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Venus of Willendorf Austria, c. 20,000 BCE - Indus Valley Civilization

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Venus of Willendorf Austria, c. 20,000 BCE - Indus Valley Civilization

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The Venus of Willendorf scales at around 4 1/4" tall and is made of limestone. The proportions of this nude woman tend to be quite dramatic; with large breasts, hips and even added detail to demonstrate the vaginal area. Due to the fact there was so much focus in these primary and secondary reproductive areas, archeologists and scientists tend to believe that this figurine/sculpture was made for fertility and/or medical (woman anatomy) purposes. Venus is depicted with what can be either answered as hair or a headdress on, but no facial features. This observation leads those to believe they did this for a reason, one theory being it demonstrates being a "universal mother".

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Jade Bi Disk, 3000-2000 BCE, Neolithic China East Coast Neolithic Liangzhu

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Jade Bi Disk, 3000-2000 BCE, Neolithic China East Coast Neolithic Liangzhu

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The Shanghai region is where jade was first discovered by the Liangzhu cultures. It was considered a precious material in its origin days due to its scarceness and extremely long fabricating process. Because of this, jade was more or so affiliated with those of high status and for their funerary objects. Bi disks were used for around 3000 years from this point. The techniques used to create a disk like this is constant grinding and polishing. Jade typically sits at around 6-7 on the Mohs hardness scale, and it is believed the Liangzhu people used quartz sand ( 7 on Mohs) to grind down the jade into the disk shape they want. There is no evidence to show that the Bi disks had a functional purpose, and were rather more for symbolism. One popular theory between the jade disks and cong were the symbolism of heaven (Bi) and earth (cong), as these objects were often found in tombs of higher status individuals, and when found there were many of them. It is believed this could've been a way to connect the physical and spiritual worlds in the afterlife.

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Rectangular Ritual Food Vessel - China, Late Shang Dynasty (c.1250-1046 BCE), Anyang Phase

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Rectangular Ritual Food Vessel - China, Late Shang Dynasty (c.1250-1046 BCE), Anyang Phase

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The Rectangular Ritual Food Vessel stands on four legs, each leg underneath a corner of the rectangular vessel. As being a late Shang dynasty piece, this resembles Style V of Shang bronzes. On all four faces of the rectangular vessel, and even looking at some of the details higher up on the legs, the relief imagery is raised from the surface of the plains. This is a key, defining factor of Style V itself. In addition, square spirals surround the raised reliefs on each outer face of the rectangle, which is a Shang staple decorative element. Each face can be split down the middle, vertically, and mirror perfectly what is on the opposing side. Flanges helped perfect the Shang bronze-making, as it alleviated visual seams that could have occurred during the section mold process of creating said vessel. Ultimately they did figure out a way to create bronzes in Anyang without seams, but starting in Style IIII, flanges became more common in late Shang vessels to originally cover up any imperfections. The iconography of the Gui dragon is also used in the upper half scenes of the outer, rectangular faces; which is a profile imagery for the Shang. The opening of the vessel is large and spacious, making the rim quite thin. It is also deep, considering the total height of the vessel is just over 8 inches. As its intended purpose is to be to cook and put out offerings, it makes sense that this vessel was made to hold servings within itself.

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The Western Zhou era is one that we know little about. Without the hoards of bronzes vessels, like the Li Gui, found buried near modern day Xi'an, we may not have even known about this civilization. The bronzes of the Western Zhou had very different functionality than compared to previous dynasty's including the Shang, who used theirs for ritual and cooking purposes. Western Zhou bronzes are engraved with vital information and were meant to be family heirlooms to be passed down for many generations. Using Li Gui as a prime example, it tells us that this exact bronze was made 8 days post conquering the Shang. Since bronze was also quite a valuable resource, it could only be awarded by the king himself to have bronzes made from. King Wu, of the Western Zhou during the conquest of the Shang, gifted Li the bronze to make this gui with, with is also written on here. It also states "King Wu conquered the Shang", indicating to us who ruled during the time of the conquering. Bronzes/Gui were to document in a sense important events in the Western Zhou Dynasty.

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The Marquis Yi of Zeng’s Set of Bronze Bells, Eastern Zhou, 433 BCE 

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The Marquis Yi of Zeng’s Set of Bronze Bells, Eastern Zhou, 433 BCE 

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In the tomb of The Marquis Yi of Zeng was 124 musical instruments in the biggest compartment of the tomb that was detected to be for music and partying in the afterlife. Within the 124 instruments were 65 bronze bells, all perfectly tuned to what a piano could play (the 12 notes of the chromatic scale) and ranged between three octaves. Not only that, but each bell plays two notes; one when you strike the middle of the bell and another when hit on the side. There are 3 rows of bells. The smallest, top row was used to tune the orchestra, and the other 2 rows were meant for playing. In total it takes 5 people to play these bells, there will be 3 people in the back with mallets hitting the middle row, and 2 people in front in charge of using poles for the biggest, bottom row of bells. The bells were inscribed with the message saying “Marquis Yi of Zeng made this.
Cherish it.” Still to this day nobody has been able to successfully recreate these bells 100% accurately to be perfectly tuned to two different notes and how they would've been originally made.

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Great Stupa at Sanchi, Buddhism and Early Buddhist Art, 3rd-1st Century BCE

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Great Stupa at Sanchi, Buddhism and Early Buddhist Art, 3rd-1st Century BCE

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Although the Andras in the 1st century BCE started their renovations of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, the burnt bricks, in which the original stupa that is encased within the renovation, can be dated back to the 3rd century BCE. During Ashoka's time of spreading Buddhism, he had rectified stupas on sites that represented importance to Buddhist faith. The Great Stupa at Sanchi's location is notibly important, as this is where Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) gave his first sermon at.  At the very top, center of the stupa is a triple stone umbrella, in which represents The 3 Jewels of Buddhism-- Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Each Torana (gate) faces a cardinal direction, which represent an important moment in the Buddha's life. The East is the Buddha's birth, South is Enlightenment, West shows the first sermon where he preached his teachings or dharma, and North represents Nirvana. Those who practice Buddhism, still today, can also partake in Pradakshina Circumambulation, a ritual where one walks around the Vedika of the Stupa, counter-clockwise.

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Soldiers from Pit 1, The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, 221–206 BCE

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Soldiers from Pit 1, The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, 221–206 BCE

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Although there was a limited number under 10 for each of the different types of characteristics amongst the statues (plinths, feet, shows, boots, legs, torsos, armor, heads and hands), only certain pairings or characteristics themselves on these sculptures can distinguish the power one holds. For example, the butterfly hair. If a solider is seen with 2 top knot buns for his hairstyle, this hairstyle is limited to only generals; an immediate indicator of power. Middle and Lower generals still wore a headgear as well, both of one trapezoid shape. The middle generals had a seam in the middle and the lower generals did not. No other statue is seen with a headgear on like these besides generals. With the clothing, only soldiers, like the archers for example, were seen wearing coat armor. Nothing too fancy or with many details. The generals on the other hand, have very detailed armor and once used to have a lot of color on them. The high ranking general can be seen with a long robe that is covered by armor that has a triangle pouting downwards on the lower half, thick grid-like patterned armor in the middle torso area and a scarf-like accessories around his neck. The middle and lower ranking general had grid-like armor covering his shoulders, biceps and torso areas on top of their long robes. Extra armor on top of the robes indicated a status of power of some sort with the clothing. A general rule as well was the more color ones armor had (as these were originally painted), the higher rank they were. For example: the highest ranking officer had around 10 different colors on his armor.

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The Tomb of Lady Dai, Han Dynasty, 168 BCE

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The Tomb of Lady Dai, Han Dynasty, 168 BCE

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Lady Dai passed away in 168 BCE, after her husband, Marquis of Dai who died in 186 BCE, and son who passed away in 168 BCE as well shortly before her mother. Lady Dai was buried in a vertical tunnel at the depth of 52 feet, where her coffin and funerary objects rested. She was encapsulated in an absurd amount of layers which included (from the outer most layer to the inner most layer) a thick layer of pounded earth, a white clay layer that was 21-inches thick, a layer of charcoal that ranged between 12-16 inches, 1 outer coffin, 3 lacquered coffins (highly toxic and precious resource obtained from lac trees and used on various wood coffins and lacquerware, a very tedious process to receive the finished product that includes several layers applied), and 20 layers of textiles tied together with 9 ribbons. Secondary chambers were also constructed around all the coffins for burial/funerary goods which included over 1,000 objects that surrounded her as well (some were made for afterlife purposes and others she owned while she was alive). Due to the extreme of her burial, her body was preserved extremely well as they discovered when they excavated her in 1972. Her skin still had elasticity and her joints could move. They were even able to detect that she had horrible back problems and most likely used a cane to walk and had musk melon as her last meal, thousands of later. They were able to conclude that the cause of Lady Dai's death was most likely either a heart attack or acute gall bladder disease. They also discovered she had ingested a great, unhealthy amount of mercury; a main ingredient that was used for elixirs of immortality, which could have also led to not only her death, but also her family's.

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Buddha Seated on Lion Throne, Mathura, India, 2nd Century CE

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Buddha Seated on Lion Throne, Mathura, India, 2nd Century CE

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This illustration of the Buddha is derived from the Mathura workshop practice. We know this due to the ornamental halo image behind the Buddha's head, the heavy-set facial structure, string folds and sheerness in the clothing and the canvas being of red sandstone, a common Mathura art resource. The Buddha is demonstrated in hierarchic scale, as the largest pictorial in the whole picture and is front and center. The secondary characters are the Yaksha prototype nature spirits (also known as Indian fly-whisk bearers), identified to be bodhisattvas-- those who choose to continue samsara to spread Buddhism in each life. The characters seen above the Buddha and Bodhisattvas are the Apsaras (buddhist angels), supernatural woman spirits of the clouds and water, which are prominent in Hindu and Buddhist culture and arts. The Buddha is also sat upon a throne held up by lions, in which lions represent strength and protection in Buddhism. This particular depiction of Buddha is Kushan derived due to the cranial protuberance on his head, which was a shaping of the skull with binding the Kushans as a culture would do.

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Ajanta Cave Painting - Padmapani/Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Late 5th century (likely 477)

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Ajanta Cave Painting - Padmapani/Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Late 5th century (likely 477)

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The Padmapani/Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva painting (fresco) is located inside Cave 1 at Ajanta, specifically located right outside the cell where the image of Buddha was located for worship. This makes sense, as Padmapani/Avalokitesvara was a Bodhisattva that manifested compassion. Bodhisattva's are the only ones who would ever be illustrated wearing elaborate headdresses and jewelry, as both Buddha's and Monks are never connected to many, if any, materialistic items in their imagery. The way these paintings were constructed was first a layer of potters clay combined with a mixture of cow dung, straw and animals hair that covered the wall, as the canvas area. Then, the next layer once that was adhered was a white lime plaster (this is what was painted on). Cinnabar red is what the artist used to outline the art first and used grey to define the characters and bigger details before going in with local colors to paint everything else and finer details to get to the final results.

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Horyuji Temple in Nara - Clay Figures, 711 CE

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Horyuji Temple in Nara - Clay Figures, 711 CE

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These clay figures and scenes were constructed on the first floor of the Pagoda in the Horyuji compound, and were finished in 711, relevant to the Nara era. The core of each figurine were made of wood and metal armature and then coated in clay over top. There were four tableau's, one for every cardinal direction just like the Great Stupa at Sanchi, each a different didactic associated with Buddhism. The scene in the north shows Siddhartha Gautama's (the Buddha) parinirvana (the image shown here on Padlet), to the south is the Buddha of the Future, Miroku, in Tushita Heaven, to the west is demonstrating the division of relics post cremation of the Buddha, and to the east is the tableau of discussion between Vimalikirti (Yuima in Japanese), an Indian scholar, and Monju (Manjushri in Sanskrit), Bodhisattva of wisdom. Yuima followed Dharma in his live, but did not renounce his wealth as a successful businessman and lived a lavish life, contrary to Buddhism beliefs; which could be context to the discourse in the eastern tableau between Yuima and Monju.