The 65m-tall Minaret of Jam, marks probably the site of the ancient city of Firuzkuh (later destroyed by the Mongol Ogodï in 1222), which was the capital of the Ghurid dynasty which ruled Afghanistan as well as from Kashgar to the Persian Gulf, and parts of northern Indian. Sultan Ghiyas ud-Din is named as the current Ghurid emperor at the time of construction by the inscription, which also gives a construction date of 1194.

The Minaret of Jam is sometimes called the ‘Victory Tower’, as it is probable that it was constructed to commemorate his 1192 victory at Deihi over the Empire of Ghaznavid. The site is also thought to have once been the summer residence o the Ghurid Emperors. The Minaret is significant for its decoration and architecture, representing the culmination of an architectural and artistic tradition in this region, and is covered in blue, incredibly elaborate brickwork and inscriptions (photo 2). A marvel from an art historical perspective, the Minaret of Jam represents the incredible artistic creativity and mastery of structural engineering of the time, and remains one of the very few so well preserved.

Sections from the inscriptions:

Photos courtesy & taken by James Gordon. When writing this post UNESCO was of great use.

One of the best known prehistoric archaeological sites in Scotland, Jarlshof in Shetland -the remains of this site date from 2500 BC up to the 17th century AD.

Late Neolithic house remains mark the earliest occupation of Jarlshof, followed by Bronze Age houses. In these Bronze Age houses we see the use of souterrains -underground passages which may have been used for uses such as smithing and as a place to keep grain dry. From the Iron Age period of Jarlshof is the remains of a broch, half of which today remains eroded into the sea. From the 9th century we see the rise of some rather impressive Norse settlements and architecture, most notably, the longhouse. By the 13th century the site of Jarlshof had developed into a Medieval farmstead.

What really struck me personally about this site is that it really does act as a microcosm of the history of Shetland, representing thousands of years of human occupation -quite extraordinary really.

For a more detailed account of Jarlshof archaeologically, check out the Canmore site record Jarlshof. 

Photos courtesy & taken by Pigalle. When writing up this post, shetland-heritage was of great use.

A Quick Lesson on... Ancient Egyptian serdab statues

Photo: Djoser’s Ka statue peers out through the hole in his serdab, ready to receive the soul of the deceased and any offerings presented to it. Courtesy Wiki Commons.

Though I should really be studying for my two exams Thursday, I thought i’d do a quick write up on an aspect of Egyptian art that has always fascinated me, the serdab statues, and how they reflect many Egyptian beliefs of the afterlife. So I suppose this is kind of related to my ancient history exam…right?

It is important to keep in mind that Egyptian art was not done for purely ornamental purposes, but was primarily functional. In actual fact, these early representations of the king were not even intended to be viewed by the human eye. Serdab sculptures had the specific role to manifest the position of the ruler/ person in Egyptian society -the ka (spirit) of the person was thought to be housed in the statue after their death, and was (intended to be) permanently kept usually in the serdab of the burial.

A serdab is a tomb-like structure which served as a chamber for the ka statue of a deceased individual. These statues would have faced north, with the wall in front having two eye-level holes for the ka to look out of, which allowed it to engage with offerings made and the burning of incense. 

For instance, the first example we have of this kind of statue is the statue of third dynasty king Djoser found on the north side of his stepped pyramid in Saqqara. 

Photo: the Stepped pyramid of Djoser, 3rd Dynasty, courtesy the Brooklyn Museum Archives, Lantern Slide Collection.

Essentially, the statues were intended to provide a resting place for the ka after the death of the person, as the Egyptians believed that the aspects of the soul were able to roam the earth, but required a permanent home to return back to (such as the statue). The hieroglyph for the ka is sometimes depicted on the head of the statue to reinforce its intended purpose (see the Ka Statue of King Hor I, Cairo Museum).

Egyptian hieroglyph for the ka

Ancient Art, 23rd June 2013.

As a New Zealander I thought it was high time I posted some archaeology a bit closer to home.

A very important Pacific archaeological site located on the south eastern coast of Raiatea, French Polynesia -the Taputapuatea Marae.

For those of you who don’t know, a marae is a sacred religious gathering place in Polynesian societies. This particular marae was already established by 1000 AD, and was once known as the religious centre and central temple of Eastern Polynesia. Here, people such as priests and navigators would meet to share knowledge and preform sacrifices to the gods.

Member of the Moari iwi Te Rangi Hīroa (anthropologist, politician), upon visiting the site in 1929 was overcome with grief due to the state of the once great marae, and consequently wrote:

Fortunately, as of 1994, the archaeological remains of Taputapuatea has been restored, and is currently being pushed to become a recognized United Nations World Heritage site.

Photos courtesy & taken by Pierre Lesage.

The Tryggevælde Runestone, dates to about 900 AD. Before coming to Copenhagen in 1810, the runestone was moved in 1555 from a barrow to the Tryggevælde estate on Zealand, Denmark. It is unknown what the cause of the holes in the stone was. 

Similar to a few others also found in Sweden, the inscription ends with a curse against anyone who was to move or destroy the runestone.

English Translation:

There has been considerable disagreement regarding one of the words of the curse, which is usually translated to either “warlock,” “wretch,” or “outcast.” Warlock is generally the most widely accepted, which refers to a man who practices black magic or sorcery -therefore the curse would cause the person to be considered to be unnatural and a social outcast.

Courtesy & currently located at the National Museum of Denmark, in Copenhagen. Photos taken by Skadinaujo.

One of the most well recognized Ancient Egyptian statues Menkaure and his Queen, Dynasty IV, ca. 2490–2472 BC. Graywacke, approx. 4’ 6 1/2” high. Currently located at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar Egyptian pose standing as if at attention with his left leg extended forward, his arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists clenched holding some unidentified cylindrical objects. His stance appears assertive, indicative of his power.

The statue is a high-relief sculpture because the bodies remain wedded to the block from which they are carved. A double portrait between a man and a woman signifies that they are married.