IAR 222: Reading Comp 2

1. Hersey talks about sacrifice in terms of columns and how they relate to humans and animals. I can see how people in that time could use this idea to influence columns. The column base is named after a foot. The molding on the base is named from rope, twisted or slung, which would have been used in the sacrifice. Most importantly is the way the head is related to the top of the column. I have never thought of how sacrifice could be influential and related to a column until reading Hersey's passage but I think it is a valid point.

2. Macaulay’s story does a good job of comically telling a story of something that really does happen to us these days. I have misunderstood information from the internet before because the source was not a good source. Anyone can truly put information on the internet that isn’t completely reliable or reliable at all. This is explained in a way in Macaulay’s article. The main character thinks the hotel room is a tomb and that everyday items such as a tv, shower cap, and remote are ritualistic items meant for preserving ones afterlife in their tomb. He misinterprets everything because he is just using his own thoughts to determine what things are. One way to avoid mis-reading evidence online is to only use sources that are legit and scholarly. Another way is to avoid using Wikipedia for information and websites that end in “.com”.

3. Queen Hatshepsut’s temple was designed to blend in with its surroundings, a valley. It is much smaller of a scale and stands out less than the pyramids, which are tombs for pharaohs. During that time, men were viewed as higher up than women. This is one reason why the design of Queen Hatshepsut’s temple was the way it was. Because she was a woman, it was less grand and noticeable than the pyramids.

4. The temple, Hypostyle Hall from Ancient Egypt and the residential palace, Palace of Knossos are similar yet different in several ways and show how Egyptian and Greek civilizations played off each other. Both these buildings used columns as a major support system. They each had some sort of decoration on either the columns or buildings. Hypostyle Hall had ornamental carvings that told stories about the pharaoh to show his power. Whereas the Palace used ornament through fresco wall paintings and furniture. Both had a control of natural light, using the breaks in the columns for lighting and effect. One main difference I notice is the structural system used to build each building. Hypostyle Hall used the post and lintel system with columns and a roof. The Palace of Knossos included the use of columns for support, walls and staircases. Another detail that makes them different is the progression and navigation of space. Hypostyle Hall had a strong axial progression and a direct, linear navigation of space. There was really only one way to walk once you entered and that was straight to the end where the statue Amun stood. The Palace of Knossos is asymmetric without a clear floor plan.

Hypostyle Hall

http://skyline-tours.com/mon.html

Palace of Knossos

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/142758/119046/Portion-of-the-reconstructed-Minoan-palace-Knossos-Crete-Greece

5. In Ancient Egypt, hierarchy played a big role in the culture of the people and their eternal life. The higher somebody was in society, the grander their place of living was, and if they were really important than they would have a tomb or temple. From Harwood pages 60-61, a variety of examples of Egyptian furniture are shown. Some of which are very simple and plain, while others are immensely decorated with gold and silver and other furnishings. All of the decorative chairs shown belonged to kings or queens. This relates back to hierarchy and the fact that people are likely to see these chairs after the king or queen dies. Whereas the more simple chairs most likely belonged to low or middle class people. This is why I believe most of the furniture was lightweight and minimal, they weren’t seen by anyone except the owners unless they belonged to a king or queen.

6. As previously talked about, the roles of men and women in ancient Egypt and Greece were that men were higher up than women. This is clearly shown in the pictures on these two urns. Women appear as if they are idolizing the men pictured or serving them. The women are either touching the man or handing him something and then man is sitting at his throne relaxing. This really shows how women were depicted then – much lower than men. This relates back to how different Queens’ temples were than Kings or Pharaohs’. Queens’ temples or tombs, such as Queen Hatshepsut, are smaller and less noticeable and grand than the pyramids.