Plundering and taking home precious objects from a defeated enemy was a widespread activity in the Greek and Hellenistic-Roman world. In this volume literary critics, historians and archaeologists... Show morePlundering and taking home precious objects from a defeated enemy was a widespread activity in the Greek and Hellenistic-Roman world. In this volume literary critics, historians and archaeologists join forces in investigating this phenomenon in terms of appropriation and cultural change. In-depth interpretations of famous ancient spoliations, like that of the Greeks after Plataea or the Romans after the capture of Jerusalem, reveal a fascinating paradox: while the material record shows an eager incorporation of new objects, the texts display abhorrence of the negative effects they were thought to bring along. As this volume demonstrates, both reactions testify to the crucial innovative impact objects from abroad may have. Show less
The concept of frugal innovation tends to be exclusively related to capitalism and modernity. The authors argue that this is a limited perspective. The chapter explores its paradigmatic role in... Show moreThe concept of frugal innovation tends to be exclusively related to capitalism and modernity. The authors argue that this is a limited perspective. The chapter explores its paradigmatic role in history by focusing on ‘Greco-Roman Antiquity’ (roughly 500 BCE - 500 CE), a period characterized by rapid change and enduring innovations. The concept of anchoring - the effective integration and accommodation of the new in existing conceptual categories for relevant social groups - is introduced to the conceptual toolbox of the study of frugal innovation. With a historical perspective on what innovation entails, it becomes clear that redesigning and ‘good-enough’ solutions are what probably drives innovation and its diffusion throughout history. In fact, therefore, the alternative perspective that needs explanation is not the ‘frugal’ one, but rather the (ahistorical and typically Western) idea that innovation is about linear economic growth enabled by unlimited resources. The present turn to frugal innovation is therefore better understood as a return to frugal innovation. Show less
The concept of frugal innovation tends to be exclusively related to capitalism and modernity. The authors argue that this is a limited perspective. The chapter explores its paradigmatic role in... Show moreThe concept of frugal innovation tends to be exclusively related to capitalism and modernity. The authors argue that this is a limited perspective. The chapter explores its paradigmatic role in history by focusing on ‘Greco-Roman Antiquity’ (roughly 500 BCE - 500 CE), a period characterized by rapid change and enduring innovations. The concept of anchoring - the effective integration and accommodation of the new in existing conceptual categories for relevant social groups - is introduced to the conceptual toolbox of the study of frugal innovation. With a historical perspective on what innovation entails, it becomes clear that redesigning and ‘good-enough’ solutions are what probably drives innovation and its diffusion throughout history. In fact, therefore, the alternative perspective that needs explanation is not the ‘frugal’ one, but rather the (ahistorical and typically Western) idea that innovation is about linear economic growth enabled by unlimited resources. The present turn to frugal innovation is therefore better understood as a return to frugal innovation. Show less
Aegyptiaca-like Domitian’s obelisk is now decorating Bernini’s fountain on Piazza Navona or the Egyptian lions flanking Michelangelo’s stairs towards the Capitol figure prominently amidst Rome’s... Show moreAegyptiaca-like Domitian’s obelisk is now decorating Bernini’s fountain on Piazza Navona or the Egyptian lions flanking Michelangelo’s stairs towards the Capitol figure prominently amidst Rome’s cultural heritage. Motivations for the import, contextualization, and copying of these objects during the Imperial Roman period are as heavily debated as they are ill understood. Provenance determination plays an important role in these discussions in terms of a (supposed) dichotomy between Egyptian (real) versus egyptianising (copy) but has only been applied stylistically and never been tested analytically. A scientific characterization of the materials themselves is even lacking altogether, as is an investigation into the cultural and symbolic meaning of the materials used. This paper is a first attempt to address these important lacunae on the basis of an explorative study of a selected sample of Egyptian statues from Rome. The identification and provenance attribution of the materials used for these statues are often problematic due to their relatively fine-grained nature and dark color. Therefore, a full non-destructive analysis of Egyptian statues in dark-colored rocks is presented in this study, with the stones evaluated by macroscopic examination and handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The implemented methodology has allowed a distinction between greywacke and several varieties of granitoid rocks. In order to evaluate the potential for source attribution, a comparison was made between the results of our analyses and geochemical data for several granitoid rocks from Egypt. This has suggested Aswan as most likely source. The results presented here indicate that handheld XRF analysis can be used for the assessment of compositional variability in and potentially for the provenance of granitoid rocks, provided that a fine-grained area of the material can be measured on multiple locations, and if these values can be assessed on (in)consistencies with other published reference materials. Show less
Eck, C.A. van; Versluys, M.J.; Keurs, P.J. ter 2015
