Michael C. Carlos Collections at Emory University

While on my way to the Michael C. Carlos Museum, I thought that a college campus was an odd place for a museum, and I was not quite sure what to expect. After a little bit of searching, I was on my way, and I was impressed with the campus and the walk to the museum. Nevertheless, the Museum is a work of art in itself. The color of the exterior stone, whether it is marble or granite, is beautiful. The architecture was interesting as well. I really enjoyed the experience, and I will go back for a much more detailed experience. The only negative aspect to the visit was the parking, which was hectic.

On the day of my visit, I chose to stay on the first floor at the beginning and this was an exceptional experience with the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts; as well as some of the drawings and works on paper by some the master artists of the Renaissance era. I am a little partial to the Egyptian artifacts and history. The reason for the partiality is that I attended the exhibit of King Rameses when it was on display in Nashville. I got enthralled with all the intricate details on the jewelry, the master carvings and paintings of the sarcophaguses. The Egyptian burial process intrigued me as well. Also, just having the opportunity to view such items that date back to the B.C. time frame and beyond. It absolutely goes beyond my comprehension how such beautiful works of art, whether it be a very large piece or a piece of the smallest size, have managed to make it through such a long length of time and not be destroyed.

As I entered the hallway of the Carlos Museum, I was welcomed by large statues, one being of Julius Caesar and other Roman figures. As I meandered through the statues, I noticed this stone sarcophagus with ornate relief carving all around. It reminded me of some of the relief carving images in our textbook. As I continued through the exhibits, I was pleased to be able to view some of the articles, and known about the "relief carvings" on them. Also, the artistry on the painted pottery impressed me with the details exhibited on all the jewelry. How did they make such unusual and detailed pieces? The jewelry display, especially the extremely small pieces was very fascinating. What kind of tools could make such small intricate jewelry? As I continued viewing all the different artifacts, I tried to visualize myself during the time the piece was being produced. I thought about how we would use modern tools that the 21^st century has afforded. The Egyptians, the Romans, and the Greeks, to name just a few, had mastered those skills with very simple tools, but how did they do it? I continued to be mesmerized with the talent and skills that produced such beautiful pieces of art. I saw a piece of jewelry, a carving of a fly and another one of a fish. They each had such remarkable details. They were each very small pieces, so just how could they make something so small yet so beautiful?

Patrons enter the museum through the rotunda designed by Michael Graves. I am usually focused on where I am going and normally do not notice the architecture, but this time it was impossible not to. From there I entered a room to my left, where it seemed transported to ancient Rome or Greece. This room was filled with sculptures and pieces dating back as early as the Neolithic period around 4000 BC to Roman pieces from 5 AD. There were marble pieces in relief, and full around and pieces made from gold, silver, bronze and ivory to name a few. I was really taken by the Roman sarcophagus, made of marble and intricately carved. I could not imagine the weight of this and the number of people (slaves) it took to move it.

After looking at the different types of sculpture, I headed into each anteroom to look through all the other exhibits of jewelry and pottery. Another piece that caught my attention was the Larnax bathtub. I was amazed at the pictures on the outside and inside of the tub as well as its functionality; there was a drain and it would have had a plug. I also learned that tubs like these were used as coffins, two very important uses for this piece; bathing and burial. The next room we entered was the Egyptian room that held the ancient sarcophagi. I found it interesting that each piece told a different story and that the Egyptians were more concerned with the afterlife than the here and now. The hieroglyphic inscriptions were to identify the owner as well as offerings for the spirits to make the transition a smooth one and for their rebirth. My favorite piece in this room was the Coffin of Nesbetit. There is a pair of eyes painted on one side of the coffin pointing north. The priestess would have been layed on her side, enabling her to look through the painted eyes at the sunrise to the east, which symbolizes rebirth.

Our next adventure was through Ancient America, Africa and Asia. Here I saw many small statues of gods and goddesses as well as jewelry, headdresses and various articles of decoration. I was surprised to find many similarities between the Ancient American and African pieces. They seemed to have similar colors and likenesses. Without doubt, my favorite exhibit was the Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen. The exhibit is a chronological series of photographs by Harry Burton and various articles depicting the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922 by archeologist Howard Carter. The photos take you on a journey from the beginning in the Valley of the Kings; to the discovery and excavation, through the burial chamber, to the King's mummy and the many treasures inside. I enjoyed following the story and learning how Carter came upon the tomb which was covered by debris from the excavation of the Tomb of Ramesses. When asked what he saw upon opening the door to the tomb, Carter replied, "I see wonderful things."

As I continued to view the articles, I stayed in the state of amazement due to the fact that all I was seeing was created so long ago, and it is still in such magnificent shape. I recall several displays in the text that correlated with the exhibits at the museum. The text helped to identify some of the pieces. The pottery, its designs, and shapes were also very interesting, how each item had a specific use. There was this one extremely large jug. It was as tall as I am. I remember reading the identification card, but cannot remember now what it said. I can just remember how big that jug was. I saw the carvings on the side, and I thought this is just too cool. It had symmetrical carvings all around.

This was my first trip to the Michael C. Carlos Museum, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am now looking forward to returning and enjoying some of the upcoming exhibitions. I will return in the near future to see what I missed the first time!

Works Cited

www.carlos.emory.edu