Ancient Art as Inspiration

I have long been a fan of ancient art. I love the textures, the forms, the depth of history. I am sharing here a brief visual tour of a few examples, along with recent work inspired by these and other ancient forms...

"DOGU", discovered in remains of Aomori. Jomon-era. BC.3,500 - BC.2,500. Aomori Japan.

Female-effigy ceramic burial urn, Northern Andes, Columbia,
South America, 1,000–1,500 AD. 23 x 40" in circumference

Predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years, Turkey’s stunning Gobekli Tepe
upends the conventional view of the rise of civilization.

12th- 9th centuries BC- Female Figure, possibly
from Las Bocas, in what will later be Mexico. 

Neolithic Figure - 3500 BC

Ancient Yemeni goddess figurine.

Goddess Figure Pakistan (made) Date: circa 2nd century BCE (made) This particular piece
was recovered by Colonel D.H. Gordon from a site at Charsadda Shaikhan Dheri, Gandhara, Pakistan.

Female figurine (Psi-type), clay, Mycenaean, Late Helladic III B-C period 1300-1150 BC

Photos taken by Linda Landig in a museum in Oaxaca. They were all discovered in the
tombs in Monte Alban. Monte Alban is located on a leveled out mountain top
at 6,400' elevation. It was a Zapotec holy site. The burial city for the noble.
Originally contucted about 500 BC. 

Photos taken by Linda Landig in a museum in Oaxaca.
More work from the Monte Alban site.

Photo by Niky Sayers of Egyptian faience beads at the British Museum. 

Photo by Niky Sayers of Aztec carvings at the British Museum.

BC.3,500 - BC.2,500. Japanese ceramic figurine "DOGU".
Jomon period. Excavation place / Nagano Japan.

Female Figure / 300 BCE-400 CE / Mexico, Mesoamerica, Michoacan /
Chupicuaro Culture / Ceramic, pigment / The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.

Cradle of Civilization Goddess Hattusa (Ḫa-at-tu-ša, read “Ḫattuša”)
was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. 

Deep Vessel with Handles Middle Jōmon period (ca. 3500–2500 B.C.).
Japan (Source: The Metropolitan Museum) .

Bird-Headed Figure Whistle, 8th–9th century Mexico, Veracruz Ceramic.

Recent work by me and a couple of my Art Jewelry Elements fellow bloggers, inspired by ancient art:

Goddess figures by Jenny Davis-Reazor

Goddess figures by Jenny Davis-Reazor

Goddess figures by Jenny Davis-Reazor

Goddess figure in a jewelry piece by Jenny Davis-Reazor

Amulets by Diana Ptaszynski

Amulets by Diana Ptaszynski

Bird forms by me (Karen Totten)

Goddess forms and other beads by me (Karen Totten)

Goddess form by me (Karen Totten)

I hope you enjoyed this little survey.  :)

Karen Totten
Starry Road Studio