Art Essay Examples

Allen Holmberg was an anthropologist who studied at Cornell University, also serving as the head of the anthropology department. During his time as a doctorate student, he lived with the Siriono, a Native American group settled in Bolivia. Holmberg studied the Siriono people and wrote a book, Nomads of the Longbow, of his findings. Although […]

African culture is very diverse, historic, and artistic. In our land, the land of Cameroon, people were already living here since prehistoric times. This was proven when stone objects were found in many areas around Cameroon. It is close to the Makabai Mountains, which makes our ancestors live in thick forests, in seashores and in […]

The documentary film Cannibal Tours (1988) captures the interaction between American and European tourists and the indigenous people along the Sepik River in Melanesia, particularly Papua New Guinea. The camera follows the tourists as they go to the different villages to be in awe of the handicrafts and haggle to buy these items. They also […]

Each autumn and on the 1 st of November, Mexicans celebrate what is called “the Day of the Dead”. Mexicans are mixing Christianity with ancient cultural influences such as old Spanish culture . They believe that on that day, dead people return to be with their families. Celebrations start at homes and then spread into […]

Cultures throughout the world bury their dead in accordance with their religious beliefs and social traditions. However, these traditions are transient and have changed greatly over the past centuries. The essay seeks to establish an understanding of the customs and death ceremonies in ancient traditions, the Japanese, Native Americans and modern American cultures. (British Humanist […]

“The Man to Send Rain Clouds” is a beautifully written short story by Leslie Marmon Silko. Set in a modern 21st century time frame, this story is about a Native American family’s grandfather passing away and how the family gives him a proper, cultural funeral despite all of the modern traditions/challenges that present them along […]

The Tainos were a gentle and humble people with a very strong social organization. They would settle relatively close to the coast, as to be hidden but to also see incoming people. A Taino settlement could be a small or as complex chiefdom; it was constructed in such a way that the cacique’s (the chief’s) […]

Spanish conquistadores, historians, and missionaries documented the supernatural beliefs of ancient Filipinos. According to Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas’ census from 1590 to 1593, the Philippines had a population of approximately 700,000 during colonization. Fr. Pedro Chirino and Antonio de Morga, Spanish writers from that time period, noted that the ancient Filipinos worshipped Bathala as their […]

Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent deity, has had a profound influence on Aztec culture. This god’s impact is evident in the depictions and worship practices of Quetzalcoatl, which have greatly shaped Latin American culture and provided insights into ancient customs and symbols associated with this deity in Aztec society. The Quetzalcoatl legend originated in the Olmec […]

Many authors use their literary works as an outlet for their personal feeling and opinions on issues present within their cultures, history and personal lives. Zohra Saed’s poems, Nomad’s Market: Flushing Queens and What the Scar Revealed, published in 2003, both address issues that she finds significant in her Afghani refugee context. Tim Winton uses […]

Anthropology is the comprehensive examination of human beings, encompassing all aspects of humanity. The term “anthropology” was created by German philosopher Magnus Hundt in 1501 and comes from the Greek word anthropos, which means “man,” and “discourse” or “study.” This fully established discipline explores the definition of homo sapiens, traces the ancestry of modern humans’ […]

The development of civilization began with three basic world orders: egalitarian culture, agrarian culture, and the rise of civilization. Culture is the shared understanding of the systems by which we live. It is classified into seven different configurations: politics, economic systems, religion society, intellect pursuits, art/artifacts, and near aspects/geography. In order to preserve this culture, […]

In “The Sacrificial Egg”, the author, Chinua Achebe “presents the conflict between an African civilization called Igbo and Westernization, specifically European. ” (Joaquin, 2003) The protagonist, whose name is Julius Obi, is a product of European and African culture– he is a Western educated Igbo. The story begins in the empty market named Nkwo. Since […]

Perspective on the Columbian Exchange and Effect on Information Conveyance While most of what has happened historically is clouded by speculation and wonder, some events have been well-documented. The Conquest of the Americas by the Spanish was an event in which many aspects were recorded, which has helped historians tremendously. The Broken Spears is a […]

Native Americans are nowadays a very bright and diverse group, which includes different backgrounds, based upon Indian tribes. The Ramapo Mountain People are amongst the proudest and most courageous highlanders, whose cultural heritage is nowadays a focus of folklorists’ and anthropologists’ attention. The present paper is intended to discuss the history and characteristics of this […]

Early American and Colonial Period to 1776 American literature begins with the orally transmitted myths, legends, tales, and lyrics (always songs) of Indian cultures. There was no written literature among the more than 500 different Indian languages and tribal cultures that existed in North America before the first Europeans arrived. As a result, Native American […]

Witches are women who practice witchcraft and/or sorcery, and their male counterparts are wizards. Witchcraft is a practice that involves rituals of healing and divination, and went under the general name of charming nature. Witchcraft statue was gained during a discriminative hunt down intended to end use of charming because of the blurred distinction between […]

Dead Men’s Path Analysis “Dead Men’s Path” by Chinua Achebe is a short story about a young headmaster and his conflict with a village’s people when he wants to close a path that is important for their belief. In this story we can see the conflict between modernity and ancient believes. The story is set […]

Dove with olive leaf A number of peace symbols have been used in various cultures and contexts, one of the most ancient being the olive branch. The symbol of the dove and olive branch was used by early Christians and was later adopted as a secular symbol. It was popularized by Pablo Picasso in 1949 […]

Colonialism is the policy by which a nation maintains or extends its control over foreign dependencies. For the Yoruba, the British colonization has systematically dissolved and re-arranged its cultural traditions, beliefs, and structure. An anthropological examination of Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman can reveal colonialisms destructive effect and the tragedy of forced liminality […]

Sarcophagus is coffins where mummies are placed. These specific artifacts – the sarcophagus of Kamwese and that of Princess Mayet, dates way back before the time of Christ. Mummies – sah meaning nobility or dignity denoted the divinity and eternal continuity of the deceased. They were allegedly made as a plot in the ancient Egyptian […]

In the Aztec nation during the years 1400 and 1500 AD, a mesmerizing scene awaited explorers in Mexico. As they ventured through dense jungle, their attention was captured by the resonant beats of a deep drum. The presence of slithering snakes beneath their feet added an element of danger to the environment. Pushing through a […]