On October 25th, 2022, I gave a lecture at Metropolitan State University on the Origins of Sirens. In the presentation, I trace how hybrid creatures in art arise in Mesopotamia, and how the creatures evolve in forms and meanings across the Mediterranean within a period of nearly 4000 years. At the end, I discuss the 19th-21st century depictions of mermaids, with an analysis of the current controversy caused by racist assertions that mermaid depictions in movies cannot be of any race except Caucasian.
I am placing the link to the lecture here, for your enjoyment. There is a transcript of the talk, in case you don't want to hear my voice for an hour (It was ragged due to a respiratory infection which has had me coughing for 9 weeks.). I'm including below many of the images I discussed. You can find ones of particular interest to you by scanning the course of the lecture for the image to pop up--they're in the same order as the lecture. I hope you enjoy it!
Here is the link to the lecture video: Origins of Sirens.
Capital, Plaimpied-Givaudin, 12th century
Capital, Musee Augustins, Toulouse, 12th century
Capital, Brioude, 12th century
Scylla, 5th c. BCE, Apuglia, Italy, Matera Archeological Museum (personification of the Straits of Messina)
Mosaic, Triton, 2nd c. CE, Seville Archeological Museum
Mosaic floor, Basilica of San Colombano, Bobbio, 12th century
Wood-carving, Troyes, approx. 16th century
Queen of Night, Southern Iraq, 19th-18thc BCE, British Museum
Bas-relief, Palace of Sargon II, Louvre, 8th c. BCE
Bas-relief, Adapa, servant of Enki/Ea, 7th c. BCE, Ninevah, Penn Museum
Expedition to Lebanon, bas-relief, 8th. c. BCE, Palace of Sargon II, Louvre
Apkallu, bas-relief, 8th.c. BCE, Assyria, Louvre
Tetramorph, 14th century, Parma Baptistry.
The Harpy Tomb, British Museum, 5th c. BCE, Xanthos
Sphynx, 6th c. BCE, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Vanth, cinerary urn, Volterra Etruscan Museum, 2nd century BCE
Vanth, or Medusa, 3rd c. BCE, Florence Archeological Museum
Olpe vase, 6th c. BCE, Greece, British Museum
Mosaic floor, 2nd c. CE, Roman, Getty Museum
Cerberus, 6th c. BCE, Italy, Louvre Museum
The Hope Hygeia, 2nd c. AD, Roman, Getty Museum
Harpy, 13th century, Souillac
Harpies, 12th c., Southern France, Louvre Museum
Siren, Sanguesa Iglesia San Maria la Real, 13th century
Mosaic floor, Otranto cathedral, 12th century
Entry at Moissac Abbey, 12th century
Abbey of Vezelay, 12th century
Autun Eve, 12th c., copy in Architectural Patrimony Museum, Paris
Salome, 12th century, Claustro San Pedro el Viejo, Huesca
Sens Cathedral, 12th century
Toledo Cathedral, misericord, 15th century
St. Pierre Cathedral, Poitiers, 13th century
Perrecy-les-Forges, 12th century,
Santa Maria di Uncastillo, 12th century.
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