Tag: Spolia

We Want Our Stuff Back: A Look at Art Imperialism since Ancient Rome

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Empires acquire artifacts from source nations by various means, and the newly acquired art takes on some new role within the empire. Cultural history inquiries can benefit by using a world historical lens to view and interpret sources and events. By widening both the geographical and chronological boundaries, this global vision reveals patterns and trends[…]

Circular Economies and Repurposing in the Ancient World

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Recycling on a large scale is a Bronze Age invention. The circular economy is typically seen as the progressive alternative to our wasteful linear economy, where raw materials are used to make the products that feed today’s rampant consumerist hunger, which are then thrown away. The idea of the circular economy only took off in the 1980s,[…]