Abby's Humanities Blog

I undertook an experiment somewhat similar to Sullivan’s. I went hunting for the weekend and I had little to no service. I thought what better time than to “go off the grid” for 4 days. I used the GPS on my phone for directions to get there, but then I tucked my phone away for the next couple of days. Rather than being connected to the internet, I was present with friends at the camp. I do have to admit, there were times when I would find myself wanting to snapchat people or scroll through Instagram or TikTok. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought, but I definitely realized how reliant I am on my phone.

Facilitation and Putting Technology on the Shelf for a Little Bit

I think there are instances in which technology makes us more and less human. Technology has facilitated communication and connection on a global scale. Messaging, video calls, and social media allow people from all over to stay in touch with friends and family, fostering a sense of community. There are also many technological advancements in medicine that have improved healthcare. Some are known to extend life expectancy (like the ventilator) or enhance the overall well-being of individuals.  There are also some arguments for technology making us less human. Depersonalization is one of the biggest problems. The reliance on digital communication may reduce face-to-face interactions, which impacts the authenticity of human connections. It could also contribute to individual isolation. In essence, the impact of technology depends on how it is implemented in society. It can enhance aspects of human life, but it also poses challenges.

TikTok, WhatsApp, Discord, etc., have certainly changed how we interact with each other in terms of the nature of interactions and the frequency of communication. There is constant communication on these platforms, but not in the same manner of face-to-face interactions. For example, a lot of times people are just sending memes or videos back and forth. When cell phones weren’t a thing, people would have to write letters or call each other on the landline. Cell phones make communicating much easier as it takes just a couple of seconds to send a text or make a phone call. Technology has revolutionized communication by providing unprecedented connectivity, but also introducing some challenges related to the authenticity and quality of relationships.

Social Media Trends 

Kara Walker is an American contemporary artist known for her controversial and provocative works that explore issues of identity, race, sexuality, and violence. One of her more recent pieces is the Fons Americanus (Latin for American fountain) which was inspired by the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace, London. The sculpture features a four-tier water fountain that explores themes related to the transatlantic slave trade, imperialism, and cultural history. Kara Walker describes herself as an unreliable narrator. By saying this, she acknowledges that her art is not a straightforward, objective account. She understands the complex nature of her themes (race, history, and identity) and the different perspectives that exist. 

Kara Walker Fons Americanus Tate Modern 2019. Photo: © Tate​ (Matt Greenwood)

Creativity and critical thinking are interconnected as they both involve exploring ideas and making connections. Combining these two skills allow individuals to approach challenges with innovative solutions, making creativity a valuable aspect of critical thinking. Both of these play a key role in art. Art has the power to capture emotions, evoke thought, and facilitate dialogue about challenging subjects like history and trauma. It provides a unique lens for people interpret and process difficult topics. Art allows individuals to confront, question, and reflect on hard things in a way that may be more accessible than traditional forms of information. In the long run, it serves as a spark for conversation and it contributes to a deeper understanding of difficult historical traumas. Similarly, art also plays a role in grappling with our humanness because it offers a mean of expression that goes far beyond words. It has the power to capture emotions and complexities that are pretty hard to express verbally. 

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/kara-walker-2674/kara-walkers-fons-americanus

 

The Benin Bronze plaques in the Africa gallery.

The Benin Bronzes are a collection of thousands of intricately designed brass, bronze, and ivory sculptures. They originated in the 16th century from the Kingdom of Benin in West Africa. These artifacts date back several centuries and represent the cultural and artistic heritage of the Benin people. Some of these artifacts include sculptures of animals and humans, masks, plaques, and decorative ornaments. The Benin Bronzes served as powerful symbols of authority, history, and culture for the Obas and Queen Mothers of Benin.

Now a question you might be wondering is how these objects ended up in the British Museum. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the British dominated the Nigerian coast and its trade. It was during the aggressive expansion of colonial power that the British Museum got the Benin Bronzes. British forces occupied and captured Benin City in 1897. This city saw widespread destruction with many casualties. The Benin Royal Palace was among one of the monuments burned. Its shrines and objects were looted by the British forces. Some of which included the brass heads of former Obas and over 900 brass plaques.

British soldiers with objects looted from the royal palace during the military expedition to Benin City in 1897.

In October 2021, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in Nigeria sent a written request to the British Museum asking for the “Nigerian antiquities.” In addition to this written request, representatives from the Benin Royal Palace have made public statements asking that the collections be returned. There is a long-term working partnership between the British Museum and Nigerian colleagues and institutions. This relationship has allowed the museum to engage in conversations pertaining to the Benin collection. The British’s take on it is that they should keep active engagement with Nigerian institutions to pursue and support new initiatives developed. They have been working towards opening a new permanent display of Benin art in Benin City. The British also partnered with Digital Benin to digitally reunite as many historical objects and photographs as they can to illuminate the Benin Kingdom. I think Nigeria went about the manner in a respectable fashion. They formally wrote them asking the antiquities be returned, and then representatives made various public statements. While I understand Nigeria wants their original pieces back, they are in a safe place at the British Museum. I like how there are efforts being made to “reunite” as many pieces as possible. Even though they won’t be in Nigeria in person, they will still be displayed in either photographs or replicas. 

‘Benin Bronze’ plaque showing the king (Oba) in regalia and with symbols of royal power (c.16th–17th century).

The British Museum has so much to offer. One piece in particular though caught my eye. It is a Benin Bronze plaque showing the king in regalia with symbols signifying royal power. This figure shows a king with beaded ornaments on his dress, a fish on each of his sides, and a leopard in each hand. The king sacrificing leopards is a ritual act performed at coronation that dedicates him strengthening his mystical powers. This plaque still remains in the British museum. While the British Museum still has a lot of the Benin Bronzes from Nigeria, there have been some countries to return some. This shows that there are some innocent and egalitarian exchanges, just not with Britain in this case. 

The Moago Caves in Dunhuang

Centre, U. W. H. (n.d.). Mogao Caves. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. © Neville Agnew

The Mogao caves at Dunhuang which were constructed in 366AD, represent one of the greatest achievements in Buddhist art. Still today, there are 492 caves preserved, housing around 45,000 square meters of murals and over 2,000 painted sculptures. Some of these scenes include the history of the Buddha’s life and previous lives, devotional images of Buddha’s, pictures of monks, and images of the donors who funded all the art. 

Buddha, Cave 20 at Yungang, Datong, China (photo: Marcin Białek, CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Mogao caves, positioned strategically along the Silk Road, exemplify syncretism through their artistic representation. They highlight elements from cultures and religions including Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The caves showcase a coexistence in beliefs and traditions in their murals, inscriptions, and sculptures. They reflect a rich array of cultural and religious syncretism. 

One of the distinctive features of the Moago caves can be found in cave 285. The heavenly motifs represented on the ceiling along with the western-like walls lead us to believe this was meant to be a syncretistic visual space. This means that one image could convey more than one meaning based on the interpreter’s religious affiliation. 

Mogao Cave 285 Interior South Wall © 2021 University of Washington Tateuchi East Asia Library. 

The Silk Roads. ” The Silk Roads. (n.d.). https://smarthistory.org/reframing-art-history/the-silk-roads/#terms 

Hiyama, S. (2022, February 11). Chapter 10 overlapping heavens in the wall paintings of Mogao Cave 285 at Dunhuang: An art-historical study of the syncretistic images on its west wall and ceiling. Brill. https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789004511675/BP000011.xml

Most Greek tragedies include a hero who is brought down by a fatal flaw. Most of the time they don’t even realize it until their downfall. While reading Oedipus the King, I was immediately able to pick up on Oedipus’s flaws. His excessive pride and arrogance shielded him from the consequences of his actions, but his impulsiveness and inability to make sounds decisions caused further problems. 

Throughout the play, Oedipus refuses to consider the fact that he may be the reason behind all of the city’s suffering. He ignores Tiresias, the blind prophet, who hinted at Oedipus’s involvement in the curse. This shows his arrogance and blindness to his fatal flaw. His impulsiveness really came to show when he first hears about the death of King Laius. Oedipus quickly launched an investigation and promised to find and punish the culprit without knowing who it was. Little did he know he did it. Once the investigation opened up, he began quickly pointing fingers at other people. He accused Creon of going against him just because Creon wanted the Throne. His quick and impulsive actions strained his relationships and contributed to the whole unraveling of the tragedy. 

Oedipus’s arrogance, hard-headedness, and impulsiveness all contribute to his downfall as he eventually fulfilled the prophecy that he would kill his father and then marry and have children with his mother. This revelation ruined his pride and led him to gouge his eyes out, leaving him blind. This symbolizes the consequences of his arrogant and impulsive behavior. 

Sophocles- Oedipus the King Play

Oedipus and Antigone, or the Plague of Thebes, by Charles Jalabert, 1843, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Marseille © Bridgeman Images. 

Who knew a country like Egypt could have so much history. Quite a few years ago, realistically thousands of years ago, Egyptians used a number of materials to create artifacts during their times. One of the more common materials used was stone or marble. I don’t know who thought it wouldn’t be noticeable, but they filled in pieces of stone that had been either stolen or gone missing with plaster. Apparently Lord Elgin thought this would be a brilliant idea. He wanted to make a couple of bucks so he would sell them to British museums thousands of miles away. These structures are called Parthenon sculptures. The Parthenon is very iconic to the Ancient World- it stands on the Acropolis of Athens. While there are still some remains of the Parthenon structure, most of the original friezes were taken to the British museum. It’s quite a miracle that some of the structure is still standing today. Below is an image of the West and South Friezes of the Parthenon. The West side illustrates the beginning of the Panathenaic procession. While less of the South side was preserved, it shows groups of horsemen. 

The West and South Friezes of the Parthenon, designed by Phidias, 447-32 BC, via The Acropolis Museum, Athens

While seeing the Parthenon Friezes are on the top on my bucket list, there are also several antiquities housed at different museums I would love to see. I think it would be cool to go on a trip museum surfing… similar to the concept of bar hopping but different. The bust of Nefertiti and the statue of Rames II are two of the more popular pieces. The Grand Egyptian Museum is set to open at some point in 2023, but will all their original antiquities be there? Will Egypt get to claim their artifacts as their own? There could be a long, continuous debate over that. This Falcon pectoral shown below will be one of the thousands of objects displayed from Tut’s tomb. I love the vibrant colors of it because it is very different from other sculptures of the time. Most were made of marble or stone while this consisted of mainly gold and some stones. 

Falcon pectoral found in Tut’s tomb Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The Rosetta Stone has a story of its own. Hawass, a famous Egyptologist, started a petition for all museums to return their Egyptian treasures back. According to them, the Rosetta Stone is “the icon of [our] Egyptian identity.” This got a little complicated as there are rules about returning artifacts… something about them being duplicates or unfit to be retained. Egypt had an easy route out of retrieving a lot of their illegally trafficked artifacts because they were documented. A lot of the stolen pieces ended up in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Back to the famous stone… it is actually a piece of a bigger slab of stone. Written on it was the decree about King Ptolmey V. It was written in three different types of writing: Demotic, Ancient Greek, and hieroglyphs. While it was fond broken, it featured fourteen lines of hieroglyphic script, 32 in demotic, and fifty-four in ancient greek. All which helped experts decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphics. The image to the left is what still remains of the Rosetta stone, while the one on the right is a construction of what it would look like with all the pieces. 

The Rosetta Stone and a reconstruction of how it would have originally looked. Illustration by Claire Thorne. 

I would love to take y’all on a longer tour of some of the history of Ancient Egypt, but that will have to wait for another time. More and more about these artifacts and sculptures are being discovered daily, but we will always have questions.