02 art - art of the ancient world (revised images)

EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS

Art of the Ancient Worldwww.edu-tainers.com © 2011 Edu-tainers LLLP

What is Ancient Art?

Ancient Art is art that predates a civilization’s entry into the global world or its fall into the dark ages.

Ancient Art is art free from extra-regional cultural influence. Who can give examples of ancient art?

© 2011 Edu-tainers LLLP

Map of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World…Here we go!


What is Graeco-Roman Art? (And who is that guy below?)

It begins with Homer’s earliest recorded poetry and ends with the fall of the Roman Empire, marking the beginning of the Dark Ages! What are the Dark Ages?

Geographically it spanned across the northern Mediterranean and was centered around Greek and Roman culture.


Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldTemple of Artemis at Ephesus

Construction took over 120 years! 120 solid marble pillars measuring 60 feet

high Burned by Herostratus to ensure his own

fame. The same night, Alexander the Great was born!

In 1869 a British engineer found the ruins in a swamp

Does it resemble buildings in Washington D.C.?


Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldStatue of Zeus at Olympia

Smallest of the Seven Wonders (40 feet tall)

When the Olympics were banned as a pagan practice, the temple was closed!

The Roman Emperor Caligula tried to move the statue to Rome but…the scaffolding collapsed!


Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldMausoleum at Halicarnassus or “Tomb of Mausolus”

Origin of the word “mausoleum” for elaborate tombs

The bottom third was solid marble, the middle third Greek columns, and the upper third a pyramid!

Originally located at Halicarnassus, the present-day tourist destination of Bodrum, Turkey


Mausoleum of Halicarnassus orTomb of Mausolos

Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldColossus of Rhodes

Constructed to celebrate Rhodes' victory over Cyprus

Built from the weapons of the retreating army

It was huge, standing over 100 feet tall, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world

Destroyed by earthquake, its pieces were sold for scrap metal and were transported to Syria by over 900 camels!


Colossus of Rhodes

Egyptian Art and Antiquity

Ends with the Roman conquest of Alexandria.

Who knows the story of King Tut’s curse? In Egypt’s recent revolution, ordinary

citizens formed a human wall outside the Egyptian Museum to protect its priceless artifacts from being looted, including this burial mask of King Tutankhamun himself!


Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldGreat Pyramid of Giza

The tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years!

The oldest wonder, it was originally capped with gold

Over 2.3 million blocks, some weighing as much as 80 tons, fit together so precisely that a razor blade cannot be inserted between them

Even with today’s technology, engineers cannot explain how it was made nor can they re-create such precise building methods!


Great Pyramid of Giza

Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldThe Pharos (“lighthouse”) of Alexandria

Built on the island of Pharos, “pharos” today means lighthouse in the Spanish, Italian, and French languages

One of the tallest man-made structures for many centuries

At night, a massive bonfire was kept burning at the top of the lighthouse. During the day, mirrors were used to guide ships into Alexandria (Egypt)


The Pharos of Alexandria

Mesopotamian Art and Antiquity

Begins with the Bronze Age cultures of the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires and ends with the fall of Babylon. Who knows where Babylon is? (Hint: We are currently fighting a war there!)

Answer: Babylon was in Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which is modern-day Iraq.

Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Mesopotamia brought significant cultural developments, including the oldest examples of writing.


Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldHanging Gardens of Babylon

No one knows if the Gardens even existed. Unlike the other wonders, there is no evidence remaining!

They are described in ancient writings as having multiple levels reaching 75 feet high, with a system of waterfalls and viaducts so complex that the “largest of trees” were grown on the roof!


Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Indian Art and Antiquity

Begins with the Indus Valley civilization and ends with the fall of the Mauryan Dynasty.

Spans modern day India, Pakistan, and surrounding nations. Has anybody been to India or Pakistan?


Indian Sculpture

This sculpture of the founder of Buddhism is one of the oldest examples of sculpture in the world!

India’s temple carvings are some of the most intricate anywhere in the world


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:StandingBuddha.jpg

Ajanta Caves Fresco

The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, feature the oldest known frescoes in India (some say in the world) and are considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist art

A limestone mixture was first applied to the walls and while it was still fresh (“fresco” means “fresh” in Italian) natural pigments were applied to create the paintings

Observe the colors – aren’t they beautiful?


Japanese Art and Antiquity

Begins with the first settlers of Japan and ends with the founding of the Japanese imperial lineage.

As Japan is an island nation, Japanese art developed into its own style during periods of isolation from the outside world.

The recent tsunami has destroyed some homes and art dating back over 300 years!


Joumon Art

Joumon pottery is widely considered to be the oldest pottery vessels discovered in the world – over 15,000 years old!

By comparison, the oldest ceramic object in the world – a nude female figurine – dates back over 29,000 years and was discovered in the Czech Republic

The piece on the right is small and shaped in the form of a bowl, allowing it to be placed directly on an open fire for cooking


And now a little test to see if you were paying attention! Try to determine where this art is from:


Where is this art from?


And this art?


What about this art?

ROME

Fresco from the Villa of the Mysteries.

Pompeii, 80 BCE


Guess where this art is from…and where it is now…


Have you ever seen this before? Where is it from?


Where do you think this art is from!


Great job everyone!

More on Chinese Art next month!


02 art - art of the ancient world (revised images)

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