ON VIEW / NORTH AMBULATORY / ONGOING RETHINKING THE ART OF THE ANCIENT WORLD The Ancient Mediterranean andWestern Asian world was dynamic and diverse. It includedmuch of modern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, encompassingmany cultures and thousands of years of interaction between them. The Allen’s collection of ancient art spans 5,000 years—from around 4000 BCE to 1000 CE—and comes from areas around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and from as far east as modern Pakistan. Curators Marlise Brown and Emily French recently undertook the task of reimagining the gallery space displaying these artworks. Thoughtfully arranging items thematically, they brought together objects of daily life, items associated with religion and death, and works of sculpture. This arrangement highlights both the diversity of these ancient cultures and the shared practices that connected them across time and space. Visitors can explore a variety of artifacts, from large architectural fragments to small personal items, each offering unique insights into the ancient world. In addition to exploring daily life, the collection also delves into the religious practices and burial customs of ancient societies. From small shrines used for personal devotion to elaborately decorated funerary objects, the collection reveals how deeply religion was woven into every aspect of life in antiquity. Through these artifacts, the Allen invites visitors to discover the complex and interconnected world of ancient civilizations. The gallery features many old favorites as well as objects that were not on view in the previous installation. Among the coins are several Roman examples featuring portraits of imperial women. A stone relief of a guard from a monumental meeting hall in the Persian capital Persepolis flanks one end of the gallery. Sculpted in green stone, a triton (a human-sea creature hybrid) frommodern Pakistan, borrowed from the Asian collection, highlights interaction at the boundaries of empires. Above: Emily French, InterimCurator of Academic Programs; Andre Sepetavec, Chief Preparator; and Marlise Brown, Assistant Curator of European and American Art, work on a display case featuring objects of worship, death, and burial from ancient civilizations. Opposite top: The features of this 2nd century BCE head-shaped jug portray a person of African descent, highlighting the diversity of antiquity. Likely made in Alexandria, Egypt, it held water or wine for dining. Modern conceptions of race did not exist at the time, and skin color was not a factor in the creation and enforcement of social hierarchies. Opposite center: One notable aspect of several works on view is the use of polychromy. Artists in the Mediterranean region often enhanced sculpture and architecture with vibrant colors and inlaidmaterials, bringing lifelike qualities to their creations. Note the eyelashes of the Roman Head of Athena and the deepmaroon porphyry (a type of granite) of the Eastern Mediterranean Head of a Youth. Opposite bottom: Emily French examines an object from 525–515 BCE Greece which is on viewwith other objects used in daily life. 8 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU
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