Post 4

Rock Garden, Ryoanji Kyoto

Zen Dry Gardens was a form of art, unlike most others. It wasn’t a form of painting or drawing and it was more of a piece of architectural masterwork. Monks have used these in their attempts to reach enlightenment. “In addition to daily meditation, they engaged in manual labor to provide for themselves and maintain their temple properties” (Stokstad, 832). The trees and plants growing outside the actual garden are still part of the garden as they contribute to the scenery. This is called “borrowed Scenery”.  These gardens were prominent in the fifteenth century and were primary in Japan. Later on, Chinese art began to influence the way people made the gardens to create a more art-like setting. The Rock Garden in Ryoanji, Kyoto has rocks appearing out of the floor. Then the sand around it is raked into a circular pattern as if disseminating from the rock. This represents the ocean and its many islands that come out of the ocean floor.  Others see it as mountains that rise into the sky or the stars in the sky. The ability of these gardens to be interpreted in many ways is part of the art in the sense that everyone can see it differently. Many people in today’s modern society still make zed gardens for themselves to relax and meditate.

Marquesas Dancer

The Polynesians were well known for tattooing. The Marquesas Islands were the most tattooed of the Polynesians.  To the Polynesians, blood was a sacred substance and thus at the age of 18 -30 a young man would get their tattoos (tattoos piece skin causing bleeding).  These tattoos were sacred and had meanings to the individual. They would represent status, family, accomplishment or other things that occurred in the individual’s life.  Women could also get tattoos. They had special houses in which the ceremony would be done, and the tattoos would then be given. It became a major part of the Marquesas culture. They take pride in their tattoos.  Similar traditions/tattoos can be seen in that area of the world such as Samoa, Hawaii, and other islands.

Machu Pichu, Peru Inca 1450-1530

Machu Pichu was a city in Peru for the Inca civilization. During its time, it was a city, but now it is one of the world's most famous pieces of architecture.  Stokstad describes the Machu Pichu’s surrounding, “At almost 8,000 feet above sea level, it straddles a ridge between two high peaks in the eastern slopes of the Andes and looks down on the Urubamba River” (Stokstad, 858). When looking at the way the city was built, it was well thought out. It had a set place for meetings for leaders. It also was set up so that the views of the surrounding areas were easily accessible, and the view was beautiful. The stones were cut and fit nearly perfectly with one another to create strong walls. The walls used only frictional force to hold it together since they didn’t have access to modern glues like mortar.  It was phenomenally constructed for both beauty, practicality, and protection.

Wampum Belt: William Penn's Treaty With Deleware

The Wampum is mainly associated with early Americans. “The Iroquois and Delaware peoples used wampum to keep records (the purple and white patterns served as memory aids) and exchanged belts of wampum to seal treaties” (Stokstad 861). Wampum looks as if it was a belt that was worn around the waist. It is also very flashy as the beads and shells shine. Stokstad explains that few wampums used for treaties are still in existence. The one in the picture shown was from when the Delawares ceded the land that we now know as Pennsylvania. The figure on the Wampum shows two people holding hands. This could represent a form of equality and agreement. From history, we then find out that this treaty failed as the Quakers and Delawares eventually began to fight and have a violent relationship once again. Either way, this is a very important part of American history and tradition.

Korambo, 20th century, Kinbangwa Village,
Sepik River, Papua New Guinea

The Korambo is a ceremonial house that was used in Papua New Guinea. This house is made only for the men. It is a way for the men to have group sessions without the interference of women. They would be able to plan and have a clan identity that was only for the men. When building the Korambo every step of the process is associated with a ceremony that is held early while the women and other boys not in the cult are sleeping. One of the ceremonies can even last up to 6 months and consisted of dancing for long hours throughout the night. These ceremonies are very similar to other cultures where they have ceremonies for boys who reach an age of maturity and then become men. Once the boys have reached this point, they will be allowed to enter into the Korambo, meaning that they are now men.

Citation

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Watt Cothren.Art History.Sixth ed,.II, Pearson,2018.