The coming together of foreign cultures and goods in the ancient Roman world is extraordinary. Here, the specific role and contribution of various foreign cultures can be analysed from several...Show moreThe coming together of foreign cultures and goods in the ancient Roman world is extraordinary. Here, the specific role and contribution of various foreign cultures can be analysed from several different angles. With a keen interest in Indo-Roman trade, this thesis investigates into the Indian objects that were brought over to the Roman world as a result of this trade. This includes objects ranging from spices and condiments, to various fabrics, precious stones, and even ivory objects. In contrast to the influences of Hellenistic and Egyptian art as seen in ancient Roman art and architecture, Indian objects played a much more domestic role. Comments by ancient Roman authors have allowed a glimpse into how these objects penetrated the ancient Roman daily life, and how quickly they gained popularity. Their perceptions about the Indian objects and the fascination of the land of India, go hand in hand in, particularly when we explore the reasons behind their demand and popularity. The spices seemed to have reached all the kitchens in the Roman society, from Rome to all of its provinces as well. The Indian fabrics made up a lot of the garments worn by Roman citizens. Precious Indian stones were found in the jewellery of many of the Roman matrons. A rather curious Ivory statuette of an Indian woman discovered in a small house at the site of Pompeii, reflects the Roman curation of Indian artefacts. The influence of the image of India and its objects is very clear from literary sources, but it is necessary to compare these with the archaeological material available to us, and to investigate into how they can contribute in getting an even better understanding of this cultural exchange. This thesis thus takes into consideration all these factors to formulate a conclusion on the idea of “India in the lives of Ancient Romans".Show less
China has been changing its soft power strategy in Africa since the time of negative media coverage in the early and mid 2000s. A stronger focus is being put on a people-to-people approach of...Show moreChina has been changing its soft power strategy in Africa since the time of negative media coverage in the early and mid 2000s. A stronger focus is being put on a people-to-people approach of interaction, trying to foster stronger personal bonds between Africans and Chinese citizens as well institutions. Education, culture and health care have the strongest positive impact on average African citizens, and China is increasing its efforts in these fields through cooperation agreements.Show less
Around the 12th century AD in Japan, a cultural transition takes place on the northern island of Hokkaido: Okhotsk culture and Satsumon culture (approx. 6th to 12th century AD) come to an end as...Show moreAround the 12th century AD in Japan, a cultural transition takes place on the northern island of Hokkaido: Okhotsk culture and Satsumon culture (approx. 6th to 12th century AD) come to an end as Ainu culture emerges. The Okhotsk people, focused strongly on exploitation of marine resources, originated on the island of Sakhalin and migrated south to Hokkaido and along its northeastern coast. The Satsumon people on the other hand, lived mostly in riverine settlements on the southern half and inland of Hokkaido. They practiced agriculture of wheat, barley and millet, as well as salmon fishing. This cultural transition is not yet well understood. I will focus on the role of Okhotsk culture in this process. How did interaction and exchange of Okhotsk people with Satsumon culture impact its decline and the transition to proto-Ainu culture on Hokkaido? To investigate this issue, Peer Polity Interaction theory is applied. Within this framework, eight different types of interaction are defined: competition, competitive emulation, warfare, transmission of innovation, symbolic entrainment, ceremonial exchange of valuables, flow of commodities, and language and ethnicity. This theory avoids insinuating dominance of one group over the other, and allows for the incorporation not just of material culture but also symbolic aspects. Using the English sources available, 32 Okhotsk sites have been examined for evidence of interaction and exchange with Satsumon culture according to these categories. The existing theories about the decline of Okhotsk culture involving migration, trade and warfare have been analyzed, and then reevaluated based on the results of the Peer Polity Interaction approach. Evidence of Satsumon pottery at Okhotsk sites, iron goods and import of bear cubs all points to a larger reliance on trade and exchange than previously assumed, to the detriment of Okhotsk production. This increased interaction allowed for symbolic entrainment to occur, leading to a more widespread adoption of an early form of the bear sending ceremony. This ritual is known ethnographically from later Ainu culture, but not Satsumon culture which is said to be its main ancestor. This research aims to contribute to our understanding of interaction between marine hunter-gatherers and agricultural people.Show less
