During the shift from the Hallstatt to the La Tène period, we can observe through the archaeological record the upcoming importance of iron in the central European Celtic culture. The ample...Show moreDuring the shift from the Hallstatt to the La Tène period, we can observe through the archaeological record the upcoming importance of iron in the central European Celtic culture. The ample discovery of long swords, daggers, spearheads and other sorts of weaponry, suggests a significant value given to these items of war. Lavished burials and large votive deposits in water-bodies such as the renowned lake of La Tène, provide us with an ever growing record. When we zoom in on the Celtic long sword, we can observe an interesting commonly found feature, namely punch marks. These are small, round marks occurring on the blade of some of the long swords and can be found as single marks, sometimes two, or occasionally even three marks on a single blade. Recurring themes on these punchmarks are animals which were more often depicted in the Celtic world. Interestingly, zoomorphic marks only represent boars, birds, horses or bulls, yet considering the large range of animals that were included in La Tène art, there must have been a specific meaning linked to these animals. For the larger part, these animals have a clear explanation as to why they are depicted on these items of warfare; the boars for their ferocity and violence, the horses for their use in combat, and the bulls for their strength and impressive stature. When we look at birds, the scavenger birds such as ravens were renowned for their pitilessness and them being the scavengers of war. However, when we look at the six known bird-like punch marks, we can identify three of them as being scavenger birds, and three of them as being a waterbird-like species. In this research, I will be solely focusing on three punch marks, which are situated on swords found in Ilbesheim, Heuchelheim and La Tène, and I will attempt to establish a clear linkage between the symbols and warfare. The observed fact that there are waterbird-like symbols on swords, raises the question what the linkage between waterbirds and warfare could be, and if we are actually able to attempt to give meaning to their symbolism. Hence, my main question arose, i.e. can a clear linkage between the Celtic waterbird imagery and warfare be established through the use of contextual analysis of similar Celtic waterbird imagery? And if I cannot establish a clear linkage to warfare, are there any other linkages that can be made?Show less
This thesis examines how European states employ banknote iconography to build national identity and transnational identity, as well as to seek state legitimacy. Using methods and theories from...Show moreThis thesis examines how European states employ banknote iconography to build national identity and transnational identity, as well as to seek state legitimacy. Using methods and theories from cultural studies and related fields, the thesis demonstrates this use through three case studies: the British pound, Danish krone, and the euro.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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Taweret is known throughout ancient Egypt as one of a multitude of protective deities, with her central intent on safeguarding women and children during the dangerous process of pregnancy,...Show moreTaweret is known throughout ancient Egypt as one of a multitude of protective deities, with her central intent on safeguarding women and children during the dangerous process of pregnancy, childbirth and early childhood. As a minor deity of the Egyptian pantheon, Taweret never had a cult centre in any known settlement and was relegated to small altars within households. Due to her minor status, there have been no in-depth studies to examine her influence within a settlement before. While many Egyptologists have extensively researched the settlement of Deir el-Medina, focus on the role of the goddess Taweret has been relegated to small paragraph descriptions and not of central concern. This paper shall examine the archaeological remains of Deir el-Medina which pertain to Taweret in order to determine the influence of the goddess within this unique community, and the possibility that there may have been a chapel within the community dedicated to her and a priesthood to support her. These archaeological remains shall be classified into: stelae, statues, ostraca, offering basins and grills, amulets, tomb decoration and evidence for a temple in order to give a holistic perspective of her prominence.Show less
This thesis focusses on nine traditional Balinese paintings collected by Ir. T.A. Resink and purchased by the Museum Volkenkunde in 1971. By first identifying the nine paintings that protray the...Show moreThis thesis focusses on nine traditional Balinese paintings collected by Ir. T.A. Resink and purchased by the Museum Volkenkunde in 1971. By first identifying the nine paintings that protray the Arjunawiwaha story it is possible to give more insight into the relationship between the paintings and the textual tradition, and try to contextualize the paintings in their cultural setting.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Oude culturen van de mediterrane wereld (Bachelor)
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Dit onderzoek behandelt de vraag of de koningsbaard, zoals afgebeeld in de Predynastieke Periode, het Oude, en het Nieuwe Rijk een valse baard was, zoals de consensus lijk te zijn binnen de...Show moreDit onderzoek behandelt de vraag of de koningsbaard, zoals afgebeeld in de Predynastieke Periode, het Oude, en het Nieuwe Rijk een valse baard was, zoals de consensus lijk te zijn binnen de Egyptologie, of niet. Voor het beantwoorden van deze vraag beroept de auteur zich op de relevante artefacten, en probeert conclusies te trekken aan de hand van iconografische kenmerken, statistisch onderzoek en psychologische theoriëen.Show less
In this thesis I explore a type of nineteenth century Chinese-made porcelain decorated with human figures and related texts. I look for possible explanations for the fact that this group has...Show moreIn this thesis I explore a type of nineteenth century Chinese-made porcelain decorated with human figures and related texts. I look for possible explanations for the fact that this group has received little attention. I explore the source of the illustrations from a seventeenth century Chinese wood-block printed book showing forty iconic historical figures. My analysis and comparison of the source of the illustrations with the features of the decorated porcelain suggest that the decorations are organized in a consistent and rational way. The visual impact of the icons of exemplary figures on the porcelain becomes more information than decoration.Show less
The Halaf culture is known for having the finest pottery making traditions of the ancient Near East. Its assemblage is dominated by various geometric designs, and a small part of this assemblage is...Show moreThe Halaf culture is known for having the finest pottery making traditions of the ancient Near East. Its assemblage is dominated by various geometric designs, and a small part of this assemblage is comprised of realistic designs. These realistic designs include depictions of objects, structures, animals, and only a few depict human figures. A mere twenty-five depictions to be precise. This thesis has gathered, for the first time ever, all the available Halaf fragments that depict human figures. These images have been found at ten different Halaf sites, where some sites yielded more than one image. All of the images were depicted on “Halaf Fine Ware”, a technologically improved serving vessel, that supposedly changed the way prehistoric people used ceramic wares. Earlier studies have paid attention to different aspects of these anthropomorphic designs. Some studies have focused on the stylistic aspects, and others have also incorporated meaning in their analysis of the images. Yet, no study has incorporated and commented on the context in which these fragments were found. This thesis is data-oriented, and the data set is approached from a variety of analytical perspectives: formal-stylistic, functional, and depositional.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Oude culturen van de mediterrane wereld (Bachelor)
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This thesis sets out to discuss priestly dress by comparing and discussing the modes of dress of the First/ high priest of Amun, the First/high priest of Ptah, Sem and Iwnmutef in two-dimensional...Show moreThis thesis sets out to discuss priestly dress by comparing and discussing the modes of dress of the First/ high priest of Amun, the First/high priest of Ptah, Sem and Iwnmutef in two-dimensional representations in the eighteenth dynasty.Show less
This thesis aims to fill the gap in research on the role of plants in Pre-Columbian societies in the Andes. In this thesis, the role of plants in Moche iconography was studied. An analysis was...Show moreThis thesis aims to fill the gap in research on the role of plants in Pre-Columbian societies in the Andes. In this thesis, the role of plants in Moche iconography was studied. An analysis was conducted on a corpus of 95 roll-out drawings. The roll out drawings are made of pots that belong to phases III and IV. In this thesis a method conceptualized by Luis Jaime Castillo was used. As a distinction was made between three stages in the analytical process, attention was paid to different aspects. First of all, the context in which the pots were produced and distributed was described. This stage was called the pre-iconographic analysis. Subsequently, the images on the pots were examined in the second stage, called iconographic analysis. The recurring plants were identified and described, their known uses were given and at last their iconographic situation was explored. In the third stage, the plants were compared. The small amount of depicted plant species was striking, for only the tillandsia, browningia, opuntia, cereus and echinopsis species were identified, despite the enormous area in which the Moche lived. A comparison between the physical description of the plants and its iconographic representation showed a striking lack of details. This was not expected if these plants had implied specific regions within the landscape and makes it doubtful whether the plants played a possible role as location indicators. The presence of roots, their floating positions and the relation between cacti and scenes that are connected with death, fertility and afterlife suggest a symbolic system of which these plants also formed part. Whereas the cacti were mainly connected to scenes of violence, the tillandsias were often shown with ritual runners, a result for which no explanation could be given.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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Pre-colonial Mixtec codices vividly and colourfully tell about the history and religion of Mixtec polities and have, since the beginning of the 20th century, attracted the interest of many scholars...Show morePre-colonial Mixtec codices vividly and colourfully tell about the history and religion of Mixtec polities and have, since the beginning of the 20th century, attracted the interest of many scholars. Indeed, these historical narratives provide a unique window into ancient Mesoamerican concepts of time, history, drama, worldview and memory. Incorporated in these codices are numerous auditive scenes: events in the story line in which musical behaviour plays an important role. The present thesis examines these scenes, aiming to get a more comprehensive and arguably more full-fledged understanding of musical behaviour in pre-colonial Mixtec society. Since musical behaviour plays an important role in the formation of personal as well as social identities, research into musical behaviour of past cultures can contribute significantly to the knowledge about the worldviews of these cultures. Mixtec codices provide excellent means for this, since the stories in these manuscripts not only tell about individual actions and events in a certain time period, but also include important information about how these events related to a wider, socio-cultural context. By means of a novel, comprehensive approach, consisting of an adapted variant of the Critical Discourse Analysis methodology, this thesis analyses auditive scenes from five Mixtec codices: the Codex Bodley, Codex Colombino-Becker I, Codex Selden, Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus I & Codex Zouche-Nuttall. As such, this thesis examines the role of musical behaviour contained in auditive scenes of pre-colonial Mixtec codices on the levels of the text, their conveyance and their socio-cultural context. The results of these analyses show that musical behaviour played an important role in codices at a variety of levels. Indeed, this thesis shows that, on the basis of a bi-directional relationship, textual analyses of auditive scenes in Mixtec codices can provide important tools for understanding the role musical behaviour played vis-à-vis socio-cultural and ideological dynamics. The oral performance (discursive practice) through which the codices’ stories were reproduced, distributed and consumed was the binding element between the codices’ text and the socio-cultural context. On the basis of these findings, recommendations for further research are provided.Show less
The famous archaeological site of Bamiyan in present day Afghanistan, besides portraying grand achievements of culture and religion, was also the foci for trans migration around the Hindu Kush...Show moreThe famous archaeological site of Bamiyan in present day Afghanistan, besides portraying grand achievements of culture and religion, was also the foci for trans migration around the Hindu Kush region. Between the 5th and 8th centuries, Bamiyan and other adjacent archaeological sites in Central Asia, were connected by a highly developed network of trade. The visual culture of Bamiyan, aside from the two Great Buddhas, suggests there was a necessity to represent ideology and power of the social elite in symbolic ways. At Bamiyan, frescos depict many figures with different type headdresses or crowns. The depiction of these crowns is also found in other archaeological sites and on coins distributed throughout present day Central Asia and China. The details of a headdress or crown suggest characteristics of the social or political identities of the individual or group depicted. The similar type crowns found on figures in other geographical contexts may indicate a degree of interaction between Bamiyan and other religious and trade centers.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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The field of analyzing the ritual traditions found in societies around the globe has long been an area of fruitful study in both archaeology and anthropology. Besides reflecting on some significant...Show moreThe field of analyzing the ritual traditions found in societies around the globe has long been an area of fruitful study in both archaeology and anthropology. Besides reflecting on some significant reconceptualizations relevant to the investigation of ritual, the aim of this thesis is to approach visual imagery as a way of investigating ritual conventionality. In this effort, the compatibility of Roy Rappaport’s model of investigation will be tested on several examples from the archaeological site of Yaxchilan. Working from a theoretical framework focusing on the mental ordering of surroundings manifested in ritual forms, this thesis will explore the value of further interdisciplinary research of the system involving constructed world visions and ritual performance.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
This thesis presents an iconographic study of Classic Maya ceramics. Pictorial polychrome pottery is the primary source of Classic Maya painting that is left to us. In the sixth century we find the...Show moreThis thesis presents an iconographic study of Classic Maya ceramics. Pictorial polychrome pottery is the primary source of Classic Maya painting that is left to us. In the sixth century we find the appearance of unique painting styles, the establishment of elite workshops and works that were so exceptional that they could be linked to specific painters. The painters of these vessels were among the most highly educated people in Maya society. They were educated in Maya history, science, ideology and cosmology and they also learned how to read and write. The elite painted pottery is therefore a fine source to get more information about Maya mythology. By an iconographical study of the Maya ceramic vessels it is determined which scenes from the mythological tale of the Popol Vuh are displayed on the images of the vessels. The Popol Vuh is the creation story of the Maya. The document was written down sometime between 1554 and 1558, by authors that stayed anonymous. It is commonly believed that the story of the Popol Vuh was actually much older and might once have been written in codex form. The Popol Vuh is the most significant source on ancient Maya mythology that survives today. The iconographical research is restricted to the heroic deeds of the Hero Twins, Junajpu and Xb’alanq’e. With the help of the previously identified characteristics of the Hero Twins, these characters are searched on all the available ceramics in the online Maya Vase Database, created by Justin Kerr. By an intense study into the ways that the Hero Twins are displayed on Maya ceramics many stories from the Popol Vuh have been identified. Some represented scenes proved to have been displayed on numerous vessels. Other scenes proved the be less important and were only portrayed sporadically. Multiple scene from the Popol Vuh were not portrayed at all suggesting that these stories were altered or added at a later time.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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This thesis focuses on the interpretation of pages 29 to 46 of the Codex Borgia. This sequence of pages is unique in the corpus of Mexican manuscripts, and it contain very complex imagery. Because...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the interpretation of pages 29 to 46 of the Codex Borgia. This sequence of pages is unique in the corpus of Mexican manuscripts, and it contain very complex imagery. Because of this, these pages have been the centre of many interpretation efforts for already more than a decade. To this day no consensus has been reached about the meaning of the pages. To aid in this matter, this thesis contains three aims: (1) to give an overview of the interpretations made thus far, (2) to identify the specific problems in the interpretation process in order to recommend future lines of research, and (3) to expand upon the knowledge of the imagery through a structural analysis of them from the perspective of narratology. First, an overview of eight interpretations has been created. Secondly, these interpretations have been evaluated on the basis of the analogies that have been drawn in order to identify the problems in the interpretation process. Third and lastly, the narratological aspects time, space, events, actors, and focalization have been selected to analyse the structure (and thereby function) of the pages. It is concluded that that the pages represent various separate rituals in a ceremonial centre, and that the pages are of some kind of descriptive or prescriptive nature. It is very likely that the pages were used as a sort of guide for a variety rituals performed by a group of priests that was closely related to a Temple of Dark Wind, and in which hallucinations play a role.Show less
In deze scriptie worden drie muurschilderingen geanalyseerd die afkomstig zijn uit drie verschillende valleien binnen het gebied waar de Moche woonden: de Nepaña vallei (Pañamarca), Moche vallei ...Show moreIn deze scriptie worden drie muurschilderingen geanalyseerd die afkomstig zijn uit drie verschillende valleien binnen het gebied waar de Moche woonden: de Nepaña vallei (Pañamarca), Moche vallei (Huaca de la Luna) en de Chicama Vallei (Huaca Cao Viejo). Door schilderingen uit verschillende politieke centra met elkaar te vergelijken, wordt getracht een ideologische overeenkomst te vinden tussen de drie afzonderlijke bestuurscentra. Voor de analyse wordt een door Mieke bal omschreven theorie gebruikt, waarin narratieve teksten worden geanalyseerd aan de hand van drie onderscheidende termen: tekst, story en fabula. Er zal gekeken worden naar de afgebeelde figuren en de interpretaties die daaraan gegeven zijn. Eveneens wordt er een blik geworpen op de onderlinge relaties van de figuren en de activiteiten die zij uitvoeren. Op deze manier wordt er getracht het verhaal te achterhalen dat in de schildering verbeeld wordt. Bij de analyse wordt gebruikt gemaakt van eerder onderscheiden personages en thema’s die van belang zijn voor de Moche iconografie. Deze zijn op verschillende objecten weergegeven en komen ook terug in de schilderingen. Na het uitvoeren van de analysen, wordt er een vergelijking gemaakt tussen de drie schilderingen, waaruit zal blijken dat er een ideologische overeenkomst bestaat tussen de verschillende centra. Alle onderzochte schilderingen behandelen eenzelfde thema: het belang van vruchtbaarheid en de offers die voor de instandhouding daarvan gebracht dienen te worden.Show less
This study is a critical examination of four prominent Teotihuacan figures that are commonly interpreted as deities (Paulinyi 2006). This study evaluates the interpretations and shows that these...Show moreThis study is a critical examination of four prominent Teotihuacan figures that are commonly interpreted as deities (Paulinyi 2006). This study evaluates the interpretations and shows that these interpretations are not well supported. Additionally, possible alternative interpretations are proposed that show these figures might just as well be interpreted differently. It is discussed how the figures may be interpreted as rulers, ancestors or both. This discussion shows these alternative interpretations are for three of the four figures quite plausible. The outcome of this study is relevant in respect to the perception of the nature of Teotihuacan, since Teotihuacan art is generally considered as impersonal, with no depictions of individuals.Show less
