110 Artifact #3:
the Aksumite Empire:
I found a really interesting series on Khan Academy that talks about the Aksumite empire. The main source used for the compilation of articles on the history, art, and impact of the empire was the British Library. There is also an article on contemporary art by Julie Mehretu and ancient Christian art (Ethiopian Iconography).
Beginning with the history, the article noted that the Kingdom of Aksum was one of the 4 greatest powers of the world and matched the development of the European powers at the time --- Roman and Greek empires. Aksum served as a big trading post between Europe and Asiatic countries. The following excerpt harps on the impact and connections that this empire had economically and in terms of academics. “Research shows that Aksum was a major naval and trading power from the 1st to the 7th centuries C.E. As a civilization it had a profound impact upon the people of Egypt, southern Arabia, Europe and Asia, all of whom were visitors to its shores, and in some cases were residents. Aksum developed a civilization and empire whose influence, at its height in the 4th and 5th centuries C.E., extended throughout the regions lying south of the Roman Empire, from the fringes of the Sahara in the west, across the Red Sea to the inner Arabian desert in the east. The Aksumites developed Africa’s only indigenous written script, Ge’ez. They traded with Egypt, the eastern Mediterranean and Arabia.” Christianity and Judaism have very deep roots in this area which is now Eritrea and Northern Ethiopia.
The article remarks that not much is known about this empire today but I believe that this is due to a lack of research into the non-english resources there are about this empire. In fact, scriptures and artifacts from this time period are plentiful within the Church and though I am not certain, outside of it too. Take the story of Kings Atsbeha and Abreha or Kings Ezana and Saizana, there are books written about them and churches dedicated to them. They are attributed as the kings who brought the wide spread practice of Christianity into the land.
I also found it really interesting how the contemporary art of Julie Mehretu was analyzed. The deeply symbolic and modern painting called “Stadia II” was created in 2004. In it, Mehretu aims to take a familiar place, a stadium, and express in it the emotions and chaos of the world. “In her monumental paintings, murals, and works on paper, Julie Mehretu overlays architectural plans, diagrams, and maps of the urban environment with abstract forms and personal notations. The resulting compositions convey the energy and chaos of today’s globalized world. Stadia II is part of a triptych of works created in 2004, and explores themes such as nationalism and revolution as they occur in the worlds of art, sports, and contemporary politics.”
The comparison between this art and the ancient Ethiopian Christian art is stark. In this series, there is also an article of Ethiopian Christian art through the 4th-20th centuries, through different leadership, empires, and societies. It is fascinating and though this article is brief, I would love to go into it deeper in my future studies.
Source: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/east-africa2/ethiopia/a/the-kingdom-of-aksum
Comments
I love the representation that is portrayed in this piece of artwork. It kind of looks like a tornado in the center and it's destroying the color blocks. I think from what you wrote, the tornado represents globalization and the color blocks represent different countries, the, unfortunately, less powerful near the bottom and the privileged counties with more power at the top. The history of the Kingdom of Aksum was very interesting and speaks to how development and trade can impact the status of a country over time with the impact of contemporary politics.
I really enjoyed reading this post! As an art history minor, I like how you connect the history of the Aksumite empire with the contemporary art of Julie Mehretu. Indeed, art is the product of its historical context, and the value embodied in artworks is priceless. I will definitely google more information and artworks of Julie Mehretu.
I found this post really insightful! As a history major, I am surprised that I have not learned more about the Aksumite Empire (I also did not know that Khan Academy had lessons on the humanities). As you mentioned, it can be difficult when historical sources exist, but are not widely spread or translated into other languages. The comparison between modern and ancient art and the "Stadia II" painting were also very interesting and informative.