This six-part course explores how to understand material culture and explore political history through a series of virtual research projects centered on the decorative silk entitled the "Souvenir of Egypt." Each module comprising the course illustrates particular techniques and resources of historical research through the examination of specific aspects of the silk, namely: the texts, flags, portraits and symbols appearing in its imagery. The final module discusses how to take the facts that you've gathered through your research and craft a coherent argument about their significance.
"The Souvenir of Egypt" (1917). From the collection of Dr. Paula Sanders,
Rice University. Available online at
(External Link) through the
Travelers in the Middle East
Archive (TIMEA) . The
Souvenir of
Egypt is a decorative silk on which a variety of images are depicted, including
texts, flags, portraits and a landscape scene. The silk, which is collected in the
Travelers in the Middle East
Archive (TIMEA) , reveals very little about itself
directly. No date appears anywhere on the silk, nor does any information about whoproduced it or where it was made. Around the edges are six portraits of men in military
or professional dress, but no names appear. The silk includes seven unidentified flags,six of which seem to be aligned with the portraits, since the flags are adjacent to or
partially underneath them. At the center are three pyramids, their images reflectedin a body of water. Across the water are a man on a camel, a man standing under a tall
tree, and a figure in the water with what appears to be a large basket. Bits oftexts--in both English and what appears to be Arabic--are placed on the silk. In the
lower right is what appears to be the title of the silk, which is in large cursiveletters: "Souvenir of Egypt." A complex visual argument seems to be made in this
souvenir, but we need to know more about the different references it is making before attemptingto interpret it.
How are we to understand this mysterious artifact? What does it depict, when was it made,for whom, and why? In this module we will explore how to categorize, identify, and historically
locate the Souvenir of Egypt. The variety of flags andfaces, and the apparent diversity of their national origins, make the silk particularly
interesting from a historical standpoint. The near complete lack of names or datespresents a perfect opportunity to explore the resources and methods used by historians
to research this kind of artifact.
Timea
The silk is one of many artifacts and texts that have been digitized
and published online by the
TIMEA project
(
(External Link) ). TIMEA (Travelers
In the Middle East Archive) is a digital archive of narratives documenting travel to theMiddle East published between the eighteenth and early twentieth centuries, along with
images and interactive GIS maps. This course contributes to the project by demonstratinghow to study visual culture through a virtual research project on the Souvenir of Egypt. In this way the image of the silk in the digital archive can be
used to demonstrate the practical application of certain research methods as well as tohighlight the resources available to researchers.
Receive real-time job alerts and never miss the right job again
Source:
OpenStax, Understanding material culture: deciphering the imagery of the "souvenir of egypt". OpenStax CNX. Oct 08, 2006 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10301/1.7
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.
Notification Switch
Would you like to follow the 'Understanding material culture: deciphering the imagery of the "souvenir of egypt"' conversation and receive update notifications?
