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The proliferation of microorganisms in outdoor stone sculptures and cultural objects can damage the structure and aesthetics of the materials through biodeterioration mechanisms. Biocides and synthetic products are often used to prevent this phenomenon, despite their negative impact on the environment and human health. Less toxic alternatives with reduced environmental impact can be an option for the preventive conservation of stone sculptures to reduce the environmental impact. In this work, chitosan formulations reinforced with two types of cellulose crystals (microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs)) and with or without citric acid and sodium tripolyphosphate were prepared. The films obtained with these formulations showed low solubility, and those only containing MCC or CNCs had the lowest wettability. The formulation containing 2% (w/v) MCC was selected for further analysis and supplemented with oregano essential oil (OEO) at 1% (v/v) and 2% (v/v), exhibiting low solubility, swelling and wettability when polymerised in film form. Inoculation of the films with Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Rhodotorula spp. resulted in total or partial inhibition of their growth, as well as a 60–100% reduction in Penicillium chrysogenum growth, depending on the concentration of OEO. The formulation with 2% (v/v) OEO was applied to samples of granite, marble and limestone, forming a protective, yet irregular coating on their surfaces. The wettability of the stones' surfaces was reduced without becoming completely water-repellent and the coating did not cause visible colour changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of the Buddhist cave lies not only in the Buddha statues but also in the surface painting. Hyperspectral imaging technology, as an emerging and effective method for component identification, offers a non-contact and non-destructive approach to the preservation and restoration of oil paintings. This study employed hyperspectral cameras to capture common pigments on the surfaces of Buddhist caves. Then, the results were processed and used as a database to identify the paintings. Additionally, a series of experiments were conducted to examine the impact of binder, substrate types, and pigment sizes on the reflectance spectrum of the paints. The Spectral Angle Matching (SAM) algorithm was then used to analyze the Yuanjue Cave and Qiqushan Stone Carvings of the Tang Dynasty in China. The findings revealed that the position of absorption peaks in the reflectance spectra is not significantly influenced by the substrate but is affected by the binder. Moreover, the absorption depth varies regularly with particle size. Furthermore, the spectral matching results demonstrate that components can be accurately identified even for similar colors. Based on the pigment distribution, the study also inferred specific details of ancient paintings, including the painting steps and hidden information in the manuscript layout. These findings hold significant implications for the restoration of representative surface paintings of the Tang Dynasty Buddhist cave, providing a reference for the selection of restoration materials and methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study unpacks the Buddhist assimilation of Namsan (South Mountain) in Kyŏngju through the creation and aggregation of Buddhist sculptures and structures on its slopes during the seventh to tenth centuries. Though steeped in native lore regarding nature deities and efficacious rocks, auspicious geological features such as Namsan were recast as part of a Buddhist landscape filled with manifestations of the Buddha and his attendants. These images served to demarcate claims of Buddhism's place in the peninsula and were situated within sites that were previously marked and claimed by indigenous systems of belief. Employing an approach that draws parallels with David Harvey's concept of urban environments as palimpsests, this paper reveals that Namsan was a multifaceted site, with military fortifications, temples, and rock-carved sculptures augmenting its spiritual and political significance. The repeated installation of Buddhist imagery 'recovered' the mountain, subsuming indigenous beliefs under Buddhist practices. This research finds that Namsan's landscape was purposefully layered, reflecting the dialectical relationship between various communities and their religious and social practices over time. Analyzing Namsan as a palimpsest underscores the strategic appropriation of the mountain's materiality and sacrality to establish a Buddhist territory deeply intertwined with the Silla elite's politics and ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the revitalization of Yongqing Fang Phase III in Guangzhou, China, a historic conservation area known for its Lingnan characteristics. The project aims to create a vibrant urban public space by integrating commercial activities, cultural events, and recreational programs. The landscape design focuses on preserving historical and cultural contexts, optimizing spatial flows, and enhancing connectivity to improve pedestrian dynamics and user experience. Traditional Cantonese elements are incorporated into the design details, creating a unique and culturally rich urban environment that enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores how the recovery of colour antiquity and information from Graeco-Roman statues led to revised perceptions in how historians think about the ancient world. Topics discussed include polychromatic works, marble or stone sculptures, the disappearing pigmentation that contributed to the misrepresentation of ancient Graeco-Roman statues and sculpture, art and science of rediscovering colour, and recreation of ancient sculptures from monochrome to polychrome.

Pre-modern Indian subcontinent provides a treasure trove of art historical data in the form of stone sculptures and reliefs to study dance. While significant steps towards understanding the literary and visual language of dance have been made, artistic production from Gandhāra (the ancient region broadly covering the northwestern part of the subcontinent) largely remains absent in scholarly discussions. Ancient Gandhāra readily lends itself to a global approach as an active participant alongside the so-called ancient Silk Roads connecting the Mediterranean regions with China. Furthermore, as part of the Buddhist pilgrimage routes, Gandhāra also developed ties with Buddhist sites located further east and participated in the spread of Buddhism to China. Within this context, this article discusses the most common dance depicted in Gandhāran art to understand how artists represented dance in the static medium. Using this dance as an illustration, this article also argues that the iconographic conventions of the Gandhāran artistic repertoire for dance are shared outside the region, notably in Kizil, which is located alongside the northern branch of the Silk Roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North-East Caucasus is a multi-ethnic mountain macroregion with a rich cultural heritage, insufficiently studied in the context of the ecotourism development. To fill this gap and identify promising directions of environmentally safe forms of tourism, the author used in-depth review of modern literature to investigate the features of ecological tourism and the problems of preserving ethno-cultural heritage, and used historical and comparative-geographical methods to analyze the development of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North-Eastern Caucasus in different historical periods and to identify the geographical peculiarities of the distribution of historical and cultural monuments (tower buildings), pilgrimage sites and centers of traditional crafts and trades. As part of the planned expeditions, the author personally visited some historical monuments and handicraft centers for a deeper study of ethno-cultural heritage. The cartographic method made it possible to visualize the results. The results of the research show that the ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus is formed by material (historical and cultural monuments) and immaterial elements of culture (language, customs, traditions, ethnic identification) of those peoples, who live here. The ethnocultural heritage is considered as the most important factor in the development of the tourism industry. It is revealed that this region has a large potential for development in various areas of eco-tourism. The highest concentration of religious buildings focused in mountainous areas. Medieval tower structures were erected in mountainous and high-altitude areas. From ancient times to the present day there have been preserved various types of crafts and trades (pottery, metalworking, burka making, jewelry making, carpet weaving, gold embroidery, wood and stone carving, etc.), which can become objects of ecotourism. The ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus needs to be preserved and protected. To solve this problem, the author recommends to focus on a balanced combination of traditions and innovations in this industry, also considering the current state and development of the tourism industry in the country and in the world. The research highlights that the development of scientific approaches to plan and manage tourism development can contribute to the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of indigenous peoples. This is a complex and labour-intensive task, but its solution will have a multiplier effect in the social sphere, in economic development and in environmental security, which is in line with the principles and concept of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Life in Early Medieval Wales" by Nancy Edwards is a comprehensive and balanced synthesis of the archaeology of late Roman and early medieval Wales. The book covers the decline of the Roman province of Britannia to the end of the Viking Age, providing insights into settlements, society, daily life, agriculture, trade, belief and ritual, power and authority, and the impact of the Vikings. While the book is a valuable resource for students and scholars, it lacks in-depth discussions on mortuary practices, linear monuments, the eleventh century, and a popular synthesis for a wider readership. [Extracted from the article]

The preservation and transmission of traditional villages is crucial to the prosperity and development of ethnic cultures. However, current traditional village surveys usually require a large number of experts and scholars to conduct field research, which is an expensive and time-consuming method, especially for large-scale tasks. Therefore, this study proposes an automatic classification method based on deep learning (DL) for the identification of traditional village heritage value elements (TVHVE). The study evaluates four selected convolutional neural network (CNN) frames using traditional villages in Hubei Province as a sample dataset. The results show that Residual Network152 (ResNet152) is the most suitable CNN frame for identifying TVHVE in Hubei. The stability and consistency of various TVHVE present in the ResNet152 model were evaluated using Area Under Curve (AUC) and Precision Recall Curve (PRC), which indicated satisfactory prediction performance for most elements, except for specific elements such as tombstones and stone carvings, which showed lower accuracy. In addition, the study sheds light on the areas of concern of the model with respect to different TVHVE images and elucidates the reasons behind the confusion between elements through semantic clustering based on image classification and interpretability analysis using the Gradient-Weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) heat map. By using an automated classification method based on DL, this study significantly reduces the cost and effort associated with traditional surveys. At the same time, insight into areas of concern and confusion in the model improves guidance for conservation efforts and provides valuable references for subsequent research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vast majority of cultural heritage objects consist of materials that can be subjected to biodeterioration. Currently, there is significant number of publications showing which materials are capable of destroying certain organisms, and what conservation and restoration procedures are required. However, there is neither a clear classification of these diverse events nor their visual representation. In our review, for the first time, an attempt is made to compare the type of biodeterioration, based on the destruction of a particular material, with a specific color of the rainbow. In this regard, a cultural heritage objects made of a single material are designated as one color icon; and those made of composite materials are designated as pictogram consisting of several icons of corresponding colors. For example, a stone sculpture, in accordance with the rainbow code, is assigned a gray color, which was introduced to visualize stone materials. The drum corresponds to a pictogram consisting of violet (corresponds to leather) and brown (corresponds to wood). A work of easel painting on canvas corresponds to a pictogram consisting of a red color icon (corresponds to canvas) and a gold color icon (corresponds to painting materials). We used cold color shades to denote basic inorganic materials, and cold color shades to denote organic materials. The proposed rainbow code for biodetermination is an open platform that can be expanded by adding new colors for new materials introduced, and allows to translate potentially any cultural heritage object into a pictogram with colors that correspond to the materials used in its manufacture. Such a graphical interpretation can help both systematize the storage conditions of museum exhibits and facilitate understanding of the processes of biodeterioration of composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of using classical capital lettering was introduced north of the Alps from Italy in the second half of the 15th century, and appeared very early in the Kingdom of Hungary. The article contains six case studies on the problems of architectural carvings, stone tabernacles, tombstones and the classical inscriptions on them. I. Tabernacles. All'antica tabernacles were produced in large numbers in late mediaeval Hungary and survive in churches from monumental to very small. The tabernacle frames, which followed the antique architecture of the façade, were accompanied by inscriptions: quotations about the Eucharist or, less frequently, inscriptions referring to the maker. II. Inscriptions outside the royal court. Outside the Buda residence of King Matthias, inscriptions engraved with humanist capitals also appeared, earlier than in the royal court, according to our present knowledge. The earliest dated inscriptions in Hungary survive in Veszprém and are attributed to Bishop Albert Vetési, the best known being a text written on ribbons running on a Gothic console (1467). The all'antica heraldic stones known from several places in the country are often dated, the earliest being found in the Nógrád castle of Miklós Báthory, the humanist bishop, with the date 1483. III. The royal court. Monumental all'antica inscriptions adorned the royal palace in Buda: building inscriptions, statue bases. Their texts are mostly known only from sources, as few original stone carvings have survived. These inscriptions were sometimes in bronze letters, but there were also engraved ones. The monumental inscriptions were associated with King Matthias, while the inscriptions known from the time of Vladislaus II are smaller in size and do not have bronze lettering. IV. Epitaphs. Antique letters also appeared as circular inscriptions on late medieval tombstones. The epitaph written in distychs was often engraved in a tabula ansata. Rarely, the wording was also antiquated, as exemplified by the abbreviations DOM, DOMS, DM. V. Inscriptions around Hungary in the Jagiellonian period. The commissioners of early inscriptions were familiar with the all'antica inscriptions of the Buda court. In Vienna, the first known all'antica inscriptions can be attributed to a citizen of Buda, Peter Juncker, and in Moravia to the lords of Tovačov and Moravská Třebová (Ctibor Tovačovský z Cimburka; Ladislav z Boskovic). VI. Architectural inscriptions of the Jagellonian period in Hungary. Inside the sepulchral chapel of Tamás Bakócz in Esztergom there is a bronze donation inscription (1507), in keeping with the perfect Renaissance centralised space. After 1500, all'antica building inscriptions became common in Hungary. We know of many of them, mainly in the Transdanubian region, written in pure classical capitals. In the northern part of the country, the early humanist capitals are more common; the Biblical quotations and proverbs on the staircase of the town hall of Bártfa were written in such letters. In Transylvania, classical capitals are again common: the inscriptions of the Lázói Chapel, built next to the cathedral in Gyulafehervár, or the Várday Chapel were also carved in such letters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Monumenta Serica: Journal of Oriental Studies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Masjid Mantingan, the second-oldest mosque after the Masjid Agung Demak, is located in Mantingan village, Tahunan subdistrict, Jepara Regency. The Masjid Mantingan was established in 1481 Saka or 1559 AD by Sultan Hadlirin, the spouse of Queen Kalinyamat. There are white stone carvings in the mosque that result from the influence of Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, and Islamic cultures and have artistic value. This case study aimed to examine the implicatures and pragmatic forces of the carved ornaments on the interior walls of the Masjid Mantingan. Data were collected through observation and interviews with the administrators, visitors, traders, and the community surrounding the mosque. The data was then analyzed using contextual analysis. The study's findings demonstrated that, pragmatically, the Masjid Mantingan construction prioritizes functional components over aesthetic ones, as demonstrated by the mosque's use as a place of prayer, education, tourism, business, and socio-culture. The mosque was also constructed by emphasizing elements of implicature and pragmatics force, as evidenced by the use of ornaments drawn simultaneously from three different cultures, namely Islamic, Hindu, and Javanese. Cultural acculturation at the mosque also contributes to the development of socio-cultural aspects and the economics of the local community by preserving traditions, maintaining carved ornaments, and engaging in tourism activities. The Masjid Mantingan, as the precursor to the development of Islam in Jepara, is also able to adapt to become a historical, cultural, and religious edifice, a symbol of glory, and a symbol of tolerance among religious communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay focuses on the need for a comprehensively conscious conservation approach when dealing with ancient stone sculptures coming from historical collections, that is to say those antiquities that were collected from the Renaissance onwards and were thus sometimes radically modified due to restorations accomplished between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. In the last decades, after the abandonment of the destructive approach of ent-restaurierung (de-restoration) widely practiced during the twentieth century, the preservation of marble accretions has gradually acquired a recognized historical significance, but still today inadequate attention seems to be paid concerning cleaning and surface issues. As demonstrated both by written sources and material evidence, cleaning used to be a crucial and extensive component of historical conservation treatments, often resulting in a dramatic alteration of the ancient piece. Patination and surface applications were part of the historical treatments. As shown by the recent conservation and exhibition of the Torlonia marbles, newly performed treatments aiming at preserving the rich and multi-layered history that sculptures acquired over time should be more careful in considering such aspects, both in terms of treatments and in the exhibition of objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks are an important part of urban recreational spaces, and the development of analysis framework of recreational behavior and space is helpful for the design of urban parks to better meet the activity and usage requirements of visitors. In this paper, Xiaohong Stone Carving Park in Nanjing was taken as the research object to explore the relationship between landscape space and user behavior for design feedback. The orthographic image technology of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and machine deep learning were used to analyze users behavior activities in the park, and the spatial characteristics of each node in the park were evaluated by semantic differential scale to explore the potential causes of behavior activities. The results showed that ① there were significant differences in the number of visitors on holidays and working days, and young people and children were the main users. ② The users activity of the park differed greatly on the inner and outer tour roads, and the users showed stronger willingness to stay on the inner tour roads. Recreational activities received more attention than cultural ones. ③ The overall distribution of users was significantly affected by hydrophilicity, and the recreational behavior and activity type were affected by multiple factors which include the hydrophilicity, safety, accessibility of cultural relics and the amount of recreational facilities. Finally, the enhanced strategies such as improving the cultural tour system, establishing hydrophilic safety belts and optimizing recreational facilities were put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is focussed on the conservation and restoration of the stone intricate art and craftsmanship of Chaukhandi Tombs in Sindh, Pakistan which is the blend of Islamic and traditional Sindhi style of architecture (almost vanished now). This hidden treasure in the form of assemblage of monumental structures with heavy stone decoration portrays the glorious funeral architecture of 15th and 18th century. The multidisciplinary methodology was adopted comprising of literature mapping, field and visual surveys, condition assessment for documenting the heritage site. This study highlights the importance of conserving and preservation of such traditional assets since it distinguishes their importance in considerate our collective human history and heritage inheritance. The results clearly shown the rapid deterioration mainly due to neglect, inaccessibility and harsh climatic conditions. The Chaukhandi Tombs needs a serious attention with restoration plan with the involvement of the community for sustainable tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the preliminary results of an investigation on the unexplored topic of polychromy on provincial stone sculptures from the Roman provinces in Germania through the innovative application of heritage materials science techniques. A group of three life-sized statues dating to the 1st Century CE recovered from Ingelheim, near Mainz, retains remarkably well-preserved traces of pigments. These are ripe for emerging non-invasive technologies supplemented by micro-sampling to validate results and provide information relating to mixing and layering not available to the naked eye. The most strikingly visible areas of extant polychromy were retained on the sculpture of a young woman, reported on here as the first phase of this programme of research. The results suggest that the statue was originally covered in a gypsum layer before the application of complex and diverse recipes of pigment applied as mixtures and in layers to create required hues and shadowing on sculpted features. The palette includes ochres and green earth mixed with small amounts of minium (red lead), realgar and lapis lazuli (ultramarine blue) added to create skin tones, and a vibrant blue-green tunic created from Egyptian blue, bone black, ochres, cinnabar and green earth; the palla and peplos contained ochres, bone black, and orpiment, and mixes of these created the detail of coloured jewellery. Of great interest was the detection of bone black on many features, particularly as a shading agent to enhance sculpted features, such as folds in cloth, providing a more realistic and flowing articulation. This is a revolutionary observation that provides previously unexplored insights into artistic polychromic practice in Antiquity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entrance of the Madre de Dios convent in Seville was carved in stone by Juan de Oviedo y de la Bandera, an important sculptor who made great artistic productions, highlighting his carvings in wood and stone. Several studies have been carried out on the carvings in wood, but no interest has been paid by experts to the carving pieces in stone. In this work, this polychrome made on stone around 1590 was studied for the first time. Micro-samples were taken and studied using micro-analytical techniques (optical microscopy, SEM-EDX, colourimetry, XRD, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy). The pigments (smalt, atacamite, malachite, copper resinate, cinnabar, red earth, yellow ochre, carbon, and bone black) and the consolidation product (acrylic resin, very possibly Paraloid B72) were characterized. The experimental study indicated that the polychrome was applied on a layer of white lead (cerussite and hydrocerussite) that was laid on the substrate stone, constituted by calcarenite. This study also includes a comprehensive discussion on the use of these materials and techniques in other artworks within Seville's cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yungang Grottoes, excavated during the 5th to 6th centuries AD, stand as a pinnacle of Buddhist sculpture, representing a precious world cultural heritage. Since their excavation, the grottoes have undergone multiple phases of painting, with a significant amount of pigment still present on the surfaces of the stone carvings. Since the 1990s, two large-scale archaeological excavations have been conducted on both the front ground and the summit of Yungang Grottoes. During these excavations, various artifacts with accompanying pigments were unearthed, encompassing stone carvings, grinding tools, architectural components, fragments of murals, and remnants of clay sculptures, spanning the historical periods of the Northern Wei, Liao-Jin, and Ming-Qing dynasties. Using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, portable microscopy, polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and confocal Raman microscopy, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of these painted elements. The investigation revealed the presence of hematite, vermilion, goethite, malachite, calcium carbonate, lead white, and ivory black pigments in the Northern Wei samples. The Liao-Jin samples exhibited hematite, while the Ming-Qing samples contained vermilion, minium, atacamite, lead white, and Prussian blue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coiled dragon pillars found in the Han Dynasty carved stone tombs in Haining are among the earliest artistic representations of coiled dragon pillars unearthed to date. They can, to a certain extent, reflect the socioideological landscape of Haining during the Eastern Han period. The research involves a stylistic analysis of the unearthed coiled dragon pillars in Haining, employing methods such as image analysis, comparative studies, and typological classification. The paper initially explores the stylistic characteristics of the coiled dragon pillars in the Han Dynasty carved stone tombs in Haining. By integrating comparative studies with the Longtu pattern in Zhejiang, it analyzes the ancient social significance of dragon patterns in the Han Dynasty. Ultimately, the study speculates on the ancient and contemporary social significance of the coiled dragon pillars in Haining. This research project is closely tied to the local cultural development of Haining, and while investigating the customs and traditions of the Eastern Han period in Haining, it enriches the source materials for compiling local historical records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As immovable stone cultural heritage is kept in the open air, they are more susceptible to damage, and damage detection is very important for the protection and restoration of cultural heritage. This is especially true for gold-overlaid stone cultural heritage, which is usually more complicated than ordinary stone carvings. However, the detection of cultural heritage damages is mainly based on expert visual inspection, which is often subjective, time-consuming, and laborious. This paper uses the Mask R-CNN algorithm to rapidly and accurately detect the gold foil shedding of stone cultural heritage through two-dimensional images. The research data are from the high-precision images of the Dazu Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva Statue (World Heritage, UNESCO) in Chongqing, China. After cleaning and augmentation, 1900 images are input into Mask R-CNN model for training. Finally, the average precision value (AP) for detecting gold foil shedding is found to be 0.967. In order to test the performance of the model, the new images that do not participate in the training period are used, and it is found that the model can still accurately detect the gold foil shedding even if there are interference factors. This is the first attempt to detect the damages of gold-overlaid stone cultural heritage based on a deep learning algorithm, and it has achieved good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, with the continuous changes in the mathematics curriculum, many geometry-related topics were neglected or removed from our classroom activities. Thus, some teachers pursue these topics as independent students' projects. There is also a growing interest in various courses and workshops dealing with practical geometric pattern design. The author has taught courses and conducted workshops on geometry and pattern design at the Istanbul Design Center for many years. Participants in these events were high school and university students, artists, and architects. In this paper, we will discuss selected concepts of geometry used by Seljuk architects in designing the famous Seljuk geometric mosaics and stone carvings. We will show how these geometric concepts were used in selected examples from mosques, tombs, hans, and madrasas. We will also demonstrate using geometry software, e.g., Geometer's Sketchpad or GeoGebra, for constructing geometric patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bagan, the imperial capital of the Burmese Empire (11th–14th centuries CE), was situated in what is now known as Myanmar's "dry zone", Southeast Asia's most arid region. This setting necessitated the development of a subtle, yet extensive rain-fed water management system that channeled water from the Tuyin mountain range in the southeast to the walled and moated royal city in the northwest. Nat Yekan tank, a rock-cut reservoir located on the western edge of the summit of the Thetso–Taung portion of the Tuyin range, played significant utilitarian and spiritual roles in collecting, sacralizing, and then channeling waters down into the vast Mya Kan reservoir, which, in turn, fed the water management system that redistributed this valuable resource across the Bagan plain. The iconographic elements carved into the stone walls of the Nat Yekan tank attest to its spiritual importance and tie it to an ideological program of kingly legitimacy grounded in guarantees of fertility and prosperity for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrogeology Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Cathedral of Valencia, Spain, has preserved the so-called Holy Chalice of the Last Supper since 1437. It consists of a foot, a gold stem, and an upper cup carved in agate stone. Based on a pious tradition, this cup is supposed to be the one used by Jesus of Nazareth to institute the Eucharist. According to an archeological study published in 1960, this agate bowl was crafted around the 2nd–1st centuries BC, but people visiting this famous relic often wonder about its authenticity and about the evidence supporting it as a Hellenistic–Roman cup. Attempting to clarify this concern, a photographical characterization of the agate cup is presented and discussed. The main conclusions are the following: (i) The typology of the bowl is common to classical tableware, but the wall thickness, shape of the rim, and foot are typical of gemstone cups from the Hellenistic–Roman period. (ii) This cup would have been extremely valuable, which agrees with the location of the Cenacle in the aristocratic neighborhood of Jerusalem. This case study highlights the importance of further investigating the dating of historical objects as a key issue to support their authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the research and exhibition project "Michel Sittow in the North? Artistic contacts in the late medieval Baltic Sea region." It focuses on Michel Sittow, a court painter of Renaissance Europe who was also a master craftsman in Tallinn. The research explores Sittow's artworks and their influence in Livonia and the Nordic countries, establishing Tallinn as an international art center. The exhibition highlights two main works associated with Sittow, the Tallinn Passion altarpiece and the Holy Kinship altarpiece from Bollnäs, Sweden. The article also delves into the attribution of these artworks to Sittow's workshop through connoisseurship and technical analyses. It discusses the design and composition of the Bollnäs altarpiece, which combines Flemish and Netherlandish styles with influences from southern Germany. The altarpiece was a collaborative effort between Tallinn masters and craftsmen, with Sittow as the key figure. The article emphasizes the importance of technical art history in understanding the materials used in artworks, such as limestone and dolomite. It explores the connections between Tallinn and other regions, including Finland and Toledo, and highlights the significance of close inspection and research in deepening our understanding of these artworks. The article concludes by acknowledging the growing interest in the study of artistic contacts and the recognition of Michel Sittow as one of the great masters of the late Middle Ages. [Extracted from the article]

Статья вводит в научный оборот новые образцы камнерезного искусства, арабской эпиграфики и каллиграфии — 10 надмогильных стел женских погребений XIV—XVI вв., выявленных автором в конце XX — начале XXI в. на средневековых мусульманских кладбищах «Бидахъ хуппе» (кубач. «Могилы на той стороне»), «Цицила 2» и «Цицила 3». Кладбища находятся в 1,5—2 км к югу от старой части Кубачи, в нижней половине горного склона Цицила. Некоторые резные надгробия XIV—XVI вв. изучены автором и другими исследователями. Другие художественно отделанные образцы, в т. ч. стелы на женских могилах, пока остаются неизученными. Стелы представляют собой вертикально установленные у изголовий погребённых каменные плиты вытянуто-четырёхугольной или трапециевидной формы; отдельные из них, относящиеся к XVI в. и последующим столетиям, имеют стрельчатый верх с фигурными краями. Средневековые надмогильные памятники женских погребений сопоставляются с опубликованными автором декорированными памятниками мужских и детских погребений. Точно датированные стелы женских погребений отсутствуют. Хронология их устанавливается с учётом палеографических особенностей арабских надписей и стиля растительного орнамента. Мусульманские декоративные стелы весьма значимы для выяснения некоторых вопросов, касающихся места и роли женщины в общественной жизни средневекового Зирихгерана-Кубачи.

This article presents a critical analysis of the African vernacular-rooted imagery represented in Yemi Ijisakin's stone sculptures produced between the years 2006 and 2016. The focus on this period is to study the kinds of imagery he represents when there is a global artistic shift to installation and conceptual art. In doing this, I argue that even though Ijisakin's stone sculptures are deemed vernacular art, they are not indigenous or historical African art, but a rethinking that references indigenous African cultural registers. The article also focuses on the ideas and meanings the interpretations of the works communicate to the audience. Thus, this article presents his artworks to a mainstream journal given that they have not received any critical analysis on the grounds that his works are regressive and outside the normative standards for referencing African/Nigerian/Yoruba contexts. But his works are important for demonstrating the interdependence of art and culture in Nigeria and producing knowledge on cultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chisel marks on a stone uncovered in Rupinpiccolo protohistoric hill fort from north‐eastern Italy were suggested to be a representation of the night sky (Bernardini et al. 2022 Documenta Praehistorica XLIX). The patterns of the 29 marks are analyzed here to establish if they reproduce popular stellar asterisms. Nine marks are found to match the Tail of Scorpius and five the Orion's Belt, together with Rigel and Betelgeuse. Nine marks are found in the approximate position of the Pleiades showing some match with the cluster members. On the back side, 5 marks possibly reproduce Cassiopeia. One mark slightly North of Orion cannot be identified. The 28 marks show a Pearson correlation coefficient r$$ r $$(28) with stellar positions higher than 0.99 with a probability p$$ p $$ of a wrong correlation lower than 0.001. Departures are about one degree, or about 7 mm, as the mean diameter of the marks, which suggests a manufacturing limitation in the charting. The fort dates ≈$$ \approx $$1800–400 BCE when Scorpius and Orion showed about the same orientation at the heliacal rising. The unidentified mark challenges the whole picture. We suggest it could have been the progenitor of a failed supernova, thus offering also the possibility of a verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Art and design involve divergent creative processes. Design is a more constrained domain than art. While creativity in some specific domains, such as painting, sculpture, and music, has been widely studied, some have as yet been little explored. One example is stone carving. What characterizes stone carving, as a creative occupation? What is a stone carver's creative process? We set out to answer these questions by interviewing a stone carver about his profession, his process, his productions, and his place in society. In this case study, we examined the stone carver's discourse using a combination of three content analysis software tools. Taken together, the results highlight and detail 3 of the 7 Cs of creativity: the stone carver as creator, his creating (creative process), and his creations (productions) on which the interview focuses. The results of this participatory case study were validated by the stone carver himself. They reveal that stone carving sits at the intersection between handicraft, design, and art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rule-based representations of craft production are instrumental in decoding the relations between shapes, materials, tools, and actions. They enhance our understanding of the generative processes of a craft, and in turn, our ways of transforming and translating it to new contexts. With the motivation to define procedures that bridge practical knowledge across manual and digital methods, this study proposes a computer implementation of a historical stone carving craft from Anatolia and integrates it into digital modeling and fabrication workflows. We develop a set of detailed making rules for a specific style of relief ornaments and create parametric digital models with the consequent toolpaths for 3-Axis milling. The sequences of subtractive steps with reference to the rule-based representations and the associated parametric model deliver results with implications for incorporating the knowledge of manual making to digital making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Brâncuși Exhibition in Timișoara, which took place from September 30, 2023, to January 28, 2024. The exhibition was a collaboration between the National Art Museum of Timișoara, the Art Encounters Foundation, and the French Institute in Romania. It showcased 100 artworks from major European collections and included sculptures, photographs, and film fragments. The exhibition aimed to provide a comprehensive view of Brâncuși's creations and emphasized his Romanian connections and academic background. Despite some limitations, the exhibition successfully enriched the understanding of Brâncuși's work for Romanian visitors. [Extracted from the article]

The study of stonemasons' marks in ancient constructions, a subject that has been systematically investigated since the 1980s to the present, tends to focus on a few standard uses and consider other seemingly random patterns as issues of preservation, leaving the archaeological potential of such marks largely untapped. This article presents a methodological approach to explain these apparently arbitrary patterns and a diachronic analysis of local labour organization at Sagalassos in south-western Turkey in four case studies: the Upper Agora, Lower Agora, Hadrianic Nymphaeum, and Makellon. The spatial analysis of the stonemasons' marks and examination of the stone carving techniques and epigraphic data suggest that the different marks were either produced by the same individuals and/or formed part of the same construction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jung wrote extensively about the archetypal mandala symbol as an expression in many cultures of the centrality and nature of the interplay between human consciousness and divine consciousness. This article investigates—how in Persia, for millennia—the archetypal symbol of the mandala has been widespread in many expressions of the sacred arts. My research outlines the importance of the archetypal mandala symbol in Persian religio‐aesthetic history from the first unearthed stone carvings of Persia's ancient foundations until the more recent, breathtakingly marvellous ceilings of traditional Persian architecture today. From the artistic expressions of first religious beliefs of ancient Persia—Mithraism—and through the development of the Zoroastrian faith until the subsequent rise of Christianity and then Islam, Persian sacred art illustrates the Jungian idea that wholeness sought in the journey of individuation is often expressed through archetypal symbols of circles that articulate basic truths about the divine interplay with humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]