Cheryl Hart PhD Candidate

Transcription

1 Cheryl Hart PhD Candidate

2 Rosette Types Photos: Cheryl Hart

3 Theoretical Perspective Iconography: Meaning of works of art Non-verbal communication Visual Images: Cognitive influence Memorialise remembrance Semiotic Theory: Emphasis on form of image Meaning based on image as visual symbol

4 Case Study: The Rosette Motif & Solar Symbolism Hittite Seal Impression depicting Solar Motif (Image: Macqueen 1996: Fig. 85b)

5 Solar Mythology: Generally relates to an association between the daily transit of sun through the heavens and a cycle of birth, death & rebirth

6 Supremacy of Sun: The emblem of the creative spirit that permeates the whole world (Naydler 1996:2)

7 Solar symbolism carried a significant meaning indicated by the contexts & associations of its appearances (Goodison 1989:1)

8 Iconographic Representations of the Sun in the Ancient World: It needs to be ascertained what can reasonably be taken as an intentional representation of the sun (Goodison 1989: 1) Image: Adapted from Goodison 1989: Fig. 14

9 The Rosette Motif as a Symbolic Representation of the Sun in the Ancient World: It needs to be ascertained whether it is reasonable to accept the rosette motif, in some contexts, as intentionally being used to represent the sun (Hart 2014) Image: Adapted from Goodison 1989: Fig. 14

10 Kings & Solar Associations Rameses II - Son of Re standing before the god. Karnak Temple (Photo: Cheryl Hart) Image of Louis XIV as Sun-King. Palace of Versailles (Image:

11 Royal Regalia & Solar Symbolism Diadem belonging to one of wives of Tuthmose IV MMA Inv Diadem of Queen Puabi. Found in Royal Grave at Ur. (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

12 Royal Regalia & Solar Symbolism Diadem on statue of Princess Nofret Egyptian Museum, Cairo Inv. CG4 Crown worn by Ashurbanipal on relief from Palace at Nineveh. British Museum Inv. WA (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

13 Royal Regalia & Solar Symbolism Attendant carrying royal sceptre NW Palace of Assurnasirpal II at Nimrud British Museum WA (Photo: Cheryl Hart) Rosette Wristbands Detail of relief from NW Palace of Assurnasirpal II at Nimrud British Museum WA (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

14 Royal Regalia & Solar Symbolism Detail of relief from Palace of Sargon II, Khorsabad British Museum Inv (Photo: C. Hart) Sandal from Tomb of Tutankhamun Egyptian Museum, Cairo

15 Solar Beliefs: Mesopotamia Solar beliefs rested predominantly on: Justice Cosmic harmony Duality between day & night / light & dark Supremacy of Order versus Chaos

16 Symbolic regeneration of time Dramatic ritual in which king reactualised great cosmogenic moment Ensured order of both cosmos and human society New Year Festivals

17 New Year Festival: Babylon

18 New Year Festival: Persepolis

19 Cosmic Mountains: Gateways of the Gods Rise of cosmic mountains from the primordial waters (Image: Cylinder seal impression depicting Sungod Shamash rising up from the cosmic mountain and through the gates of heaven. British Museum Inv

20 Temple of Ashur (Assur) Modern view of remains of ancient city of Ashur Site plan of Ashur

21 Gate Guardians of the Sun-God Cylinder seal impression of Guardians at gateway of Sun-God as he passed from interior of heaven to living world

22 The Rosette,Winged Sun-disc & Bison-Men as Aspects of Solar Symbolism In Near Eastern solar beliefs, Bison-Men, were regarded as guardians of gate used by sun-god passing from interior of heaven to world each morning (Huxley 2000: 120) Orthostat from Palace at Tell Halaf (Image: Frankfort 1963: Plate 147)

23 The Rosette as a Solar Symbol in Egyptian Ceiling Frescoes: Tombs Allard 19 th Pierson Dynasty Museum, tomb recently Amsterdam discovered Inv at Luxor. (Photo: Fresco Cheryl in situ Hart) Facsimile painting of Ceiling Fresco from tomb at Qurna, Thebes MMA, New York Inv

24 The Rosette as a Solar Symbol in Egyptian Ceiling Frescoes: Tombs Tomb Reconstruction TT338 From Deir el-medina. Late 18 th Dynasty Museo Egizio, Turin Inv. S.7919 (Photo: Cheryl Hart) Facsimile of Ceiling Fresco from Tomb of Neferhotep at Thebes. Liverpool World Museum Inv (Image: Bienkowski & Tooley 1995: Fig. 31)

25 The Rosette as a Solar Symbol in Egyptian Ceiling Frescoes: Palaces Ceiling Fresco from Palace of Amenhotep III, Malqata - Palace of the Dazzling Sun- Disc. MMA, New York Inv

26 Ceiling Fresco:?Cosmic Symbolism Ceiling in Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el- Bahari (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

27 The Rosette as a Solar Symbol in Aegean Reliefs & Frescoes Decorative Ceiling Relief c BC Herakleion Archaeology Museum (Image: Sakellarakis 1985) Wall Fresco from Palace at Tiryns Thirteenth Century BC Archaeological Museum of Nauplion (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

28 The Rosette as a possible Solar Symbol in Aegean Material Culture? Pithos (& detail) from Pseira, Crete Herakleion Archaeology Museum (Image: Alexiou 1968)

29 The Rosette as a Solar Symbol in Minoan Material Culture Rock-crystal rosette from Palace of Knossos c1600 BC Herakleion Archaeology Museum (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

30 The Rosette as a Solar Symbol at Palace of Knossos Throne Room at Palace of Knossos

31 The Rosette as a Representation of the Sun within the Near Eastern Winged Sun-Disc: Architectural Elements Hittite Funerary Stele (Photo: Cheryl Hart) Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin Inv (Photo: Cheryl Hart)

32 The Rosette as a Representation of the Sun within the Near Eastern Winged Sun-Disc: Architectural Elements Orthostats at entrance to Syro-Hittite Palace at Sakjegözü, Northern Syria BC (Amiet et al 1981; Frankfort 1963)

33 The Rosette as a Representation of the Sun within the Near Eastern Winged Sun-Disc: Architectural Elements Detail from Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III. c827 BC British Museum Inv. ME118885

34 The Rosette as a Representation of the Sun in Association with Lunar Symbolism Old Babylonian Terracotta Plaque California Museum of Ancient Art Modern Impression from Syrian Cylinder Seal (Image: Frankfort 1939: Plate XLVf) Gold Ring from the Palace of Tiryns. NAM, Athens Inv (Image: Aruz et al 2008: Fig. 45)

35 Cosmological Mythology & Cognitive Thought: Cosmology of myth = portrayal of inner psychic world Renewal rituals = reconstitutive process in psyche Through myth, people attempted to make sense of the world Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Photo: Cheryl Hart

36 Cosmological Mythology & Cognitive Thought: Image: Perception of light and darkness Relationship between sun & moon Sacred marriage = union of eternity & time

37 Thank you for your attention