Question 2. Religious Symbolism

This week, we studied cultures that recognized a pantheon of gods and goddesses, such as Ancient Greece and Rome, and also explored the early artistic objects of the Jewish and Christian faiths.

Carefully examine the following sculptures and read about each one in your textbook, course and video lectures, and through reliable internet resources:

Initiation Rites of the Cult of Bacchus, wall painting in the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii, c. 50 BCE

Ark of the Covenant and Menorahs, wall painting in a Jewish catacomb, Villa Torlonia, Rome, 3rd c CE

The Transfiguration of Christ, Church of Sant’ Apollinare in Classe, 533-549 CE

Then, in a minimum of 3 well-developed paragraphs, address the following questions:

What is the subject matter shown in each work?

What is the belief system or faith represented in each work?

What religious symbols do you observe in each work?

How would the setting of each work have influenced how the contemporary viewer interpreted or understood its meaning?