Ancient Art and Ritual

Name: Ancient Art and Ritual
Author: Jane Ellen Harrison

By Jane Ellen Harrison

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About This Book

The author argues that art and ritual share a common root and traces how communal religious ceremonies gave rise to theatrical and visual forms. Drawing on Greek practice, she examines pantomimic dances, periodic spring festivals and the dithyramb, follows the transition from ritual dromena into staged drama, and reads works of sculpture such as the Panathenaic Frieze and the Apollo Belvedere in ritual terms. She closes by considering how these ancient connections inform questions about art’s relation to religion, morality and public life.

About the Author

Jane Ellen Harrison

Jane Ellen Harrison was a prominent British classical scholar and archaeologist known for her contributions to the study of ancient Greek culture and art. Her notable works include "Ancient Art and Ritual," which explores the intersection of art and religious practices in ancient societies, and "Primitive Athens as described by Thucydides," where she examines the historical context of Athens through the lens of Thucydides' writings. Harrison's insights into the rituals and social structures of ancient civilizations have significantly influenced the fields of archaeology and classical studies, making her a key figure in the understanding of ancient history.