After seeing Werner Herzog's film Cave of Forgotten Dreams, I was moved to check out a book about the Chauvet Cave. Dawn of Art: The Chauvet Cave was at my fingertips, so it filled the bill more or less well enough. The authors are the three spelunkers who discovered Chauvet Cave. The text is mostly an colloquial account of the day of their discovery and the efforts they made to protect the cave from damage before they revealed its whereabouts to the French authorities. The writing style clearly expresses the discover's excitement and their dedication to protecting what has turned out to be the oldest know painting in the world. Carbon dating indicates that the oldest images may have been created about 31,000 years ago.
The most thrilling aspect of the book is, however, the photographs of the artwork itself. There are eighty in all. The images are of extremely high quality, allowing the viewer to study the finest details of the work. The cave is decorated with images of rhinoceroses, lions, mammoths, horses, bison, bears, reindeer, aurochs, ibex, stags, a panther, and what is guessed to be a hyena. Among the most unusual depictions is a great horned owl that was etched into the side of the cave and a human figure with the head of a bison which according to the authors, "evokes the 'sorcerers' of Les Trois-Freres in the Ariege and Gabillou in the Dordogne," two other decorated caves. There are also a number of other animal figures that at the time of publication had not been identified with any particular species.
The art itself has, of course, a significant degree of stylistic similarities; however, many of the drawings are roughly executed and many are stylized, but an amzaing number show a remarkable realism and sensitivity to perspective and the anatomy of the subject. With the exception of a small number of etched figures, they are all drawn in black charcoal or red ochre. Many employ delicate shading.
Along with the art, a rich store of bones, mostly cave bear bones, were found in the cave. The authors provide some discussion of their significance, but the it's no surprise that these relics are little more than an interesting diversion from the main event.
This particular edition of Dawn of Art was published not much more than a year after the cave's discovery. Another paperback edition was released some five years later. While the work does a fine job showing us the art, one is left with a desire to read about the conclusions that art historians and archaeologist have drawn in the 17 years since the cave's discovery.
Herzog's film Cave of Forgotten Dreams provides a wonderful experience of the art as we view it in a large scale in a darkened theatre, but re-examining fine art book reproductions shows us what the film cannot and allows us to linger over specific images that repay close, extended attention.
Showing posts with label Archaeology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Archaeology. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Cave of Forgotten Dreams: a film directed by Werner Herzog (2010)
On December 18, 1994, Jean-Marie Chauvet, Eliette Brunel Deschamps, and Christian Hillaier discovered a cave in southeastern France, now known as Chauvet Cave. Within it were numerous paleolithic cave painting. Carbon dating suggests that these paintings are thirty-two thousand years old, making them the oldest paintings in existence. The fragility of these paintings prompted the French authorities to immediately seal the cave entrance and prohibit entry by anyone except for a small group of scientists, archaeologist, and art historians. Acclaimed director Werner Herzog, however, received a special exemption from this prohibition in order to make his documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams.
The film is a ponderous examination of the paintings and their significance. Prominent in the film is the awe that the paintings inspire in the film makers and the scientists alike. Herzog treats us to extended shots of the rapt faces of his party and their minders as they move through the cave. Eventually, it seems a clumsy trick to impress upon the film viewer the profundity of the art. It is, however, consistent with the attitudes expressed by the scientists who are interviewed for the film.
Two other film techniques succeed only partially. The hand held camera and minimal spot lighting that moves across the walls of the cave provides a rough imitation of how the art may have been seen when it as lit by paleolithic torches; however, it would seem some other technology might have been used to more accurately depict this impression. The images are also accompanied by an original score by Ernst Reijseger. As with the rapt faces of Herzog's crew, the music attempts to elevate the film's subject to a lofty spiritual plane, but it is too often overbearing and distracting. A more apt musical sound track might have made use of the simple flutes and percussion instruments that might have been in use by the painters' culture. Alternatively, the quiet of the cave itself may have been more effective than Reijseger's score.
Unsurprisingly, the most impressive aspects of the film are the paintings themselves. These are shown to greatest effect toward the end of the film. Viewing these paintings in a darkened theatre is far more effective than seeing tiny photographs in a handful of art books which up to now has been the best way for the public to see them.
Herzog's fascination with the spiritual significance of art and how it connects us to humans living tens of thousands of years ago is endearing and certainly thought provoking; however, more could have been achieved if he had provided us with a fuller explanation of what the painters' culture was probably like and more explanation of how the images came about. Perhaps the most fascinating interlude in this regard was when we are told that the work of a single artist can be found in various parts of the cave. We know this because some of the markings were made by a hand smeared with ochre. The pinky finger of this hand was distinctively crooked.
The film is being shown in both a 2D and a 3D version. Having only seen the 2D version, I cannot comment on the effectiveness of the 3D version, though it is purported that the 3D camera is better able to convey the contours of the cave walls which are integral to the art itself.
In all, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a lovely chance to experience a most amazing archaeological discovery that would otherwise be unavailable. Herzog should be congratulated to taking on the project. It is well worth seeing, despite its shortcomings.
The film is a ponderous examination of the paintings and their significance. Prominent in the film is the awe that the paintings inspire in the film makers and the scientists alike. Herzog treats us to extended shots of the rapt faces of his party and their minders as they move through the cave. Eventually, it seems a clumsy trick to impress upon the film viewer the profundity of the art. It is, however, consistent with the attitudes expressed by the scientists who are interviewed for the film.
Two other film techniques succeed only partially. The hand held camera and minimal spot lighting that moves across the walls of the cave provides a rough imitation of how the art may have been seen when it as lit by paleolithic torches; however, it would seem some other technology might have been used to more accurately depict this impression. The images are also accompanied by an original score by Ernst Reijseger. As with the rapt faces of Herzog's crew, the music attempts to elevate the film's subject to a lofty spiritual plane, but it is too often overbearing and distracting. A more apt musical sound track might have made use of the simple flutes and percussion instruments that might have been in use by the painters' culture. Alternatively, the quiet of the cave itself may have been more effective than Reijseger's score.
Unsurprisingly, the most impressive aspects of the film are the paintings themselves. These are shown to greatest effect toward the end of the film. Viewing these paintings in a darkened theatre is far more effective than seeing tiny photographs in a handful of art books which up to now has been the best way for the public to see them.
Herzog's fascination with the spiritual significance of art and how it connects us to humans living tens of thousands of years ago is endearing and certainly thought provoking; however, more could have been achieved if he had provided us with a fuller explanation of what the painters' culture was probably like and more explanation of how the images came about. Perhaps the most fascinating interlude in this regard was when we are told that the work of a single artist can be found in various parts of the cave. We know this because some of the markings were made by a hand smeared with ochre. The pinky finger of this hand was distinctively crooked.
The film is being shown in both a 2D and a 3D version. Having only seen the 2D version, I cannot comment on the effectiveness of the 3D version, though it is purported that the 3D camera is better able to convey the contours of the cave walls which are integral to the art itself.
In all, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a lovely chance to experience a most amazing archaeological discovery that would otherwise be unavailable. Herzog should be congratulated to taking on the project. It is well worth seeing, despite its shortcomings.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Ugarit and the Old Testament / Peter C. Craigie -- Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdman's Publishing, 1983
A full understanding the Old Testament requires not only knowledge of the text itself, but also of the culture out of which it came; however, if we are limited to the Old Testament to understand its culture, then a full understanding of the Old Testament is not possible. We need, instead, additional sources of information to provide the context. Numerous archaeological and historical resources are available for this, but perhaps the most interesting are the ancient artifacts uncovered at Ras Shamra in Syria on the Mediterranean coast.
Beginning in 1929, archaeological digs at Ras Shamra have produced a wealth of cuneiform tablets from what has been determined to be the ancient city of Ugarit. These tablets, along with the ruins of buildings and other artifacts, shed a clear light on the culture of the Old Testament as life in Ugarit appears to have been similar to life among the Hebrews. This can be concluded from the temporal and spacial proximity of the two cultures, the similarity of their physical environment, and the similarity between ancient Hebrew and the language of the Ugarit cuneiform tablets.
Ugarit was destroy approximately in 1200 B.C., just centuries prior to the settlement of the Hebrews in Canaan, and while this might seem like a long time from a modern perspective, the pace of cultural change in the ancient world was very much slower than the pace of change in modern times. Linguistically, Ugaritic is nearer to Hebrew than any other middle eastern language. Consequently, we can conclude that the cultures are likely to be more closely tied to one another than the culture of the Hebrews is to any other known contemporary or near-contemporary culture.
Like the Hebrew's Hebron, Ugarit was a small city state that expanded to become a small buffer state between two ancient superpowers. Both maintained this status for several centuries. Ugarit appears to have been more cosmopolitan than Israel, probably due to its role as a regional trading center.
The Ugarit tablets provide a wide variety of information about life in Ugarit, including its religion. Three deities are prominent in the texts: El, Baal, and Dagon. It is noteworthy that the world "el" is used in biblical texts to refer to God, as in for example, "Elohim" and "Bethel" (house of God). Furthermore, the character of Baal appears strikingly similar to Yahweh. Both are, for example, sky gods who made their earthly homes in sacred temples within a city or cities; however, the Hebrews made a transition possiblty from polytheism through henotheism and finally to monotheism. All three gods mentioned in the Ugarit tablets are mentioned in the Old Testament, indicating a direct connection between the writers of the Old Testament and the writers of the Ugarit tablets.
Beyond making these sorts of connections, Peter Craigie's Ugarit and the Old Testament gives close analyses of some of the Ugaritic texts, showing their similarity to certain biblical passages, particularly Psalm 29, Psalm 104, Amos 7:14-15, Deuteronomy 14:21, Exodus 23:19. Craigie also suggests that the Hebrews were not unique in understanding themselves as having a "covenant" with their god, but that this relationship was common in Canaan's religious milieu. Craigie also provides an interesting glimpse into Ugarit in its own right, describing its most prominent buildings, libraries, languages, populations, and commercial relations with the Egyptian and Hittite empires. Furthermore, Ugarit's access to the Mediterranean made it an important commercial gateway between Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations.
Ugarit and the Old Testament provides a very interesting -- though brief -- tour of the discoveries of Ras Shamra and their significance. It leaves the reader hungry from more.
Beginning in 1929, archaeological digs at Ras Shamra have produced a wealth of cuneiform tablets from what has been determined to be the ancient city of Ugarit. These tablets, along with the ruins of buildings and other artifacts, shed a clear light on the culture of the Old Testament as life in Ugarit appears to have been similar to life among the Hebrews. This can be concluded from the temporal and spacial proximity of the two cultures, the similarity of their physical environment, and the similarity between ancient Hebrew and the language of the Ugarit cuneiform tablets.
Ugarit was destroy approximately in 1200 B.C., just centuries prior to the settlement of the Hebrews in Canaan, and while this might seem like a long time from a modern perspective, the pace of cultural change in the ancient world was very much slower than the pace of change in modern times. Linguistically, Ugaritic is nearer to Hebrew than any other middle eastern language. Consequently, we can conclude that the cultures are likely to be more closely tied to one another than the culture of the Hebrews is to any other known contemporary or near-contemporary culture.
Like the Hebrew's Hebron, Ugarit was a small city state that expanded to become a small buffer state between two ancient superpowers. Both maintained this status for several centuries. Ugarit appears to have been more cosmopolitan than Israel, probably due to its role as a regional trading center.
The Ugarit tablets provide a wide variety of information about life in Ugarit, including its religion. Three deities are prominent in the texts: El, Baal, and Dagon. It is noteworthy that the world "el" is used in biblical texts to refer to God, as in for example, "Elohim" and "Bethel" (house of God). Furthermore, the character of Baal appears strikingly similar to Yahweh. Both are, for example, sky gods who made their earthly homes in sacred temples within a city or cities; however, the Hebrews made a transition possiblty from polytheism through henotheism and finally to monotheism. All three gods mentioned in the Ugarit tablets are mentioned in the Old Testament, indicating a direct connection between the writers of the Old Testament and the writers of the Ugarit tablets.
Beyond making these sorts of connections, Peter Craigie's Ugarit and the Old Testament gives close analyses of some of the Ugaritic texts, showing their similarity to certain biblical passages, particularly Psalm 29, Psalm 104, Amos 7:14-15, Deuteronomy 14:21, Exodus 23:19. Craigie also suggests that the Hebrews were not unique in understanding themselves as having a "covenant" with their god, but that this relationship was common in Canaan's religious milieu. Craigie also provides an interesting glimpse into Ugarit in its own right, describing its most prominent buildings, libraries, languages, populations, and commercial relations with the Egyptian and Hittite empires. Furthermore, Ugarit's access to the Mediterranean made it an important commercial gateway between Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations.
Ugarit and the Old Testament provides a very interesting -- though brief -- tour of the discoveries of Ras Shamra and their significance. It leaves the reader hungry from more.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Art of Buddhism: An Introduction to Its History and Meaning / Denise Patry Leidy -- Boston: Shambhala, 2008.
The Art of Buddhism is a beautiful and informative stroll through the history of Buddhist sculpture, architecture, and painting. The narrative follows a rough chronological order, but by the 6th to 8th century, the spread of Buddhism followed too many different paths to permit a single story. Consequently, Leidy begins describing the art of particular geographic regions chapter by chapter.
Leidy explains many of the subtle features in Buddhist art that help the reader (or viewer) to understand what personalities are represented in the art. She notes that continuity in the art forms across different regions roughly matches the continuity of Buddhist doctrine. For example the sinuous forms of early Indian sculpture appear in Southeast Asian sculpture just as the Theravada doctrine spread from early India to Southeast Asia. Along the way, she explains some of the difference between various schools of Buddhism.
The book is beautifully illustrated, with a photograph or diagram on nearly every page. Unfortunately, they are often too small to really display the full beauty of the art. Indeed, the book's 10" x 7" format makes even the largest images small. Nevertheless, the selection of paintings and especially sculptures are sometimes breath taking.
Leidy explains many of the subtle features in Buddhist art that help the reader (or viewer) to understand what personalities are represented in the art. She notes that continuity in the art forms across different regions roughly matches the continuity of Buddhist doctrine. For example the sinuous forms of early Indian sculpture appear in Southeast Asian sculpture just as the Theravada doctrine spread from early India to Southeast Asia. Along the way, she explains some of the difference between various schools of Buddhism.
The book is beautifully illustrated, with a photograph or diagram on nearly every page. Unfortunately, they are often too small to really display the full beauty of the art. Indeed, the book's 10" x 7" format makes even the largest images small. Nevertheless, the selection of paintings and especially sculptures are sometimes breath taking.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Stonehenge & Other British Stone Monuments Astronomically Considered / Norman Lockyer
Norman Lockyer's studies of ancient Egyptian and British monuments rightfully makes him the progenitor of astro-archeology. His work on British megaliths, however, has been superseded by more exact calculations. In any case, his work, like other works in astro-archeology, reads more into the data than is justified. While it is entirely safe to say that the megalith builders consciously aligned many if not most of their monuments, it isn't at all clear that Lockyer is correct in claiming that that these alignments were set to observe the rising and/or setting of "warning stars" and "clock stars." Among the most interesting aspects of this book is Lockyer's hypothesis that the early megalith builders aligned many of their monuments to celebrate the year beginning in early May. He also includes discussions of British folklore and traditional celebrations which he claims support his astronomical interpretation of the megaliths.
The Jesus Family Tomb: The Discovery ... that Could Change History / Simcha Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino -- S.F., Cal.: HarperSanFranscisco, 2007
Jacobovici and Pellegrino make an extremely strong case for their claim that the family tomb of Jesus of Nazareth was found intact outside Jerusalem, including the remains of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of Jesus, and other family members. They argue that one of the sets of remains is from Jonah, son of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The book is told in a detective story style, which makes it quite gripping, but I missed the kind of scholarly support that might come with an academic treatment of the subject. Their main argument is based on a statistical calculation of the probability that several names associated with Jesus would all appear in the same tomb. The book leaves me wondering what reception it has received in professional circles.
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