Jewish, Early Christian, and Byzantine Art — Unit test Answers

The interesting this about the people oft he Ancient Indus Valley is that the people seem to have just disappeared, and historians and archeologists cannot figure out what happened.

This image is an example of Japanese calligraphy combined with painting, often associated with sumi-e or literati-style brushwork. Its main themes are nature, simplicity, and harmony between words, art, and the natural world.

The building pictured is the Great Mosque of Córdoba, also known as the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. It was begun in the eighth century under Abd al-Rahman I and expanded by later rulers of al-Andalus. After Córdoba was captured by Christian forces in 1236, it was converted into a cathedral. Its artistic features include a vast hall of columns, horseshoe arches, alternating red and white stone, and distinctive double-tiered arches.

Picture 1 is from ancient Egyptian culture, as shown by the pharaoh, animal-headed deities, and hieroglyphs. Its figures and symbols relate to beliefs about death and the afterlife. I can’t reliably identify or compare Pictures 2 and 3 because they aren’t visible here.

It was found in the Blombos cave in South Africa and dates back more than 70,000 years. This discovery suggests that abstract thought in humans occurred much earlier than once thought, as seen with the complex geometric array of carved lines.

This sculpture is the Male Torso from Harappa, an Indus Valley work known for its naturalistic style. The torso is smooth and simplified, but the body is modeled with careful attention to proportion and realistic form. Its rounded chest and abdomen show an understanding of human anatomy, while the scroll-like shoulders suggest stylized construction. The piece combines realism with abstraction, which makes it especially striking.

This piece is entitled, Bodhisattva. It was located on the wall of a cave in India. This mural, as was with most murals in ancient India, was painted in mineral pigments on a prepared plaster surface. The piece depicted episodes from the Buddha’s past lives. The subject appeared divine, yet human.

This sculpture is entitled Nike of Samothrace. It was created during the Hellenistic period. It is thought to have commemorated an important naval victory, or some other type of war victory.

The Amaravati school of thought often focused on stories from Buddha’s life. The stories would include messages and other dieties instead of just one central Buddha. Two examples of Amaravati sculpture are, Buddha’s Birth, and The Story of the Presents of King Bandhuma.

This sculpture is commonly known as the Priest-King, a bust from Mohenjo-daro in the ancient Indus Valley. It has a headband with a circular ornament and half-closed, slit-shaped eyes. The figure has a carefully carved beard and thick lips. Its robe is decorated with repeated trefoil patterns.