Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World : History, Myth and Archaeology by Linda Farrar read online ebook EPUB, PDF, TXT
9781909686854 English 1909686859 A beautifully illustrated book tracing the beginning of gardening and garden history, from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, through Byzantine, Islamic and Persian gardens right up to the Middle Ages. It shows how gardens in each period were designed and cultivated. Evidence for garden art and horticulture is gathered from surviving examples of ancient art, literature, archaeology, actual period gardens that have survived the centuries and the wealth of garden myths associated with certain plants. These sources show which plants were chosen as garden worthy, their setting and the design and appearance of ancient gardens. Deities associated with aspects of gardens and the garden's fertility are featured - everyone wanted a fertile garden. Different forms of public and domestic gardens are explored, and the features that you would find there; whether paths, pools, arbours and arches, seating or decorative sculpture. The ideal garden could be like the Greek groves of the Academy in Athens, a garden so fine that it was comparable with that of the mythical king Alcinoos, the paradise contemplated by the Islamic world, or a personal version of a garden of Eden that Early Christians could create for themselves or in the forecourt of their churches. Generously illustrated with 150 images, with plant lists for each period, this is essential reading for everyone interested in garden history and ancient societies., From the earliest of times people have sought to grow and nurture plants in a garden area. Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World traces the beginning of gardening and garden history, from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, through Byzantine, Islamic and Persian gardens right up to the Middle Ages. It shows how gardens in each period were designed and cultivated. Evidence for garden art and horticulture is gathered from surviving examples of ancient art, literature, archaeology, actual period gardens that have survived the centuries and the wealth of garden myths associated with certain plants. These sources bring ancient gardens and their gardeners back to life, and provide information on which plants were chosen as garden worthy, their setting and the design and appearance of ancient gardens. Deities associated with aspects of gardens and the garden's fertility are featured - everyone wanted a fertile garden. Different forms of public and domestic gardens are explored, and the features that you would find there; whether paths, pools, arbors and arches, seating or decorative sculpture. The ideal garden could be like the Greek groves of the Academy in Athens, a garden so fine that it was comparable with that of the mythical king Alcinoos, the paradise contemplated by the Islamic world, or a personal version of a garden of Eden that Early Christians could create for themselves or in the forecourt of their churches. In general books on garden history cover all periods up to the present, often placing all ancient gardens in one chapter at the beginning. But there is so much of interest to be found in these early millennia. Generously illustrated with 150 images, with plant lists for each period, this is essential reading for everyone interested in garden history and ancient societies., From the earliest of times people have sought to grow plants. Howeve, there is a fine distinction between the task of cultivating a garden to provide produce and making the area a more decorative one. The latter is the main focus of this book, which concentrates on gardens from the beginning of civilization to the fall of Byzantium in AD 1453. Linda Farrar takes us on a Grand Tour of ancient gardens. A surprising range of details is explored, revealing how people enjoyed fresh air and Plants growing in their gardens, how they used an and architecture to enhance garden spaces, and the myths and literature that give a valuable insight into the way they thought and used gardens. Gardens began as simple cultivated areas providing food. Some cultures maintained groves that were seen as gardens. Yet others created expansive tree filled areas stocked with game. But, to many societies, a garden was a walled enclosure that could contain either a variety of trees or a combination of trees and flowers that, when time and space allowed, became a place for relaxation and an extension of the home which could be embellished with structures and ornamented with specimen plants and sculptural objects Evidence of ancient gardening and garden art has survived in a variety of sources including contemporary illustrations such as fresco paintings, sculptural reliefs, mosaics, and manuscript paintings, which can be compared with descriptions surviving from ancient literary sources and inscriptions, be it a tale of a mythical garden or a real one. Such evidence for gardens can be corroborated through archaeological investigations. There is also a rich selection of legends and myths relating to gardens and their plants, adding much colour to our understanding of these earthly paradises. Book jacket.
9781909686854 English 1909686859 A beautifully illustrated book tracing the beginning of gardening and garden history, from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, through Byzantine, Islamic and Persian gardens right up to the Middle Ages. It shows how gardens in each period were designed and cultivated. Evidence for garden art and horticulture is gathered from surviving examples of ancient art, literature, archaeology, actual period gardens that have survived the centuries and the wealth of garden myths associated with certain plants. These sources show which plants were chosen as garden worthy, their setting and the design and appearance of ancient gardens. Deities associated with aspects of gardens and the garden's fertility are featured - everyone wanted a fertile garden. Different forms of public and domestic gardens are explored, and the features that you would find there; whether paths, pools, arbours and arches, seating or decorative sculpture. The ideal garden could be like the Greek groves of the Academy in Athens, a garden so fine that it was comparable with that of the mythical king Alcinoos, the paradise contemplated by the Islamic world, or a personal version of a garden of Eden that Early Christians could create for themselves or in the forecourt of their churches. Generously illustrated with 150 images, with plant lists for each period, this is essential reading for everyone interested in garden history and ancient societies., From the earliest of times people have sought to grow and nurture plants in a garden area. Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World traces the beginning of gardening and garden history, from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, through Byzantine, Islamic and Persian gardens right up to the Middle Ages. It shows how gardens in each period were designed and cultivated. Evidence for garden art and horticulture is gathered from surviving examples of ancient art, literature, archaeology, actual period gardens that have survived the centuries and the wealth of garden myths associated with certain plants. These sources bring ancient gardens and their gardeners back to life, and provide information on which plants were chosen as garden worthy, their setting and the design and appearance of ancient gardens. Deities associated with aspects of gardens and the garden's fertility are featured - everyone wanted a fertile garden. Different forms of public and domestic gardens are explored, and the features that you would find there; whether paths, pools, arbors and arches, seating or decorative sculpture. The ideal garden could be like the Greek groves of the Academy in Athens, a garden so fine that it was comparable with that of the mythical king Alcinoos, the paradise contemplated by the Islamic world, or a personal version of a garden of Eden that Early Christians could create for themselves or in the forecourt of their churches. In general books on garden history cover all periods up to the present, often placing all ancient gardens in one chapter at the beginning. But there is so much of interest to be found in these early millennia. Generously illustrated with 150 images, with plant lists for each period, this is essential reading for everyone interested in garden history and ancient societies., From the earliest of times people have sought to grow plants. Howeve, there is a fine distinction between the task of cultivating a garden to provide produce and making the area a more decorative one. The latter is the main focus of this book, which concentrates on gardens from the beginning of civilization to the fall of Byzantium in AD 1453. Linda Farrar takes us on a Grand Tour of ancient gardens. A surprising range of details is explored, revealing how people enjoyed fresh air and Plants growing in their gardens, how they used an and architecture to enhance garden spaces, and the myths and literature that give a valuable insight into the way they thought and used gardens. Gardens began as simple cultivated areas providing food. Some cultures maintained groves that were seen as gardens. Yet others created expansive tree filled areas stocked with game. But, to many societies, a garden was a walled enclosure that could contain either a variety of trees or a combination of trees and flowers that, when time and space allowed, became a place for relaxation and an extension of the home which could be embellished with structures and ornamented with specimen plants and sculptural objects Evidence of ancient gardening and garden art has survived in a variety of sources including contemporary illustrations such as fresco paintings, sculptural reliefs, mosaics, and manuscript paintings, which can be compared with descriptions surviving from ancient literary sources and inscriptions, be it a tale of a mythical garden or a real one. Such evidence for gardens can be corroborated through archaeological investigations. There is also a rich selection of legends and myths relating to gardens and their plants, adding much colour to our understanding of these earthly paradises. Book jacket.