Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Bronzes, Ongoing, at the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Bronzes, Ongoing, at the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Portrait Statuette of the Greek Orator Demosthenes Early Roman copy of a
Greek original courtesy of the Harvard Art Museum.
For more than 5,000 years, bronze and other copper alloys have been essential materials, used to create everything from life-size sculpture to objects of daily life, such as weapons, jewelry, and tableware. Copper alloy objects were especially prestigious due to the intrinsic value of the metal, which has also been used for coinage for thousands of years. The Harvard Art Museums’ collection of ancient bronze objects ranges from masterpieces, such as the statuette of the philosopher Demosthenes, to utilitarian objects, such as writing tools, clothing fasteners, and lamps. The objects date from the early Bronze Age through the Byzantine period and originate from Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa. The collection contains significant groups of bronzes from Luristan, Egypt, prehistoric Europe, and the Graeco-Roman world.




https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/tour/ancient-mediterranean-and-near-eastern-bronzes-at-the-harvard-art-museums

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