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Posts tagged history

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Cylinder with commemorative text Dried clay barrel; inscribed in cuneiform; baked hard for conservation purposes Centimetres: 20 (length), 12.5 (diameter) 604-562 BC Iron Age; Neo-Babylonian; Nebuchadnezzar II; 6th century BC Area of Origin: Iraq; Babylon(?); Southern Mesopotamia Description: Official openings of buildings today often include a formal ceremony and a commemorative wall plaque. In the ancient world, they dedicated an object to a god to avert bad luck and placed the item in a box beneath the building’s foundations. The barrel cylinder (shown here) was inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform and commemorates the reconstruction of a temple by Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon. The Akkadian period in Mesopotamia dates to about 2200 BC. Part of the inscription reads “Oh (god) Lugal-Marada … slay the disobedient, smash their weapons, ruin all the enemy land … make my deeds agreeable to god Marduk, king of heaven and earth.”

Cylinder with commemorative text
Dried clay barrel; inscribed in cuneiform; baked hard for conservation purposes
Centimetres: 20 (length), 12.5 (diameter)
604-562 BC
Iron Age; Neo-Babylonian; Nebuchadnezzar II; 6th century BC
Area of Origin: Iraq; Babylon(?); Southern Mesopotamia

Description: Official openings of buildings today often include a formal ceremony and a commemorative wall plaque. In the ancient world, they dedicated an object to a god to avert bad luck and placed the item in a box beneath the building’s foundations.

The barrel cylinder (shown here) was inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform and commemorates the reconstruction of a temple by Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon. The Akkadian period in Mesopotamia dates to about 2200 BC.

Part of the inscription reads “Oh (god) Lugal-Marada … slay the disobedient, smash their weapons, ruin all the enemy land … make my deeds agreeable to god Marduk, king of heaven and earth.”

Filed under Ancient history text Cuneiform writing 6th century BC

4 notes

A two-sided gold horned deer with folded legs. Length 4.9 centimeters; height 3.5 centimeters; depth 1.15 centimeters. Location: Zhalauli (Kegen district, Almaty region). Seventh to sixth century B.C. Credit: Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty

A two-sided gold horned deer with folded legs.

Length 4.9 centimeters; height 3.5 centimeters; depth 1.15 centimeters.

Location: Zhalauli (Kegen district, Almaty region). Seventh to sixth century B.C.

Credit: Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty

Filed under history eurasia kazakhstan art ancient

104 notes

Female Study, 1915. A bromide print photograph taken by George Edward Stanhope, 5th Earl of Carnarvon in 1915. For Downton Abbey fans—The fifth Earl of Carnarvon and his wife, Lady Almina, lived at Highclere Castle (where Downton is filmed) during the period in which the show is set. He was an enthusiastic amateur photographer, horse breeder and race car driver. (In his spare time he also excavated the tomb of King Tutankhamun!) Creator: Herbert, George Edward Stanhope Molyneux, Fifth Earl of Carnarvon (1866-1923) Date: 1915 Description: A bromide print photograph entitled ‘Female Study’, taken by George Edward Stanhope, 5th Earl of Carnarvon in 1915. (via National Media Museum)

Female Study, 1915. A bromide print photograph taken by George Edward Stanhope, 5th Earl of Carnarvon in 1915.

For Downton Abbey fans—The fifth Earl of Carnarvon and his wife, Lady Almina, lived at Highclere Castle (where Downton is filmed) during the period in which the show is set. He was an enthusiastic amateur photographer, horse breeder and race car driver. (In his spare time he also excavated the tomb of King Tutankhamun!)

Creator: Herbert, George Edward Stanhope Molyneux, Fifth Earl of Carnarvon (1866-1923) Date: 1915 Description: A bromide print photograph entitled ‘Female Study’, taken by George Edward Stanhope, 5th Earl of Carnarvon in 1915. (via National Media Museum)

Filed under photography history 1915 edwardian downton abbey highclere castle earl of carnarvon vintage fashion

3 notes

Fragment of a hanging or cover China, mid 19th century Silk, peacock feathers, metallic wrapped yarn; embroidered The Textile Museum 51.30 Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1940 Photo by Renée Comet A uniquely Chinese solution to the quest for green textiles was the incorporation of peacock feathers. A master embroiderer created the iridescent green background on this fabric with silk threads wrapped in peacock feather filaments. Laborious and costly, peacock feather embroidery was reserved for use in the highest social and religious contexts. This fragment likely formed part of a lavish hanging or cover for a Buddhist ritual, as its colorful patterning depicts the “eight precious things” of the Buddhist faith: double fish, canopy, endless knot, lotus, vase, conch, umbrella, and the wheel of law. (via Green: the Color and the Cause)

Fragment of a hanging or cover

China, mid 19th century

Silk, peacock feathers, metallic wrapped yarn; embroidered
The Textile Museum 51.30
Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1940
Photo by Renée Comet

A uniquely Chinese solution to the quest for green textiles was the incorporation of peacock feathers. A master embroiderer created the iridescent green background on this fabric with silk threads wrapped in peacock feather filaments. Laborious and costly, peacock feather embroidery was reserved for use in the highest social and religious contexts. This fragment likely formed part of a lavish hanging or cover for a Buddhist ritual, as its colorful patterning depicts the “eight precious things” of the Buddhist faith: double fish, canopy, endless knot, lotus, vase, conch, umbrella, and the wheel of law.

(via Green: the Color and the Cause)

Filed under china embroidery green history peacock feathers textiles Buddhism Buddhist

12 notes

Leung Foo, 1897. Photo by Fred Holland Day. Creator: Day, Fred Holland (1864-1933) Date: 1897 Description: A platinum print photographic portrait of a Chinese man named Leung Foo, taken by Fred Holland Day in 1897. The models Day chose as subjects reflected the multi-cultural city of Boston, where Day lived for many years. He photographed Native-Americans, African-Americans, Chinese and Mediterranean people amongst others. (via National Media Museum)

Leung Foo, 1897. Photo by Fred Holland Day.

Creator: Day, Fred Holland (1864-1933) Date: 1897 Description: A platinum print photographic portrait of a Chinese man named Leung Foo, taken by Fred Holland Day in 1897. The models Day chose as subjects reflected the multi-cultural city of Boston, where Day lived for many years. He photographed Native-Americans, African-Americans, Chinese and Mediterranean people amongst others. (via National Media Museum)

Filed under history photography Boston 1890s