Rome

This exquisite peice is a large onyx cameo, or a gemstone carved in low relief, that portrays a scene that glorifies Augustus as triumphant over barbarians and as the defied emporer. Augustus, the emporer, is sitting crowned in the middle of the upper register. He is surrounded by the different gods that he was thought to present during different times of his ruling. In the lower register are Roman soldiers who are posting the defeated enemy below for all to see.

When I first saw this picture I immediately thought of a pendant that my mother has. It is also carved into onyx, but instead of the full scene as above, there is a woman's head. When I asked her about who the woman was she told me that the pendant had been passed down for generations between my family, and the woman in the pendant is my great great grnadmother. Apparently my g. g. grandfather had it made for her when he left to join the military. I thought it was really cool that even in today's day and age, we still see the Roman touch through art.

Ancient Greece 2

I think that is really interesting to go back through the text and compare artifacts to eachother from different time periods. To the left is a water jug with a scene from a fountain house. The artifact is named Women at a Fountain House and was believed to have been created between 520-510 BCE and is currently located at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Just like the front panel of the Soundbox of the Great Lyre, both of these peices show a storyline in that particular time period.

ancient greece

When I first saw this picture in the book, it warmed my heart. Even back then in the early years of civilization, citystates would pay respect to those who fought for them. This is part of a large pediment in which warriors at all different phases of death are trying to rise towards an erect standing Athena, warrior goddess. I think that it is amazing that just like we do, they payed tribute to the men that fought.

For centuries we as Americans have been our beloved to rest fighting for what we believe as right, and I believe that it is only fair that we pay tribute to those who were willing and able to put their lives on the line to fight for something we all believe in. I salute our troops.

Dagger Blade with Lion Hunt

I find it very ironic that in the blade of a weapon that is used to kill others or animals, there is a scene of man killing a lion. It is like the blade can tell the future and is seeing the hunt that is soon to follow. It's amazing that that much detail can be handcarved out of several different kinds of metals and then attached to the blade of a dagger.

This metal work reminds me of our view on crystal balls these days. We are supposed to look into crystal balls and see the future, just like looking into the blades of the daggers and seeing vivid imagery of a hunting scene that is about to take place.

Blog #4

I find it interesting that even in the early socities, those who thought very highly of themselves somehow made others feel the same way. For example, this sculpture was made so that King Khafre could admire himself. This scultpure, which is now located inthe Egyptian Museum in Cairo, five and a half feet tall, and almost exact replica of how large and exactly what the King may have looked like.

Can you imagine how many sculptures and statues we would have in today's society if anyone who thought they were worthy of it had one made? We would have thousands and thousands of random statues and sculptures everywhere of random people, some that we may know, and many we may not.

Uruk Vase

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Uruk Vase

I think that it is absolutely amazing that sculptors can depict such a vivid and life-like story through pictures on a vase. Everything on the vase tells a different veiw of life. The bottom register, or horizontal band, shows the world of nature, with the bottom layer covered in water with the beginnings of plant life. The middle register shows mankind doing what they need to to survive, in this case men carrying baskets filled with food. The top register is the most symbolic with the goddess Inanna, as she accepts an offering from a king. The detail that is shown in all three registers is exquisite and would be hard to do even with today's technology. Imagine, they did not have any of the computers that we have that could have done the base lines, or the scultping tools that would have helped them with all the tiny lines. They were working with what we would consider primative tools. And the story that is depicted is incredible, showing their understanding of how their culture worked.
This reminds me of a comic strip, only not humor based. Reading the drawings from right to left, just like in a comic strip, the story, or joke, is portrayed. People these days will cut out a comic they like or found funny, and paste in a frame or in a book. The early sculptors decided to portray their tales on ceramic pottery.
Posted by kt at 8:44 PM 1 comments

Early Age Artifacts

"Horse and Sun Chariot"

I have always been amazed at the role that horses have played in mankind's evolutions. Horses have been around for ages, coming from the time where they were used in battle, as transportation, or to help with everyday chores. I think this artifact is a perfect example of how important the horse has always been to man. In this picture, the horse is trusted to carefully, but graciously, escort the sun through the sky, showing the horse is needed within the world.

  "NOKIA" 

Although my horses do not help me do any work like planting or plowing, they are partof my family. In my life, my horses are a way for me and my mom to work together, is an easy way to get me mind off of things, and a great way for me to be able to relate to other girls my age with the same interest. Horses have given me the ability excel in a sport that not only am I good at, but enjoy. Without my horses in my life, I do not know what I would be doing.