Lapis lazuli

In 1430, Jan van Eyck painted "The man in a blue cap" using the principal medium in that time, oil on wood. Originally painted to be in the Brukenthal National Museum, is a very small piece (22.5 cm x 16.6 cm with frame and 19.1 cm x 13.2 cm without frame) , This piece still in the same place it was painted. The man is shown in three-quarters view with his face dramatically lit by light falling from the left. This device provides both striking contrasts of light and shadow and draws the…

Shipping Out and Into the Heart of Darkness I was relieved when I found out in Tom Scocca’s interview with David Foster Wallace that Harper’s magazine had the writer cut in half what was a 110-page article. I enjoyed reading the magazine’s published version, but was also more than ready for the cruise and the article to end when it did. I think I was possibly feeling a little of what Wallace was feeling, which is a credit to his descriptive and precise prose. “Shipping Out: On the (nearly…

found in the Royal Tombs of Ur, Uluburun shipwreck and Sweden/Scandinavia tell us that the Bronze Age world system was highly interconnected. In the Royal Tombs of Ur, there is an artifact called the Standard of Ur. This artifact was made from lapis lazuli found in Afghanistan, red marble found in India and shells found in Dilmun. These resources were not native to the area of Ur or even Mesopotamia, so we know that they were imported. The Standard of Ur is from…

Church of Ognissanti and depicts Saint Augustine surrounded by his books and other intellectual objects in his study (Lightbown). The lapis lazuli book, that is second on the top shelf behind Saint Augustine, “represents a bibliophile’s possession, one treated as a rare object to be treasured and tactually savored”. The book is painted with a very expensive lapis lazuli paint as opposed to the blue clock face to the right which is painted with a very common azurite paint (Stapelford). Botticelli…

Construction Also known as the Verul Leni, The Ellora caves located about 29 kilometres northwest from the city of Aurangabad. These caves were carved out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills during the period of 6th and 10th centuries, the same times the Ajanta caves were abandoned. Reminiscent of the Ajanta caves, the Ellora caves are also world famous for their spectacular paintings and sculpture. Even after extensive research, the experts are still unable to tell how these…

Most people think of blue walls in a desert with palm trees when they hear the word Babylon. Many stories of the enigmatic city of Babylon have been created and told through the years. In biblical books it talks about different architectures like the Tower of Babel or the Hanging Garden of Babylon that where created in that place. Also there is a myth that says that a curse was thrown upon the city, and the result was its destruction. Myths, legends and tales attract the attention of many…

Over the course of history, a number of items have impacted society. The economical development and growth of society has been influenced by several things. Agriculture and trade has had a tremendous impact on the economic development and growth of society. One such area that has been impacted is that of Mesopotamia, which is Greek for land between rivers. This is now modern day Iraq. The civilizations that make up the Mesopotamia are the Upbraid, Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian and…

Centuries ago in the bleak desert of Samaria, an ancient tribe of people fought to survive, in order to insure thier spiritual nourishment, they built massive structures. This structure was as tall as 8 story buildings, made from mud brick cooked by the sun, and was of legendary proportions. This monumental structure was called the ziggurat. This massive structure was erected to the gods of sumeria. Sacrifices, offerings, and all in between happened in this temple. Let’s delve deep into the…

cycle is very present. Here, his pride is shed and the timing of following this path is the root of what Enkidu wished for Gilgamesh: to be cognoscente of his behaviors and to consider changing his life to one with a higher value that gold and lapis lazuli cannot surpass. By leaving a legacy behind, the life of Gilgamesh is preserved, where he lives through the words of all men who tell his story, practically achieving immortality. The devolution of the epic shows in three stages of each path:…

In Ancient Egypt, jewelry and crowns were a big part of the Egyptians culture, and were very important to all Egyptians. Many figures were found on jewelry and crowns, the most common ones being animals, plants, gods, and goddesses. There were three main styles of crowns, the Red Crown, the White Crown, and the Double Crown. Crowns were worn in order to display one’s power, status, and authority. Different people wore these crowns, like pharaohs and Ancient Egyptian gods. Unlike crowns, jewelry…