This thesis analyses formal kimonos for young women and their prints. This paper attempts to draw a connection between femininity and symbolism through the use of flowers and colours.
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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This thesis examines the relationship between humans and dogs in ancient Egypt. The study focuses on three key aspects: the symbolism of dogs in art and hieroglyphs, their practical roles in daily...Show moreThis thesis examines the relationship between humans and dogs in ancient Egypt. The study focuses on three key aspects: the symbolism of dogs in art and hieroglyphs, their practical roles in daily life, and the broader societal and cultural context of this relationship. Through a comprehensive analysis of archaeological and textual sources, the research reveals how dogs were depicted and valued in ancient Egyptian society. The findings shed new light on how the human-dog relationship provides insights into the broader social and cultural structures of ancient Egypt. The conclusion reflects on this relationship and its significance within the Egyptian civilization, while the included images offer visual support for the discussed themes.Show less
Between 2005 and the large scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the orange and black ribbon of St George has become one of the most widely recognized symbols of the Putin regime and its military...Show moreBetween 2005 and the large scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the orange and black ribbon of St George has become one of the most widely recognized symbols of the Putin regime and its military ambitions outside of Russia’s borders. Together with the ‘Z’ and ‘V’ it is probably the most recognizable symbol of the pro-Russian side in the Ukrainian war and of pro-Kremlin elements inside of Russia. In some ways it may seem strange that the ribbon has become so closely associated with the current war in Ukraine because its present popularity in Russia began with a campaign launched in 2005 that used the ribbon to commemorate the Soviet victory in WWII. After the launch of that campaign, people in Russia started wearing the ribbon on their lapels around the May 9th commemorations of the ‘Great Patriotic War’ in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘poppies’ distributed each year by the Royal British Legion in the United Kingdom. However, quite unlike the British poppies, the meaning ascribed to the ribbon of St George quickly went beyond mere commemoration of victory in the Great Patriotic War and quickly took on a wider significance encompassing not only pride in the past but also a particular understanding of Russian nationhood and Russia’s current place in the world, one that closely aligned with the Putin regime’s ambitions on the world stage. The question I will try to answer in this study is how views and interpretations of the St George ribbon’s meaning evolved- inside and outside of Russia- in English language media outlets, whose coverage focused on events in Russia and Ukraine between, 2005 and 2022.Show less
In this thesis, I examine the gothic and metafictional genre elements of Mark Z. Danielewski's novel 'House of Leaves.' Chapter 1 is split into two sections: section 1.1 contains an analysis of the...Show moreIn this thesis, I examine the gothic and metafictional genre elements of Mark Z. Danielewski's novel 'House of Leaves.' Chapter 1 is split into two sections: section 1.1 contains an analysis of the gothic elements present in 'The Navidson Record' central to the novel and, in section 1.2, I proceed to examine the novel's metafictional characteristics and how metafiction and Gothicism are intertwined in the text. In both preceding sections, the reader's knowledge gap—referred to in my thesis as the epistemological gap—is prevalent in my reading of the novel. Consequently, in Chapter 2 I explore this knowledge gap further, relating it to the gothic and metafictional elements analyzed in the preceding chapter. Lastly, I argue that the audience might fill the epistemological gap by projecting their own personal interpretations of the text onto it. One of the main characters inside the narrative, Johnny Truant, projects his childhood trauma onto the text and processes it in his annotations to 'The Navidson Record.'Show less
In early 2019, a nearly three decade old naming dispute came to an end between Greece and (North) Macedonia through the Prespa Agreement’s ratification. The dispute started in the early nineties...Show moreIn early 2019, a nearly three decade old naming dispute came to an end between Greece and (North) Macedonia through the Prespa Agreement’s ratification. The dispute started in the early nineties after the former Yugoslav Republic declared itself independent under the name of ‘Republic of Macedonia’. Since Greece perceives Ancient Macedonian history and heritage as part of its national identity, the country refused to recognize its neighboring country’s name. In the time period between 1991 and 2018, domestic politics in both Greece and Macedonia showed mutually exclusive characteristics regarding the ownership of the symbolism of Macedonia. Considering the three decade long non-settlement of the naming issue, it only took a rough six months to come to the Prespa Agreement. Through the use of discourse analysis, speech acts of Greek and Macedonian governments have been analyzed in order to grasp how it was possible to come to such a quick consensus after many years of non-agreement. In this research will be argued that the Prespa Agreement was possible through the shift from arguing to bargaining the naming issue. Furthermore, the Prespa Agreement was strategically used by both nation states to negotiate the boundaries between the two national identities.Show less
Animals have played a major role in the Halaf. Animals did not only figure in Halaf subsistence and the economy, but they also played a prominent role in symbolism. We encounter animals in...Show moreAnimals have played a major role in the Halaf. Animals did not only figure in Halaf subsistence and the economy, but they also played a prominent role in symbolism. We encounter animals in different material categories, as images in wall paintings, on Halaf Fine Ware ceramics, sealings, and as stamps for sealing, amulets, and figurines. Animal remains have been found alongside those of humans, or in other special or ritual contexts. How can we understand these animal representations and ‘ritual’ animal deposits? This preliminary study explores the meanings of animals in the Halaf by using a new approach that was never employed in this area before: Social zooarchaeology. Social zooarchaeology views animals not only as ‘good to eat’, but also as ‘good to think with’ as Lévi-Strauss so famously pointed out. This study investigates multiple case studies from various sites, like Domuztepe (Turkey), Tell Kurdu (Turkey), Kazane Höyük (Turkey), Fıstıklı Hüyük (Turkey), Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria), Tell Khirbet esh-Shenef (Syria), Tell Arpachiyah (Iraq), Banahilk (Iraq), and Yarim Tepe I and II (Iraq). In order to interpret the various animal representations and ritual deposits, every material category and ritual animal deposit is considered in its depositional context and context of use. Furthermore, comparisons with the zooarchaeological record are made, and subsistence. Four main contexts can be recognized in which animals fulfilled symbolic roles, and these often overlap: 1) Domestic space, 2) ‘ritual’, including communal events, commensality and burial, and 3) administration, including storage, the marking of property, and the usage of objects as mnemonic devices, and 4) bodily adornment. It appears that animals might have functioned as a common spoken language in the sharing economy, figuring in complex narratives, myths, and rituals, enforcing human-human relationships and tying together diverse people from various backgrounds in communal events.Show less
Stylized depictions of animals with imposing horns, birds and various other animal species are often seen as characteristic for Halaf painted pottery. In fact they remain exceptional as Halaf Fine...Show moreStylized depictions of animals with imposing horns, birds and various other animal species are often seen as characteristic for Halaf painted pottery. In fact they remain exceptional as Halaf Fine Ware is generally dominated by geometric motifs. There is more about these figurative motifs than meets the eye. Apart from species identification, how can we interpret this figurative art? This study investigates the animal symbolism as painted on Halaf Fine Ware ceramic containers from Tell Sabi Abyad, located in the Balikh region of northern Syria. In order to interpret these animal motifs, the study contextualizes the motifs against the zoo-archaeological record, the depositional context, and the context of use. It appears that animals used in art were special, showing an inverse relationship with the faunal record. These animals probably represented seasonality and danger, and they may have been related to taboos and apotropaic magic. Moreover, some animals might have functioned within complex narratives, which were brought to life as the vessels upon which they were painted were discussed during Halaf commensality practices.Show less
