was one of the most impressive monuments of the ancient Babylonian Empire. Leading directly into the inner streets and temples of Babylon, this gateway acted as the starting point for the half mile Processional Way to the Temple of Marduk. This highly decorated gate was formed of glazed turquoise bricks. It was engraved in tiers, of dragons, the symbol of Marduk the chief god and young bulls the symbol of Adad, the god of storms. King Nebuchadnezzar dedicated this towering 47 ft. tall entrance way to Ishtar the goddess of fertility, love and war. The foundations of the Ishtar gate were discovered in 1899, and were reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin.
http://photos.igougo.com/images/p323402-Berlin-Ishtars_Gate_at_the_Pergamon_Museum.JPG
*Terracotta Army*
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses were built for Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China. The Terracotta statues date back to 210 BC. They were discovered in 1974 by Chinese farmers near Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. The terracotta figures were made to look life like. Their height, uniform and hairstyle were done by rank, each statue has a unique facial features. Between the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses. They began building this cemetery in 246 BC and took over 700,000 workers construct. The purpose of this massive production of soldiers was so Shi Huang Di had his army in the afterlife. Shi Huang Di was buried in at this site.
To see imagine of art work go to http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Terrakottaarm%C3%A9n.jpg
"stele Hammurabi" dates to arround 2000 bce.but this time line is highly disputed among scholars. the size of this stone reflects its great importance standing at allmoast seven and a halph feet it looks down on man as if watching over its subjects there are two parts to the stele on the top a relief depicting hammurabi recieving a staph and ring (witch represent the power to enforce law) from the sun god shamash. the second haph is simply the laws that hammurabi instaled many of witch are in use around the world to this day and are remarcibly close to the laws of moses below these laws there is a chapter of homage to the sun god and another chapter below that witch bestow a curse apon anyone who would deface the statue.the text is written in the one of the oldest known languages sanscrit witch has strong ties to the cannanite people. hammurabi with the help of his relentless army and new law codes unifyed the unruly kingdoms of mesopotamia into a great babylon.
Tariq Shaheen
Stonehenge:
This monument in England consists of thirty stones placed upright, each weighing about 26 twenty six tons, and thirty stones placed on top, with some other stones in the middle and placed here and there.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Richard Atkinson researched Stonehenge and composed research on his theory of the construction of Stonehenge, that he labelled Stonehenge I, IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc.
Many others have their own theories on how Stonehenge was built, from myths about African Giants, to Aliens from space. Peope often speculate how such a monument could be built witout the use of draft animals or tools.
I'm particularly interested in Stonehenge because of the mystery surrounding it. It seems to be almost unexplanable how this ancient monument was built considering the times and tools available. Although unlikely, perhaps some kind of "other" assistance was used?
Stonehenge:
This monument in England consists of thirty stones placed upright, each weighing about 26 twenty six tons, and thirty stones placed on top, with some other stones in the middle and placed here and there.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Richard Atkinson researched Stonehenge and composed research on his theory of the construction of Stonehenge, that he labelled Stonehenge I, IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc.
Many others have their own theories on how Stonehenge was built, from myths about African Giants, to Aliens from space. Peope often speculate how such a monument could be built witout the use of draft animals or tools.
I'm particularly interested in Stonehenge because of the mystery surrounding it. It seems to be almost unexplanable how this ancient monument was built considering the times and tools available. Although unlikely, perhaps some kind of "other" assistance was used?
The Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine sits between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. It was built by Constantine I to remember his defeat against enemy Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE. The arch stands 21m high, 25.7m wide and 7.4m deep. The lower half of the monument is made of marble blocks while the top is brickwork held together with more marble. Parts of this monument have been used from older monuments, mostly the bottom but also in some of the decoration. It is thought that the architects used pieces from other monuments because of the short time they had to construct it between 312 and the dedication in 315.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll256/terryejett/6a953548.jpg
The statue Nike of Samothrace's height is 2.25 M and is in the Musee du Louvre in Paris , France. The Goddes Nike was the daughter of the titan Pallas and the river styx. She had siblings which were Cratos, Zelo, and Bia. Nike was a symbol of victory to ancient Greeks. The statue of NIke was found on 1863 by Charles Champoisea and it was broken into many pieces. It is not sure exactly when it was made aroung 250 BC or even earlier but in the book it said 190 BCE. One of the missing hands of the Nike statue was found in 1950 and the other hand was found in 1966 but the last hand hasn't ever been verified if it really is Nike's hand. Today Nike represents beauty and she symbolizes the ideals of perfection to which the ancient Hellenistic artist aspired.
The ancient pyramids are one of the world’s greatest wonders, and many people don’t see it as art. It is one of the greatest pieces engineering ever. Pre-Historic and Ancient art is different than most art work you see today. The art in Pre-Historic times is very hard to understand, trying to figure out what exactly their intentions were. It can also be interpreted many different ways. You can look at these pyramids as just huge monuments to their gods or you can see it as pure art. The way the building is shaped so simple yet very complex to make. The pure size of these pyramids creates interests in architects and artists alike. In a lot of artwork the people that view it can think about how the artist may have created something so amazing and what mediums he or she used and we still apply this to these great Pyramids trying to figure out how anyone can create something so amazing. Just like in Greece they had the warriors of men naked for monuments; Egypt has these pyramids for their monuments. This is one huge Ancient piece of artwork and I read that they had tombs inside these pyramids full of smaller galleries of art. At the time they may have been symbols of wealth we now see as art, and the kings that were buried in these pyramids had chambers full of them.
http://www.touregypt.net/construction/
The She wolf represents the legend of Romulus and Remus. It is also one of the icons for the founding of Rome. The legend goes Numitor, Romulus and Remus' father had been overthrown by his own brother Amuluis. Amulius banished them to the Tiber, where then they were rescued and cared for by a she wolf. Later they were found and raised by a herdsman, Faustulus.
13th and late 15th century AD or c. 500 BC-480 BC
Bronze, height 75 cm
Rome, Musei Capitolini
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&h=2000&w=3008&sz=3735&hl=en&start=1&um=1&usg=__EpuaDZ547uEQOKEEZlBmLCCltqI=&tbnid=rN51l6rsDDN-lM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshe%2Bwolf%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&h=2000&w=3008&sz=3735&hl=en&start=1&um=1&usg=__EpuaDZ547uEQOKEEZlBmLCCltqI=&tbnid=rN51l6rsDDN-lM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshe%2Bwolf%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den
The She wolf represents the legend of Romulus and Remus. It is also one of the icons for the founding of Rome. The legend goes Numitor, Romulus and Remus' father had been overthrown by his own brother Amuluis. Amulius banished them to the Tiber, where then they were rescued and cared for by a she wolf. Later they were found and raised by a herdsman, Faustulus.
13th and late 15th century AD or c. 500 BC-480 BC
Bronze, height 75 cm
Rome, Musei Capitolini
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&h=2000&w=3008&sz=3735&hl=en&start=1&um=1&usg=__EpuaDZ547uEQOKEEZlBmLCCltqI=&tbnid=rN51l6rsDDN-lM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshe%2Bwolf%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Capitoline_she-wolf_Musei_Capitolini_MC1181.jpg&h=2000&w=3008&sz=3735&hl=en&start=1&um=1&usg=__EpuaDZ547uEQOKEEZlBmLCCltqI=&tbnid=rN51l6rsDDN-lM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshe%2Bwolf%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den
Brittany Draper
The Laocoon Group is a marble sculpture made to show what happened to Preist Laocoon after he tried to stop his town from letting in the Trojan horse. This is a story recalled from the Aenied.
This sculpture was found in 1506 on Esquiline Hill, in Rome. Julius II purchased it for himself in that same year. This sculputer is considered the work of three sculputers: 1-Athanadoros. 2-Hagesandros, 3-Polydoros.
Many copies of this piece have been altered in some way. Many have Laocoons are raised higher.
A hill 260 ft. high, The Acropolis of Athens, was a ceremonial site beginning in the Neolithic Period. The Acropolic was devoted to religion and was both the fortified citadel and state sanctuary of the ancient city of Athens. It was built to replace buildings destroyed by the Persians in 480 BCE. The central building, the Parthenon was dedicated to the city's namesake, Athena Parthenos, the Goddess of Wisdom. Within the walls of the Parthenon is an ivory and gold statue of Athena in her rememberance.
Kristina Wilson
Student # 0614221
I chose the Venus of Willendorf, it was found in Lower Austria around 25,000-20,000 BCE. It was discovered by archeologist Josef Szombathy, in 1908. This figurine is approximately 4 1/2 inches tall and is made of limestone. The Venus of Willendorf was made with stone tools by paleolithic peoples. It does not have any practical function, other than to serve as a representative of perhaps a fertility figure; much like Venus from Roman mythology is the figure of "Mother Earth"; the Venus of Willendorf is the earliest of this kind of representation for "Mother Earth". She is thought to be a fertility figure because of her very large, exaggerated breasts, protruding belly and genitals, this was not meant to be a realitstic portrait, more of an idealization of the female figure. The fact that she has no face also leads us to believe that she is infact an "idol" of some sort not a real person. The statues feet are not meant for it to stand, therefore it must be assumed that it was held and worshipped as opposed to being looked at. There is very little known about this statue, so we can only assume what it was used for.
http://mastologia.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/venus_von_willendorf_01.jpg
Stonehenge is remarkable in many ways. It is an incredible mystery as to how people moved those huge stones in 2950ish BC. They had no technology like what we have today. It is believed that Stonehenge was created in three phases. Phase one was 2950-2900 BC, phase two was 2900-2400 BC, and phase three 2550-1600 BC. This structure was being built for hundreds of years. So when you think about it, the people who built this really were building it for something very very sacred to them. But who is to say what that was? It is an amazing mystery.
David Hoeksema
Queen Nefertiti peeks my interest because she was a BEATIFUL, STRONG women of whom which I believe is a Negroid.
Nefertiti was just any pricess- she was one of the GREATEST icon of the world. Born into nobility and choosen by the Pharaoh Akhenaten to be his bride. Although, some scholars think that she traveled to Eqypt from a foreign land because the name Nefertiti means, "The Beatiful Woman has come". They had six daughters together, two of whom may have died in a plaque. She was also the stepmother of Tutankhamen (King Tut married Ankhesenaman his half sister).
Her husband, Akenaten ruled from 1379-1362 BC and is believed to have all but killed off the idea of pharaoh as god-king in trying to impose a form of monotheism. In 1912 the exquisite limestone sculpture was discovered it is more then 3,200 years old dating from 1345 BC. We know what we know about Nefertiti mainly from the tomb scenes and inscriptions of the officials who served at the Amarna court;from the Athen temple scenes at Karnak which have been studied since the 1960's and from ongoing excavations at Amarna itself currently by the British Egypt Exploration Society.
It is very clear she had an unusually high status during her husband's turbullent reign. The couples renegade proactice of monotheism they worshipped the sun disc God over all others, and seem to have outlawed their subjects polytheistic devotion threated Egypt's priesthood and ensured they would have no shortage of powerful enemies.
I FOUND STONEHENGE TO BE VERY INTERESTING. PARTLY, DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME THE COLUMNS HAVE REMAINED ERECT AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL DESIGN. IT HAS BEEN SPECULATED THAT STONEHENGE COULD HAVE BEEN SACRED BURIAL GROUND, OR EVEN SOME TYPE OF FERTILITY GROUND. IF THIS IS THE CASE, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE CIRCULAR DESIGN OF THE STONES DATING BACK TO 3100 B.C.
THE STONE OF GORM!!!
www.volgawriter.com/images/Gorm%20Photo2.jpg
This interesting stone is about 2.5 meters tall and is typical of Viking style art. The braided beard reminds me almost of 2 bodies intertwined with eachother. This stone was discovered in 1850, but most think that it dates back to the 3rd or 4th century. The image on the stone reminds most researchers of King Gorm, the first ruler of the unified country of Denmark. Going back to the beard, it reminds me of russian men in the East Orthodox Christian church, where a long and healthy beard portrays one who is mighty, noble, and powerful. I see the blue eyes as representing nobility. The gold rings surrounding the eyes represents fertility.
Katalyn O'Brien
Worshippers And Deities From The Abu Temple
These firgures are made out of limestone, alabaster, and gypsum. The height of the tallest figure is 30 inches and they were discovered February 13, 1934 by the Iraq Expedition of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. The figures are believed to each be Gods of wind,rain and etc. In this culture it is said that "eyes were considered by the Sumerians to be the windows to the soul". And thats the reason behind the size of the eyes and why they are not to scale with the figures. The figures were also made by people that did not have time to go to the temples and pray due to their busy and demanding schedules.
test
The Discobolus (The Discus Thrower) is one of the most famous Greek statues. The one design that we are most accustomed to is a Roman marble of the original greek bronze staute completed between 460-450 B.C. by Myron. The statue shows a man caught in the motion of throwing a discus. The movement that is captured in the statue is an example of rhythmus, which means harmony and balance. One focus of the statue is set to the expression of the statue's face or lack of expression. During this time with the rise of democracy and philosophy, Greek staues lacked the physical emotions displayed. Unlike the Barbarians of the time who displayed very dramatic facial expressions. Reasoning for this is part due to the Greek's belief that emotions was a noble characteristic of a civilized man and even during times of tremendous dramatic situations they would still keep their composure and show little emotion.
The Discobolus stands at a height of 5ft 1in.
www.cviog.uga.edu/.../discobolusmarble.htm
I am doing mine on Augustus of Primaporta.
On the chest plate, there are scenes depicting the Roman victory over the Parthians. This statue was found in the home of his wife, Livia, at Primaporta, near Rome. There is small cupid riding a dolphin at his feet. Which makes claims to Augustus's divine descent from Venus. The extended arm was meant to be pointing to the Unknown but a greater future!
Ruth Anne Grimaldi
My resources were "A world of art"
and
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Patrons/MV_Patrons_04_03.html
Queen Nefertiti was married to King Akhenaten who was not famous, but Nefertiti was famous for her beauty. She was not born of royal blood, and she had a sister named Mutnojme. Akhenaten and Nefertiti had six daughters, and she also shared her husband with two other wives. They lived during a time of religious controversy when the gods of Egypt were abandoned by the royal family. Towards Akhenaten's ending reign Nefertiti disappeared. Many believe she died around age thirty, some thought she fell grace with the King (which was a case of mistaken identy for one of the King's wives. Nefertiti is best remembered for the painted limestone statue of her beauty.
Tyesha Thomas
"Nike" from the balustrade of the Temple of Athena Nike. 410-407 BCE.
This is a relief of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. The goddess is supposed to be taking off her sandals before entering the temple while draped in a sheet that "covers and reveals" her body. The relief does not include a head. This relief was originally situated on the balustrade of the temple of Athena Nike on the Acropolis.
Brittnye Buchanan
The Parthenon- built in 5th centurey BC
The Parthenon is located in Athens and was built on the Athenian Acropolis. This magnificant building was a temple built for the the Greek goddess Athena. The Paarthenon is considered one of the world's greatest monuments as a symbol of ancient Greece and Athenian democracy.
The Parthenon is actually the second temple that was built for the goddess Athena. The previous building was called Pre-Parthenon and was destroyed in 480 BC during the Persian invasion.
Over the course of life for the Parthenon, the parthenon has been a temple, a treasury, a church, mosque with minaret and an ammunition depot. In 1687, during an ammunition drop, the building was ignited causing sever damage to the structure and sculptures.
The dating of the Primaporta piece is widely contested. It is thought to be a marble copy of a possible bronze original. This original, along with other high honors, was devoted to Augustus by the Senate in 20 BC and set up in a public place. Up until this time Augustus had lived modestly, but the fact that the statue was found in his widow's villa shows that he was thoroughly pleased with it.
It is also contested that this particular sculpture is a reworking in marble of a bronze original, possibly a gift from Tiberius Caesar to his mother Livia (since it was found in her Villa Ad Galinas in the vicinity of the ninth marker of the via Flaminia, and close to a late Imperial gate called Prima Porta) after Augustus' death and in honor of the woman who had campaigned so long for him to become the next Ceasar. This would explain the divine references to Augustus in the piece, his being barefoot (the standard representation of gods or heroes in classical iconography). Also the reliefs in the cuirass which depicts the retrieval of the standards captured by the Parthians, an event in which the young Tiberius himself took a part, serving as intermediary in the act with the Parthian kin, which is shown in the central scene of the armor, possibly his grandest service to his adopted father Augustus. With the introduction of Tiberius as the figure responsible for the retrieval of the standards, he associates himself with Augustus, the emperor and the new god, as Augustus himself had done previously with Julius Caesar. Under this hypothesis, the dating of the statue can be placed during the first years of Tiberius reign as emperor.
Post a Comment