Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
This thesis aimed at understanding better pilgrimage in antiquity, through the case study of Aelius Aristides. Through close reading of the Hieroi Logoi, an autobiography written by Aristides, I...Show moreThis thesis aimed at understanding better pilgrimage in antiquity, through the case study of Aelius Aristides. Through close reading of the Hieroi Logoi, an autobiography written by Aristides, I concluded that the initial working definition of pilgrimage should be adapted, which resulted in a new definition: "pilgrimage is travel towards a special place to make contact with the god, in order to give something to the god to get something in return which solves a problem the pilgrim has", furthermore I proposed some ideas for a new typology of pilgrimage, thus trying to understand better pilgrimage in antiquity.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
The main focal point of this thesis are the imperial statues of Roman Egypt. Two distinct styles can be recognized in the sculptures: a traditional Egyptian style and a classical Roman style. The...Show moreThe main focal point of this thesis are the imperial statues of Roman Egypt. Two distinct styles can be recognized in the sculptures: a traditional Egyptian style and a classical Roman style. The research question is dual: Are the stylistic differences of imperial statues from Egypt related to differences in provenance? And does a connection between style and function of imperial statues exist? After giving a general introduction to Roman Egypt and the changes that Roman rule brought forth on a political and military level, a corpus of 37 statues is discussed. The characteristics of each statue are described, with special attention to their provenance. In the fourth chapter contemporary archaeological and written sources are treated, as well as existing theories on the placement and functions of imperial statues. Afterwards the research results are presented and a clear conclusion is drawn.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
This thesis shows a study into the minimally researched topic of why the sons of Horus appear so important in chapter 125 and their connection with other subjects/objects in the shrine of Osiris....Show moreThis thesis shows a study into the minimally researched topic of why the sons of Horus appear so important in chapter 125 and their connection with other subjects/objects in the shrine of Osiris. Connections between these four subjects/objects are analyzed, made & theorized to understand why they are represented together and to find their (combined) symbolic meaning in the judgment scene. These four are Osiris, Lotus flower, Sons of Horus & the primordial water beneath Osiris' throne.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
The main purpose of this thesis was to systematically study and analyse the scenes showing the catching of waterfowl by means of a hexagonal net found in the published Old Kingdom tombs of the...Show moreThe main purpose of this thesis was to systematically study and analyse the scenes showing the catching of waterfowl by means of a hexagonal net found in the published Old Kingdom tombs of the Memphite area and by doing so trying to understand all technical aspects of this net. Although the percentage of scenes showing the catching of waterfowl with a hexagonal net is very small within the decoration program of the tombs (1%: 70 out of 6943 registers), fowling with a ‘hexagonal net’ is the most popular way of fowling depicted.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
closed access
For the ancient Egyptians magic was a means of controlling an otherwise uncontrollable world. The execration ritual was one such means of control. The execration ritual was a magical means of...Show moreFor the ancient Egyptians magic was a means of controlling an otherwise uncontrollable world. The execration ritual was one such means of control. The execration ritual was a magical means of protection and defense against the traditional enemies of the pharaoh as well as against personal enemies. The ritual, which has been compared to modern voodoo, often involved writing the name of an enemy on a figurine and stabbing, breaking or spitting on it before burying it. Evidence of over one thousand of these rituals have been uncovered in locations throughout Egypt and took place from the Old Kingdom through the Greco-Roman period. Often execration figurines have been overlooked and neglected for study in museums around the world, likely because these objects were often purchased in the early history of the museum without a known provenance. Three examples of execration figurines from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo are unique. These limestone figurines were enclosed in travertine boxes, which are comprised of a unique shape. This study explores the probable date, find locations, use and symbolism of these figurines, in an effort to expand the state of knowledge about execration figurines and the ritual for which they were used.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
closed access
A semantic study on hosios and cognates which compares the semantics and the uses of hosios in Euripides, Isocrates and Xenophon to Plato’s and focuses on Plato's (persuasive) use of the term.
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
In Vergil’s Aeneid, Aeneas finds himself in a situation in which he is being led by his fatum while being leader of the Trojans. It is up to him to on the one hand motivate the other Trojans to...Show moreIn Vergil’s Aeneid, Aeneas finds himself in a situation in which he is being led by his fatum while being leader of the Trojans. It is up to him to on the one hand motivate the other Trojans to follow his lead and to on the other hand motivate himself to follow the demands his fatum makes of him. Aeneas finds himself in three situations regarding his fatum: situations in which (1) he is openly forced by his fatum to behave a certain way and he has no choice but to submit, (2) gods and ghosts advise him on which path to follow, but he has some room to decide for himself how to react, and (3) he is free to choose his actions with little to no interference from his fatum. In the first kind of situation, Aeneas proves his worth as a leader by trying to take the time to set some form of hierarchy, to put the situation into his own perspective, and to thank the gods before taking action as required by his fatum. The second kind of situation allows Aeneas to really think about the consequences of all possibilities of action and to deliberate with others before acting. The final kind of situation truly shows Aeneas’ pius personality as a leader of the Trojans. Without force from his fatum, he want the others to know he is one of them and the honor of his father and his homeland weights heaviest when facing his own moral dilemmas.Show less
