Answer to Question 1
Like the rulers of ancient Egypt, Benin kings are viewed as sacred beings, which is common in many African societies. Art is employed to dramatize and support this concept of a sacred kingship. Royal altars were dedicated to the king's hand, a symbol of physical prowess. Hands are depicted around its base where they alternate with rams' heads. The king is shown seated atop the altar flanked by attendants in a symmetrical composition, which expresses a social hierarchy. The king is at the center and is portrayed larger than the other figures, which employs scale as an indication of importance. Proportionally, the king takes up one-third of his total height. Representations of the king manifest themselves through the use of proportion.
Answer to Question 2
Where the mosaics in a Byzantine church might depict Jesus, Mary, and saints, the mosaics in a mosque do not portray any people, much less images of God. The Qur'an contains a stern warning against the worship of idols, and this led to a doctrine prohibiting images of animate beings in religious contexts. The creative result was decorative geometric patterns and stylized plant forms. Arabic script also became an important element of decoration.
The Geologic Time Scale
The pH scale is logarithmic. A low pH indicates acidic conditions, whereas a high pH indicates ...
Measuring the client’s weight with a standard platform scale
The Wong-Baker “Faces” pain rating scale
After elections were held, it was desired to estimate the proportion of voters who regretted ...
AWG Scale and Ampacity