This volume provides an ambitious synopsis of the complex, colourful world of textiles in ancient... more This volume provides an ambitious synopsis of the complex, colourful world of textiles in ancient Mediterranean iconography. A wealth of information on ancient textiles is available from depictions such as sculpture, vase painting, figurines, reliefs and mosaics. Commonly represented in clothing, textiles are also present in furnishings and through the processes of textile production. The challenge for anyone analysing ancient iconography is determining how we interpret what we see. As preserved textiles rarely survive in comparable forms, we must consider the extent to which representations of textiles reflect reality, and critically evaluate the sources. Images are not simple replicas or photographs of reality. Instead, iconography draws on select elements from the surrounding world that were recognisable to the ancient audience, and reveal the perceptions, ideologies, and ideas of the society in which they were produced. Through examining the durable evidence, this anthology reveals the ephemeral world of textiles and their integral role in the daily life, cult and economy of the ancient Mediterranea
The Value of Colour , an interdisciplinary group of scholars come together to examine economicall... more The Value of Colour , an interdisciplinary group of scholars come together to examine economically relevant questions concerning a narrow slice of social and cognitive history: namely, colours. Traditionally, the study of colours has been approached from a cultural or linguistic perspective. The essays collected in this volume highlight the fact that in earliest human history, colours appear in contexts of prestige (value) and commerce. Acquisition, production, labour, circulation and consumption are among the issues discussed by individual authors to show how colourful materials acquired meaning in the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds. Spanning the Palaeolithic to the early Imperial Rome, the contributions also demonstrate the many questions asked and approaches used by historians in the growing fi eld of Colour Studies. 70 berlin studies of the ancient world berlin studies of the ancient world · 70 edited by topoi excellence cluster
I mere end 10 år har Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek udført forskning i antikkens polykromi, dvs. antikken... more I mere end 10 år har Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek udført forskning i antikkens polykromi, dvs. antikkens farvebrug. Museet har i denne periode søsat to store forskningsprojekter Tracking Colour (2008–2013) og Transmission and Transforma- tion (2014–2017), begge finansieret af Carlsbergfondet. Forskningsarbejdet er blevet udført af en række specialister med forskellige faglige baggrunde såsom arkæologer, konservatorer, geokemikere, geologer, fysikere, filologer og antikhistorikere, som i samarbejde har opnået ny viden om antikkens farver. Dette særnummer fortæller om nogle af de mange opdagelser, som forskerne har gjort i deres arbejde med at spore farverne på museets genstande og den betydning de har for vores forståelse af antikken.
Twenty-four experts from the fields of Ancient History, Semitic philology, Assyriology, Classical... more Twenty-four experts from the fields of Ancient History, Semitic philology, Assyriology, Classical Archaeology, and Classical Philology come together in this volume to explore the role of textiles in ancient religion in Greece, Italy, The Levant and the Near East. Recent scholarship has illustrated how textiles played a large and very important role in the ancient Mediterranean sanctuaries. In Greece, the so-called temple inventories testify to the use of textiles as votive offerings, in particular to female divinities. Furthermore, in several cults, textiles were used to dress the images of different deities. Textiles played an important role in the dress of priests and priestesses, who often wore specific garments designated by particular colours. Clothing regulations in order to enter or participate in certain rituals from several Greek sanctuaries also testify to the importance of dress of ordinary visitors. Textiles were used for the furnishings of the temples, for example in the form of curtains, draperies, wall-hangings, sun-shields, and carpets. This illustrates how the sanctuaries were potential major consumers of textiles; nevertheless, this particular topic has so far not received much attention in modern scholarship. Furthermore, our knowledge of where the textiles consumed in the sanctuaries came from, where they were produced, and by who is extremely limited. Textiles and Cult in the Ancient Mediterranean examines the topics of textile production in sanctuaries, the use of textiles as votive offerings and ritual dress using epigraphy, literary sources, iconography and the archaeological material itself.
Textiles comprise a vast and wide category of material culture and constitute a crucial part of ... more Textiles comprise a vast and wide category of material culture and constitute a crucial part of the ancient economy. Yet, studies of classical antiquity still often leave out this important category of material culture, partly due to the textiles themselves being only rarely preserved in the archaeological record. This neglect is also prevalent in scholarship on ancient Greek religion and ritual, although it is one of the most vibrant and rapidly developing branches of classical scholarship. The aim of the present enquiry is, therefore, to introduce textiles into the study of ancient Greek religion and thereby illuminate the roles textiles played in the performance of Greek ritual and their wider consequences.
Among the questions posed are how and where we can detect the use of textiles in the sanctuaries, and how they were used in rituals including their impact on the performance of these rituals and the people involved. Chapters centre on three themes: first, the dedication of textiles and clothing accessories in Greek sanctuaries is investigated through a thorough examination of the temple inventories. Second, the use of textiles to dress ancient cult images is explored. The examination of Hellenistic and Roman copies of ancient cult images from Asia Minor as well as depictions of cult images in vase-painting in collocation with written sources illustrates the existence of this particular ritual custom in ancient Greece. Third, the existence of dress codes in the Greek sanctuaries is addressed through an investigation of the existence of particular attire for ritual personnel as well as visitors to the sanctuaries with the help of iconography and written sources.
By merging the study of Greek religion and the study of textiles, the current study illustrates how textiles are, indeed, central materialisations of Greek cult, by reason of their capacity to accentuate and epitomize aspects of identity, spirituality, position in the religious system, by their forms as links between the maker, user, wearer, but also as key material agents in the performance of rituals and communication with the divine.
Iconotropy and Cult Images from the Ancient to the Modern World, London: Routledge, 14-35, 2022
The present study examines the various evidence for the different forms of embellishment of ancie... more The present study examines the various evidence for the different forms of embellishment of ancient Greek cult images: their original polychromy, attachments such as metal ornaments, jewellery, and inlays, the use of textiles for dressing them, and treatments with waxes, oils and perfumes. It further explores the ways in which this adornment engaged the senses and created a sensory spectacle – visual, auditory, olfactory, and haptic – of rituals involving cult statues, and how this contributes to our knowledge of how people encountered the sacred in ancient temples. The paper thus argues that the ancient experience of sculptural art, particularly cult statues, was multisensorial. The statues were not simply visual phenomena experienced from a distance. Instead, the artistic exploitation and manipulation of the senses governed and shaped the experience of ancient cult images.
Evidence Combined - Western and Eastern Sources in Dialogue. Proceedings of the Eleventh Symposium of the Melammu Project held in Beirut April 3-6, 2017. Melammu Symposia 11, edited by R. Mattila, S. Fink & S. Ito, 231-260, 2022
The current study is the first comprehensive investigation of the polychromy of Palmyrene funerar... more The current study is the first comprehensive investigation of the polychromy of Palmyrene funerary portraits. It presents the technical examinations of six portraits (ca. 150–250 CE) from the collection of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, illustrating the marvellous splendour of the cultural heritage of ancient Palmyra. The six portraits were examined with various analytical methods, including microscopy, ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence imaging and visible light-induced infrared luminescence imaging, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Finally, two samples were collected for liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to obtain the aminoacid sequence information. Various pigments were detected in the polychromy including lapis lazuli, pyromorphite, mimetite, yellow ochre, red ochre, a red lake, lead carbonate, zinc oxide, bone black,
and charcoal black. The proteinaceous binding medium was identified as collagen-based and possibly also keratin-based animal glue. The examinations of the Palmyrene portraits in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek have proven that these artefacts, despite their current uniform, white appearance, originally presented themselves in a wealth of colours. This is illustrated by the digital reconstructions carried out of two of the examined portraits, which show how the original painting of these portraits would have given them an entirely different expression from what we see today.
The aim of the present article is to reconsider the interpretation of the Greek word halourgos (ἁ... more The aim of the present article is to reconsider the interpretation of the Greek word halourgos (ἁλουργός) and its relation to textiles and purple dye by reinvestigating its recordings in Greek epigraphy and the papyri, as well as comparative examples from Greek literary sources, in the period from the fourth century bc to the seventh century ad-thus combining the source material from ancient Greece and the Greek-speaking part of the Roman world. This will illustrate the wealth of information one can get from the exploration of one single word: not only on the significance and appearance of textiles and garments in the ancient world from Greece to Egypt, but also on the diversity of colours and the subtleties in their use and terminology.
Dress and Religion in Mediterranean Antiquity. Greeks, romans, Jews, Christians., 2021
Clothing can provide a wealth of information about different aspects of identity including gender... more Clothing can provide a wealth of information about different aspects of identity including gender, ethnicity, age, social status and affiliation. One’s choice of garments and accessories and how one wears them is thus a language to be deciphered, and the choice of colours can lead to further insight. Although there have been numerous studies on ancient dress, the focus is rarely – with the possible exception of purple – on the actual colours of these garments. That the textiles themselves, as well as the colours, have in most cases disappeared from the archaeological record makes a study of the colours of ancient Greek dress a double challenge. However, upon closer investigation,
there are several sources that can provide important information. This chapter will review these different sources with a focus on archaeological textiles, ancient dyes and written sources, as well as polychrome sculpture.
Mummy portraits have been discovered in the Egyptian desert from the 1880s onward and ever since ... more Mummy portraits have been discovered in the Egyptian desert from the 1880s onward and ever since then have fascinated scholars and the general public alike. Perhaps this is because they, as T. Potts describes in the foreword of the present book, "depict men and women who lived and prospered two thousand years ago, yet the experience of looking at them feels hauntingly immediate. Their wide eyes return the viewer's gaze, and their expressive faces seem almost familiar" (vii). Nearly a thousand are known worldwide, comprising an extensive corpus of paintings from Roman Egypt produced during the 1st-3rd c. CE. The portraits have attracted a great deal of scholarly attention, which has led to publications and special exhibitions. These have primarily focused on a variety of aspects ranging from cultural context and chronology to the types of individuals represented, their attire, the sites where the portraits were discovered, and their pictorial tradition and style. There have been very few publications that have investigated the detailed techniques of the portraits' production and materials. There are some important exceptions to this: for example, A. Freccero's publication of the scientific analyses of the mummy portraits in the National Museum of Stockholm, and the Tebtunis project at Northwestern University, Illinois. 1 Moreover, various individual articles have dealt with the scientific examination of mummy portraits. 2 Notwithstanding these important contributions, a comprehensive publication focusing on the technical aspects of this group of artifacts is still needed, especially given the advances made in the study of the techniques of art history over the past decade. This publication now remedies this deficiency by presenting 18 contributions that, on the whole, concentrate on the techniques used to produce mummy portraits. The papers are the result of the first APPEAR (Ancient Panel Paintings: Examination, Analysis, and Research) conference, held at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu, May 17-18, 2018. The APPEAR Project investigates ancient panel paintings to discover more about their materials and manufacture. Launched by the J. Paul Getty Museum's Department of Antiquities Conservation in 2013, this international collaboration addresses the many questions that surround ancient panel paintings. The APPEAR initiative was developed to create a platform for expanding the knowledge and understanding of the materials and technology used to produce these distinctive
journal of eastern mediterranean archaeology and heritage studies, vol. 8, no. 2, 2020
The article focuses on a digital reconstruction of a Palmyrene portrait, the so-called Beauty of ... more The article focuses on a digital reconstruction of a Palmyrene portrait, the so-called Beauty of Palmyra, in the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, a project recently carried out for a special exhibition on ancient Palmyra. The study introduces to the academic work behind color reconstructions by presenting not only the artwork and its polychromy but especially the intermediate considerations and choices behind the final reconstruction, which illustrates how subjective such endeavors often are.
The current interdisciplinary study of a funerary portrait has provided the first identification of... more The current interdisciplinary study of a funerary portrait has provided the first identification of a blue pigment on Palmyrene sculpture. The exceptional attestation of lapis lazuli on the examined portrait confirms the use of this highly valuable semiprecious stone in ancient polychromy, which was previously thought to be a later addition to the painter’s palette. Considering that the archaeological record contains numerous minor objects carved from lapis lazuli, there are astonishingly few known instances of its use as a pigment. This Palmyrene discovery is only the third known example from Antiquity
Focusing on different types of colour representations, this paper discusses the material, percept... more Focusing on different types of colour representations, this paper discusses the material, perceptual, and articulate challenges related to the communication of polychromy research. The vestiges of paint on ancient marble surfaces are far too scarce and too degraded to allow factual reconstructions. However, when communicating long-lost polychromy, it is necessary to use colour representation in order to illustrate current interpretations of paint traces. Although measures are taken to explain the shortcomings of the colour representations, they are often mistakenly perceived as actual reconstructions. The paper aims to clarify why the illustrative representations are so easily mistaken for reconstructions and proposes simple measures that can help reduce misunderstandings.
Assessing the pigment trade in Palmyra is no easy task. There are no written sources providing in... more Assessing the pigment trade in Palmyra is no easy task. There are no written sources providing information on the subject, and the archaeological record includes no workshops, shops or painter palettes providing insight into the pigment availability in Palmyra. The only clues available are to be found in painted decorations such as interior decoration and polychromy (many-coloured decoration) on funerary portraits which were evidently produced in Palmyra. However, very few technical studies of Palmyrene paint layers have been undertaken. To date, only three studies have been published on the subject. These include a paper on the so-called Beauty of Palmyra, the most famous Palmyrene portrait within the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. With the aim of broadening our knowledge of pigments available in Palmyra, another seven funerary portraits from the collections have been examined for this paper. In order to give a complete overview of the pigments identified in the museum collection, the Beauty of Palmyra is included in the investigation.
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG) possesses a small collection consisting of 13 fragments of Late ... more The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG) possesses a small collection consisting of 13 fragments of Late Antique textiles from Egypt, possibly from the site of Akhmim. The collection primarily consists of cut-outs of decorative elements. The collection has until now not received much attention nor been thoroughly analysed. The present study seeks to remedy this neglect by performing fibre and dye analyses as well as including archival material from the museum collections.
This volume provides an ambitious synopsis of the complex, colourful world of textiles in ancient... more This volume provides an ambitious synopsis of the complex, colourful world of textiles in ancient Mediterranean iconography. A wealth of information on ancient textiles is available from depictions such as sculpture, vase painting, figurines, reliefs and mosaics. Commonly represented in clothing, textiles are also present in furnishings and through the processes of textile production. The challenge for anyone analysing ancient iconography is determining how we interpret what we see. As preserved textiles rarely survive in comparable forms, we must consider the extent to which representations of textiles reflect reality, and critically evaluate the sources. Images are not simple replicas or photographs of reality. Instead, iconography draws on select elements from the surrounding world that were recognisable to the ancient audience, and reveal the perceptions, ideologies, and ideas of the society in which they were produced. Through examining the durable evidence, this anthology reveals the ephemeral world of textiles and their integral role in the daily life, cult and economy of the ancient Mediterranea
The Value of Colour , an interdisciplinary group of scholars come together to examine economicall... more The Value of Colour , an interdisciplinary group of scholars come together to examine economically relevant questions concerning a narrow slice of social and cognitive history: namely, colours. Traditionally, the study of colours has been approached from a cultural or linguistic perspective. The essays collected in this volume highlight the fact that in earliest human history, colours appear in contexts of prestige (value) and commerce. Acquisition, production, labour, circulation and consumption are among the issues discussed by individual authors to show how colourful materials acquired meaning in the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds. Spanning the Palaeolithic to the early Imperial Rome, the contributions also demonstrate the many questions asked and approaches used by historians in the growing fi eld of Colour Studies. 70 berlin studies of the ancient world berlin studies of the ancient world · 70 edited by topoi excellence cluster
I mere end 10 år har Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek udført forskning i antikkens polykromi, dvs. antikken... more I mere end 10 år har Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek udført forskning i antikkens polykromi, dvs. antikkens farvebrug. Museet har i denne periode søsat to store forskningsprojekter Tracking Colour (2008–2013) og Transmission and Transforma- tion (2014–2017), begge finansieret af Carlsbergfondet. Forskningsarbejdet er blevet udført af en række specialister med forskellige faglige baggrunde såsom arkæologer, konservatorer, geokemikere, geologer, fysikere, filologer og antikhistorikere, som i samarbejde har opnået ny viden om antikkens farver. Dette særnummer fortæller om nogle af de mange opdagelser, som forskerne har gjort i deres arbejde med at spore farverne på museets genstande og den betydning de har for vores forståelse af antikken.
Twenty-four experts from the fields of Ancient History, Semitic philology, Assyriology, Classical... more Twenty-four experts from the fields of Ancient History, Semitic philology, Assyriology, Classical Archaeology, and Classical Philology come together in this volume to explore the role of textiles in ancient religion in Greece, Italy, The Levant and the Near East. Recent scholarship has illustrated how textiles played a large and very important role in the ancient Mediterranean sanctuaries. In Greece, the so-called temple inventories testify to the use of textiles as votive offerings, in particular to female divinities. Furthermore, in several cults, textiles were used to dress the images of different deities. Textiles played an important role in the dress of priests and priestesses, who often wore specific garments designated by particular colours. Clothing regulations in order to enter or participate in certain rituals from several Greek sanctuaries also testify to the importance of dress of ordinary visitors. Textiles were used for the furnishings of the temples, for example in the form of curtains, draperies, wall-hangings, sun-shields, and carpets. This illustrates how the sanctuaries were potential major consumers of textiles; nevertheless, this particular topic has so far not received much attention in modern scholarship. Furthermore, our knowledge of where the textiles consumed in the sanctuaries came from, where they were produced, and by who is extremely limited. Textiles and Cult in the Ancient Mediterranean examines the topics of textile production in sanctuaries, the use of textiles as votive offerings and ritual dress using epigraphy, literary sources, iconography and the archaeological material itself.
Textiles comprise a vast and wide category of material culture and constitute a crucial part of ... more Textiles comprise a vast and wide category of material culture and constitute a crucial part of the ancient economy. Yet, studies of classical antiquity still often leave out this important category of material culture, partly due to the textiles themselves being only rarely preserved in the archaeological record. This neglect is also prevalent in scholarship on ancient Greek religion and ritual, although it is one of the most vibrant and rapidly developing branches of classical scholarship. The aim of the present enquiry is, therefore, to introduce textiles into the study of ancient Greek religion and thereby illuminate the roles textiles played in the performance of Greek ritual and their wider consequences.
Among the questions posed are how and where we can detect the use of textiles in the sanctuaries, and how they were used in rituals including their impact on the performance of these rituals and the people involved. Chapters centre on three themes: first, the dedication of textiles and clothing accessories in Greek sanctuaries is investigated through a thorough examination of the temple inventories. Second, the use of textiles to dress ancient cult images is explored. The examination of Hellenistic and Roman copies of ancient cult images from Asia Minor as well as depictions of cult images in vase-painting in collocation with written sources illustrates the existence of this particular ritual custom in ancient Greece. Third, the existence of dress codes in the Greek sanctuaries is addressed through an investigation of the existence of particular attire for ritual personnel as well as visitors to the sanctuaries with the help of iconography and written sources.
By merging the study of Greek religion and the study of textiles, the current study illustrates how textiles are, indeed, central materialisations of Greek cult, by reason of their capacity to accentuate and epitomize aspects of identity, spirituality, position in the religious system, by their forms as links between the maker, user, wearer, but also as key material agents in the performance of rituals and communication with the divine.
Iconotropy and Cult Images from the Ancient to the Modern World, London: Routledge, 14-35, 2022
The present study examines the various evidence for the different forms of embellishment of ancie... more The present study examines the various evidence for the different forms of embellishment of ancient Greek cult images: their original polychromy, attachments such as metal ornaments, jewellery, and inlays, the use of textiles for dressing them, and treatments with waxes, oils and perfumes. It further explores the ways in which this adornment engaged the senses and created a sensory spectacle – visual, auditory, olfactory, and haptic – of rituals involving cult statues, and how this contributes to our knowledge of how people encountered the sacred in ancient temples. The paper thus argues that the ancient experience of sculptural art, particularly cult statues, was multisensorial. The statues were not simply visual phenomena experienced from a distance. Instead, the artistic exploitation and manipulation of the senses governed and shaped the experience of ancient cult images.
Evidence Combined - Western and Eastern Sources in Dialogue. Proceedings of the Eleventh Symposium of the Melammu Project held in Beirut April 3-6, 2017. Melammu Symposia 11, edited by R. Mattila, S. Fink & S. Ito, 231-260, 2022
The current study is the first comprehensive investigation of the polychromy of Palmyrene funerar... more The current study is the first comprehensive investigation of the polychromy of Palmyrene funerary portraits. It presents the technical examinations of six portraits (ca. 150–250 CE) from the collection of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, illustrating the marvellous splendour of the cultural heritage of ancient Palmyra. The six portraits were examined with various analytical methods, including microscopy, ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence imaging and visible light-induced infrared luminescence imaging, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Finally, two samples were collected for liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to obtain the aminoacid sequence information. Various pigments were detected in the polychromy including lapis lazuli, pyromorphite, mimetite, yellow ochre, red ochre, a red lake, lead carbonate, zinc oxide, bone black,
and charcoal black. The proteinaceous binding medium was identified as collagen-based and possibly also keratin-based animal glue. The examinations of the Palmyrene portraits in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek have proven that these artefacts, despite their current uniform, white appearance, originally presented themselves in a wealth of colours. This is illustrated by the digital reconstructions carried out of two of the examined portraits, which show how the original painting of these portraits would have given them an entirely different expression from what we see today.
The aim of the present article is to reconsider the interpretation of the Greek word halourgos (ἁ... more The aim of the present article is to reconsider the interpretation of the Greek word halourgos (ἁλουργός) and its relation to textiles and purple dye by reinvestigating its recordings in Greek epigraphy and the papyri, as well as comparative examples from Greek literary sources, in the period from the fourth century bc to the seventh century ad-thus combining the source material from ancient Greece and the Greek-speaking part of the Roman world. This will illustrate the wealth of information one can get from the exploration of one single word: not only on the significance and appearance of textiles and garments in the ancient world from Greece to Egypt, but also on the diversity of colours and the subtleties in their use and terminology.
Dress and Religion in Mediterranean Antiquity. Greeks, romans, Jews, Christians., 2021
Clothing can provide a wealth of information about different aspects of identity including gender... more Clothing can provide a wealth of information about different aspects of identity including gender, ethnicity, age, social status and affiliation. One’s choice of garments and accessories and how one wears them is thus a language to be deciphered, and the choice of colours can lead to further insight. Although there have been numerous studies on ancient dress, the focus is rarely – with the possible exception of purple – on the actual colours of these garments. That the textiles themselves, as well as the colours, have in most cases disappeared from the archaeological record makes a study of the colours of ancient Greek dress a double challenge. However, upon closer investigation,
there are several sources that can provide important information. This chapter will review these different sources with a focus on archaeological textiles, ancient dyes and written sources, as well as polychrome sculpture.
Mummy portraits have been discovered in the Egyptian desert from the 1880s onward and ever since ... more Mummy portraits have been discovered in the Egyptian desert from the 1880s onward and ever since then have fascinated scholars and the general public alike. Perhaps this is because they, as T. Potts describes in the foreword of the present book, "depict men and women who lived and prospered two thousand years ago, yet the experience of looking at them feels hauntingly immediate. Their wide eyes return the viewer's gaze, and their expressive faces seem almost familiar" (vii). Nearly a thousand are known worldwide, comprising an extensive corpus of paintings from Roman Egypt produced during the 1st-3rd c. CE. The portraits have attracted a great deal of scholarly attention, which has led to publications and special exhibitions. These have primarily focused on a variety of aspects ranging from cultural context and chronology to the types of individuals represented, their attire, the sites where the portraits were discovered, and their pictorial tradition and style. There have been very few publications that have investigated the detailed techniques of the portraits' production and materials. There are some important exceptions to this: for example, A. Freccero's publication of the scientific analyses of the mummy portraits in the National Museum of Stockholm, and the Tebtunis project at Northwestern University, Illinois. 1 Moreover, various individual articles have dealt with the scientific examination of mummy portraits. 2 Notwithstanding these important contributions, a comprehensive publication focusing on the technical aspects of this group of artifacts is still needed, especially given the advances made in the study of the techniques of art history over the past decade. This publication now remedies this deficiency by presenting 18 contributions that, on the whole, concentrate on the techniques used to produce mummy portraits. The papers are the result of the first APPEAR (Ancient Panel Paintings: Examination, Analysis, and Research) conference, held at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu, May 17-18, 2018. The APPEAR Project investigates ancient panel paintings to discover more about their materials and manufacture. Launched by the J. Paul Getty Museum's Department of Antiquities Conservation in 2013, this international collaboration addresses the many questions that surround ancient panel paintings. The APPEAR initiative was developed to create a platform for expanding the knowledge and understanding of the materials and technology used to produce these distinctive
journal of eastern mediterranean archaeology and heritage studies, vol. 8, no. 2, 2020
The article focuses on a digital reconstruction of a Palmyrene portrait, the so-called Beauty of ... more The article focuses on a digital reconstruction of a Palmyrene portrait, the so-called Beauty of Palmyra, in the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, a project recently carried out for a special exhibition on ancient Palmyra. The study introduces to the academic work behind color reconstructions by presenting not only the artwork and its polychromy but especially the intermediate considerations and choices behind the final reconstruction, which illustrates how subjective such endeavors often are.
The current interdisciplinary study of a funerary portrait has provided the first identification of... more The current interdisciplinary study of a funerary portrait has provided the first identification of a blue pigment on Palmyrene sculpture. The exceptional attestation of lapis lazuli on the examined portrait confirms the use of this highly valuable semiprecious stone in ancient polychromy, which was previously thought to be a later addition to the painter’s palette. Considering that the archaeological record contains numerous minor objects carved from lapis lazuli, there are astonishingly few known instances of its use as a pigment. This Palmyrene discovery is only the third known example from Antiquity
Focusing on different types of colour representations, this paper discusses the material, percept... more Focusing on different types of colour representations, this paper discusses the material, perceptual, and articulate challenges related to the communication of polychromy research. The vestiges of paint on ancient marble surfaces are far too scarce and too degraded to allow factual reconstructions. However, when communicating long-lost polychromy, it is necessary to use colour representation in order to illustrate current interpretations of paint traces. Although measures are taken to explain the shortcomings of the colour representations, they are often mistakenly perceived as actual reconstructions. The paper aims to clarify why the illustrative representations are so easily mistaken for reconstructions and proposes simple measures that can help reduce misunderstandings.
Assessing the pigment trade in Palmyra is no easy task. There are no written sources providing in... more Assessing the pigment trade in Palmyra is no easy task. There are no written sources providing information on the subject, and the archaeological record includes no workshops, shops or painter palettes providing insight into the pigment availability in Palmyra. The only clues available are to be found in painted decorations such as interior decoration and polychromy (many-coloured decoration) on funerary portraits which were evidently produced in Palmyra. However, very few technical studies of Palmyrene paint layers have been undertaken. To date, only three studies have been published on the subject. These include a paper on the so-called Beauty of Palmyra, the most famous Palmyrene portrait within the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. With the aim of broadening our knowledge of pigments available in Palmyra, another seven funerary portraits from the collections have been examined for this paper. In order to give a complete overview of the pigments identified in the museum collection, the Beauty of Palmyra is included in the investigation.
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG) possesses a small collection consisting of 13 fragments of Late ... more The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG) possesses a small collection consisting of 13 fragments of Late Antique textiles from Egypt, possibly from the site of Akhmim. The collection primarily consists of cut-outs of decorative elements. The collection has until now not received much attention nor been thoroughly analysed. The present study seeks to remedy this neglect by performing fibre and dye analyses as well as including archival material from the museum collections.
Fragments of painted limestone reliefs from the Palace of Apries in Upper Egypt excavated by Flin... more Fragments of painted limestone reliefs from the Palace of Apries in Upper Egypt excavated by Flinders Petrie in 1908-1910 have been investigated using visible-induced luminescence imaging, micro X-ray fluorescence, laser abla-tion inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, micro X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The pigments have been mapped, and the use and previous reports of use of pigments are discussed.
The polychrome glazes from the Processional Way and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon are among the best... more The polychrome glazes from the Processional Way and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon are among the best preserved from antiquity. Yet, little is known about the logistical choices involved in their production. Variations in isotope ratios can be useful for complementing an archaeological investigation of potential geological sources of raw materials. Consistent with archaeological evidence and ancient texts on trade in metals, Turkish ore deposits are thus tentatively proposed as possible sources of the metal oxide colorants used for the investigated polychrome glazes of three Neo-Babylonian faunal reliefs that are now part of the collection of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.
Textiles and dyes in the Mediterranean economy and society. Purpureae Vestes VI., 2018
This study investigates the similarities between ancient polychrome painting and textile dyes wit... more This study investigates the similarities between ancient polychrome painting and textile dyes with regard to the organic colourants used for the depiction of garments on Egyptian mummy portraits from the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. The mummy portraits were analysed with two non-invasive photographic methods: UV-induced fluorescence photography (UVF) and visible-induced luminescence (VIL). The analysis demonstrates that shellfish purple was often imitated in textile dying as well as in painting by using madder and madder lake respectively. In textile dying, madder red was tinted bluish using indigo or woad. Madder lake is sometimes mixed with Egyptian blue in order to obtain the purple hue on the mummy portraits. However, in some cases it is unknown which blue pigment was used to create the purple colour. Yet, other studies have confirmed that indigo, derived from the indigo plant (Indigofera tinctoria), was often employed in such portraits. Therefore, in instances where there is no or only little evidence of Egyptian blue in the purple colour, indigo may have been used instead in the mixtures of textile dyes. The present examination has identified an overlap in the raw materials used for colouring textiles and for paint in antiquity. In some instances, the corresponding pigment was used for depicting garments, in this case madder lake for rendering madder-dyed textiles. These results contribute important knowledge concerning how colours were depicted and the significance of whether pigments derived from the same source as dyes, and towards a deeper understanding of the craftsmen’s traditions.
Proceedings of the Digital Humanities in the Nordic Countries (DHN) 4th Conference, Copenhagen, March 6-8 2019, 2019
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and Rigsters 3D are exploring the potential of merging photogrammetry ... more The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and Rigsters 3D are exploring the potential of merging photogrammetry and multispectral imaging (MSI). MSI is a widely employed photographic method of analysis in studies of ancient polychromy. The collaboration has resulted in the first 3D model including visible-induced infrared lumi-nescence (VIL) imaging, illustrating the distribution of the ancient synthetic pigment Egyptian blue. The collaboration illustrates how the combination of methods developed in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, and digital industries can contribute to knowledge exchange as well as the development of new ways of disseminating scholarly research in museum exhibitions as well as online and for teaching purposes.
The so-called Campana reliefs are Roman terracotta reliefs produced between the 1st c. BC and the... more The so-called Campana reliefs are Roman terracotta reliefs produced between the 1st c. BC and the 2nd c. AD, primarily in the area of Latium around the city of Rome. These reliefs were used as exterior and interior wall decorations for temples, public and private buildings. The naturally occurring secondary lead mineral vanadinite (Pb5(VO4)3Cl) was reportedly used for a polychrome preparatory drawing (sinopia) underneath the Roman mosaic of Lod, Israel [1]. The use of vanadinite as (part of a) yellow pigment was also attested to Early Islamic painted fragments from Nishapur, NE Iran [2] and to Late Sasanian painted stucco in Ramavand, W Iran [3]. In both cases the exploitation of nearby mineral resources was indicated as the most likely provenance. Here, we investigate the unexpected occurrence of vanadium-containing paint layers on a Campana relief from the antique collection of the NCG. Pigment samples were preliminarily analyzed with XRF. More thorough major and trace element analyses with ICP-MS confirmed the preliminary XRF analyses, and SEM-EDS analyses complemented the assessment with the identification of vanadinite as a main crystalline mineral phase in the sampled green pigment layers. While V-containing pigments are generally not considered to have been used during Antiquity, their presence might not indicate a later addition and should at least warrant critical examination and discussion.
References: [1] Piovesan et al. (2014) Journal of Archaeological Science 46, 68-74; [2] Holakooei et al. (2016a) Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 1-21; [3] Holakooei et al. (2016b) Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 169, 169-174.
Most of the cultural heritage objects produced using biogenic materials are rich in protein resid... more Most of the cultural heritage objects produced using biogenic materials are rich in protein residues. This is also the case for paint binders that were used as a medium for pigments applied to sculptures and architecture in Antiquity. So far, the research of ancient polychromy has, however, primarily focused on analyses and identification of pigments. The choice of the binding medium was, however, of crucial importance for the final polychrome appearance in terms of coverage, nuance, intensity, and gloss. The nature of the binding medium is therefore of paramount importance for our understanding of the original appearance of painted objects. In this pilot study we identify collagen alpha-1(I) and collagen alpha-2(I) from Bos Taurus in a sample from a polychrome layer from an architectural element from the Palace of Apries, Egypt, (around 589-568 BCE) using mass spectrometry-based peptide sequencing. Identifications of ancient paint binders will expand our knowledge on painting techniques of Antiquity considerably. Moreover the identifications will improve reconstructions of ancient polychrome artefacts in museum exhibitions.
The Ishtar Gate and Processional Way of Babylon are among the most impressive remains of the anci... more The Ishtar Gate and Processional Way of Babylon are among the most impressive remains of the ancient world. Both structures were built by Nebuchadnezzar II who reigned from 604-562 BCE. The Ishtar Gate was a glazed-brick structure depicting bulls and dragons. The gate was reached via the Processional Way, lined with figures of striding lions. The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG) in Copenhagen is in possession of three glazed-brick reliefs from the Babylonian entrance complex, acquired by the museum in 1930 from the Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin. The reliefs comprise one of each type of animal.
Despite earlier studies of glazed bricks from Babylonia, the nature of especially the blue and turquoise pigments is still debated. The only published investigations into the colored glazes of the monumental gate complex were carried out in the 1980’s by Fitz and Matson . However, neither of the two studies includes bricks from the Ishtar Gate. Moreover, they are not conclusive concerning the identification of the pigments used for the blue and turquoise-green glazes.
The three reliefs in the NCG offer a rare opportunity to investigate the pigments used for the monumental structure. In this preliminary study, the blue and turquoise-green glazes on the reliefs have been examined using X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), polarised light microscopy, and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).
Besides settling the discussion concerning the nature of the pigments, the identification of the constituents of the glazes will offer important insights into the trade of materials and crafts involved in the embellishment.
W.M.F. Petrie’s excavations at the north end of Memphis unearthed in 1909 remains of the royal pa... more W.M.F. Petrie’s excavations at the north end of Memphis unearthed in 1909 remains of the royal palace of Apries, 26th Dynasty, 589–568 BCE. That same year the Glyptotek in Copenhagen received a number of painted limestone relief fragments belonging to the palace (ref 1). Unfortunately Petrie gave no details as to where in the palace the fragments were found and the original setting remains today unknown. However, it is safe to say that they are pieces of a monumental wall decoration that could have adorned the great gate of the palace.
Several fragments have been analysed by non-destructive micro-XRF spectroscopy using an ARTAX-800 from Bruker with a spatial resolution of 70 micrometres. Seen from an archaeometric point of view the data obtained for the yellow colour is interesting. Here the K-alpha line of As overlaps with the L-alpha line of Pb. This would usually be resolved looking at the M-alpha line for Pb, but in this case the instrument was equipped with a Mo X-ray tube causing a further overlap, this time with the Mo K-alpha line and the Pb M-alpha line. The issue was resolved using LA-ICP-MS, which showed beyond any doubt that there was used a Pb-containing pigment.
The conservation-scientific and archaeological aspect of this use of a lead-containing pigment will be dealt with in a forthcoming publication from the ‘Transmission & Transformation’ project conducted at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in collaboration with the British Museum.
Textiles comprise a vast and wide category of material culture and constitute a crucial part of t... more Textiles comprise a vast and wide category of material culture and constitute a crucial part of the ancient economy. Yet, studies of classical antiquity still often leave out this important category of material culture, partly due to the textiles themselves being only rarely preserved in the archaeological record. This neglect is also prevalent in scholarship on ancient Greek religion and ritual, although it is one of the most vibrant and rapidly developing branches of classical scholarship.
The aim of the present enquiry is, therefore, to introduce textiles into the study of ancient Greek religion and thereby illuminate the roles textiles played in the performance of Greek ritual and their wider consequences. Among the questions posed are how and where we can detect the use of textiles in the sanctuaries, and how they were used in rituals including their impact on the performance of these rituals and the people involved.
The dissertation adopts a broad, inclusive chronological scope to document the presence and ritual use of textiles in ancient Greek sanctuaries. The documentation includes source material primarily from the period from the 7th century until the end of the 1st millennium BC, with comparative archaeological evidence from other periods. Similarly, a broad geographical scope is adopted, thus providing useful comparanda. I do not confine myself to the area of modern Greece or the Aegean but, where relevant, include comparative material from a wider area across the Mediterranean from Southern Italy to the Near East, yet still with a primary focus on the Aegean.
The dissertation is centred on three major themes: first, the dedication of textiles and clothing accessories in Greek sanctuaries is investigated through a thorough examination of the temple inventories, primarily from the late 5th to the 1st century BC. Second, the use of textiles to dress ancient cult images is explored. The examination of Hellenistic and Roman copies of ancient cult images from Asia Minor as well as depictions of cult images in vase-painting in collocation with written sources illustrates the existence of this particular ritual custom in ancient Greece. Third, the existence of dress codes in the Greek sanctuaries is addressed through an investigation of the existence of particular attire for ritual personnel as well as visitors to the sanctuaries with the help of iconography, such as sculpture and vas- painting and written sources.
By merging the study of Greek religion and the study of textiles, the current dissertation illustrates how textiles are, indeed, central materialisations of Greek cult, by reason of their capacity to accentuate and epitomize aspects of identity, spirituality, position in the religious system, by their forms as links between the maker, user, wearer, but also as key material agents in the performance of rituals and communication with the divine. In sum, the present dissertation demonstrates the importance of taking textiles into account in the study of ancient Greek religion.
Dyes in History and Archaeology (DHA) is an annual international conference that focuses on the a... more Dyes in History and Archaeology (DHA) is an annual international conference that focuses on the academic discussion of dyes and organic pigments used in the past. Every year since 1982, this meeting has drawn together conservators, curators, (technical) art historians, craftspeople, artists, scientists, and academics from museums, universities, research centres, and other public or private institutions. The aim of the conference is to bring these specialists together to delve deeply into the history, archaeology, production and application, and properties of organic colourants, as well as their analytical characterization and identification. The focus is often on textile objects, but also on other substrates as well as painted surfaces from all chronological periods. The 42 nd annual meeting will be hosted in Copenhagen from Tuesday the 31 st of October to Friday the 3 rd of November 2023 at the University of Copenhagen.
The conference is organised as part of the international research network Euroweb, which seeks to... more The conference is organised as part of the international research network Euroweb, which seeks to rewrite the History of Europe based on its production, trade, consumption and reuse of textiles and dress. EuroWeb fosters a pan-European network of scholars from academia, museums, conservation, as well as cultural and creative industries. Scholars from several disciplines of the Humanities (philology, art history, archaeology, history), Social Sciences (e.g. social anthropology, ethnology) and Natural Sciences (e.g. geochemistry, conservation) join forces to bridge current cultural and geographical gaps and facilitate interdisciplinary research.
The objective of this conference is to bring together experts from various disciplines and working on diverse chronological periods (from Prehistory to 21st c.) and geographical areas to address the question of clothing as an expression of identity.
The conference is divided in 3 main themes:
1. Gender and age | The use of textiles and dress to express aspects of identity, particularly age and gender, as part of a non-verbal communication system. How do gender and age through clothing express one’s place in the economic, social, and productive spheres in ancient and historical societies?
2. Clothing regulations | The existence of legal and normative frameworks, sumptuary laws and religious prescriptions aimed at regulating dress. How and to which extent did sumptuary laws and prohibitions shape ancient and historical clothing?
3. Clothing identities in museums | How can we rethink and re-make dress exhibitions in museums in a more inclusive way, and discuss their colonial, ethnic, nationalistic, and religious markers and symbolism? We also welcome papers presenting various dissemination strategies to prompt interaction between textile collections in museums and the public.
We aim to publish the outcome of the conference (as multi-author contributions) as part of the forthcoming EuroWeb Anthology (2024).
Textiles have largely disappeared from the archaeological record, which makes a study of them som... more Textiles have largely disappeared from the archaeological record, which makes a study of them something of a challenge. A study of ancient textiles must therefore be based, to a large extent, on secondary sources. Iconography is a particularly crucial source of information about ancient textiles and dress, especially in societies where we only have limited written sources. Thus, a wealth of information on ancient textiles is available from ancient depictions in, for instance, sculpture, vase-painting, figurines, reliefs, mosaics and coins. However, making sense of images can be difficult, although we still tend to take the process of interpreting images very much for granted. A constant problem for anyone interpreting ancient iconography is therefore determining how we interpret what we see. The most important problem with the use of iconography as a source on ancient societies is the extent to which iconography corresponds to reality. There is no doubt that images are not simple replicas or photographs of reality, and that they were not produced to document or to provide information. Instead, iconography may draw on and select elements from the surrounding world that were 'recognisable' to the ancient audience. Thus, in many cases, the images reflect the perceptions, ideologies, and ideas of the society in which they were produced. Furthermore, reading images is not just a question of decoding a single meaning, since the interpretations of images changes from context to context depending on the various viewers and their expectations. In ancient societies, dress was used to signal aspects of identity such as gender, status, ethnicity, and age, as well as position in the social hierarchy. Dress was also used to indicate specific professions or one's position in religious hierarchies. In consequence, textiles are often represented in detail in iconography, permitting analysis of a broad spectrum of issues. Furthermore, textile production was an important element of ancient economy as well as social and cultural life and textile tools and scenes of textile production were therefore depicted in art. This workshop addresses the topic of representations of textiles in ancient visual arts and how we should interpret these depictions.
This paper presents an interdisciplinary assessment of the authenticity of seven fragmented Etrus... more This paper presents an interdisciplinary assessment of the authenticity of seven fragmented Etruscan pinakes from the collection at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. Etruscan pinakes are painted terracotta plaques belonging to the period from the end of the sixth century and the beginning of the fifth century BCE. The majority carry painted figurative decoration, sometimes indicated by underlying incised sketches. The motifs include warriors, charioteers, processions, women and men, and creatures such as sphinxes and gorgons. Pinakes are among the most intriguing artefacts of the Etruscan culture.
The artefacts were examined separately by a classical archaeologist performing a stylistic assessment, a paintings conservator analysing the painted decorations, and a physicist performing thermoluminescence (TL) dating and provenance determination. As a precaution to avoid biased results, the study was carried out blind. The examinations show that four of the artefacts are genuine, whereas three are of a more dubious origin. This study emphasises the complexity of determining the authenticity of ancient artefacts and the importance of including polychromy studies when assessing the authenticity of painted artefacts.
The ancient world was full of colour. This is attested by iconography, written sources, and not l... more The ancient world was full of colour. This is attested by iconography, written sources, and not least the faint remains of pigments recovered on ancient artworks. Thus, watercolours painted in the 1800s and modern scientific examinations in particular attest that e.g. the ancient temples were painted, often in vivid colours. The Parthenon temple on the Athenian Acropolis is a marvellous example of this. Also sculpture, whether in marble or terracotta, were painted in a wealth of colours. Thus, the notion of antiquity dominated by white marble surfaces has nothing to do with the ancient realities. Yet paint was not the only way of adding colour. Textiles dyed in a variety of colours were used as furnishings for architecture including doorway covers, room dividers, curtains, wall-hangings, awnings, as well as decorations. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that textiles were used to dress ancient sculptures, in particular those being the objects of religious worship. This means that not only paint, but also textiles were employed to add colour to sculptures. Thus, ancient art and architecture was far from static, white buildings or objects, but rather colourful, changeable and expressive.
Pigments and Dyes. Representation of garments on Egyptian mummy portraits Cecilie BrønsKeywords:... more Pigments and Dyes. Representation of garments on Egyptian mummy portraits Cecilie BrønsKeywords: ancient polychromy, ancient dyes, mummy portraits. The present paper addresses the link between polychrome painting and textiles. Up until now, research has primarily focused on a specific category of materials, such as painting with pigments on stone and terracotta or the use of colourants for the dyeing of textiles. It turns out, however, that there are several examples of materials being used for colourants for painting as well as for dyeing textiles. This is the case, for instance, with murex purple, kermes, madder, woad, and indigo. Madder lake is particularly interesting, since it can be tracked with the aid of UV light as the pigment fluoresces in a particular coral red shade. The examination of madder can contribute important knowledge as to how colours were chosen to be depicted and the significance of this, for instance, as to whether the “right” pigments were used to depict clothes, but also to a deeper understanding of the craftsmen’s traditions. This may indicate that, to a far higher degree, we are dealing with an overlap between the various craft traditions with regard to the use and procurement of raw materials for the colouration of the ancient world. The present paper has its point of departure in the scientific examinations of the mummy portraits of men and women from the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the National Museum of Denmark. The portraits belong to the 2nd century CE and are from the Fayum in Egypt. The examinations of the mummy portraits are compared with examinations of ancient dyes and garments.
Etruscan terracotta artefacts often retain a substantial amount of their original polychromy prov... more Etruscan terracotta artefacts often retain a substantial amount of their original polychromy providing us with the material clues essential to form a well-founded understanding of the original appearance and the way it was obtained. Six Etruscan antefixes dating from the 5th to the 4th century B.C.E. have undergone a technical investigation at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek focusing on their polychromy.
Initially, the antefixes were examined by means of microscopy, visible-induced luminescence (VIL) imaging, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, and energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Also, in order to identify a potential binding medium, a single sample was analysed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
As a means to translate our findings into a visual impression, we have had a visual reconstruction made. Although it is well-known that Etruscan terracottas were painted, we have become accustomed to their more subdued, faded, and “antique” look, thus forgetting how bright and extremely colourful these items originally were. This carries great importance to the interpretation of the colourful appearance of Etruscan architecture and its effect on the ancient spectator.
Textiles were dedicated as votive offerings in certain sanctuaries. Though disappeared today due ... more Textiles were dedicated as votive offerings in certain sanctuaries. Though disappeared today due to their fragile nature, textiles are attested in iconographic representations and in epigraphic records, in particular in the so-called temple inventories recovered over large parts of Greece. These inventories, belonging to the second half of the 1st millennium BC, show that textiles were primarily offered by women to female deities. These textiles were not only dedicated as offerings, but also used in rituals involving the dressing of cult statues -a custom attested in written sources as well as in iconography. The present lecture presents some of the evidence for the dedication and use of textiles in sanctuaries to clarify women's role in ritual and dedicatory practices.
Sektion 1-Status Quo 14:45 Lastre Campana: aspetti della produzione e della funzionalità e rappor... more Sektion 1-Status Quo 14:45 Lastre Campana: aspetti della produzione e della funzionalità e rapporti con generi diversi di arte decorativa (Stefano Tortorella/Rom) 15:30 Alles neu? Die Campana-Reliefs und ihre etruskisch-italischen Vorläufer (Rudolf Känel/Basel) 16:45 Reliefs aus Ton und Stein. Überlegungen zur Ornamentik der sog. Campanareliefs und der Dekoration in Stein im spätrepublikanischen und frühkaiserzeitl. Mittelitalien (Jon Albers/Bochum) 17:30 Campana-Reliefs im Kontext des architek-tonischen decorum der späten Republik und frühen römischen Kaiserzeit (Dominik Maschek/Oxford) 19:00 Video Presentation Architectural Terracottas FREITAG, 09.04.2021 09:00 Die Wirkung des schönen Dachrands: Zum Motiv der durchbrochenen Krönung in der römischen Architektur (Arne Reinhardt/Heidelberg) Sektion 2-Bebilderte Architektur 09:45 Le ninfe danzanti ai lati del palladio e la grande molteplicità di temi nelle lastre Campana della Casa di Ottaviano sul Palatino: tra espressione della pietas e rifunzionalizzazioni in chiave propagandistica (Patrizio Pensabene/Rom) 10:45 Campana Reliefs produced in Greece (Achaea): Repertoire, function, semiotics (Elena Partida/Patras) 11:30 Capuanische Architekturterrakotten aus der spätrepu-blikanischen und frühen Kaiserzeit (Natalie Wagner/Rom) 13:30 FALAE sunt turres ligneae: Untersuchungen zu Circus-Darstellungen auf Campana Platten (Jessica Bartz/Berlin) 14:15 Die Bilderwelt römischer Architekturterrakotten im Kontext des fundamentalen Bildwandels am Übergang von Republik und Kaiserzeit (Manuel Flecker/Kiel) Sektion 3-Gesammelte Bilder
Since the Neolithic, the colour blue has been highly prized all along the Nile Valley, where its ... more Since the Neolithic, the colour blue has been highly prized all along the Nile Valley, where its strong relation to the divine is particularly embodied by the god Amun. Blue pigments and dyes occupied a very special place in the visual landscape, where they adorned temples, palaces, statues, and people's bodies thanks to a large repertoire of blue cloths and personal ornaments. The workshop will focus on the powerful colour blue in ancient Egypt and Sudan, exploring the relations between different media-architecture, statuary, and costume-and different material-pigments and dyes. We especially welcome papers on the following themes: • Interdisciplinary research between archaeology, art history, museum conservation, and natural sciences. • New laboratory techniques in pigment and dye identification. • The diversity of blue objects and the use of blue on the monumental landscape. • The use of the colour blue in body practices. The first day of the workshop will be dedicated to presentations, while the second day will propose hands-on experiments.
Today we address the topic of Clothing identities in Museums :)
Join us on EuroWeb YouTube channe... more Today we address the topic of Clothing identities in Museums :) Join us on EuroWeb YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/YXDGgsq1Z4w
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Books by Cecilie Brøns
Among the questions posed are how and where we can detect the use of textiles in the sanctuaries, and how they were used in rituals including their impact on the performance of these rituals and the people involved. Chapters centre on three themes: first, the dedication of textiles and clothing accessories in Greek sanctuaries is investigated through a thorough examination of the temple inventories. Second, the use of textiles to dress ancient cult images is explored. The examination of Hellenistic and Roman copies of ancient cult images from Asia Minor as well as depictions of cult images in vase-painting in collocation with written sources illustrates the existence of this particular ritual custom in ancient Greece. Third, the existence of dress codes in the Greek sanctuaries is addressed through an investigation of the existence of particular attire for ritual personnel as well as visitors to the sanctuaries with the help of iconography and written sources.
By merging the study of Greek religion and the study of textiles, the current study illustrates how textiles are, indeed, central materialisations of Greek cult, by reason of their capacity to accentuate and epitomize aspects of identity, spirituality, position in the religious system, by their forms as links between the maker, user, wearer, but also as key material agents in the performance of rituals and communication with the divine.
Papers by Cecilie Brøns
The paper thus argues that the ancient experience of sculptural art, particularly cult statues, was multisensorial. The statues were not simply visual phenomena experienced from a distance. Instead, the artistic exploitation and manipulation of the senses governed and shaped the experience of ancient cult images.
and charcoal black. The proteinaceous binding medium was identified as collagen-based and possibly also keratin-based animal glue. The examinations of the Palmyrene portraits in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek have proven that these artefacts, despite their current uniform, white appearance, originally presented themselves in a wealth of colours. This is illustrated by the digital reconstructions carried out of two of the examined portraits, which show how the original painting of these portraits would have given them an entirely different expression from what we see today.
there are several sources that can provide important information. This chapter will review these different sources with a focus on archaeological textiles, ancient dyes and written sources, as well as polychrome sculpture.
challenges related to the communication of polychromy research. The vestiges of paint on ancient marble surfaces are far too
scarce and too degraded to allow factual reconstructions. However, when communicating long-lost polychromy, it is necessary to
use colour representation in order to illustrate current interpretations of paint traces. Although measures are taken to explain the
shortcomings of the colour representations, they are often mistakenly perceived as actual reconstructions. The paper aims to clarify
why the illustrative representations are so easily mistaken for reconstructions and proposes simple measures that can help reduce
misunderstandings.
Among the questions posed are how and where we can detect the use of textiles in the sanctuaries, and how they were used in rituals including their impact on the performance of these rituals and the people involved. Chapters centre on three themes: first, the dedication of textiles and clothing accessories in Greek sanctuaries is investigated through a thorough examination of the temple inventories. Second, the use of textiles to dress ancient cult images is explored. The examination of Hellenistic and Roman copies of ancient cult images from Asia Minor as well as depictions of cult images in vase-painting in collocation with written sources illustrates the existence of this particular ritual custom in ancient Greece. Third, the existence of dress codes in the Greek sanctuaries is addressed through an investigation of the existence of particular attire for ritual personnel as well as visitors to the sanctuaries with the help of iconography and written sources.
By merging the study of Greek religion and the study of textiles, the current study illustrates how textiles are, indeed, central materialisations of Greek cult, by reason of their capacity to accentuate and epitomize aspects of identity, spirituality, position in the religious system, by their forms as links between the maker, user, wearer, but also as key material agents in the performance of rituals and communication with the divine.
The paper thus argues that the ancient experience of sculptural art, particularly cult statues, was multisensorial. The statues were not simply visual phenomena experienced from a distance. Instead, the artistic exploitation and manipulation of the senses governed and shaped the experience of ancient cult images.
and charcoal black. The proteinaceous binding medium was identified as collagen-based and possibly also keratin-based animal glue. The examinations of the Palmyrene portraits in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek have proven that these artefacts, despite their current uniform, white appearance, originally presented themselves in a wealth of colours. This is illustrated by the digital reconstructions carried out of two of the examined portraits, which show how the original painting of these portraits would have given them an entirely different expression from what we see today.
there are several sources that can provide important information. This chapter will review these different sources with a focus on archaeological textiles, ancient dyes and written sources, as well as polychrome sculpture.
challenges related to the communication of polychromy research. The vestiges of paint on ancient marble surfaces are far too
scarce and too degraded to allow factual reconstructions. However, when communicating long-lost polychromy, it is necessary to
use colour representation in order to illustrate current interpretations of paint traces. Although measures are taken to explain the
shortcomings of the colour representations, they are often mistakenly perceived as actual reconstructions. The paper aims to clarify
why the illustrative representations are so easily mistaken for reconstructions and proposes simple measures that can help reduce
misunderstandings.
References: [1] Piovesan et al. (2014) Journal of Archaeological Science 46, 68-74; [2] Holakooei et al. (2016a) Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 1-21; [3] Holakooei et al. (2016b) Spectrochimica Acta Part A:
Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 169, 169-174.
In this pilot study we identify collagen alpha-1(I) and collagen alpha-2(I) from Bos Taurus in a sample from a polychrome layer from an architectural element from the Palace of Apries, Egypt, (around 589-568 BCE) using mass spectrometry-based peptide sequencing. Identifications of ancient paint binders will expand our knowledge on painting techniques of Antiquity considerably. Moreover the identifications will improve reconstructions of ancient polychrome artefacts in museum exhibitions.
Despite earlier studies of glazed bricks from Babylonia, the nature of especially the blue and turquoise pigments is still debated. The only published investigations into the colored glazes of the monumental gate complex were carried out in the 1980’s by Fitz and Matson . However, neither of the two studies includes bricks from the Ishtar Gate. Moreover, they are not conclusive concerning the identification of the pigments used for the blue and turquoise-green glazes.
The three reliefs in the NCG offer a rare opportunity to investigate the pigments used for the monumental structure. In this preliminary study, the blue and turquoise-green glazes on the reliefs have been examined using X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), polarised light microscopy, and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).
Besides settling the discussion concerning the nature of the pigments, the identification of the constituents of the glazes will offer important insights into the trade of materials and crafts involved in the embellishment.
Several fragments have been analysed by non-destructive micro-XRF spectroscopy using an ARTAX-800 from Bruker with a spatial resolution of 70 micrometres. Seen from an archaeometric point of view the data obtained for the yellow colour is interesting. Here the K-alpha line of As overlaps with the L-alpha line of Pb. This would usually be resolved looking at the M-alpha line for Pb, but in this case the instrument was equipped with a Mo X-ray tube causing a further overlap, this time with the Mo K-alpha line and the Pb M-alpha line. The issue was resolved using LA-ICP-MS, which showed beyond any doubt that there was used a Pb-containing pigment.
The conservation-scientific and archaeological aspect of this use of a lead-containing pigment will be dealt with in a forthcoming publication from the ‘Transmission & Transformation’ project conducted at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in collaboration with the British Museum.
The aim of the present enquiry is, therefore, to introduce textiles into the study of ancient Greek religion and thereby illuminate the roles textiles played in the performance of Greek ritual and their wider consequences. Among the questions posed are how and where we can detect the use of textiles in the sanctuaries, and how they were used in rituals including their impact on the performance of these rituals and the people involved.
The dissertation adopts a broad, inclusive chronological scope to document the presence and ritual use of textiles in ancient Greek sanctuaries. The documentation includes source material primarily from the period from the 7th century until the end of the 1st millennium BC, with comparative archaeological evidence from other periods. Similarly, a broad geographical scope is adopted, thus providing useful comparanda. I do not confine myself to the area of modern Greece or the Aegean but, where relevant, include comparative material from a wider area across the Mediterranean from Southern Italy to the Near East, yet still with a primary focus on the Aegean.
The dissertation is centred on three major themes: first, the dedication of textiles and clothing accessories in Greek sanctuaries is investigated through a thorough examination of the temple inventories, primarily from the late 5th to the 1st century BC. Second, the use of textiles to dress ancient cult images is explored. The examination of Hellenistic and Roman copies of ancient cult images from Asia Minor as well as depictions of cult images in vase-painting in collocation with written sources illustrates the existence of this particular ritual custom in ancient Greece. Third, the existence of dress codes in the Greek sanctuaries is addressed through an investigation of the existence of particular attire for ritual personnel as well as visitors to the sanctuaries with the help of iconography, such as sculpture and vas- painting and written sources.
By merging the study of Greek religion and the study of textiles, the current dissertation illustrates how textiles are, indeed, central materialisations of Greek cult, by reason of their capacity to accentuate and epitomize aspects of identity, spirituality, position in the religious system, by their forms as links between the maker, user, wearer, but also as key material agents in the performance of rituals and communication with the divine. In sum, the present dissertation demonstrates the importance of taking textiles into account in the study of ancient Greek religion.
The objective of this conference is to bring together experts from various disciplines and working on diverse chronological periods (from Prehistory to 21st c.) and geographical areas to address the question of clothing as an expression of identity.
The conference is divided in 3 main themes:
1. Gender and age | The use of textiles and dress to express aspects of identity, particularly age and gender, as part of a non-verbal communication system. How do gender and age through clothing express one’s place in the economic, social, and productive spheres in ancient and historical societies?
2. Clothing regulations | The existence of legal and normative frameworks, sumptuary laws and religious prescriptions aimed at regulating dress. How and to which extent did sumptuary laws and prohibitions shape ancient and historical clothing?
3. Clothing identities in museums | How can we rethink and re-make dress exhibitions in museums in a more inclusive way, and discuss their colonial, ethnic, nationalistic, and religious markers and symbolism? We also welcome papers presenting various dissemination strategies to prompt interaction between textile collections in museums and the public.
We aim to publish the outcome of the conference (as multi-author contributions) as part of the forthcoming EuroWeb Anthology (2024).
For more information visit: https://euroweb.uw.edu.pl/news/working-group-2/clothing-identities-conference-call-for-papers/
Magdalena Wozniak, Cecilie Brøns and Paula Nabais
Contact: [email protected]
The artefacts were examined separately by a classical archaeologist performing a stylistic assessment, a paintings conservator analysing the painted decorations, and a physicist performing thermoluminescence (TL) dating and provenance determination. As a precaution to avoid biased results, the study was carried out blind. The examinations show that four of the artefacts are genuine, whereas three are of a more dubious origin. This study emphasises the complexity of determining the authenticity of ancient artefacts and the importance of including polychromy studies when assessing the authenticity of painted artefacts.
Initially, the antefixes were examined by means of microscopy, visible-induced luminescence (VIL) imaging, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, and energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Also, in order to identify a potential binding medium, a single sample was analysed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
As a means to translate our findings into a visual impression, we have had a visual reconstruction made. Although it is well-known that Etruscan terracottas were painted, we have become accustomed to their more subdued, faded, and “antique” look, thus forgetting how bright and extremely colourful these items originally were. This carries great importance to the interpretation of the colourful appearance of Etruscan architecture and its effect on the ancient spectator.
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