What modern archaeologists gather
Modern archaeologists gather several things from studying ancient artifacts and remains. Firstly the archaeologists get the chronology of the ancient artifacts and remains (Bordes19). The chronological data collected provides lots of insights into the long sequential interrelationships that existed among the various past human cultures. Another thing that they gather is reconstruction. Here, based on the chronological information gathered, the archaeologists can piece together and reconstruct how things may have looked in some locations at a given time. Finally, archaeologists can draw explanations from their study of ancient artifacts and remains. History events are explained through meticulously designed tests, foundations of the theory, and surveillance data.
The study of ancient artifacts and remains plays a significant role in the study of humanities
The study of archaeology has covered vast information that covers the human past. Coupled with its focus on the ancient past, one finds great interlinkages between it and the study of humanities. It may thus affect humanities in certain ways based on what it has recorded and even discoveries. For instance, some reconstructed explanations may bring in new insights that may bolster other humanities or even contradict what had already been perceived to be factual. All the same, archaeology is vast. Prehistoric archaeology is a study area practiced by a kind of archeologists known as pre-historians who deal with cultures of the past generations. We see the interaction with history coming in just like anthropology (Hurtado 32).
Connections between mythology, sculpture, and painting up until the Renaissance
First, there are stark connections between mythology, sculpture, and painting until the Renaissance. Looking at several sculptures and paintings, one can readily note the several uses of classical mythology in them. These mythological themes and characters usually have their representation and proceed chronologically to the Renaissance Period (Stewart 220).
Secondly the influence of the gods on the cities and their people, they have continued to be a rich allegorical source of many sculptures and paintings. There are several examples. The first example comes from the cemetery beneath St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. There is a third-century wall mosaic in the Basilica showing Christ complete with all the features of Apollo, the god of the sun (Morford 268). This is evident in his ascension where a chariot of the sun is seen together with rays and the cross coming from his head (Morford 269). In the backdrop, there is the vine of Dionysus which acts as a highly symbolic and decorative mark (Sandars 49). Masaccio, another Renaissance painter, depicted Saint Peter. In another scene in the Tribute, Money Christ and his apostles are clearly shown in the painting. In the Trinity Fresco, he suggested a chapel using a linear perspective (Bull 343).
Thirdly, sculptors also played important roles in the new Renaissance forms. Filippo Brunelleschi made a large octagonal dome showing Florence cathedral, which is also known as the Duomo. Also, Lorenzo Ghiberti completed some sets of bronze doors covered with gold specifically for the Florence Baptistery. He also made a second pair of doors that well illustrated the Old Testament themes (Ellis 20). Also, Donatello, another Renaissance artist, finished the “Bronze David”, showing David, a hero in the bible, with Goliath’s head down at his feet (Sandars 99). From these examples, it is clear that Connections between mythology, sculpture, and painting up until the Renaissance do exist.
Works Cited
Bordes, Philippe. Jacques-Louis David: Empire to Exile. Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2005. Print.
Bull, Malcolm. The Mirror of the Gods, How Renaissance Artists Rediscovered the Pagan Gods, New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
Ellis, Davidson. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. London: Penguin Books, 1964. Print.
Hurtado, Larry. Artifact and Artifice: Classical Archaeology and the Ancient Historian. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2006. Print.
Morford, Mark, Robert J. Lenardon, and Michael Sham. Classical Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print
Sandars, Nancy. Prehistoric Art in Europe. London: Penguin Press, 1968. Print.
Stewart, Andrew. Classical Greece and the birth of Western art. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2008. Print.