Roman

Pantheon, Rome, Italy,118-125 CE.

Labeled the temple of all the gods, the Pantheon is recognized as one of the best-preserved buildings and most influential designes in architectural history. Hadrian and his engineers took advanced steps in architecture, there was an exploration of concrete structures, as they building layer upon layer to produce the dome, requiring great expertise precision and approach. The building up of the Pantheon was nothing but revolutionary. The interior of the structure containes still the original marble veneer of the walls, niches, and floors. It is said that upon entering the Pantheon the thing that is noticed the most is the use of space. Considering the thickness of the walls, the space within could easily bue seen as a place with little space. Rather, upon entering you become overwhelmed byt he amount of space that can be found, being broken up very little, with the opening of the Oculus 30 ft. above. As the sky shines through the top of the dome, that being the only light source, there is a great sense of space.

Moving on to symbolism, the Pantheon had been made for all gods. It has the ability, with the use of space alone with the open sky to invite, or draw closer to earth the heavens. Portraying the idea that they would like all gods to be a part of their lives. Hadrian was their emperor, as he had build the Pantheon, it represented to his people his views on allowing the gods to play a role in his dicatorship. Whether or not the people saw it as such, I cannot say. But it would be easy to think that by builidng the Pantheon, so monumental as it was, it had a great influence on the way his people looked upon him as their leader.

Greek

Niobid Painter, Orvieto, Italy, ca. 450 BCE. Louvre, Paris.

The Niobid Painter depicts the massacre of the Niobids, the children of Niobe. Niobe was a mother who had at least a dozen children. She had bosted of her children claiming that she was superior to the goddess Leto, who had only two offspring. Leto in turn sent her two sons, Artemis and Apollo to punish and teach Niobe that no mortal could be superior to a god or goddess. Leto had Niobe's children killed.

The story in itself is an interesting one. It describes the goddess Leto as one who feels anger and acts upon her jealously. And if not jealousy, then a goddess who has lack of mercy. By taking away all of Niobe's children it showed that the lesson Leto sought to teach was one that would bring satisfaction to herself and great grief for Niobe. All of this was done because of arrogrance of a mortal. I can't say that I am very familiar with many of the stories that come from greek mythology, but it seeems to be most often implied that the gods are imperfect. With those imperfections comes a lightness in worship. Going back to the story of Niobe, I would like to point out that if in fact there was a profound respect between the mortals and immortals, why then would Niobe claim to be superior? There would be no question of who was greater, if in fact the goddess was one who had been respected or feared.

Prehistoric Aegean

Funerary Mask, from Grave Circle A, Mycenae, creece, ca. 1600-1500 BCE. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

The Funerary Mask is one made of gold. It was one of many found in the royal burial complex. Not quite sure of who the particular person it is fashioned after. It is mentioned in text to possibly be nothing more than a mature man, as is indicated by the facial features (eyes being closed) along with the beard. The goldsmith who had rendered this work took great care in recording different physical types. I chose this art work because it is one that is supposedly often compared to boy-king Tutankhamen's gold mummy mask. Of course there is a great difference in style where the Mycenaean mask is more primitive then that of the Tutankhamen's, but similarly it is easy to note that both masks had something to do with death, and both were made from gold, adding a significant amount of value to the works.

Religiously I am interested in their beliefs of why it was important to take with them to the grave such extravigant things as golden masks. It leans into the idea that sense these particular matierals that had brought supposed happiness in this life it was hoped that they too would have such value in the next life. It then makes a difference in what some value to be more important that what others may. In the LDS religion it is believed that the materials we have in this life will have no value in the life to come. The only things that we can take with us, and that should be our greatest treasures, are our relationships as well as the knowledge we have gained in this life. To compare these things with that of the gold masks, and treasures of a more materialistic form, it would be interesting to see how they might have looked upon family or knowledge, and why was it they chose rather to emmerse themselves after death in things such as gold and jewels rather than by family, or the things that they had learned.

Egyptian

Last Judgement of Hu-Nefer, Thebes, Egypt, 19th Dynasty, ca. 1290-1280. British Museum, London.

Death is something familiar to everyone. It is something that brings fear and great saddness, but it is also something that brings much wonderment. Most often the ideas of the afterlife are explained through religious beliefs. There is a form of comfort brought to many through the idea of an afterlife, where living does not come to an end, but rather has the ability to continue in whole nother rhelm. This most often is recognized as Heaven and Hell.

The scroll of Hu-Nefer, a royal scribe and stewart of Seti I, was found in his tomb representing the final judgement of the deceased. The god of the dead and kid of the Underworld, Osiris, is found the the right with his sister Isis. Hu-Nefer is being lead to Osiris by the god, Anubis. Along the path there is a god weighing Hu-Nefer's heart against the feather of the goddess Maat, protectress of truth and right. The god Ammit, devourer of the sinful (with the crocodile-hippo-lion head) awaits the decision of the scale. There is another god, Ibis who is recording the proceedings. Hu-Nefer is brought before Osiris, having been justified by the scales. Above this described scene Hu-Nefer is found kneeling in reverence towards the gods of the Egyptian Pantheon.

As the scroll as found in the tomb of Hu-Neffer it is easy to recongize the desires that Hu-Neffer had had once he had died. The judgement it something discussed in many relgions, and it is obvious that any who are believers in the final judgement will want nothing more than to receive the best, most merciful judgement. In Hu-Neffers case, he portrayed as best he could, his faithfulness to the gods in whom he worshiped. Not only this but it was displayed upon a scroll, in that it might be recognized by all that this was what his final judgment should in fact entail. Who wouldn't want the best, really? It is interesting to note the scale, and what has been placed upon it; a heart and a feather. The heart represents the desires and intents, the feather truth and right. This is interesting to me because it seems that the heart would be, to most, if not all, the thing that would determine best the reasoning behind actions that were made throughout ones life. It is something recognized back then, as well as now, where we all desire the best judgement, and feel that it is through our hearts that that judgement can be determined.

Ancient Near Eastern

Statuettes from the Square Temple, Eshnunna, Iraq,ca. 2700 BCE

For the main theme of my journal entries, I wish the focus solely on Religion. I chose this in an attempt to understand better the way different cultures from the past valued their beliefs. In ways of worship, it is interesting to me when I am able to make a connection, having recognized similarities between nowdays to thousands of years before. I chose this particular piece to discuss for the Ancient Near Eastern period because I am not only entertained by the work, but there are several symbols that I am well aquatined with in my own acts of worhsip.

The statuettes in this work were carved from soft gypsum and inlaid with shell and black limestone, ranging from the size of well under a foot to about 30 inches tall. The largest figures found are the two that are shown above. The Sumerian religious beliefs are made clearer as the figures are clearly in the act of worship. It is important to mention that these two figures are mortal. Their faces are raised toward heaven with wide-eyed expressions, said to represent an "eternal wakefulness necessary to fulfill their duty." Their hands are folded in front of their chest taking on the nature of prayer, where in their hands they are holding a cup of some sort, most likely used in a religious rite. It is interesting also to mention the small foot placed beside the lady figure. Easily enough it could be recognized as belonging to a child. I am interested in this mainly because the figures were found within the temple. Not only are they in acts of worship, but there is a child present as well. Rituals were most often made by thoes who held some form of power, such as a priest. This particular piece of artwork allows you to assume that children as well as men and woman have the ability to be found in acts of worship. Religious rites most often are taken away from those deemed uworthy, in that mortals are given the opportunity to act upon relgious rites it would be easy to consider that there was less of a emphasis in the Sumarian religion on whom could worship, but rather that all could participate in an attempt to draw closer to the dieties.