Description
This volume provides an ambitious synopsis of the complex, colourful world of textiles in ancient Mediterranean iconography. A wealth of information on ancient textiles is available from depictions such as sculpture, vase painting, figurines, reliefs and mosaics. Commonly represented in clothing, textiles are also present in furnishings and through the processes of textile production. The challenge for anyone analysing ancient iconography is determining how we interpret what we see. As preserved textiles rarely survive in comparable forms, we must consider the extent to which representations of textiles reflect reality, and critically evaluate the sources. Images are not simple replicas or photographs of reality. Instead, iconography draws on select elements from the surrounding world that were recognisable to the ancient audience, and reveal the perceptions, ideologies, and ideas of the society in which they were produced. Through examining the durable evidence, this anthology reveals the ephemeral world of textiles and their integral role in the daily life, cult and economy of the ancient Mediterranean.
About the Author
Susanna Harris is Lecturer in Archaeology at the School of Humanities, University of Glasgow. She completed her PhD at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. Harris specialises in the technical, scientific and experimental analysis of archaeological textiles and material culture. She currently leads the fibre and fabric analysis of Must Farm, Bronze Age pile-dwelling settlement and is co-investigator of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded project, 'Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard'. Cecilie Brons is a senior researcher and curator at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. She completed her PhD in Classical Archaeology in 2015 at The National Museum of Denmark and The Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research at the University of Copenhagen. Marta Zuchowska is Lecturer in Archaeology at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw. She completed her PhD at the Faculty of History, University of Warsaw. Her current research focuses on textiles and their role in the economies of ancient societies. She was a member of the Polish archaeological team at Palmyra in 1995-2010.
Book Information
ISBN 9781789257212
Author Susanna Harris
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Oxbow Books
Publisher Oxbow Books
About the Author
Susanna Harris is Lecturer in Archaeology at the School of Humanities, University of Glasgow. She completed her PhD at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. Harris specialises in the technical, scientific and experimental analysis of archaeological textiles and material culture. She currently leads the fibre and fabric analysis of Must Farm, Bronze Age pile-dwelling settlement and is co-investigator of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded project, 'Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard'. Cecilie Brons is a senior researcher and curator at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. She completed her PhD in Classical Archaeology in 2015 at The National Museum of Denmark and The Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research at the University of Copenhagen. Marta Zuchowska is Lecturer in Archaeology at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw. She completed her PhD at the Faculty of History, University of Warsaw. Her current research focuses on textiles and their role in the economies of ancient societies. She was a member of the Polish archaeological team at Palmyra in 1995-2010.
Book Information
ISBN 9781789257212
Author Susanna Harris
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Oxbow Books
Publisher Oxbow Books
