Puabi Golden Headdress Analysis

Puabi’s golden headdress, from Ur, Iraq and made around 2550-2450 B.C.E., has political significance. The elaborate piece is comprised of a wreath, earrings, coiffed hair, necklaces, and body jewelry. Puabi was a queen in her own right and this object has political significance because it demonstrates the importance of hierarchy in early Mesopotamia. The decadence of the headdress shows that it was meant to display dominance. This object is art because people can appreciate it visually and aesthetically. It does not have much practical use since it is very ornate and hard to wear. The headdress was presented in the middle of the gallery and was a definite focal point of the exhibit. Therefore, it was meant to be a piece that was admired for its beauty and grandeur. The pottery decoration on pitchers in the King Midas exhibit is related to exchange. In the 8th and 7th centuries B.C.E., Greeks imported objects from Syria, Phoenicia, and Phrygia and incorporated Near Eastern styles into their ceramics. A pitcher from the Mediterranean and a jug from Turkey were presented together in order to show similarities. Both objects had similar colors, patterns, and animals, such as sphinxes, griffins, and lions. The pitchers themselves are artifacts since they have a
This society was active from 1500-1900 in British Columbia and the Northwest coast. The mask represents a mythic noblewoman Djilakons. The Haida tribe used these masks to represent spirits in dances and at potlatches. Because the mask has a specific use, it should be characterized as an artifact. However it does have some elements of art, since it brings out an emotional response from passersby. Nevertheless, because the mask was utilized in rituals and was not just for decoration, it is mainly an artifact. In the museum, the mask was presented with other religious items that were used in various ceremonies of the Haida