Ancient Art Podcast

AAP Ep 25 (iPod): Beheaded Beauties

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:36:24 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. With a nod to the Art Institute of Chicago’s October self-guide and celebrating the Halloween season, episode 25 explores a few headless and disembodied works of art, including the humorous, the grotesque, and the just plain practical. We compare a Roman statue of a seated woman to its Classical Greek antecedents and explore one very logical explanation for why so many Roman statues are missing their heads and arms.

AAP Ep 25 (HD): Beheaded Beauties

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:36:19 -0500

With a nod to the Art Institute of Chicago’s October self-guide and celebrating the Halloween season, episode 25 explores a few headless and disembodied works of art, including the humorous, the grotesque, and the just plain practical. We compare a Roman statue of a seated woman to its Classical Greek antecedents and explore one very logical explanation for why so many Roman statues are missing their heads and arms.

AAP Ep 24 (iPod): Japanese Screens

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:37:05 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Episode 24 brings us the art of the Japanese folding screen from the exhibition Beyond Golden Clouds: Japanese Screens from the Art Institute of Chicago and the Saint Louis Art Museum. We’ll explore traditional styles, motifs, subjects, and forms, and also discover contemporary examples of the Japanese screen breaking boundaries and redefining the art form. Two works are examined in close detail, Flowering Cherry and Autumn Maples with Poem Slips by Tosa Mitsuoki and Mountain Lake Screen Tachi by Okura Jiro, in a discussion weaving together tradition and innovation, antiquity and contemporary, banal and spiritual.

AAP Ep 24 (HD): Japanese Screens

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:57:33 -0500

Episode 24 brings us the art of the Japanese folding screen from the exhibition Beyond Golden Clouds: Japanese Screens from the Art Institute of Chicago and the Saint Louis Art Museum. We’ll explore traditional styles, motifs, subjects, and forms, and also discover contemporary examples of the Japanese screen breaking boundaries and redefining the art form. Two works are examined in close detail, Flowering Cherry and Autumn Maples with Poem Slips by Tosa Mitsuoki and Mountain Lake Screen Tachi by Okura Jiro, in a discussion weaving together tradition and innovation, antiquity and contemporary, banal and spiritual.

AAP Ep 23 (iPod): King Tut and Beyond

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:56:16 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Putting the cap on the jar of Akhenaten, episode 23 explores works from the reign of the boy king Tutankhamun and his successors. Do the efforts of the 18th dynasty heretic king Akhenaten die hard or do his radical transformations live on? Dive in to discover the artistic legacy of the Amarna period on the throne of King Tut and a fragment from the private tomb of Iniuia and Yui. In this episode, we also closely examine a fragmentary statue bust of a woman from the New Kingdom at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, which you may have recently witnessed for its uncanny resemblance to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

AAP Ep 23 (HD): King Tut and Beyond

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:41:49 -0500

Putting the cap on the jar of Akhenaten, episode 23 explores works from the reign of the boy king Tutankhamun and his successors. Do the efforts of the 18th dynasty heretic king Akhenaten die hard or do his radical transformations live on? Dive in to discover the artistic legacy of the Amarna period on the throne of King Tut and a fragment from the private tomb of Iniuia and Yui. In this episode, we also closely examine a fragmentary statue bust of a woman from the New Kingdom at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, which you may have recently witnessed for its uncanny resemblance to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

AAP Ep 22 (iPod): Nefertiti, Devonia, Michael

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 09:59:16 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Another foray into contemporary art, where antiquity and modernity collide. Episode 22 explores two works by contemporary performance and visual artist Lorraine O’Grady: Nefertiti/Devonia Evangeline and Miscegenated Family Album. We delve deep into the family history of Nefertiti and Akhenaten of the Amarna Period. We also explore the idea of race in Ancient Egypt, touching on Afrocentric theories and how our own cultural biases shape the field of Egyptology. Lastly, a short homage to the King of Pop [“ma’a kheru”].

AAP Ep 22 (HD): Nefertiti, Devonia, Michael

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 09:47:59 -0500

Another foray into contemporary art, where antiquity and modernity collide. Episode 22 explores two works by contemporary performance and visual artist Lorraine O’Grady: Nefertiti/Devonia Evangeline and Miscegenated Family Album. We delve deep into the family history of Nefertiti and Akhenaten of the Amarna Period. We also explore the idea of race in Ancient Egypt, touching on Afrocentric theories and how our own cultural biases shape the field of Egyptology. Lastly, a short homage to the King of Pop [“ma’a kheru”].

AAP Ep 21 (iPod): Akhenaten and the Amarna Style

Thu, 28 May 2009 23:19:08 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. In episode 21, we scratch the surface of one of the most interesting periods from Ancient Egypt, the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten. We explore the radical social transformations during his reign and its uniquely characteristic artistic revolution known as the Amarna style.

AAP Ep 21 (HD): Akhenaten and the Amarna Style

Thu, 28 May 2009 19:31:00 -0500

In episode 21, we scratch the surface of one of the most interesting periods from Ancient Egypt, the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten. We explore the radical social transformations during his reign and its uniquely characteristic artistic revolution known as the Amarna style.

AAP Ep 20 (iPod): Ancient Olympics, Part 3

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:24:14 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. In episode 20 we dive into the nitty gritty of the Ancient Olympic games. We continue to look at what makes the Greek games essentially Greek and we run through a survey of the various types of athletic events at the Olympics. We expose the often overshadowed origin of the marathon race and explore some interesting character portraits of notable ancient athletes.

AAP Ep 20 (HD): Ancient Olympics, Part 3

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:04:03 -0500

In episode 20 we dive into the nitty gritty of the Ancient Olympic games. We continue to look at what makes the Greek games essentially Greek and we run through a survey of the various types of athletic events at the Olympics. We expose the often overshadowed origin of the marathon race and explore some interesting character portraits of notable ancient athletes.

AAP Ep 19 (iPod): Ancient Olympics, Part 2

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:25:36 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Grab yer beer hat and foam finger, ‘cause it’s game on for part 2 of the Ancient Olympics on the Ancient Art Podcast. In episode 19 we continue to explore the idea of a tragic untimely demise as a good reason to hold an athletic contest. We take a close look at some very early Greek artwork dated to about the time of the foundation of the Olympic games, which may suggest chariot racing and funerary games. And then we “expose” — so to speak — various interpretations on nudity in the ancient games.

AAP Ep 19 (HD): Ancient Olympics, Part 2

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:01:47 -0500

Grab yer beer hat and foam finger, ‘cause it’s game on for part 2 of the Ancient Olympics on the Ancient Art Podcast. In episode 19 we continue to explore the idea of a tragic untimely demise as a good reason to hold an athletic contest. We take a close look at some very early Greek artwork dated to about the time of the foundation of the Olympic games, which may suggest chariot racing and funerary games. And then we “expose” — so to speak — various interpretations on nudity in the ancient games.

AAP Ep 18 (iPod): Ancient Olympics, Part 1, the Foundation

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:14:12 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Journey back to witness the largest tailgater in the Ancient Mediterranean World, the Ancient Greek Olympic Games. In episode 18, we discover the origin of the Olympics based on archaeological and written evidence, and delve into their mythic foundations. Explore representations of the foundation myths at Olympia, like the Twelve Labors of Hercules and the race of Pelops against King Oinomaos. Trace the tragic lineage of the doomed House of Atreus and connect the ancient heroic funerary tradition with the Olympics and other Greek games.

AAP Ep 18 (HD): Ancient Olympics, Part 1, the Foundation

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:14:09 -0600

Journey back to witness the largest tailgater in the Ancient Mediterranean World, the Ancient Greek Olympic Games. In episode 18, we discover the origin of the Olympics based on archaeological and written evidence, and delve into their mythic foundations. Explore representations of the foundation myths at Olympia, like the Twelve Labors of Hercules and the race of Pelops against King Oinomaos. Trace the tragic lineage of the doomed House of Atreus and connect the ancient heroic funerary tradition with the Olympics and other Greek games.

AAP Ep 17 (iPod): Alsdorf Galleries of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan, and Islamic Art

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:01:20 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. The Art Institute of Chicago recently opened their brand new galleries of South and Southeast Asian art. Episode 17 of the Ancient Art Podcast takes a close look the new installation, space, and hundreds of objects exhibited. Learn about the decisions curators make when exhibiting artwork and how both ancient and modern cultural ideas affect the installation. While exploring the symbolism and iconography found throughout Hindu and Buddhist art, we'll closely analyze one particularly exemplary work of sculpture, the 12th century Indian statue of the Divine General Kartikeya.

AAP Ep 17 (HD): Alsdorf Galleries of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan, and Islamic Art

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:28:07 -0600

The Art Institute of Chicago recently opened their brand new galleries of South and Southeast Asian art. Episode 17 of the Ancient Art Podcast takes a close look the new installation, space, and hundreds of objects exhibited. Learn about the decisions curators make when exhibiting artwork and how both ancient and modern cultural ideas affect the installation. While exploring the symbolism and iconography found throughout Hindu and Buddhist art, we'll closely analyze one particularly exemplary work of sculpture, the 12th century Indian statue of the Divine General Kartikeya.

AAP Ep 16 (iPod): Metropolitan Kouros

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:46:50 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Picking up where episode 15 left off, we dive into the emergence of sculpture in Ancient Greece. We look closely at one exemplary piece, a marble statue of a youth from ancient Athens, the so-called “Metropolitan Kouros” of ca. 590–580 B.C. We’ll see how the early Greek kouros type is borrowed directly from Egyptian statuary. We also explore sculpture’s original function and message in Ancient Greece plus the social context in which sculpture develops.

AAP Ep 16 (HD): Metropolitan Kouros

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:12:24 -0500

Picking up where episode 15 left off, we dive into the emergence of sculpture in Ancient Greece. We look closely at one exemplary piece, a marble statue of a youth from ancient Athens, the so-called “Metropolitan Kouros” of ca. 590–580 B.C. We’ll see how the early Greek kouros type is borrowed directly from Egyptian statuary. We also explore sculpture’s original function and message in Ancient Greece plus the social context in which sculpture develops.

AAP Ep 15 (HD): Origin of Greek Sculpture

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:02:55 -0500

Examining a variety of artwork from the Ancient Greek Orientalizing Period and Archaic Period, episode 15 takes a brief look at the historical climate that gave rise to Greek sculpture. We explore Greece’s cultural contact with Egypt during the Saite Dynasty, with particular attention to the Greek colony of Naukratis. A variety of Egyptian and Near Eastern influences helped shape the developing Greek arts, which laid the foundation for the legacy of Western Civilization.

AAP Ep 15 (iPod): Origin of Greek Sculpture

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:48:00 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Examining a variety of artwork from the Ancient Greek Orientalizing Period and Archaic Period, episode 15 takes a brief look at the historical climate that gave rise to Greek sculpture. We explore Greece’s cultural contact with Egypt during the Saite Dynasty, with particular attention to the Greek colony of Naukratis. A variety of Egyptian and Near Eastern influences helped shape the developing Greek arts, which laid the foundation for the legacy of Western Civilization.

AAP Ep 14 (HD): Ra-Horakhty

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:46:21 -0500

Using an ancient statue of the Egyptian god Ra-Horakhty at the Art Institute of Chicago, episode 14 ties together many themes explored in earlier episodes of the podcast and delves into the classic sculpted male form in Egyptian art.

AAP Ep 14 (iPod): Ra-Horakhty

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:49:13 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Using an ancient statue of the Egyptian god Ra-Horakhty at the Art Institute of Chicago, episode 14 ties together many themes explored in earlier episodes of the podcast and delves into the classic sculpted male form in Egyptian art.

AAP Ep 13 (HD): Ellsworth Kelly’s “Chicago Panels”

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:04:03 -0500

Ancient and contemporary come together in a poetic embrace in this exploration two monumental works of artistic achievement, “The Chicago Panels” by contemporary American artist Ellsworth Kelly and the Parthenon Frieze from Ancient Greece.

AAP Ep 13 (iPod): Ellsworth Kelly’s “Chicago Panels”

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:50:33 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Ancient and contemporary come together in a poetic embrace in this exploration two monumental works of artistic achievement, “The Chicago Panels” by contemporary American artist Ellsworth Kelly and the Parthenon Frieze from Ancient Greece.

AAP Ep 12 (HD): The Parthenon Frieze, Part 3

Wed, 7 May 2008 15:29:18 -0500

In the third and final installment of multiple episodes focusing on the Parthenon Frieze and its relationship with the Persian Apadana reliefs at Persepolis, we take a quick look at the history and context of the Ionic frieze, investigating its evolution from a decorative band to storyboard. We'll wrap up with a close examination of the many similarities between the Parthenon Frieze and Apadana reliefs, the Parthenon and Apadana themselves, the Acropolis and Persepolis, and finally Athens and the Persian Empire.

AAP Ep 12 (iPod): The Parthenon Frieze, Part 3

Wed, 7 May 2008 12:51:22 -0500

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. In the third and final installment of multiple episodes focusing on the Parthenon Frieze and its relationship with the Persian Apadana reliefs at Persepolis, we take a quick look at the history and context of the Ionic frieze, investigating its evolution from a decorative band to storyboard. We'll wrap up with a close examination of the many similarities between the Parthenon Frieze and Apadana reliefs, the Parthenon and Apadana themselves, the Acropolis and Persepolis, and finally Athens and the Persian Empire.

AAP Ep 11 (HD): The Parthenon Frieze, Part 2

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:23:05 -0600

In the second part of multiple episodes focusing on the Parthenon Frieze and its relationship with the Persian Apadana reliefs at Persepolis, we investigate the evidence for the transmission of ideas from Persia to Greece by way of the Ionian Greek artists, who plied their trade throughout the Mediterranean. We’ll look closely at an important transitional piece, the so-called Harpy Tomb at Xanthos in Lycia, as well as a couple Persian imperial sites, Susa and Persepolis, before turning westward to Athens. We’ll also examine the role of Persian monumental art and architecture and reveal the Greek stylistic influence passed on to Persia by the Ionian artists.

AAP Ep 11 (iPod): The Parthenon Frieze, Part 2

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:52:10 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. In the second part of multiple episodes focusing on the Parthenon Frieze and its relationship with the Persian Apadana reliefs at Persepolis, we investigate the evidence for the transmission of ideas from Persia to Greece by way of the Ionian Greek artists, who plied their trade throughout the Mediterranean. We’ll look closely at an important transitional piece, the so-called Harpy Tomb at Xanthos in Lycia, as well as a couple Persian imperial sites, Susa and Persepolis, before turning westward to Athens. We’ll also examine the role of Persian monumental art and architecture and reveal the Greek stylistic influence passed on to Persia by the Ionian artists.

AAP Ep 10 (HD): The Parthenon Frieze, Part 1

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 22:01:56 -0600

This is the first of multiple episodes focusing on one of the most iconic, pivotal, and contentious works or art from Ancient Greece: the Parthenon Frieze. We begin with an introduction to the frieze's origin, construction, and sordid history. The meat of our journey brings us to the exploration of the new imperial Athens, who seeks to model herself, her new Periclean Acropolis, and the Parthenon frieze after the closest and most familiar former empire of the Mediterranean, her once-formidable enemy, Persia.

AAP Ep 10 (iPod): The Parthenon Frieze, Part 1

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 12:53:04 -0600

AAP Ep 9: Walk Like an Egyptian

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:41:31 -0600

The ancient riddle of the human form in Egyptian painting is finally answered! But it ain't simple. There's a deeply complex answer to this question involving Egyptian concepts of cosmic world order, philosophy, religion, magic, and even hieroglyphs. Enjoy the latest episode of the new and improved SCARABsolutions Ancient Art Podcast is full, high resolution video glory!

AAP Ep 8 (HD): Cicadas

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:17:57 -0600

Episode 8 rereleased in high definition video. With all the hoopla from the arrival of the 17-year magicicada to much of the Midwest and with the annual cicadas in full overture, let’s take a moment to look a little more closely at the mystery, science, and theatrics of cicadas. In this episode, we’ll reveal the mystery of these under-appreciated insects, explore the modern cicada hysteria, and delve into the secret arts and myths of ancient China. We’ll even throw in a little astronomy for good measure. Sit back and get ready for the ride…

AAP Ep 8 (iPod): Cicadas

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:17:28 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. With all the hoopla from the arrival of the 17-year magicicada to much of the Midwest and with the annual cicadas in full overture, let’s take a moment to look a little more closely at the mystery, science, and theatrics of cicadas. In this episode, we’ll reveal the mystery of these under-appreciated insects, explore the modern cicada hysteria, and delve into the secret arts and myths of ancient China. We’ll even throw in a little astronomy for good measure. Sit back and get ready for the ride…

AAP Ep 7 (HD): Gandharan Bodhisattva

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:16:08 -0600

In episode 7, rereleased in high definition video, we march in the footsteps of one of the most revered and notorious conquerors of the Ancient Mediterranean World, Alexander the Great. We head East into Asia to uncover the remnants of Alexander's empire and discover the bridge where East meets West in ancient Gandhara. Also included is the author's humble opinion on online art museum collection databases.

AAP Ep 7 (iPod): Gandharan Bodhisattva

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:15:52 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. In episode 7, we march in the footsteps of one of the most revered and notorious conquerors of the Ancient Mediterranean World, Alexander the Great. We head East into Asia to uncover the remnants of Alexander's empire and discover the bridge where East meets West in ancient Gandhara. Also included is the author's humble opinion on online art museum collection databases.

AAP Ep 6 (HD): A Classical Lekythos

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:12:31 -0600

Episode 6 rereleased in high definition video. One could easily pass by this muted, diminutive, unassuming lekythos at the Art Institute of Chicago, but in this episode we’ll closely examine it’s significant message and place it in the grander scheme of the newly refined aesthetic in late Archaic and Classical Athens. In exploring the narrative strategies of Attic vase painting, we’ll also take a hard look at a particularly exemplary black-figure amphora by the renown vase painter Exekias.

AAP Ep 6 (iPod): A Classical Lekythos

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:00:57 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. One could easily pass by this muted, diminutive, unassuming lekythos at the Art Institute of Chicago, but in this episode we’ll closely examine it’s significant message and place it in the grander scheme of the newly refined aesthetic in late Archaic and Classical Athens. In exploring the narrative strategies of Attic vase painting, we’ll also take a hard look at a particularly exemplary black-figure amphora by the renown vase painter Exekias.

AAP Ep 5 (HD): A Corinthian Pyxis

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:20:58 -0600

Episode 5 rereleased in high definition video. In this episode we take a look at some Archaic Greek vase painting in a pyxis from the Orientalizing Period at the Art Institute of Chicago. We explore the Ancient Near Eastern influence on developing Greek civilization along with Greece's own interest in their own mythic, heroic past. We also discuss the strategic importance of Corinth in the cultural and commercial climate of the Orientalizing Period, while comparing the newly emerging, but short-lived Corinthian ware of this day and age to the traditional Geometric Period ware of earlier centuries and contemporary neighbors. We check out the emergence of Classical Doric Greek temple architecture in the Temple of Artemis at Corfu and see how its sculptural decor relates to the cultural milieu of Archaic Greece and the arts of the Orientalizing Period. The Art Institute Orientalizing Period pyxis further demonstrates a quintessential synthesis of imported Near Eastern mythology, symbolism, and iconography with the Greece's newfound passion for the iconography and symbolism of their own native, ancient, Bronze Age Mycenaean heroic and mythic ancestry. And on top of all of that, we even manage to tie in the famed Lion's Gate of Ancient Mycenae.

AAP Ep 5 (iPod): A Corinthian Pyxis

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:45:37 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. In episode 5 we take a look at some Archaic Greek vase painting in a pyxis from the Orientalizing Period at the Art Institute of Chicago. We explore the Ancient Near Eastern influence on developing Greek civilization along with Greece's own interest in their own mythic, heroic past. We also discuss the strategic importance of Corinth in the cultural and commercial climate of the Orientalizing Period, while comparing the newly emerging, but short-lived Corinthian ware of this day and age to the traditional Geometric Period ware of earlier centuries and contemporary neighbors. We check out the emergence of Classical Doric Greek temple architecture in the Temple of Artemis at Corfu and see how its sculptural decor relates to the cultural milieu of Archaic Greece and the arts of the Orientalizing Period. The Art Institute Orientalizing Period pyxis further demonstrates a quintessential synthesis of imported Near Eastern mythology, symbolism, and iconography with the Greece's newfound passion for the iconography and symbolism of their own native, ancient, Bronze Age Mycenaean heroic and mythic ancestry. And on top of all of that, we even manage to tie in the famed Lion's Gate of Ancient Mycenae.

AAP Ep 4 (HD): Statue of Osiris

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:27:06 -0600

Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about Osiris and didn't think to ask! Rereleased in high definition video, episode 4 checks out a real Egyptian Mystery, a relatively recent acquisition at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Statue of Osiris, complete with trap doors, hollow cavities, fake mummies, and false doorways. But it's not just fun and games. We also look the ancient stylistic tradition of funerary architecture and explore its evolving context over millennia of Egyptian history, including a close peek at the Coffin of Khnum-nakht at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and more!

AAP Ep 4 (iPod): Statue of Osiris

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:02:39 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about Osiris and didn't think to ask! Episode 4 checks out a real Egyptian Mystery, a relatively recent acquisition at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Statue of Osiris, complete with trap doors, hollow cavities, fake mummies, and false doorways. But it's not just fun and games. We also look the ancient stylistic tradition of funerary architecture and explore its evolving context over millennia of Egyptian history, including a close peek at the Coffin of Khnum-nakht at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and more!

AAP Ep 3 (HD): A Donkey-headed Rhyton

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:41:52 -0600

Episode 3 rereleased in high definition video. Using a particularly delightful example from the Art Institute of Chicago, we look at the history of the Ancient Greek rhyton (drinking cup) from its involvement in heroic warrior feasts and sacrifices to the drinking parties of 5th Century B.C. Athens. We'll also examine some other great vessels at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and check out a popular drinking game in Ancient Greece.

AAP Ep 3 (iPod): A Donkey-headed Rhyton

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:00:58 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Using a particularly delightful example from the Art Institute of Chicago, we look at the history of the Ancient Greek rhyton (drinking cup) from its involvement in heroic warrior feasts and sacrifices to the drinking parties of 5th Century B.C. Athens. We'll also examine some other great vessels at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and check out a popular drinking game in Ancient Greece.

AAP Ep 2 (HD): The Mummy Case of Paankhenamun

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:38:52 -0600

Rereleased in High Definition video, episode two examines the iconography and symbolism throughout the decoration of the Mummy Case of Paankhenamun at the Art Institute of Chicago. See how the ornamentation works together to express a unifying theme paramount in Ancient Egyptian funerary belief.

AAP Ep 2 (iPod): The Mummy Case of Paankhenamun

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:16:49 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Episode two examines the iconography and symbolism throughout the decoration of the Mummy Case of Paankhenamun at the Art Institute of Chicago. See how the ornamentation works together to express a unifying theme paramount in Ancient Egyptian funerary belief.

AAP Ep 1 (HD): The Scarab in Ancient Egypt

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 11:25:03 -0600

Rereleased in High Definition video, our inaugural episode examines the role of the scarab beetle in Ancient Egyptian religion and funerary art as both the Egyptian god Khepri and an iconographic motif of resurrection. We also touch on the possible roots of his religious association and take a look at the use of the scarabs in amulets, the “heart scarab.”

AAP Ep 1 (iPod): The Scarab in Ancient Egypt

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 11:24:52 -0600

iPod version. For HD video visit ancientartpodcast.org. Our inaugural episode examines the role of the scarab beetle in Ancient Egyptian religion and funerary art as both the Egyptian god Khepri and an iconographic motif of resurrection. We also touch on the possible roots of his religious association and take a look at the use of the scarabs in amulets, the “heart scarab.”

AAP Ep 9 3/4: Announcement

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:53:01 -0500

Announcing the new high-resolution video podcast and a certain milestone.