Ekphrasis, or the vivid verbal representation of visual representation, can be crafted in a number of ways – so how does our choice of description shape how we behold an object? These clips aim to peel away the different layers of the Goddess, while exploring the various ways in which she has been deconstructed and reconstructed, to illustrate the complexities of archaeological description. They can be compared with the Votary trilogy, which has different perspectives.
The first clip (description) is a detailed portrayal of the physical object as it is beheld today. This narrative provides no information on background knowledge, such as provenance or current context, or the modern reconstructions (although visible signs of damage are noted). The second clip (discovery and reconstruction) switches to first person voice as the Goddess becomes narrator, relating her manufacture, destruction, deposition, discovery, reconstruction and present context. The third clip (reproduction and reimagining) reverts to third person to evaluate how this figure has been reinvented today, how she has been portrayed in the arts and commercialised, her influence, somewhat overshadowed by the Votary, and how difficult it can be to assign authenticity.
Please note: this is work in progress and an experimental piece. These clips will be replaced in due course (and the slight hum to the recording removed). In the meantime, please do not cite the work as it stands.
Read by Ellen Adams (King's College London), The Many Lives of a Snake Goddess Project
Read by Ellen Adams (King's College London), The Many Lives of a Snake Goddess Project
Read by Ellen Adams (King's College London), The Many Lives of a Snake Goddess Project
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