Arts and Humanities Commons^™

From Margins To Museums: Tracing The Evolution Of Representation For Contemporary African Artists In The United States, Victoria Mouraux Durand-Ruel

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on the art community in the United States and the evolution of representation for Contemporary African artists. By analyzing the careers and artistic contributions of Omar Ba, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, the study explores the concept of artistic agency according to which African artists have more control over the production and distribution of their works.

The research begins with a comprehensive literature review, investigating the historical contexts that have shaped the art landscape, including the impact of colonization, decolonization, and globalization. The study reveals how these …

The Casemate Wall System Of Khirbat Safra, Elizabeth Anne Emswiler

Master's Theses

Problem

A casemate wall system was found at Khirbat Safra in 2018 and 2019, which has been dated to early Iron Age I. However, no comprehensive study of Iron Age I casemate wall systems in Transjordan has been conducted. Therefore, this thesis will present and compare the findings from Kh. Safra and four other sites in Transjordan which have casemate wall systems dating to Iron Age I.

Method

A short study on the history of fortifications, casemate wall systems, and siege warfare was conducted for this thesis. The ruins from Fields A, B, C, and D at Kh. Safra were …

Austin (22tu549): Mississippian Emergence In The Northern Yazoo Basin, Elizabeth Kay Hunt

Master's Theses

The Austin Site (22TU549) is a known transitional Late Woodland to early Mississippian village located in Tunica County, Mississippi. Compared with the cultural phases that have been developed in other regions the northern Yazoo Basin lacks a clearly defined “Emergent Mississippian” phase. This study examined the ceramic assemblage (n=30,567) from a 25% random sample of pit features to measure transitional change as a way to define an early Mississippian phase. It also explored the ways in which this site experiences the Mississippian transition and how it fits into the larger trajectory of the Mississippian phenomenon in the Southeastern United States …

Revisiting The Date Of Stratum V At 'Araq El-'Emir, Jordan, Daniel A. Ulvoczky

Master's Theses

Problem

Paul W. Lapp excavated at ‘Araq al-‘Emir and dated Stratum V to Iron Age I with an occupation gap before later periods. Later findings by scholars suggested a later date for this stratum, but no one has reviewed the original material in order to complete this. This study revisited the date of Stratum V using Lapp’s original sherds and field notes.

Method

The original sherds and field notes were borrowed from Nancy L. Lapp at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. The data in the field notes was cross-examined with the sherds to identify the relevant sherds. A comparative analysis was conducted …

The Water System Of Tall Jalul, Bruno Alves Barros

Master's Theses

The Problem

Components of the water system of Tall Jalul have been discovered since 2009 in Fields G and W. Although articles and reports have been written, no comprehensive study has been conducted. Therefore, this thesis will present and discuss the water system of Jalul from 2009 to 2016 and look for comparisons with similar Iron Age structures in the Ancient Near East.

The Method

For this project, the ruins from Fields G and W were analyzed. First, selected water systems in Palestine were introduced, followed by a review of preliminary reports and personal observations on the site of Tall …

Pharaonic Occultism: The Relationship Of Esotericism And Egyptology, 1875–1930, Kevin Todd Mclaren

Master's Theses

The purpose of this work is to explore the interactions between occultism and scholarly Egyptology from 1875 to 1930. Within this timeframe, numerous esoteric groups formed that centered their ideologies on conceptions of ancient Egyptian knowledge. In order to legitimize their belief systems based on ancient Egyptian wisdom, esotericists attempted to become authoritative figures on Egypt. This process heavily impacted Western intellectualism not only because occult conceptions of Egypt became increasingly popular, but also because esotericists intruded into academia or attempted to overshadow it. In turn, esotericists and Egyptologists both utilized the influx of new information from Egyptological studies to …

A Poetic Poioumenon: Coterie And Ekphrasis In David Lehman's "The Breeders' Cup", Anna Beth Rowe

Master's Theses

David Lehman’s poem “The Breeders’ Cup” uses cross-generational coterie and ekphrasis to create a poetic poioumenon. When read in terms of art criticism, Lehman’s “The Breeders’ Cup” models creative processes from the past and calls for a rehabilitative ethic in postmodern poetics. Lehman follows the ekphrastic form, which associates a poem with a work of visual art, from his New York School predecessor Frank O’Hara. “The Breeders’ Cup” addresses Édouard Manet’s 1865 painting Olympia through ekphrasis, and the painting of a prostitute becomes a patron saint of parody for postmodern poetics. The poem introduces lust as a metaphor for creative …

The Bronze Artifacts Of Tall Jalul, Jordan, Christine T. Chitwood

Master's Theses

Background

It is quite common at excavation sites throughout the Near East to uncover the remains of metallic artifacts, though the practice of investigating these objects has fluctuated over the past 50 years of archaeometallurgical studies. Early scholars of archaeometallurgy, such as R.F. Tylecote, employed the use of elemental analysis, studying early metallurgical technologies necessary to create metallic implements around Europe and the Near East and paying close attention to the resources and energy exerted to manufacture each instrument. Other researchers compiled typological comparisons, building cultural identities off of stylistic features from the material culture. Since then, technological and elemental …

Figurines From Tell Balatah/Shechem, Jacob A. Moody

Master's Theses

Problem

The Drew-­McCormick Expedition conducted six seasons of excavation at the site of Tell Balâtah/Shechem between 1957-­‐1968. During those campaigns they uncovered several anthropomorphic and zoomorphic (clay and stone) figurines. This study represents the initial research for those figurines and their eventual publication and will briefly review the pertinent research done on figurines from the Levant and provide a detailed catalogue of the available figurines from Tell Balâtah/Shechem.

Method

The 38 available figurines were studied and detailed drawings were provided for each. The known data associated with every figurine are specified (provenance, registration number, size, condition, physical description, etc.) and, …

"La Venus Se Fue De Juerga Por Los Barrios Bajos": Nacho López, Mass Culture, And Modernity, Jenifer L. Caneschi

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Spectacle Of Great Beauty: The Changing Faces Of Hagia Sophia, Victoria M. Villano

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

American Made: Ansel Adams And The Bishop National Bank's "The Islands Of Hawaii", Lauren Walton

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Reconsideration Of Jean-Michel Basquiat's Work From The Hybrid Cultural Perspective, Alaina Young Mosny

Master's Theses

In his short 27years, iconic artist Jean-Michel Basquiat produced thousands of works of art that were quickly sold and bought on the New York art market of the 1980s. During the height of the demand for his work, Basquiat was generally appreciated as a young street artist who broke his way into the main stream art world. Much of his success was due to critics/ dealers capitalizing upon his identity, rather than considering the complex cultural influences in his life and art. His primary achievement seems to be that he was a black artist, representing black themes, and successfully selling …