ECAIC Visual characteristicsecaic.arch.ox.ac.uk/survey/visual_characteristics.pdfVisual...
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1 Visual characteristics What follows below is the ECAIC project team’s list of notable visual characteristics upon which we have chosen to focus our attention. They are, of course, our own divisions and are not exhaustive. Our interpretations of the objects contained in the database were largely based on images, published sources, and the descriptions of the objects that were provided by the databases that comprise the ECAIC database. These impressions are meant to describe the object as a whole; an attempt to determine what is the most striking aspect of the style. When there are definable figures (humans or animals), these can be described individually using the same rubric within the ‘Imagery’ table. Visual characteristic Definition Example Swirly/Fluid • Describes the classic ‘La Tène-style’ ornamentation or form • This is a legacy term from the previous Technologies of Enchantment (TofE) database Swirly, 3-D, Near, Textured Swirly, 2-D, Near, Mirror symmetry, Ambiguous figurative Classical- influence • Shows clear influence from the Mediterranean world • Possibly comes from the Mediterranean / western Asia • Note: can also include Thracian, Achaemenid influences etc. Classical-influence, Geometric, 2-D, repetitive, Mirror symmetry, Rotational symmetry, Naturalistic figurative, Ambiguous figurative
Transcript of ECAIC Visual characteristicsecaic.arch.ox.ac.uk/survey/visual_characteristics.pdfVisual...
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VisualcharacteristicsWhatfollowsbelowistheECAICprojectteam’slistofnotablevisualcharacteristicsuponwhichwehave chosen to focus our attention. They are, of course, our owndivisionsandarenotexhaustive.Ourinterpretationsoftheobjectscontainedinthedatabasewere largelybasedon images,publishedsources,andthedescriptionsoftheobjectsthatwereprovidedbythedatabasesthatcomprisetheECAICdatabase.These impressions are meant to describe the object as a whole; an attempt todeterminewhat is themost strikingaspectof the style.When therearedefinablefigures (humans or animals), these can be described individually using the samerubricwithinthe‘Imagery’table.
Visualcharacteristic Definition Example
Swirly/Fluid
• Describestheclassic‘LaTène-style’ornamentationorform
• ThisisalegacytermfromthepreviousTechnologiesofEnchantment(TofE)database
Swirly,3-D,Near,Textured
Swirly,2-D,Near,Mirrorsymmetry,Ambiguousfigurative
Classical-influence
• ShowsclearinfluencefromtheMediterraneanworld
• PossiblycomesfromtheMediterranean/westernAsia
• Note:canalsoincludeThracian,Achaemenidinfluencesetc.
Classical-influence,Geometric,2-D,repetitive,Mirrorsymmetry,Rotationalsymmetry,Naturalisticfigurative,Ambiguousfigurative
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Visualcharacteristic Definition Example
Geometric/Rigid
• Includeszigzags,ringanddots,dottedlines,etc.
• Includesrepeated(apparentlyidenticaloridentical)mostlyabstractmotifs(e.g.stamps)arrangedinarigidstyle
Geometric,3-D,Near,Repetitive,Rotationalsymmetry
2-D
• Describesobjectswhoseformdoesnotrelyontheornamentation
• Thesetendtobescabbardsandswords,daggers,mirrorsetc.
Swirly,2-D,Near
3-D• Describesobjectswhere
theornamentationisintegraltotheform
3-D,Naturalisticfigurative
Near
• Describesobjectswheretheornamentation,orelementsofit,issmall-scale,detailed,andonlyvisibletopeopleclosetotheobject(thinkingaboutvisualproximity).
NO:allelementsoftheobjectarevisiblefromadistance
YES:someelementsoftheobjectarevisiblefromadistance,butsomerequiretheaudiencetobeclosetotheobject
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Visualcharacteristic Definition Example
Textured
• Wherebackgroundorwholeareasare‘filledin’partiallybyasecondarypattern,e.g.baskethatching,linesoftinydotsetc.
• Whereobjectsaremanipulated,givenshapesthatcreatevisualinterest/breakupreflectionsonasurfaceetc.
Geometric,2-D,Near,Textured,Repetitive
Classical-influence,3-D,Textured
Repetitive
• Whereanobjecthasarepeatingmotifordesignthatcanbebrokenintounits(andrepeated)
Geometric,2-D,Near,Repetitive
Narrative
• Includesscenesorimagerythatisattemptingtotellastoryorpartofastory
Classical-influence,3-D,Near,Narrative,Naturalisticfigurative
Mirrorsymmetry
• DoesnotnecessarilymeanthatitisTRULYmirrorsymmetrical,butgivestheimpressionofit
• Mostlyreferstoornamentationasawholeorobjectasawhole
Geometric,3-D,Near,Repetitive,Mirrorsymmetry
Classical,3-D,Near,Mirrorsymmetry
Rotationalsymmetry
• Givestheimpressionofrotationalsymmetry,rotationalmovement
YES:Geometric,3-D,Near,Textured,Repetitive,Rotationalsymmetry,Abstractedfigurative
NO:3-D,Naturalisticfigurative
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Visualcharacteristic Definition Example
Multi-dimensional
• Representationofmultipleplanesofsymmetry
Swirly,Classical-influence,3-D,Near,Multi-dimensional,Abstractedfigurative
Naturalisticfigurative
• Includesrepresentationsofnaturalistichumansoranimals
Classical-influence,3-D,Near,Narrative,Naturalisticfigurative
Abstractedfigurative
• Includesrepresentationsofabstractedhumansoranimalsthatyoucantellarehumansoranimalsbutarenotrepresentednaturalistically
Geometric,3-D,Repetitive,Mirrorsymmetry,Abstractedfigurative
3-D,Near,Mirrorsymmetry,Naturalisticfigurative(swans),Ambiguousfigurative(isthewholethingananimalface?)
Ambiguousfigurative
• Unclearwhetherornotitisananimalorhuman,butgivesthatimpression;whatsomepeoplehavedescribedas‘hidden’animalsorfaces
Swirly,2-D,Mirrorsymmetry,Ambiguousfigurative
Exclude • Shouldnotbeincludedinthisdatabase
