Fresh New Artwork of the Week!

As much as I love the internet, exhibition catalogues and other conveniences, you really can't beat a museum. The wonderful thing about museums is that you can see an object in person, which really makes a world of difference. For instance, I once wrote in a paper about a faience monkey figurine with a cartouche of some Egyptian pharaoh (Ramesses maybe? It was a while ago). Even with a black-and-white picture of the thing, I barely recognized it when I stumbled upon the thing in person. Who knew the "miniature" in its description meant "so small its barely visible"?! I wrote about that thing?! Man, I really don't think I had any idea what I was working with, back when I wrote that paper. How was I supposed to know?

On a different note, the new Artwork of the Week comes from the same museum as the little faience monkey figurine (in Nafplio, Greece). This week's "artwork" stretches the usual definition of art, since it is also a practical object. But you have to admit, something like this requires quite a bit of craftsmanship. Perhaps you're wondering what I'm talking about? Alright, fine, I'll tell you.

This week's artwork is a Mycenaean-era bronze suit of armor from Dendra.

Bronze suit of armor, 1400 BC, Dendra, Nafplio Archaeological Museum, Nafplio, Greece

If you think about it, this is truly amazing. Someone, thousands of year ago, actually wore this. Can you imagine that? Look at the size of it! It is a giant metal dress! How would someone have ever fought in that? (Granted, this one was probably just for the burial of a Mycenaean warrior and likely never saw battle.) Several things about this, besides its size and weight: 1) look at that skirt! How do you march to battle in a banded knee-length metal skirt? The design of this armor doesn't seem to take into consideration how real people actually move, and 2) either Mycenaeans had really long necks, or such tragically bad eyesight that covering up their faces didn't matter. The big cylindrical neck of that armor is really high.

I'm still wondering how anyone could have managed hand-to-hand combat in armor like this. It is hot, heavy, and rather inflexible. Still, it is truly amazing. Even more amazing is that it survived thousands of years. It makes me admire the Mycenaeans (even more). And you should admire them too, for their brash, warrior-loving, insane armor-making selves.