Sculpture and Statue in the Ancient World

GROUP 10:

  1. Imelda Ulau Bilong (66162)

  2. Jessiria Phillipus (68546)

  3. Juliana Anak Minggu (66323)

  4. Pui Siao Wei (68821)

Archaeology is the scientific study of past human life and activities. This included human object. Since the earliest stone tools, human made object that have been buried and discarded in today’s modern world. Archaeological work is a significant source of information about the historical, ancient and extinct civilizations. With excavation, archaeologist had found the artefacts and they gain the knowledge on how the people living during that time and their economic activities. Furthermore, artefacts inform us on how certain people built their house as well as other buildings and also what kind of tools they used in ordinary living. The structures like house are often the areas where a lot of artefacts are found. Archaeologist have learned through the artefacts about the cultural and history at all this ancient civilizations.

PHRASIKLEIA

Phrasikleia's sculpture gives us an unusually complete impression of a mid-sixth century BC archaic female funerary figure. In 1972 it was excavated at Merenda, Attica in 1972 (Brinkmann, Primavesi & Hollein, 2010). The perservation of this marble sculpture is in good state. It was exposed to environmental conditions for only a short period of time at its original site in the burial complex. She holds a closed lotus flower in her right hand before her breast, while she holds the skirt, a charming gesture of her robe with her left hand. Her jewelry consists of earrings, a seven-pendent necklace and two bracelets.She stands without the base at 1.79 meters (5.87 feet and 2.115 meters-6.93 feet with the base. In ancient times this figure of a girl was buried with a sculpture in the ground. This grave marker has a Parian marble statue and a calcareous base with front and right inscription. This statue and base inscription were not found in the same place. In advanced day (Merenda) excavation, the former was found and the base inscription was found in Merenda church. However, the inscription was tough to interpret because there was disruption to a large proportion of the letters. Once the letters were removed from the church they can be rebuilt.The manuscript mentions that Phrasikleia was died before getting marriage and the name of a father or brother is unusually not mentioned, having to leave her name as the only identification for burial site.Therefore the Gods gave her the name which is “kore” which mean daughter (Brinkman et al., 2010). Currently, though, we know not only the girl's name but also that on the right side of the base, of the sculptor who executed and signed the work "Aristion from Paros Island." This stature had reflected the Greek art. With the development of technology such as X-ray fluorescence, UV-visual fluorescene absorption spectrometry, E. Mastrokostas ana Nikolaos Kaltsas identified trace of colurs, cravings and decorated pattern to reconstruct what is the Phrasikleia Kore looked like before her burial in sixth century BC.

Figure 1: Sculpture of Phrasikleia (Margaret M, 2015)


THE MARBLE METOPES FROM PARTHENON

The Parthenon, located in Athens, Greece has manifested the ancient Greek notion of justice, freedom, and artistic excellence. One of the most well-known artifacts that were once on the Parthenon was Marble Metopes. The frieze of the Parthenon's entablature contained ninety-two metopes this includes fourteen on the east and west wall and thirty-two each of the north and south wall (Connelly, 2013). The metopes sculptures date estimated to be built in the years 446–440 BC. First, the metopes of the east wall of the Parthenon, above the main entrance are shown the final stages of the battle between the Giants and the Olympian gods which depict Zeus, a chariot ridden by Hera and Poseidon with his trident. Second, the metopes of the west end show the Amazonomachy. The mythical about these walls is the battle of the Athenians against the Amazons. Third, the metopes of the south wall show the battle Thessalian Centauromachy, a battle of the Lapiths aided by Theseus against the half-man and half-horse Centaurs. While, the metopes thirteen to twenty-one are missing, but drawings from 1674 indicate a series of humans, these have been variously interpreted as scenes from the Lapith wedding, scenes from the early history of Athens, and various myths at that time. Next, the metopes of the north wall show the Greeks at war with the Trojans, referred to as The Sack of Troy. In 1687, a cannonball hit the Parthenon, during an attack from the Venetians, destroying many of the metopes, only fourteen of the original thirty-two panels survive and are displayed in the Acropolis Museum. Fifteen of the Metopes from the south wall were removed by Lord Elgin of England and now in the British Museum, London.

Figure 2: Parthenon Metopes

Source: www.naftemporiki.gr/fu/p/1204332/638/399/0x000000000118979b/2/parthenonas.jpg

GREAT SPHINX OF GIZA

The Great Sphinx of Giza commonly referred to as the Sphinx of Giza or just the Sphinx, is a limestone of a reclining Sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. Facing directly from West to East, it stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt that likely dates from the reign of King Khafre (c.257c - c.2465BCE) and depicts his face. It is one of Egypt’s most famous landmarks and is arguably the best- known example of sphinx art. The Great Sphinx is among the world’s largest sculptures, measuring some 240 feet (73 metres) long and 66 feet (20 metres) high (Tikkanen, 2017). The statue was carved from a single piece of limestone and pigment residue suggests that the entire Great Sphinx was painted. According to some estimates, it would have taken about three years for 100 workers, using stone hammers and copper chisels, to finish the statue. Most scholars date the Great Sphinx to the 4th dynasty and affix ownership to Khafre. However, some believe that it was built by Khafre’s older brother Redjedef (Djedefre) to commemorate their father, Khufu, whose pyramid at Giza is known as the Great Pyramid. These theorists claim that the face of the Great Sphinx bears more resemblance to Khufu than Khafre, and that observation also led to speculation that Khufu himself built the statue. The Great Sphinx has greatly deteriorated over the years, and since ancient time – possibly beginning in the reign of Thutmose IV (1400-1390BCE) – various efforts have been undertaken to preserve the statue. Whereas the body has suffered the most erosion, the face has also been damaged, and its nose is notably missing.


Figure 3: Great Sphinx of Giza

Source: images.app.goo.gl/ApcgVYRKi68WZ6G6A

STATUE OF ZEUS

Zeus is the Olympian god of the sky and the thunder, the king of all other gods and men. He is the king of Mount Olympus, the home of Greek gods, where he rules the world and imposes his will onto gods and mortals. In about 430 BCE, a Greek sculptor names Phidias, built the famous statue of Zeus. It took him approximately 12 years to complete the statue. The statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was located in the Temple of Zeus in Olympia. The estimated 12 meters high statue was chryselephantine, which means it was made of ivory and gold. The position of the statue was in the center of the temple because in the religion of the ancient Greece, the temple was the dwelling place of a god. The statue was placed there so the deity can look upon sacrifices and ceremonies of the worshippers when the doors were opened. Zeus is usually described as strong, powerful and full of rage. His symbols are thunderbolt, eagle, bull and oak. However, Phidias had built the statue of Zeus as calm, unlike his normal representations. The sculptor wanted to show a powerful but reigning God in the calm, assuring his victory. On his outstretched right had was a Nike that represents victory, and the god’s left had was a scepter on which an eagle was perched (“Statue of Zeus”, 2015). Unfortunately, in 426 CE, the temple was destroyed along with the statue in a fire due to earthquake in the fifth century A.D.. No accurate copies of the statue were found after disaster.


Figure 4: Statue of Zeus

Source: https://www.ancient.eu/image/5417/

In conclusion, artefacts are very important because they involve primary information that can help academics fully realize what had happened in the past. Artefacts are also important because they provide us with a glimpse into the lifestyles and customs ancient civilizations, but also the most importantly they are seminal tools in our quest to known what Prehistory was looked like. There is no written literature from that period of human civilization because at that time writing didn’t exist yet, only with the artefact that remains we learn about the Prehistoric civilizations period. However, artefacts were not only important in the past but also play a crucial role in the present. We create and use artefacts as part of our everyday lives today as in the past. For instance, the clothes we dress, the fork and knives we use, and the house which we live in are all artefacts. Once, we thrown animals bone such as fish or chicken bones into the trash, we create artefacts too. The protection of the artefacts is so important because we want them to be around a hundred years from now and the younger generation can see and touch these artefacts. Proper steps must be taken to protect the artefacts from damage so that they are preserved at all times. The authorities need to make sure that the artefact is properly protected.

REFERENCES:

Brinkmann, V., Primavesi, O., Hollein, M. (2010). Circumlitio: The Polychomy of Antique and Mediaeval Sculpture. Munich: Hirmer Publishers

Connelly, J. B. (2013). Parthenon and Parthenoi: A Mythological Interpretation of the Parthenon Frieze. American Journal of Archaeology, 100 (19:13), 53-80. Retrived from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ed67/f6cacd1b7d89e8aa82ecf24ff665f295f922.pdf

Margaret M, M. (2015). Autopsy in Athens. Havertown: Oxbow Books.

Quincy, D. (2016). Statue of Zeus, Olympia. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/image/5417/

Statue of Zeus. (2015). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Statue-of-Zeus

Tikkanen, A. (2017). Great Sphinx of Giza. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Sphinx

Vinzo. (2017). Great Sphinx of Giza. Retrieved from https://images.app.goo.gl/ApcgVYRKi68WZ6G6A