Thursday, September 26, 2013
British Museum Exhibition - Topic 1
You are the curator at your local museum, and are putting together a small exhibition on natural disasters and their effects on the human race. The museums of Pompeii and Herculaneum have agreed to loan you one item to represent the impact of volcanic activity. What one object from the British Museum exhibition do you feel best sums up the death and destruction of Mount Vesuvius?
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I would select the Pompeian family that was found hiding underneath the stairs in their home. It shows real humans and how the eruption impacted them. They were hiding together and were scared having no idea what to do and the young child on the mothers lap shows the love they had for each other especially in their last minute together. It sums up the death and destruction because seeing this family huddled together invokes a feeling of despair for the Pompeians and what they had to go through and just how scary the experience must have been.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sad piece to look at. The trauma the family was feeling is indescribable knowing their deaths are minutes away and knowing that their little baby was not going to live to grow up. And also reading the comments I remembered that the ash actually curls up the muscles of the body forming the "boxer position" so the family most likely did not die in those exact curled up position/
DeleteExactly, the Pompeian family shows the greatest amount of destruction and impact. I feel that with this piece we are able to connect with the Pompeian people and try to feel the intense trauma and struggle that they would have felt while the eruption happened.
DeleteI would choose the charm bracelet found on the beach at Herculaneum. For one, Herculaneum is less known than Pompeii, but the destruction was just as great. Herculaneum expirenced hotter ash than Pompeii and was destroyed first. The charm bracelet is also a representation of the lives lost at Herculaneum. Art historians believe that the charm bracelet belonged to a young girl, and the bracelet was on the beach because the girl was trying to escape. The bracelet was found with many other artifacts on the beach, all showing what people thought was most important to bring while escaping. Those all show people trying to escape, but instead were reduced to skeltons by the sheer heat of the volcanic ash.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great point, Paige; I had forgotten about this piece. She just grabbed her most precious possession and ran, which is really relatable because I think most people and families have something they would like to grab if their house was on fire.
DeleteI really loved that piece actually but never thought about where it was found. It was found on the beach where the people were trying to escape and it makes you think about her dropping it while she ran for her life after she possibly grabbed it before leaving her house. It makes you really wonder what you would do in her place, what would you grab the moment you realize you may lose everything?
DeleteI actually thought the charm bracelet represented beauty not destruction. The fact that she decided to anxiously carry that piece with her instead of something that would protect from the volcanic ash tells how precious it was to preserve its atheistic value. It reminds me more of hope and beauty.
DeleteI actually think that a lot of the items left behind or carried with the people running for their lives are all pretty good examples of the effect of the volcano eruption. In a way, it sort of show where these peoples' priorities lay. Also how some people were carrying things like swords or lanterns because the sky was black and they had to push through a crowd
DeleteI agree that this piece meant a lot. I find it relatable because I used to have a charm bracelet that I treasured. This gave me chills because I could imagine myself as that girl, treasuring my charms while I awaited death or salvation.
DeleteYes, this artifact does give bring some awareness on the daily lives and possessions of the Herculaneans, but I feel as though it doesn't give enough. The bracelet just happened to be on the girl's arm at the time. We don't know if she made a last ditch effort to find it from her house and take it with her as she escaped or how important it was to the girl, so it's value is too vague. We don't know if it was a common jewelry staple of all young Herculaneum girls, or if it was a one-of-a-kind piece.
DeleteI agree with everyone. This piece is shown so valuable. The man in the movie that was presenting this piece was telling the lady to be very careful with it while using gloves. The lady wearing it was most likely very wealthy leaving behind all of her expensive possessions.
DeleteI think it is interesting that the girl grabbed the bracelet when leaving her house but not when she dropped it on the beach. Was she being pulled away by her mother and couldn't grab the fallen bracelet in time? Maybe she was just wearing it while she was out one day and didn't even notice when the bracelet fell off her arm. It didn't necessarily have to be the last item she grabbed, it could have just been her accessory choice for the day.
DeleteI would definitely say the carbonized loaf of bread. To have a loaf of bread that is thousands of years old is mind- boggling. People looking at this loaf of bread can only imagine how a common loaf of bread, an object that will mold in just one day if it is not wrapped up, has lasted this long. The heat must have been unimaginably hot to take this everyday thing and turn it into rock. People who view that object can only begin to imagine how everything else at the time looked compared to this object. Also, this bread shows how unaware some people were to their impending destruction. This object was carbonized in the hand of a servant going to fetch the daily bread for his masters. Through this object people can get an in-depth look at what happened when Mt. Vesuvius erupted.
ReplyDeleteJordan, this is a great point. The carbonized loaf of bread shows that the people in Pompeii where totally oblivious to the impending destruction from Mt. Vesuvius. As they said in the movie, the people of Pompeii thought that it was just another earthquake and could not fathom that a volcanic eruption would happen. So the people of Pompeii just went on with their daily routines, as seen by the slave getting a loaf of bread.
DeleteI would choose the loaf of burnt bread that was being picked up from the bakery by a slave. The reason is because the bread is an object that represents everyday life. The loaf of bread captures a moment in time in which a family would have been preparing to eat and awaiting their bread, all awhile their death was only moments away. This would be an easily relatable item to everyone and would allow people to make a connection with the people of Pompeii even now, thousands of years later.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the loaf of bread is very relatable, but I find it difficult to defend the claim that the eruption/killing was so sudden that "their death was moments away." Many people had time to gather their things and leave the city. If a family was ignoring the storm warnings and preparing to eat dinner, I do not feel a sense of pity, but astounded by their ignorance to the dangers presented by the increased smoke and volcanic activity.
DeleteYes I think it is so interesting how the loaf had turned to pure ash from the volcano. This was such a shock to the families of Pompeii because at first everyone had all thought it was another earthquake. The event was most likely so sudden showing that the people most likely just looked over their shoulder seeing mounds of ash tumbling in the air and down the streets having to suddenly leave their belongings.
DeleteI think the bread, while it shows the awesome heat of the erruption, it lacks a human element. Like, when they talked about the bread in the movie, they mentioned that it was probably a slave picking up the bread when the volcano errupted. I think he must have dropped the bread and ran. If you mentioned that, I thinkit would be a fuller response.
DeleteI think that even though the bread is just a piece of food, it is an excellent choice. The loaf of bread shows how sudden this eruption was and the people were just going about their daily lives when this happened. We learn that the bread had an important function to people at their everyday meals.
DeleteI think that the bodies of the family from the House of the Golden Bracelet best represent the death and destruction of the eruption. Quite literally, they personify death itself, but it's also incredibly interesting to think about how they were made. The way the ash and heat hit them preserved their bodies so well that casts could be made from them thousands of years later. Also, their position is not from fear; it is a "boxer" position created by the sheer force of the heated ash. That's absolutely astounding. I'm not going to go on about the love and sadness in the display because that has already been covered, but it certainly is an emotional piece.
ReplyDeleteI like that you spoke about the "boxer" position they were in. The position was cause from their tendons retracting from the extreme heat, that would really show the natural disaster and the extent of its destruction.
DeleteIt's incredible how nature can be so cruel, but I guess there is always a reason. This one was to conserve important art pieces that help us today about figuring out what life was like during the Pompeian and Herculaneum time. So the ash and heat came as odd blessing but a blessing the least for art historians.
DeleteI believe the family bodies from the House of the Golden Bracelet was the greatest representation of death and destruction of Mount Vesuvius. The bodies huddled together in their home to survive from the activated volcano, spending their last dieing moments with each other. The pain in these pieces are evident because of the contorted faces of the children, mother, and father. The mother couldn't even hold her child to find solace at the very end because of the volcanic effects, shriveling and deforming her arms and hands. This shows the loss of humanity and anguish the destruction had caused with the pressure of the heat and ash. This family and their discomfort and hopelessness speaks on behalf of the larger part of Pompeii and even some Herculaneum families too.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the point you make about the mother not being able to hold her child because of the shriveling of her arms. That just shows how hot, sudden, and violent the eruption was. The hopelessness part makes me so sad!
DeleteI would choose the bodies found underneath the stair case from the house of the golden bracelet. The family huddled together in their final moments of life, gives us the best representation of how the eruption affected the people of Pompeii. The family shows us the pain and suffering that they went through while Mt. Vesuvius erupted. Also the family shows us the effects of the volcanic eruption on the human body. Because of the intense heat and ash, the bodies began to contort and shrivel up. Because of the emotion that we can see on the faces of each member of the family and in their body expressions, the family found underneath the staircase is the piece that I would choose because they evoke the sense of hopelessness and sorrow from the viewer.
ReplyDeleteThe helplessness the family must have felt is unimaginable. To not be able to protect your children must have been the worst feeling ever, and for that to be the last thing you felt before you die...
DeleteEvery time we mention the family, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to be in that moment or to be a victim in the Mt. Vesuvius eruption. It's quite difficult to imagine, but when you discussed the emotion on the faces, it helped me to imagine it more realistically. We often have been focusing on the contorted body positions, even though the facial expressions are just as important.
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ReplyDeleteI believe the carbonized bodies represent the destruction of Mt. Vesuvius to great extent. What interests me the most about this dreadful scene is how precisely the moment was captured. You are immersed in the exact moment of instant death and can experience the innate human fear of the catastrophe. Along with experiencing this tell-tale moment of Pompeiian history, the carbonized bodies give us insight on family interactions during this time period. The family cared and protected one another. The mother fights to cradle her child from the maelstrom of ash as her family falls instantly around her. This scene is quite powerful and is just plain astounding to look at.
ReplyDeleteI really like the point you made about the bodies immersing you into the moment when the city was destroyed. Seeing this in the movie really provoked a strong sense of emotion from the bodies. It was amazing to be able to see bodies from an event that happened so long ago.
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ReplyDeleteI would choose the carbonized dog to display. It looks twisted and pitiful in a way that evokes a strong emotional response in viewers- it is particularly powerful because this animal was tethered by its leash somewhere and couldn't run away. We often only think of the people that died in events such as these. It's also pretty solid evidence that the Romans kept domesticated animals, besides the fresco paintings of collared dogs.
ReplyDeleteThe dog was very interesting. It caught my attention the most because it looked the most contorted and twisted in pain. The explosion effected everything and anything. Even the things we would not have even thought of.
DeleteI forgot about the dog! People are usually the focus when it comes to art pieces such as who made the art, why did the person make it and how did they make it/with what materials. As humans, we dismiss things that aren't human although they bring just a much contribution to art as humans do.
DeleteI understand that the imagery and emotions evoked by the dog are intensified by his position, but you have to remember what the video said about this. During the ash fall, while the bodies were essentially being cooked, muscles contort into what is called the "boxer pose." While it's true the dog may have been terrified and curled up, his position is more likely an effect of the contorted muscles.
DeleteThe carbonized dog is a good choice to show the destruction and impact of the volcanic eruption, but I feel that most animals would have escaped the eruption, seeing that their natural instincts would have led them away from Pompeii. That's why I feel that the dog is more of specific example of the destruction of the eruption, but I would rather have the Pompeian family or the loaf of bread because those represent the Pompeian and Herculaneum destruction better.
DeleteBut even if the dog had a the natural instinct to escape he was still tied to the post and unable to run away even if he wanted to. I think that really shows the chaos that happened that day, the fact the no one thought to help this poor animal instead it was as if it was every man for themselves at this point in time
DeleteI would choose the carbonized clothing chest. The intimacy of such personal items gives you a sense of awareness. These Were real people, who lived real lives and had to have day to day necessities. Many people have chosen the bodies, but they have found hundreds of bodies! The vision into the private life of these people in the little details such as where they kept their clothes, for me at least, sheds a new light onto a very bleak situation. These people brought what they thought they absolutely needed, so often those objects are intensified in studies and thoughts; but what about these private objects? Its equivalent to someone wanting to know more about you, so they go searching through your drawers. Chances are they could learn about a more private side of you, just as we have here.
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot about the carbonized chest... and yes, I definitely agree that the chest gives insight into the Pompeiians' personal lives better than any other artifact now that you bring that object to light. The one thing I wonder about the chest is the fact that they never opened it... maybe the excavators did in the process, but we never got to see the personal belongings inside, so we are left to speculate what the Pompeiians valued as personal objects, which is a tad too subjective.
DeleteI would also had how well the clothes in the chest were preserved which really attests to the intense heat, magnitude, and power of this natural disaster, but i am glad that i can comment on something that is not the bodies. Thank you for the originality.
DeleteTo me, the carbonized clothing chest wasn't incredibly impressive. Yes, I understood that I was looking at an ancient closet, but it mostly looked like a giant black box. With imagination, it can be more readily interpreted, but I'm not sure that it's really the best example of the destruction because it doesn't exactly capture a lot of emotion. It's a powerful box, but it's still a box.
DeleteI think the clothing chest was very interesting into finding a better understanding of these people's lives. But to me, I feel as if this clothing chest and jewelry also found in other places in Pompeii were not as meaningful. Actually seeing the bodies was really powerful. It is very unexpected to me to actually see bodies that are still around from thousands of years ago, and not as unexpecting to see the clothing chest.
DeleteI think the clothing chest was very interesting into finding a better understanding of these people's lives. But to me, I feel as if this clothing chest and jewelry also found in other places in Pompeii were not as meaningful. Actually seeing the bodies was really powerful. It is very unexpected to me to actually see bodies that are still around from thousands of years ago, and not as unexpecting to see the clothing chest.
DeleteI would choose the family and the dog. It amazes me how they were found in a motioned position. This shows the intensity of the heat killed the family and dog instantly. These were found under a staircase which is shocking that the remains for the bodies are still there. I believe this shows the drastic measures that the volcanic heat produced into the city.
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh, the dog. That just makes me so sad! I could see why you chose it since it was the actual lives affected by Pomepii. When you look at the bodies, you want to think of them as statues or something along those lines. You can barely picture that those are the casts of real people's bodies. They were real, not just a story or a piece of art.
DeleteI really like that you chose the family and dog as a piece summing up the destruction because I agree with you that it is amazing that the remains are still there. It is upsetting to think about how the people were just going about their daily lives when a volcanic eruption changed everything.
DeleteI agree that is it amazing that they are in motioned positions. Its crazy to think about how quickly all this must have happened. Were they in the middle of saying good byes? Did they even realize how soon they would be dying? Did they feel anything when hit by the heat?
DeleteI think these are really good things to choose. The family and the dog are really sad things. They really portray the actual lives these people were living. Seeing for ourselves what these people and animals were really like, rather than just imagining what they were like, puts everything in a new perspective. I also think the appearance of the dog and family show that it happened at such an unplanned time for everyone. It makes us really question if they knew what was going to happen.
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DeleteI would definitely have to choose the carbonized loaf of bread. It truly fascinates me that a piece of food can remain after a volcanic eruption. To me, that is one of the last things that I would have expected to survive. The loaf of bread even maintained the shape and texture that it originally had, which gives us insight into how bread was prepared in Pompeii. The bread was divided into a series of wedges to make it easier to eat. Bread was known to be eaten by the people of Pompeii at most meals. This means that a family could have had the bread in their house for the next meal, and then it was just left abandoned in the house when Mt. Vesuvius erupted. It is amazing how the people of Pompeii were just going about their daily lives when they were really on the brink of a volcanic eruption about to occur. While this bread could seem very minimal in trying to sum up the explosion, it really is important in showing the normalcy in the lives of the people of Pompeii and how the explosion destroyed Pompeii unexpectedly, but did provide us with remains to understand the Pompeian culture.
ReplyDeleteYea and it really shows how quickly all this happened. People as the cloud and were immersed in the darkness, but those who thought it would be best to stay at their house carried on. The bread shows that they kept on living, and the end came much quickly than expected.
DeleteAnother interesting thing about the bread was the "before"/"after" aspect, when that chef tried to recreate it. The phenomenal differences between the two really showed the destruction and preservation that the eruption caused.
DeleteI don't think this bread seems very minimal in trying to sum up the explosion. It shows us that the people had no idea this was going to happen, and they were just going on with their daily lives. I agree with you, it really helps us understand the Pompeian culture in such an interesting way.
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DeleteI would choose the carbonized loaf of bread. This loaf of bread is extremely moving, and surprising that the bread still exists after thousands of years. This loaf is so well preserved, through the volcano eruption. It still maintains its shape in structure, which is very surprising to me. This loaf of bread can really show us what every day life was like on the day of this catastrophic event. With this piece of bread, we know bread was important for the people of Pompeii. Bread was used in almost every meal. In a way, this loaf of bread connects us to the people who were going to eat it, and gives us a better understanding of who they were.
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