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The depiction and the text that is placed on the arch of the foot are engraved upside down, so that the deceased, who is represented by the sarcophagus, would be able to read it, after he has transformed into an Osiris. In the scene, two jackals are lying on shrines, with a flagellum on each of their backs. The text identifies them as representations of the embalmer god Anubis and thus ensure the proper embalming of the owner's mummy, which was of premier importance for endurance in the afterlife. This depiction is one of the standard decorations for the feet of the late sarcophagi.
The great god, foremost of the god's tent. The great god, Imiut, lord of the sacred land (=necropolis).
Sarcophagus of Hor-Re
Provenance Qaw el-Kebir
Ptolemaic Period
JE 35198
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
A beautifully carved stone statue of a Hindu deity holding a staff, with symbolic ornaments and an elephant figure at the base. This traditional sculpture reflects ancient Indian craftsmanship, spirituality, and temple art culture.
The Kamakura Buddha statue, also known as the Great Buddha of Kamakura, stands as an awe-inspiring symbol of Japanese spirituality and heritage. Crafted from bronze, this monumental statue resides in the serene setting of Kamakura City, Yokohama Prefecture. Its imposing presence and tranquil surroundings invite visitors to experience a moment of profound reflection. As a revered religious monument, it embodies the essence of Japanese Buddhism while captivating all who stand before it.
Ref Nero Denarius, RIC 57
Nero, AR denarius. NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, Bare head right / AVGVSTVS AVGVSTA Radiate figure of Nero and figure of Poppaea standing. RSC 43.
If you are interested in Julio Claudian Iconography and portrait study you may enjoy these two links:
Julio Claudian Iconographic Association- Joe Geranio- Administrator at groups.yahoo.com/group/julioclaudian/
The Portraiture of Caligula- Joe Geranio- Administrator- at
Both are non-profit sites and for educational use only.
The text consisting of 14 horizontal lines comprises the name and title of the deceased, followed by chapter 26 of the Book of the Dead without its title, which would be " Spell for giving the heart of a man to him in the realm of the dead".
Since the heart was not removed during the mummification process, this probably only refers to a symbolic dissociation, which may be connected with weighing the heart during the judgment before Osiris. After having successfully passed the trial, the deceased is given back his heart, often by Anubis. Furthermore, the possession of the heart is connected in the spell with the ability to move the limbs and use the sensory organs again, which have been dysfunctional because of death and the bandaging of the mummification.
The wish to regain the body functions is often expressed in funerary literature. Interestingly, the spell is formulated here in the 3rd person instead of the usual 1st person. The last sentence of the spell, "His ba shall not be restrained from his corpse at the gates of the west", expresses the wish that the ba may move freely, to go out and return every day to the minny, as it is illustrated so explicitly in the papyrus of Nebged from the 18th dynasty.
The text consisting of seven columns and four lines is BD 72 which has the title "Spell for going forth by day and penetrating the netherworld>". It is, along with BD 191, one of the more commonly used spells on late sarcophagi. The spell, in which the deceased invokes a group of netherworld deities, in a way continues a theme of BD 26: the deceased being able to move as he wishes. Thus, he shall have access to all regions of the heavens, he shall not be hindered in any way, doors shall not be locked for him, and he shall travel downstream and upstream. This is expressed even clearer in the continuation of the spell, which is left out of this sarcophagus. BD 72 covers this as well: The deceased is granted an offering, bread and beer are for him in Pe and Dep, he apparently fills his arms with temple offerings, his house is equipped with huge amounts of barley and emmer, and a complete funerary offering (prt-hrw) shall be given to him. Two names of gods are mentioned: The first is Tekem/Rekem which the deceased has to know as a sort of test to receive all of the desired goods. The god's movement from east to west makes its identification with the sun god plausible. The second one is Ruti, another name for the sun god, with whom the deceased identifies himself. Thus, in the end, the dead person Padiharendoted has not only become a form of Osiris, but the sun god himself. Being able to rejuvenate every day as the central star would be most desirable and is therefore a frequent theme in the late sarcophagi.
(A Selection of Ptolemaic Anthropoid Sarcophagi in Cairo)
The Sarcophagus of Padiharendotes (Padihornedjitef)
Nummulitic limestone
Ptolemaic Period
Provenance probably Saqqara
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Volgi lo sguardo in fondo alla piazza, sopra Palazzo Reale, e scorgi la cupola che contiene (conteneva) la Sacra Sindone.
Ora è in fase di (lunghissimo) restauro, dopo il pauroso incendio di qualche anno fa, ma è lo stesso molto bella!
I met this young man at Ancient Art in Hampton - Greg was doing the tattoo. This family crest, the young man told me, was the crest of his bloodline - on his right arm he has the crest for his step-father.
Only the lid is known from the sarcophagus of Redisura. The oval face is surrounded by a wig and complemented by a relief-structured beard to create the impression of a plaited beard. A short neck and a neckband can be seen directly under the slightly raised chin. In the lower part of the mummy-shaped object, calves and shins are moulded but not very prominently. The plinth, on which the feet rest, has a rounded front.
The surface of the lid is polished and decorated in sunken relief. Some colour is preserved (red, blue and black) in the figures and signs. A winged scarab is depicted over the breast and heart area. Below this scene, a horizontal text of four lines is engraved and continued by four columns running down from the middle part of the body. The second part is flanked by eight protective figures. The feet are decorated with two jackals facing each other. The text contains some difficulties because the signs are not always clearly shaped .- apart from many other errors.
The first scene below the wig consists of a winged scarab and two kneeling figures on its right and left side. The figures show the deceased with raised arms in a gesture of adoration. The sides of the scene are framed with single lines, forming a box. Above the scarab, a second line is engraved but it is not connected with the lateral lines of the box. The interpretation of the two upper lines as heaven is probably correct.
Some particles of the original paint are still preserved in the scene, especially on the left side. The red colour is visible in the surrounding lines and the figures. The left figure also shows a very small amount of blue. However, particularly notable is the outlining of the feathers with black and red in the left wing of the scarab.
The text source is BD spell 72.
(AUC Press Archaeological Reports edited by Christian Leitz, Zeinab Mahrous, Tarek Tawfik 'A Selection of Ptolemaic Anthropoid Sarcophagi in Cairo')
Limestone
Ptolemaic Period
Provenance Buto (Tell el-Fara'in)
Name of the mother Taditamun
TR 13 / 1 / 21 / 8
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary half dollar
Need numismatic photography for your auctions, books, advertising or promotion? Check out our huge online gallery of numismatic images and get a quote today at HipShot photography
The base of the plinth on which Padiharendotes' sarcophagus is standing.
The Sarcophagus of Padiharendotes (Padihornedjitef)
Nummulitic limestone
Ptolemaic Period
Provenance probably Saqqara
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
property of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
for educational purpose only
please do not use without permission
This pen drawing is quite similar to Suite I. The sitting donkey harpist to the left is after an inlay on a great Mesopotamian harp (of the same kind as the one he plays on in the image) from 2600 B.C. He is preceded to the right by a dancing donkey from a Hittite stone relief representing an animal orchestra, then comes a donkey harpist from another animal orchestra on an Egyptian papyrus (1200 B.C.), then a black-figured satyr musician from a Greek vase (from 570 B.C.) with his donkey's legs,ears and tail, and then a white-figured satyr from a slightly later Greek vase (490 B.C.) with only the ears and tail of a donkey.
The buffalo-man playing on his single-stringed bow on the wall behind is after a rock-carving from the Grotte des trois Freres (13000 B.C.), and the jackal-man who plays the flute among the animals up in the right corner of my drawing is from a votive Egyptian stone palette (3000 B.C.). The donkey harpist laughing behind (1150 A.D.) is from Chartres cathedral in France.
I was truly amazed by the detail on every part of this Cathedral. I'm sorry I don't really remember which one this is because I visited so many on that day.
But I know that this is in Salzburg, Austria. And this is epic!
According to the Lonely Planet guide to Iran,
"Most impressive of all, however, and among the most impressive historical sights in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staircase on the eastern wall [of the Apadana Palace]."
"The panels at the southern end [of the Apadana Staircase] are the most interesting, showing 23 delegations bringing their tributes to the Achaemenid king."
"This rich record of the nations of the time ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left center, through a climbing pantheon of, among other peoples, Arabs, Thracians, Indians, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites and Medians at the top right."
According to Donald N. Wilber's book Persepolis, The Archaeology of Parsa, Seat of the Persian Kings, the group depicted in this panel is "the Saka tigrakhauda (Pointed-hat Scythians). All are armed and wear the appropriate headgear. They are accompanied by a horse, and offer a bracelet and folded coats and trousers, apparently copies of their own costumes."
Persepolis, Iran
I am a historian of ancient art. My focus is art of the Hellenistic and early Imperial Roman periods, when globalization made people rich and curious about the lives of others. Within that field, I study sculpture made by private folks for their private enjoyment and public spectacle - dramatic, attention-grabbing works that celebrate the human form and project wildly into space. Over the years, I've studied about 100 major works, scattered in around two dozen museums in a dozen countries. Last week, I got to see 50 of those works, under one roof for the first time ever. It was pretty great. "#PowerandPathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic Period" is showing at the @ngadc until March. #ancient #ancientart #greekart #romanart #ancientgreece #ancientrome #hellenistic #bronze #sculpture #statue #nude #athlete #athletic #body #gayart #antiquity #antiquities #ArtWatchers_united #ihavethisthingwithmuseumpics #arthistory #artnerd #exhibition #dcart #masterpiece #ancienthistory
"Female Musician Playing Chimes" - Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 9) This very animated and life-like girl was one of my favorite figures on display at the Metropolitan Museum of art's exhibit "The Age of Empires"
Standing-striding figure of Nefertiti
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty,
ca 1345 BC, Amarna
Limestone
(Gift from James Simon 1920)
According to the Lonely Planet guide to Iran,
"Most impressive of all, however, and among the most impressive historical sights in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staircase on the eastern wall [of the Apadana Palace]."
"The panels at the southern end [of the Apadana Staircase] are the most interesting, showing 23 delegations bringing their tributes to the Achaemenid king."
"This rich record of the nations of the time ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left center, through a climbing pantheon of, among other peoples, Arabs, Thracians, Indians, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites and Medians at the top right."
Persepolis, Iran
One of two Marines I met tonight.This one was getting a tattoo of a ship in a bottle with a banner saying the name of his Girl Friend (or wife?). Coyote of Ancient Art in Hampton is doing the tattooing.
Winged, twin-tailed Scylla on an Etruscan urn. She holds two anchors. Taken at the National Archeological Museum, Florence.
These rock paintings were made over 2,000 years ago by the San People, an indigenous hunter-gatherer culture of southern Africa. The paintings depict hunting scenes and have a profound spiritual significance. Brandberg, Namibia, Africa.
Please contact me to arrange the use of any of my images. They are copyright, all rights reserved.
Susan Wood
Title: Professor of Art History
Degrees
Ph.D. Columbia University, New York, NY
Major Fields
Ancient Roman sculpture, portrait sculpture, sarcophagi, and luxury objects
with relief decoration, all from 1st century B.C.E. -- 3rd century C.E.
Publications
Imperial Women: a Study in Public Images, 40 B.C. - A.D. 68. Brill: Leiden,
1999. 2nd edition, paperback, 2000.
Roman Portrait Sculpture, A.D. 217-360: the Transformation of an Artistic
Tradition, Vol. 12 of Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition. Leiden:
Brill, 1986.
Articles
Sarcophagus, Encyclopedia of Sculpture, Chicago: Fitzroy-Dearborn, 2004,
1516-1521.
Literacy and Luxury: A Papyrus-scroll Winding Device from Pompeii,
Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome XLVI,2001, 23-40. Also
presented as a poster-session at the annual meetings of the AIA/APA,
January 4, 2003.
Mortals, Empresses and Earth Goddesses: Demeter and Persephone in Public
and Private Apotheosis, I Claudia II: Women in Roman Art and Society.
Papers from the Colloquium. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2000, 77-99.
Oral version presented November 2, 1996, at a colloquium at Yale University
Art Gallery.
Goddess or Woman? Bryn Mawr College Alumnae Bulletin, Fall, 1999, 9-12.
Forgotten Women in the Roman Imperial Portrait Group at Béziers,
Archaeological News 21-22 (1996-97), 1-19, also presented at the annual
meetings of the Midwest Art History Society, March 29, 1996 and at the
annual meetings of the AIA/APA, December, 1996.
Diva Drusilla Panthea and the Sisters of Caligula, AJA 99 (1995),
457-482, presented under title of "Sisters and Mothers of Tyrants," at the
annual meetings of the A.I.A./A.P.A., December, 1994.
Alcestis on Roman Sarcophagi - Postscript, Roman Art in Context: an
Anthology, ed. Eve D'Ambra, Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1993,
96-103.
Messalina, Wife of Claudius: Propaganda Successes and Failures of his Reign,
JRA 5 (1992) 221-234.
Memoriae Agrippinae: Agrippina the Elder in Julio-Claudian Art and Propaganda,
AJA 92, 1988.
Isis, Eggheads and Roman Portraiture, JARCE 24, 1988.
Child Emperors and Heirs to Power in Third Century Roman Portraiture,
Ancient Portraits in the J. Paul Getty Museum I: Occasional Papers on
Antiquity 4, 1987.
A Too-Successful Damnatio Memoriae : Problems in Roman Portraiture of the
Third Century, AJA 87 (1983).
The Bust of Philip the Arab in the Vatican: a Case for the Defense, AJA 86 (1982).
An Enigmatic Roman Portrait, Cleveland Museum of Art Bulletin,
LXVIII,No. 8, Oct. 1981.
Subject and Artist: Studies in Roman Portraiture of the Third Century,
AJA 85 (1981).
Alcestis on Roman Sarcophagi, AJA 82 (1978), reprinted with postscript in
Roman Art in Context , 1993, 84-103.
Book Reviews:
Representing Agrippina:Constructions of Female Power in the Early Roman
Empire, by Judith Ginsburg, ed. Eric Gruen, American Philological Association,
2005, forthcoming in Journal of Roman Archaeology 2007 or '08.
Cleopatra and Rome, by Diana E.E. Kleiner, Massachusetts and London:
Belknap Press, 2005, The New England Classical Journal, 33.3, August 2006, 237-240.
Mit Mythen Leben: Die Bilderwelt der römischen Sarkophage, by Paul Zanker
and Bj r rn Christian Ewald, Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2004.11.22.
Death and the Emperor, by Penelope Davies, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2000, Bryn Mawr Classical Review 00.12.08.
Agrippina: Sex, Power and Politics in the Early Empire , by Anthony A. Barrett,
New Haven, 1996, Bryn Mawr Classical Review 97.3.11.
Antonia Augusta, Portrait of a Great Roman Lady , by Nikos Kokkinos, London,
1992, American Journal of Numismatics 7-8 (1995-96) 293-98.
Porträtreliefs stadtrömischer Grabbauten , by Valentin Kockel, Beiträge zur
Erschließung hellenistischer und kaiserzeitlicher Skulptur und Architektur
Vol. 12, ed. Klaus Fittschen and Paul Zanker, Mainz am Rhein: Verlag
Philipp von Zabern, 1993, Archaeological News 20, 1995 .
Griechische und Römische Kolossalporträts bis zum späten ersten Jahrhundert
n.Chr, by Detlev Kreikenbom, JdI E-H 27 (Berlin and New York, 1992),
forthcoming in AJA 98 (1994).
Ancient Portraiture: Image and Message , ed. Tobias Fischer-Hansen, John Lund,
Marjatta Nielsen and Annette Rathje, Acta Hyperborea 4, Copenhagen 1992,
AJA 97 (1993) 811-812.
Roman Art from Romulus to Constantine , by Nancy H. and Andrew W. Ramage,
Cornell University Press: New York, 1991, AJA 96 (1992) 773-774.
Roman Portraits, by Richard Daniel de Puma, exh. cat., University of Iowa Museum
of Art, 10 Sept. - 30 Oct. 1988, AJA 94 (1990).
Aion in Merida und Aphrodisias , by Andreas Alfoldi, AJA 87 (1983)
Roman Portraits: Aspects of Self and Society, First Century B.C. - Third
Century A.D. , by K. Patricia Erhart, Jiri Frel and Sheldon Nodelman, Art Bulletin,
LXIV (1982).
Selected Public Lectures
An Obscure Family Without Ancestral Images,' or, How to build a dynasty from
scratch, presented at the symposium The Miller Collection of Roman Sculpture,
Intentions and Acquisitions, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, April 17, 2004.
The Incredible, Vanishing Wives of Nero, presented in the colloquium Tyranny
and Transformation, Emory University, Oct. 2000, and in the Peter Wall Seminars,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Jan. 28, 2002. Also presented for the
Archaeological Institute of America Visiting Lecturer program at Gainesville, FL.,
October 18, 2005; Tampa, FL, October 19, 2005; and Valparaiso, IN, October 25, 2005.
The Wives of Nero: Public Images on Provincial Coinage, presented at the annual
meetings of the American Philological Association and the Archaeological Institute
of America, Jan. 5, 2002. Abstract: American Journal of Archaeology
Mass Produced Art, an Oxymoron? -- The Case of the Roman Imperial Portrait,
presented 12/29/91 at the annual meeting of the AIA, abstract published
AJA 96 (1992) 349.
High Fashion and Classical Reference: Coiffures of Roman Imperial Wome
from Augustus to Hadrian, presented at the annual meeting of the AIA, 1989,
in a colloquium: "The Role of Costume in Roman Art." Abstract: AJA 94 (1990).
Memoriae Agrippinae: Agrippina the Elder in Julio-Claudian Art and Propaganda,
presented 12/28/86 at the session of the Women's Classical Caucus at the
AIA/APA convention.
Exhibitions
Diva Augusta: Images of Imperial Women in Roman Art, exhibition of coins
and sculpture, Sackler Museum, April 19, 1986-December, 1986.
Collaborated with Professor Ernst Badian on a small exhibition of Roman coins
of the late republic and early empire, spring of 1983.
Courses Taught
Greek Art, Roman Art, Art of the Near East, Critical Thinking and Writing in Art History
If you are interested in Julio Claudian Iconography and portrait study you may enjoy these two links:
Julio Claudian Iconographic Association- Joe Geranio- Administrator at groups.yahoo.com/group/julioclaudian/
The Portraiture of Caligula- Joe Geranio- Administrator- at
Both are non-profit sites and for educational use only.
Interest in the history of women continues to grow. However, due to the relatively scant evidence in the traditional literary documents, historians who study the lives of ancient Roman women have found it necessary to pay particularly acute attention to the methodologies employed by archeologists and art historians. Thus, Susan E. Wood's art-historical book Imperial Women: A Study in Public Images, 40 B. C-A.D. 68 is a welcome addition to the scholarly literature concerned with the roles played by the intriguing women of Rome's first imperial dynasty, the Julio-Claudians. Wood's investigation of the iconography of the Julio-Claudian women is only one of a number of books and articles dealing with this topic to appear in the past few years. However, unlike most other authors, Wood does not focus on any one woman in particular but rather addresses all the major female figures of this dynasty in successive chapters; each chapter deals with the most prominent women of a particular reign and proceeds in a chronological fashion. By choosing to deal with the dynasty as a whole rather than only with a particular individual, Wood enables the reader to follow the development of the public presentation and political influence of these women and the roles which they played in the creation of the new monarchical form of government. Wood's chronological arrangement and emphasis of the changing roles played by individual women in successive reigns highlights the increasing importance of these women to their male relatives. Wood links this to the problems of succession:
The lack of any consistent and indisputable method for selecting an
heir plagued the Julio-Claudians throughout their period of power,
and led to the many vicious straggles with the family. Throughout
that period, the increasingly bold representation of women of the
family in public art as part of a propagandistic effort to justify
the current emperor's status, or his choice of heir, reflects the
increasing need over the generations to emphasize bloodlines and
distinguished descent, and parallels the development of the
principate into a monarchical system. (p. 314)
Chapter one discusses the roles played by Augustus's two closest female relatives, his sister Octavia and daughter Julia, in helping to both obtain and maintain his rule. Augustus's wife Livia is dealt with in chapter two. So many sculptures of Livia remain that it is necessary to devote a whole chapter solely to the examination of these images. Livia's long life and biological connection to all the Julio-Claudian emperors made her a very important figure throughout this period. Antonia Minor, the daughter of Octavia and Marc Antony, though not as prominent a figure as her aunt Livia, was nonetheless a key player in the dynastic propaganda for many years and as such also receives a chapter to herself. Chapter four concerns the iconography of Tiberius's first wife Vipsania Agrippina and daughter-in-law Livilla. Chapter five, entitled Agrippina I and her Daughters, deals chiefly with the elder Agrippina and her daughter Drusilla, the emperor Caligula's favourite sister. Another daughter, Livilla, is mentioned but as no work to portray her with any degree of certainty survives, Wood has understandably little to say about her. The third daughter, Agrippina Minor, appears in the following chapter along with Messalina, Claudia Octavia, and Poppaea, all women connected to the reigns of the last two Julio-Claudian emperors, Claudius and Nero. Wood does comment briefly on Claudius's elder daughter Claudia Antonia but unfortunately does not mention Augustus's granddaughter, the exiled Julia Minor (or any of her descendants) nor Tiberius's granddaughter of the same name. Presumably both of these women figured into their respective imperial grandfather's dynastic plans even if in a minor way and warrant at least as much attention as Caligula's sister Livilla receives.
Each woman is discussed in a consistent manner. First, Wood reviews the extant literature in order to present a short biography. Wood's biographies are all generally well done, particularly the one about Agrippina Minor. There were, however, two errors worth noting. On page 103, Wood claims that in 13 B.C., Augustus was pater patriae. However, Augustus did not receive this honour until much later, in 2 B.C. His acquisition of this title and his extreme reaction to his daughter Julia's indiscretions shortly thereafter are almost certainly linked. As well, on page 239, Wood asserts that Claudius had never held public office. What Wood probably means is that Claudius's political experience was extremely limited and that he had never held a meaningful public office. He was, in fact, appointed to a two-month term as consul by his nephew and predecessor Gaius Caligula but only as a way to humiliate both Claudius himself and the other senators.
After presenting brief biographies of each woman, Wood moves into an examination of the extant representations. She begins by looking at how the woman was depicted on imperial and provincial coinage, if in fact she was at all. Wood then uses these depictions as the basis for her identification of other works of art. Next she proceeds to the major works of art like sculpted statues and busts that have been identified as this woman and finally to a briefer look at minor artworks such as cameos. At the end of the book is an appendix that lists the members of the Julio-Claudian family along with their main relationships; that is, parents, spouse(s), and children. This is followed by eight genealogical charts. These, along with the 146 illustrations at the end of the book, aid the reader in following Wood's discussions.
While Wood is to be praised for both the quantity and quality of the illustrations provided, she quite often launches into rather long, complex arguments concerning the identification of particular objects without providing the reader with illustrations of many of these controversial pieces. Such illustrations would allow readers both to follow Wood's arguments as well as to arrive at their own tentative conclusions. Nonetheless, the illustrations provided are a tremendous resource for scholars. The information contained within the eight genealogical charts included in this work is repetitive and could have been condensed into fewer charts. From a prosopographical viewpoint, the inclusion of the descendants of Augustus's granddaughter Julia, the earlier wives of the emperor Claudius and their immediate lineage, as well as the lineage of Poppaea would have been useful.
Nonetheless, despite a number of typographical errors Imperial Women: A Study in Public Images, 40 B. C-A.D. 68 is a very well-researched book and well worth the read. This book makes a valuable contribution to the furtherance of our knowledge of Rome's Julio-Claudian women.
University of Alberta
Tonya M. Lambert
According to the Lonely Planet guide to Iran,
"Most impressive of all, however, and among the most impressive historical sights in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staircase on the eastern wall [of the Apadana Palace]."
"The panels at the southern end [of the Apadana Staircase] are the most interesting, showing 23 delegations bringing their tributes to the Achaemenid king."
"This rich record of the nations of the time ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left center, through a climbing pantheon of, among other peoples, Arabs, Thracians, Indians, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites and Medians at the top right."
According to Donald N. Wilber's book Persepolis, The Archaeology of Parsa, Seat of the Persian Kings, this panel "shows the Sparda (Lydians), who offer vases, cups and bracelets, and a chariot drawn by two diminutive horses. The axle pin of the chariot is a figure of the Egyptian god Bes. Their cloaks with a corner tassel resemble those depicted in Ionian sculpture."
Persepolis, Iran
Need numismatic photography for your auctions, books, advertising or promotion? Check out our huge online gallery of numismatic images and get a quote today at HipShot photography
In 1815 the St. Helena economy was bolstered by the arrival of the exiled Napoleon. The Emperor's entourage and the guarding force of British troops suddenly doubled the island's population bringing great prosperity. In order to sustain this growth the Company sent out £50,000 in dollars in 1819. St. Helena was at the peak of its prosperity.
Two years later, in 1821, wheels were set in motion for the supply of two copper coinages specifically struck for use on the island. The first issue was of an unofficial nature and originated from a local firm of merchants called Solomon, Dickson and Taylor. Instructions were sent to England for the manufacture of 70,560 halfpenny tokens. Responsibility for the second issue belonged to the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Company based in England. They requested the Mint of Matthew Robinson Boulton, at Soho near Birmingham, to strike a copper coinage to the total value of £1,000. For this sum the Company received 702,704 halfpenny pieces.
Before either of the new copper coinages arrived in St. Helena, Napoleon died on 5th May 1821. Soon after, most of the troops, high military officers, civil servants and their families had left the island. Consequently the demand for the halfpenny pieces never reached the level originally conceived. In 1830 a large surplus stock of the East India Company copper coins in an unissued state was returned to England for melting. It would be easy to conclude from this event that the coinage was a failure. Far from it, the halfpennies remained in circulation on the island and proved an acceptable payment to all parties. These characteristics must have appeared very attractive to a Company which was still encountering difficulties in maintaining a regular supply of silver coin on St. Helena.
David Vice. "The Coinage of British West Africa & St Helena 1684-1958"
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This image is a good example of the value of adding a diffuser between the light source and the subject. I use a Lee 216. Of course, where you place it between the two makes a big difference too. Hope you like the image. Have a great day!
The Rock Carvings in Tanum (Swedish: Hällristningsområdet i Tanum), near Tanumshede, Bohuslän, Sweden, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of the high concentration of petroglyphs.
One of the larger rocks of Nordic Bronze Age petroglyphs in Scandinavia, the Vitlyckehäll, is located in Tanumshede.
In total there are thousands of images called the Tanum petroglyphs, on about 600 panels within the World Heritage Area. These are concentrated in distinct areas along a 25 km stretch, which was the coastline of a fjord during the Bronze Age, and covers an area of about 51 hectares (126 acres or 0.5 km²).
Scandinavian Bronze Age and Iron Age people were sophisticated craftsmen and very competent travelers by water. (Dates for ages vary with the region; in Scandinavia, the Bronze Age is roughly 1800 to 500 BCE) Many of the glyphs depict boats of which some seem to be of the Hjortspring boat type carrying around a dozen passengers. Wagons or carts are also depicted.
Other glyphs depict humans with a bow, spear or axe, and others depict hunting scenes. In all cases the pictures show people performing rituals. There is a human at a plough drawn by two oxen, holding what might be a branch or an ox-goading crop made of a number of strips of hide.
The rock carvings are endangered by erosion due to pollution. To the dismay of some archaeologists, some have been painted red to make them more visible for tourists.
WIKIPEDIA
Chryselephantine (gold and ivory) goddess
Delphi Museum, Greece
7th c. BCE gold and ivory life-sized figure of a woman or goddess, presumed to be Artemis. It was found with the "Apollo," both burned in the same fire. They were discovered in a dumping-pit in front of the Stoa of the Athenians beside the Sacred Way leading up to Apollo's temple.
© 2005 Ellen Brundige
Illustration for Ancient Greece Odyssey: A Traveller's Journal
Information on these pieces from Petrakos, Basil. Delphi. p. 46.
According to the Lonely Planet guide to Iran,
"Most impressive of all, however, and among the most impressive historical sights in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staircase on the eastern wall [of the Apadana Palace]."
"The panels at the southern end [of the Apadana Staircase] are the most interesting, showing 23 delegations bringing their tributes to the Achaemenid king."
"This rich record of the nations of the time ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left center, through a climbing pantheon of, among other peoples, Arabs, Thracians, Indians, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites and Medians at the top right."
According to Donald N. Wilber's book Persepolis, The Archaeology of Parsa, Seat of the Persian Kings, this panel "depicts the Suguda (Sogdians), who number seven, have very distinctive footwear, and offer cups, a length of cloth, an animal skin, and a pair of rams."
Persepolis, Iran
Siphnian Treasury, N. Frieze Detail: Gigantomachy
Delphi Museum, Greece
Archaic period, c. 525 BCE
At far left, the giant being munched on by the lion is still smiling -- archaic Greek art always has that odd little smile no matter what's happening! To his right, Apollo and Artemis, both poised to fire bows (not preserved), are pursuing a giant. Ephialtes, one of the instigators of the giant rebellion, lies on the ground.
Note the traces of paint. Most Greek sculptures and temple decorations were brightly painted, not white marble!
Unfortunately the inscription on the shield has been damaged, and the artist's name is lost.
©2005 Ellen Brundige
Illustration for Ancient Greece Odyssey: A Traveller's Journal