Visual/Material Sources (Myth and Religion)

Introduction to Visual/Material Sources

Visual and material sources such as sculptures, frescoes, pottery and coins, provide vital clues about the beliefs and religious practices of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
These sources aid in understanding the rites, rituals, and the pantheon of gods worshipped, as they frequently depict various mythological narratives and religious ceremonies.

Pottery and Vases

Greek pottery often portrays scenes from mythology, shedding light on the religion and beliefs of the period. For instance, the François Vase is a well-known piece, illustrating a multitude of mythological scenes.
Black-figure and red-figure techniques were used in vase painting, offering insights about their technological advances and aesthetic preferences.
Roman pottery, like the terra sigillata, often carries stamps with the name of the potter, providing information on commerce, trade and economies related to religious artifacts.

Sculpture and Statuary

Greek and Roman sculptures often depicted their deities, showcasing their idea of divine beauty, power, and virtues. For example, the gold and ivory statue of Athena in the Parthenon, or the colossal statue of Zeus at Olympia.
Both free-standing statues and reliefs were used. Reliefs, either on public monuments or private gravestones, often depicted scenes from myths or religious connotations.
Roman culture used sculpture in a different way, heavily incorporating portraits, epitaphs and narrative reliefs into their sculptures, hinting at the intertwining of politics and religion.

Architecture and Temples

Religious architecture, primarily temples, offers evidence of the importance and worshipping practices related to different deities.
Temple designs in themselves were reflective of religious beliefs. The grandeur and complexity of these structures speaks volumes about the significance of the gods in their culture.

Coins and Medals

Coins and medals often carried the designs of various gods and goddesses and were a way to celebrate and monumentalise religious events or attributes of the divine.
Romans extensively used coins as a medium to propagate Emperor worship and as a valid display of state religion.

Other Artifacts

Other artifacts including jewelry, household items, and grave goods often bear religious symbols and motifs, illuminating the everyday life and deeply embedded religious beliefs in ancient Greek and Roman cultures.

Remember, when studying visual/material sources, always focus on the what, where, when and why. What does the source depict? Where and when was it made and found? Why was it made? The answers to these questions will provide valuable context to better understand these ancient cultures.