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A long, narrow reed boat, at the stern of which stands an Assyrian soldier conducting captives across the water, c. 668-627 BCE, the reign of Ashurbanipal. Gypsum alabaster relief fragment from the Assyrian palace at Nineveh. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. © Gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1932. Courtesy of The Met Museum 88 4.2 Pleated dress, thought to be the earliest extant garment in the world, Egypt. Ancient Egyptian. First Dynasty, c. 3100-2890 BCE. © Werner Forman. Courtesy of Getty Images 90 4.3 Faience inlay/plaque depicting a two-story house façade with dormer, Middle Minoan IIIA period, c. 1800-c. 1750 BCE. From the so-called Knossos "Town Mosaic." © Heritage Images. Photo by Ashmolean Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images 95 4.4 Roman ship discovered at Arles, France, in 2011. The boat is 31 m long and was accompanied by 450 artifacts reflecting trade and commerce in the city of Arles during Roman times. © Patrick Aventurier. Courtesy of Getty Images 98 4.5 Painted wood statue of an official Ihy, c. 2200-2100 BCE. Egypt, Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6-8. Memphite Region, Saqqara, Djoser Pyramid precinct, near, Ptolemaic tomb, cache of statues of Ihy, SAE Excavations. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. © Gift of Edward S. Harkness, 1927. Courtesy of The Met Museum 100 4.6 Display recreation of iceman Ötzi with a bearskin hat, goatskin coat and leggings, and leather sandals filled with straw on October 1, 1997. He carried a flint knife in his belt, and is pictured with his bronze axe making a bow out of yew. Ötzi is the name given to the frozen mummy of a man from around 3300 BCE, found by two German tourists in 1991 in the Schnalstal Glacier in the Öztal Alps. © Patrick Landmann. Courtesy of Getty Images 107 5.1 Roman marble copy of the colossal statue of many-breasted Artemis (125-175 CE).
The article analyzes the plant species included in the national symbols of European countriesnational coats of arms, emblems and officially accepted symbolic elements. The study is based entirely on literary sources, thematically divided into four areas: botany and phytogeography, world and European heraldry; national symbols and emblems and the Web of Science and Research Gate information platforms. The study establishes the vectors of spread of plant species as a symbolic elements in the countries of Europe as a result of cultural, commercial, religious and scientific connections. Moreover, the continuity of the abiotic factors of the environment (terrestrial biomes) allows plant species to cross the borders of Europe and pass into Asia. The discovered similarities, continuity and duplication of a number of plant-based symbolic elements in countries of both continents are proof of a common past, a shared culture and are an ideal basis for achieving understanding between peoples speaking different languages and professing different religions.
Orchids in the Roman culture and iconography: Evidence for the first representations in antiquity
2012
Orchids have fascinated humans since ancient times. Not only the particular morphology of their flowers and hypogean organs, but also their reproductive biology have inspired myths, legends and popular traditions in many cultures, all around the world. Despite these facts, their representations on ancient artefacts have never been described in the scientific literature. No clear data exist for Eastern culture, and in Western countries, the first certain representations of orchids in art date back to the XV-XVI century CE. This paper documents different identifications of orchids on Roman monuments changing the common belief that these plants first appeared in art more recently. Floral elements of Cephalanthera spp., Spiranthes spiralis (L.) Chevall, of Orchis tridentata Scop., and of other orchids were observed in different architectonical elements (cornices and ceilings) throughout the Roman period, and in the external frieze of the Ara Pacis monument (I century CE). These representations seem to refer to a symbolism of fertility and sexuality, and their absence in medieval time can be explained only considering religion influences.
International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine
Background Plants played an important role in the mythology of Baltic tribes. The plants are mentioned in the sources of religion and mythology, mythological sagas, fairytales, proverbs, believes and magical rituals. In the written sources the worshiping of natural objects as well as phenomenons (sky-lights, earth, fire, water, thunder, plants, animals and even rocks) are often mentioned. The worshipings of natural objects and phenomenons is a characteristic feature to most of the older religions. It's actually conected to the religion itself and the mythology [1]. It's a tradition of the Indo-Europeans. We examine the common features of plants and deities, the sameness or similarity of plant names, variety in their application, and plant use for fabula construction. Similarities between mythological and natural objects allow us to describe the world outlook and emotional attitude of the Balts. The object of research-the plants and their relations with the gods and their use in the mythology. The aim of this study is to assess the role of plant in Lithuanian (Baltic) in the mythology and religion. Sample Study Questions set for the following tasks: a. Ascertain and determine what plants are dominant in the mythology; b. Assess and describe the concept of plant in the mythology; c. Examine the links between the plant and the gods. Methods Plant names in historic annals, chronicles, religion and folklore have been evaluated. Semasiological aspect have been considered. Therefore, species named with names related to each other have been selected. Other methods: scientific literature, logical analysis, tables. Results Plants (trees, forests) have many functions in mythology. They are worshiped as sacred. It is prayed to the deities dwelling in them. Plants serve as mediums between deities and their servants (kriviai). Trees are like souls. Souls in trees are respected. A soul of a tree becomes a soul of a newborn, after the tree is cut down or roots down. Human soul temporary inhabits or hides in a plant. Herbs are used as a protection against the devil or the thundergod. Plant names are changing together with religious beliefs. This is how pagan names were changed by Christian ones. The historical sources (the 1249 peace treaty between the Crossaders and the Prussians, the chronicles of Germans, Polish and others, the descriptions of the world, different writers, such as Dlugosz, Simon Grunau, Lukas David and others) mention the worshiping of the sacred trees and forests that is connected to the cults of the ancestors. In his work"Apie žemaičių, kitų sarmatų bei netikrų krikščionių dievus", wich is based on the story of Laskauskas, Jonas Lasickis writes about žemaičiai, who believed Volume 9 Issue 4-2017 UAB Kruenta, Lithuania