Classics: What is the role of nature in ancient art and architecture?

Note: The following essay is by Eevan Pennant-Shah L6B (20pennant-shahe@students.watfordboys.org) 

In the contemporary era, art is enjoyed inside grand art galleries, often divorced from its original context and detached from its true meaning. However, in the ancient world the location was often seen as a canvas itself, a fundamental element which ancient artists incorporated, aspiring to evoke awe. The topography of the landscape was paramount as without modern tools these civilizations were forced to work with the existing geology. This had the effect of integrating the natural world into the art itself, whether it was through its location, method of production or its experience. Ultimately, the role of the natural landscape was not merely a passive setting, but an active part that dictated the material limits of art while amplifying its effects on the people who are appreciating it. Additionally, the image of natural landscapes itself could be used to try and push a political motive or thought that would benefit the one who commissioned it. 

The production of ancient art was greatly affected by the topography of the area surrounding the architectural site. This covered factors such as materials used as well as size, which often contributed to how humanity viewed these masterpieces and could completely change the tone of the art. The Great Pyramid of Giza, initially standing at close to 150 metres, is testament to the Giza plateau being able to support this near six-million tonne monolith. Furthermore in order to be fully built out of limestone suitable quarries would have to be found, and one of these was at Tura, due to its specific whiter tone, which made the Pyramid look like a beacon to the sun. The Wadi al-Jarf Papyri, details a team transporting limestone blocks around nine miles to the Great Pyramid. This source is a diary of an inspector called Merer, and as it is an administrative record, it means there would be no propagandist intent, making this very reliable to use in this case. The mammoth task of transporting these large blocks to the burial sites of Khufu was only possible from the formation of the Nile river,

which had allowed ships to haul limestone to Giza. This had caused for the Great pyramid to be built near the Nile along the Ahramat branch, which has now dried up, to ensure that the populus would be able to haul the blocks to the pyramid easily. Therefore, it was only due to the natural formation of the Ahramat branch, discovered by Dr. Eman Ghoneim, that allowed for the Pyramid to be built on the Giza plateau at all. 

The intertwined relationship between the architect and the natural landscape was not unique to Ancient Egypt, in classical Athens the Parthenon is another example of how the environment is a key factor in the creation of ancient art. Just as the Quarries at Tura were chosen for their renowned white limestone, marble quarries on Mount Pentelicus were chosen for their highly prized Pentelic marble. Pentelic marble has a sharp white colour, but when exposed to air gains a faint golden hue, which is a key part of the iconic look of the Parthenon. Most importantly, Pentelic marble has a very fine grain texture, which makes it highly workable, thus being the perfect material for the Parthenon, with all of its finely sculpted friezes and pediments. However, unlike the Egyptian’s access to a river to transport the stone, the Athenians had no topographical tool comparable to that, which caused them to innovate. A slipway was built from mount Pentelicus to Athens, called the Odos Lithagogia, meaning ‘Stone Carrying road’. This used a vertically descending paved track to carry large marble blocks, using sledges to allow them to slide down the road. Furthermore the construction of the Parthenon hugely relied on the natural landscape, not just in the construction of it, but rather the location it is at. It is only due to the high strength of the limestone base that the Parthenon would be able to stand. This made the Athenians build on the acropolis as it would be the only location suited to their needs that could support the approximately 20,000 tonne colossus. This demonstrates how a restriction caused by nature turned into an aesthetic and strategic benefit for the Ancient Athenians, as the Parthenon was raised 150m from the rest of the city. This forces this holy site to stand out and be seen from

anywhere in Athens, further multiplying its dominance and importance, across the city of Athens. Ultimately, it was the prerequisite of the natural landscape around these two monuments that caused their creation. The landscape had dictated what could be built but had also become a tool that engineers and architects could use to elevate their art. 

While the natural landscape shaped the production of ancient art, it was not limited to logistics, but rather became a crucial tool architects utilised to elevate their works and amplify the spirituality of the creations. The natural landscape acted as a stage that architects used to invoke feelings of awe and reverence in the viewer. At the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion in Attica, the location is fundamental to the temple’s role. Due to its dedication to Poseidon the temple stands at the southern tip of Attica, along the coast, causing it to be framed by the seas of the Saronic Gulf. This amplifies the effects of the temple as sailors returning to the port of Piraeus would pass by it, and stare upwards at it due to the high visibility of the fine white agrileza marble used in its construction. This would create the experience to the sailors that it was Poseidon himself who had given them safe passage back to their homes. In contrast, those who are viewing the temple from land would see a gleaming white temple standing out in front of the azure sea. Pausanius, the famous Greek traveller notes, “On the Greek mainland facing the Cyclades Islands and the Aegean Sea the Sunium promontory stands out from the Attic land”. By describing the temple as standing out from the Attic land Pausanius gives the impression that due to its location fits in with the sea and would give the effect of showing Poseidon with his kingdom, pushing the sanctity of the site even further, and demonstrates how the experience of this work of art can change based on its location. Furthermore, while the temple itself was not built at the time of the Trojan War, Homer describes the location as “sacred” in Book three of the “we came to sacred Sunium, the cape south of Athens”. As the location itself is being described as holy before the temple

we see today was built, it is clear how natural landscapes at Sounion greatly affected the experience of it. 

Similarly to the Temple of Poseidon, the Sanctuary of Delphi was in a unique location, which builds to the experience of the Oracle. Plutarch, a high priest at the Sanctuary of Delphi, writing in ‘De Defectu Oraculorum’, says how the Pythia inhaled gases and vapours which he believed emerged from the bedrock underneath the Temple. In 2001 de Boer’s research corroborated Plutarch’s account, finding the intersection of two major fault lines extremely close to the temple. These released ethylene, a mild hallucinogenic, which is most likely the reason for the Pythia’s visions. Therefore the art of the prophecy that the Pythia delivered was physically created by the landscape on which the temple was built, and provided it with its raison d'être. Moreover, the Ancient Greeks believed that the centre of the world was at Delphi, with a navel stone marking it so. In mythology, Zeus released two eagles from different ends of the Earth and when they met, marked it as the centre of the world. For an ancient pilgrim, standing in the sanctuary at Delphi, believing you are at the centre of the world could cause a feeling of strong spiritual connection with the wider world. Strabo, the geographer, calls Delphi the “common hearth” of Greece. In ancient cultures the hearth was a key central point of a home and was seen as a social as well as spiritual feature, due to the goddess Hestia, who looked after the hearth on Mount Olympos. The route up to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi was the ‘Sacred Way’ a two-hundred metre long path winding up the slopes of Mount Parnassus towards the temple. This laboured climb, influenced by the steep topography, forced each pilgrim to pass by the votive statues and treasuries of each Greek Poleis before reaching the temple. Passing by statues such as The Bronze Charioteer and buildings like the Athenian treasury, built to resemble a doric temple, would demonstrate the Pan-Hellenic culture and religion. Therefore the steep ascent at Delphi, instead of being a

hindrance was used to create a sense of gravitas before the encounter with the Pythia at the summit. 

On one hand, the Ara Pacis’ demonstration of nature reflected that of peace and tranquility, being a monument to the Pax Romana, Augustus had established, the Ara Pacis’ bottom panels are covered in depictions of lush acanthus scrolls, ivy, and vines, all originally painted a vibrant green. This indicated how nature should be viewed as a symbol of peace and create a sense of concord. Furthermore, through images of wildlife such as swans, lizards, snakes and far more, the sculpture shows an idealised image of natural beings living together undisturbed by the predatory nature of other beings. This demonstrates the policy for Rome Augustus pursued, where he believed that instead of malevolent Romans should live and coexist together cooperatively. On the other hand, through Virgil’s ‘Georgics’ one sees a different side of nature, which is more aggressive and is opposed to Rome. Virgil, writing under the conquests of Augustus, creates an image of farmers, becoming soldiers and fighting nature. In ‘Georgics 1.160-1.161’ each farmer uses, “weapons, / without which the crops could not be sown or grown". This indicated the subduing of a conquered entity, and reflects Rome’s new imperialistic nature. Virgil uses the phrase, “labour improbus” in ‘Georgics 1.45-1.46’ to describe the struggle the farmers had to do, meaning unrelenting toil. This denotes the idea of a war against nature, and thus Rome’s new widespread foreign policy. Overall the effect of ‘Georgics’ is to use the metaphor of a farmer manipulating the natural landscape to his advantage to demonstrate how the Romans under the principate have started to reach out, expanding the empire. 

In conclusion, the natural landscape itself could vastly influence the production of ancient art. Looking at the Pyramid of Khufu, the River Nile was testament to this, fundamentally allowing the pyramid to be built. Similarly, the experience of art was greatly affected by the

natural landscape, being used to elevate the spirituality of an area, such as at Sounion, or even to push a political message on the Ara Pacis. Ultimately, it is clear how large the role of nature was in creating and experiencing art in the ancient era, intensifying greatly its effects on the viewer and dictating the limits of what is able to be built.