For students of the humanities…
What did the past smell like? This is a question that this article from Smithsonian Magazine tries to address. While it focusses on the attempts to recreate Cleopatra's perfume, it also talks about the importance of scent to culture and ways that we might recapture the scents of the past. link to Scientists Recreate Cleopatra's... Continue Reading →
Are you interested in pottery, painting, or the Greeks? If so, then you should check out this great article from the Metropolitan Museum Journal. It discusses the often undervalued culture and art of the Greek Geometric Period. In particular it focusses on one specific Greek krater (wine vessel and/or grave marker). To download the article,... Continue Reading →
While Greek kraters could be used as communal vessels to dilute (with water) and serve wine, in the Geometric Period, they were also used as grave markers. This exquisite example from the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases the deceased surrounded by mourners. It also shows a group of soldiers and horses. Note the stylized nature... Continue Reading →
Weaving silk is a delicate process. This video showcases companies in France that weave silk using traditional methods. link to Shimmering Silk from France
Many artistic techniques of the past have unfortunately been lost to history. This video from the Victoria and Albert Museum details the quest of a 5th generation Japanese dye maker to recapture the colors of the past. link to In Search of Forgotten Colors
Ancient people produced many of the same things that we use in our modern world. Glass is one of those things, and the Romans were well known for the quality of their glass production. This article provides a wealth of information on the study of the practices of the Roman glass industry. link to Seeing... Continue Reading →
When most people think about the process of making pottery, they think about a potter using a wheel. While that is a very common way to make a pot, the art of making slab pottery is ancient in its own right. This article gives a good overview of the art form, and it includes links... Continue Reading →
Applied (or Practical) Arts are those that exist in the space between Craft and Fine Arts. Depending on your point of view, they can belong to either category (or maybe both categories). If you're interested in learning a about papercraft or fiber arts, then this site is one that you should visit. link to The... Continue Reading →
This video is required viewing for my Art Appreciation class, but it's so interesting, I wanted to include it here as well. Tapestry making is an amazing art, and it's one that I don't think is valued today as highly as it should be. Take a look and see what you think. link to The... Continue Reading →
Humanities Scholars 