Material Culture Exam (28)

Week 3: 

A Biological profile (of the remains): 

• Sex 

• Age 

• Stature 

• Population affinity (it's what used to be called race, its now often referred to as geographical origin, it's more about where people came from) 

• Life history (diseases/trauma) 

What can we tell from looking at the pelvis?

The biological sex (not gender), often identified through the pelvis bones (this can only be told after puberty). The male pelvis largely stays the same as before puberty but the female pelvis will expand and be wider than the males pelvis. The second place to best guess the sex of a skeleton is the skull (the female skull stays the original shape while the male skull changes during puberty)

Are there many differences between men and women biologically?

Humans have very few differences between men and women (biologically), compared to other animals. Most of the differences between men and women are the size and the robustness

What can we tell about a child from looking at their pelvis?

Can’t tell the sex of a child from their remains, only adults or people who went through puberty 

Identify this statue:

Kroisos, c. 530BC, from Anavyssos, Attica

What does the inscription on the base of the statue say?

Inscription on base (probably belongs to statue):

‘Stay and mourn at the monument (ΣΕΜΑ) for dead Kroisos whom violent Ares destroyed, fighting in the front rank’

What questions must we consider when looking at this statue?

How do the statue and inscription compare? Do they carry the same or different information?

Who does the statue represent?

What does the inscription indicate and what is the probably age of the figure?

Inscriptions states he would have fought in the front rank, not the youngest or oldest person probably 30-40, the statue doesn't seem to represent anyone its very generic.

What might we expect of this statue?

 We might expect him to be depicted in armour if he had fought in war, the sepcificity of the insciption verusus the generalness of the statue

What does the statue not show?

It doesn't show him in his moment of death- an idealised image alongside a specific inscription

What is a kouros?

A kouros is a statue of a standing nude youth that did not represent any one individual youth but the idea of youth

How was a kouros depicted (what position was the statue in)

the standard kouros stood with his left foot forward, arms at his sides, looking straight ahead

What were three things sculptors focused on when making statues in the 6th C BC?

Focus on human form, Idealised representation and the archaic smile

Explain the human form in sculptures in the sixth C BC

Focus on Human Form: Artists began to study and represent the human body with increasing accuracy, paying attention to proportions and anatomy, kouros were present,

Explain the Idealised image in statues at the time:

Idealized Representation: While striving for realism, the sculptures also aimed for an idealized representation of the human form, emphasizing harmonious proportions and a sense of perfection

Explain the ‘Archaic smile’ used in statues at the time:

The characteristic "archaic smile" was a subtle curve of the lips, often interpreted as a symbol of serenity and moral elevation, rather than an expression of joy or sadness

What do these bones/joints show:

Activity related markers

What do activity related markers show?

Used as an indication of gender e.g. crouching. Occupational stress, Gender and social status, Diet and health, Disease and Trauma, Movement and mobility, Interpopulation comparisons

Explain occupational stress:

Certain repetitive or physically demanding tasks can leave distinct marks on bones. For example, repetitive activities like rowing or sewing can cause changes in bone structure.

Explain gender and social status:

Activity markers can sometimes suggest gender-specific activities or differences in social status. For instance, some studies have found differences in muscle use patterns between male and female skeletons.

Explain diet and health:

Dental attrition, which refers to the wear and tear on teeth, can provide clues about diet and chewing habits.

Explain disease and trauma:

Activity markers can also indicate the presence of disease or past injuries. For example, certain types of stress fractures can be indicative of repetitive strain injuries or other conditions.

Explain movement and mobility:

Bone markings can reveal how individuals moved around and the types of movement they engaged in.

Explain interpopulation comparisons:

Activity markers can be used to compare different groups of people and their lifestyles. 

By analyzing activity markers, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of how ancient people lived, worked, and interacted with their environment. They can even reconstruct aspects of daily life that might not be directly evident from archaeological artifacts alone

What is this and where is it held?

Decorate the pot Attic pot fragment: outline of drawing Berlin, Altes Museum, Vitrine 12.6-5

What does the fragment show?

The shirt shows that it is unfinished, what she is holding is used for a libation and it isn't finished as they did not paint all of it (possibly the pottery was broken before it was finished) 

Gives an insight into how red-figure pots were painted. The black background of the character isn’t completely filled in, its just a line going around her.

What type of vase is this:

Applique 

Northafrican red slip ware pottery jug with mould to produce relief decoration

When was it created and where is it now held?

third century AD; Ashmolean Museum

What does the piriform vase show?

The piriform vase with mold-made appliqués, including a lovemaking scene on one side

Is this vase fine ware or course ware?

Fine ware, which was often mixed decoration with function

What could fine ware be used for?

 While it could be used decoratively to show off one’s social status, fine ware was also used at meals and events. A wide range of fine vessels such as jugs, dishes, drinking cups, bowls, and vases was created

What is this vase/jar a good example of?

a very fine example of a narrow mouthed vase, with applied decoration and a slip glaze, produced in the potteries of the Roman province of Africa in the third century AD

What do these vases typically show on the front?

These vases display a wide range of subjects.

How tall si this vase?

6 in. (15.2 cm.) high.

What is the decoration on the side of the vase?

Long horizontal branches border the figures and above there are grapes with leaves just below the opening.

What does this image show:

work and his tools 3. Decorate the pot Brush with one hair and tool to take slip or to clean the brush Loops in hair produce drops, e.g. to depict lotus decoration.

What do the two images on the fight side show?

The depicted section of the vase showcases a decorative band featuring a repeating pattern of lotus buds or palmettes, connected by curved lines. This motif is a common element in ancient Greek pottery decoration.

What tools are used for pottery decoration?

Brushes, pin-point tools, single-hair tools, clay slip, compasses, diluted or thickened slip, stamps and styluses

What were brushes used for?

Painters used brushes of varying thickness to apply the clay slip and details. 

What were pinpoint tools used for?

These were used for incisions, creating lines and details in the black-figure style. 

What are single hair tools used for?

These were possibly used to create relief lines, adding texture and dimension to the pottery. 

What is clay slip used for?

A fine-grained clay slip was applied to the areas that would turn black after firing, which is characteristic of the black-figure style. 

What are compasses used for?

During earlier periods, compasses were used to trace perfect circles and delineate shapes and figures, particularly in the Geometric and Orientalizing periods.

What is diluted or thickened slip used for?

 Red-figure painters could water down or thicken the slip to create different effects with their brushes, Smarthistory reports.

What are stamps and styluses used for?

Relief decoration on terra sigillata vessels often involved using stamps, sometimes made of clay, to create repeating motifs or details could be added by hand with a stylus

Identify this image:

Preparation of the clay Pinax – Votive plaque,

When does this plaque date to?

575/550 BC

What museum is this plaque now in?

Penteskouphia, Berlin, Staatliche Museen

What does the plaque show?

• Chain of breaking up clay in the image 

• Pit in the earth where the clay is taken from

Whats on the obverse of this coin:

Obverse: 

• Head of Augustus, bare, right.

• Script: Latin

• Lettering: CAESAR AVGVSTVS

• Translation: Caesar Augustus.

Whats on the reverse?

Reverse: 

• Victory flying right holding shield.

• Script: Latin

• Lettering: S P Q R CL V

What does it say in the translation?

Translation:

Senatus Populusque Romanus. Clipeus Votivus.

The senate and the Roman people. Votive shield.

What is the mint of the coin (where was it produced)?

Colonia Patricia, Baetica, modern-day Córdoba, Spain

Who issued the coin and when?

Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) 

Which emperor is on the coin?

Augustus (Caius Octavius) (27 BC - 14 AD)

What specific year was this coin produced in?

19 BC

What currency is it?

Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215)

What are the economic and political impacts of the denarius (a type of coin)?

1. Stabilizing the Economy

• Introduced clear denominations, restoring confidence after periods of debasement.

2. Funding Military Expansion

• Standardized silver coinage allowed for efficient soldier and ally payments.

3. Political Messaging on Coins

• Depictions of Roma, the Dioscuri, and Jupiter reinforced Roman identity and power.

4. Exporting Roman Influence

• The victoriatus facilitated trade in Greek economic networks without disruption.

Identify this coin:

Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm.

When does this coin date to?

Circa 460-454 BC

What is this coin?

Late "transitional" issue

What is shown on the obverse?

Helmeted head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette on bowl, round earring with central boss and pearl necklace

What is shown on the reverse side?

Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square.

When did the tetradachum appear?

The tetradrachm first appeared around 479 BC, following the Greek victory against the Persians at the Battle of Plataea.

How popular did the tetradachum become?

It became the most widely used international currency in the 5th century BC, facilitating trade and spreading Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean

Why was the tetrachaum popular?

The coin's consistent design, high purity silver from the Laurion mines, and standard weight made it a reliable and trusted currency for centuries. The design of the Athenian tetradrachm remained relatively unchanged for a long period, emphasizing the dependability of the currency. Even when Greece joined the Eurozone, they chose the owl for the national side of their €1 coin, referencing these ancient coins.

Identify this statue:

Kouroi- Signed by [Poly]medes of Argos, c.600-575 BC

Kleobis and Biton’

What are these sculptures a good example of?

These sculptures are two of the best examples of kouroi, free-standing statues of nude male Greek youth

What does the inscription on the base of the statue show?

According to an inscription on the base, Polymedes of Argos was the sculptor and dedicated these statues to Apollo on behalf of the people of Argos.

How big are the statues?

The marble sculptures are just over two meters tall

What is the myth in connection with the statues?

According to the myth, Kleobis and Biton, were the sons of a high priestess of the Sanctuary of Hera. When their mother was unable to find oxen to travel to the temple for a festival, her muscular and athletic sons carried the yoke on their own shoulders for the six-mile journey. Upon arriving at the sanctuary, their mother prayed to Hera to grant her wonderful sons the greatest gift a mortal could have which apparently was death. Kleobis and Biton died in their sleep the same day.

When were the statues discovered?

The sculptures were discovered at Delphi in 1893 and 1894.

Where are the statues now kept?

They are now displayed in the Museum of Delphi a couple hundred meters from where they originally stood.

How are these statues related to transition?

The Kleobis and Biton statues are considered examples of the transitional period between Daedalic and mature Archaic art, around 580 BC. This transition is evident in their more naturalistic depiction of the human form compared to earlier Daedalic sculpture. Rigid stance, idealised bodies- muscular

Identify this statue:

Farnese Hercules

When was this statue created?

A statue created in Roman period, early 3rd C AD

Where was this statue found?

Found in the Baths of Caracalla, Rome

Who created this statue?

Signed by the sculptor Glykon of Athens,

But thought to be copy/reworking of a sculpture by 4th C BC sculptor Lysippus

How do we know its Hercules?

Holding the lion skin and his club, the attributes of hercules

What is he holding in his hand behind his back?

In his hand at the back he is holding apples, connected to the apple of hesperides (shown in a relaxed state post labours)

How is his physical body depicted?

Hypermuscular, broad chest and shoulders (debate if the original statue would have looked like), also fits as he is known as an athlete

How is he posed?

Pose- casual manner, leaning almost resting. Tilted neck and twist of the hips, weight bearing leg late 4th C BC

What is interesting about this statue?

Interesting that it is signed by the sculpture, suggests the sculpture is proud of his work (we may view it as a copy of Lyssipus, but this work was carved by someone, and he is cevidently proud of it)

Identify this statue:

Discobolos statue, Rome MNR

Where is this statue now?

Discobolus in National Roman Museum Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

What object type is this?

statue / marble sculpture / replica

What genre is this statue?

nude

When does this statue date back too?

140 AD

What is this statue made of?

marble

How tall is this statue?

height: 155 cm (61 in)

When was this statue discovered?

Discovered in 1718

Is this statue an original?

Its a Roman copy

What does this statue depict?

The Discobolus statue is famous for depicting an athlete in mid-throw, showcasing the principles of Classical Greek sculpture.

Who made the original and what was it made of? And when was it made?

Myron's original bronze statue, although now lost. 460-450 BC

What does Myron’s skill convey?

 Myron's skill is evident in his ability to convey a sense of movement of the body at the moment of its maximum tension and splendor within a static medium, transforming a routine athletic activity into a representation of balance and harmony. Myron is often credited with being the first sculptor to master this style.

What is Myrons other trademark?

The other trademark of Myron embodied in this sculpture is how well the body is proportioned: the symmetria. The athlete's body demonstrates a sense of proportion, with meticulous attention to detail in every muscle and sinew, capturing the dynamics of a thrower's physical actions. The contrapposto stance, subtly shifting the athlete's weight from one leg to the other, imparts a semblance of motion and adds an element of realism to the artwork.

Identify this image:

Doryphoros bust

Herm with head of Doryphoros, found in the square peristyle

How tall is this bust?

26cm

Where is this bust kept now?

Naples National Archaeological Museum

Where was this bust found?

From the square peristyle of the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum