A Comparative Study of Near Eastern and Aegean Glyptic Art, 2000 - 1400 B.C. (en Inglés)
Reseña del libro "A Comparative Study of Near Eastern and Aegean Glyptic Art, 2000 - 1400 B.C. (en Inglés)"
The goal of this dissertation is to provide an in-depth comparative study of certain motifs and scenes found in both Aegean and Near Eastern glyptic art traditions (c.2000 -1400 B.C.), with the aim of gaining a better understanding of their differences and the contributing cultural causes for the disparities. Themes examined within this study include Hunt, Chariots, Combat, and a select number of animal motifs - wild boar, goat, bull and birds. The themes of Hunt, Chariots, and Combat were chosen based upon the fact that these particular motifs are conspicuously absent from the Aegean glyptic art repertoire prior to the MM III era, but present in Near Eastern glyptic art, at least in some form, from the late fourth millennium B.C. and onward. The Animal theme was selected as a focus of the study based upon the observation that scenes of animals in nature are preeminent in Aegean glyptic art but a rare occurrence in the glyptic art of the Near East, except in the form of secondary motifs. For the purpose of comparative analysis, the specific animal motifs chosen for this study are those which are most frequently represented in the glyptic art repertoire of both regions over a long span of time. Following the Introduction, which includes a survey of scholarship, the study is organized into a series of four chapters that cover specific themes, with each theme consisting of an Aegean and a Near Eastern section. Each section consists of a presentation of representative seals with an accompanying brief description, followed by a comprehensive examination of the particular theme or motif as found in each region. This examination explores such topics as the initial appearance of the motif in the region's glyptic art repertoire, its appearance in other art forms, the evolution of the motif and its associated cultural meanings over time as interpreted by various scholars, and the significance as well as the associated meanings of secondary motifs found within each scene. Utilizing this information I then interpret the glyptic scenes, discuss their possible role in the related culture, and offer an explanation as to what each can tell us about their host society. This information is also provided in comparative tables that are provided for each motif or scene examined within the study.
