https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/23522 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:15:19 GMT 2026-06-05T19:15:19Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24655 Title: Nudity and partial body exposure in ancient Mesopotamia : with a special focus on Babylonia Abstract: This work aims to tackle any ambiguity concerning nudity and partial exposure practices in the broad geographical area that is known as ancient Mesopotamia. Unfortunately, not much material is available which directly tackles this topic, however the work of a few prominent scholars on the subject was employed. As a result, the material involved in this research consists of defining nudity, considering the difference between the male and the female nude at the time, determining if certain nudity/exposure was due to sexuality or fertility, and if customs such as attire and bathing had any symbolic meaning when it comes to the exposed body. Both ancient iconography from this region as well as coeval literary sources were employed along this study. Forming part of this dissertation is a an afterword which compares the Mesopotamian nude and the Classical Greek nude. At the end of this dissertation the author concluded that one mostly finds iconographies, as well as ancient texts, characterising the female nude, whilst male partial exposure only helps in transmitting a message of heroism or else enslavement. Complete male nudity is rarely encountered. Description: B.A.(HONS)ARCHAEOLOGY Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24655 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24551 Title: Architectural patterns and Egyptian mythology in the New Kingdom Abstract: Every society, past and present, has its own beliefs and practices including in most cases a form of religion. Religion has evolved itself through time in its form of worship, yet most humans believed there was a force that was above them. It was the belief in a religion that has led to societies believing in an afterlife and this provided a purpose for what to live for and what to aim for after one‟s death. While religion lends a set of beliefs to a society, it is mythology that explains to the people how the world was created. Ancient Egypt is one such culture where religion and mythology played a huge role in the daily life of its citizens. The purpose of this work is to show that a link existed between mythology and architecture in New Kingdom Egypt and how it developed through the period. Temples, funerary architecture and palaces were structures which were essential in the Egyptian‟s life. While at the start of the New Kingdom, the deities were seen as having the highest authority in all aspects of life, this belief was modified as time progressed. The pharaoh Akhenaten transferred some of the authority of the deities to the king as from the Amarna period onwards, they were seen on the same level. The sudden change initiated by Akhenaten led instantly to a different style in all aspects of architecture. All mythology was now linked to the Aten and Akhenaten himself, which led to a much closer visible link between architecture and mythology. While this revolution lasted only under his reign, and the old gods were later reinstated, some of these changes remained and thus the link between architecture and mythology remained stronger than it was at the beginning of the New Kingdom. Description: B.A.(HONS)ARCHAEOLOGY Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24551 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z