Although art may be described in terms of the medium (stone, clay, textile, or
paint), styles, or regional variant, categorization of the symbols and icons
offers a better avenue for understanding the socio-cultural and religious
meaning and function of Mississippian art. Categories include:
- representations of animals and objects found in nature,
- representations of human-made objects and humans,
- representations of supernatural beings, often comprised of parts of
different animals, and
- abstract symbols and designs that often refer to both natural and
human-made objects.
While the meaning of a piece of art may require analysis of the total
association of images, it is first useful to consider each element separately.
Then the relationship between different symbols on the same piece of art may be
examined interpreted.
|
