Underworld : imagining the afterlife in ancient south Italian vase painting / edited by David Saunders ; with contributions by Keely Elizabeth Heuer, Sarah Iles Johnston, Roy D. Kotansky, Andrea Celestino Montanaro.
Publisher:
J. Paul Getty Museum,
Copyright Date:
2021
Description:
x, 244 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), color map ; 28 cm
Developed in conjunction with the exhibition Underworld: Imagining the Afterlife, on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, from October 31, 2018, to March 18, 2019. Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-236) and index.
Contents:
Catalogue / David Saunders. Dialogues of the dead on the "Orphic" gold tablets / Roy D. Kotansky -- Sacred sites of Apulia / Keely Elizabeth Heuer -- Apulian funerary practices / Andrea Celestino Montanaro -- Imagining the afterlife in south Italian vase painting / David Saunders -- Catalogue / David Saunders.
Summary:
"This abundantly illustrated catalogue examines depictions of the Underworld in southern Italian vase painting and explores the religious and cultural beliefs behind them"-- Provided by publisher. "What happens to us when we die? What might the afterlife look like? For the ancient Greeks, the dead lived on, overseen by Hades in the Underworld. We read of famous sinners, such as Sisyphus, forever rolling his rock, and the fierce guard dog Kerberos, who was captured by Herakles. For mere mortals, ritual and religion offered possibilities for ensuring a happy existence in the beyond, and some of the richest evidence for beliefs about death comes from southern Italy, where the local Italic peoples engaged with Greek beliefs. Monumental funerary vases that accompanied the deceased were decorated with consolatory scenes from myth, and around forty preserve elaborate depictions of Hades's domain. For the first time in over four decades, these compelling vase paintings are brought together in one volume, with detailed commentaries and ample illustrations. The catalogue is accompanied by a series of essays by leading experts in the field, which provides a framework for understanding these intriguing scenes and their contexts. Topics include attitudes toward the afterlife in Greek ritual and myth, inscriptions on leaves of gold that provided guidance for the deceased, funerary practices and religious beliefs in Apulia, and the importance accorded to Orpheus and Dionysos. Drawing from a variety of textual and archaeological sources, this volume is an essential source for anyone interested in religion and belief in the ancient Mediterranean"-- Dust jacket.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.