Feared and Revered
Celebrating female power through the ages, Feared and Revered examines the diversity of spiritual females from cultures across the globe. Located at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, until 27 August 2023, the exhibition has over 160 objects from the British Museum. There is also a section on Australian Indigenous female ancestral figures.
What’s on Display
With artifacts from six continents covering 5,000 years, the variety of items on display is impressive. If you like ancient history or archaeology, you will love this exhibition, because of its diversity. Not only does it cover the usual Egyptian and Greek periods, but includes China, India, South America and the Pacific.
We found the statues from the Middle East were great, with Ishtar, Sekhmet and Isis all represented. Greek and Roman culture was covered by Amphorae decorated with Persephone and statues of Hecate, Athena and Demeter. Medusa was also present in a small carving.
The statues from India and Mexico were ones we had not seen before, along with the masks from the far east and South America.
If you are in Canberra before August 2023 this is a great exhibition. We were very pleased that we went along.
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Why does Moai Papa have female genitals?
Very intriguing artifacts. It amazes me how they can date them so far back and that they survived!
It’s great that they survived and we can still appreciate them. wonderful too that the British Museum allows them to be exhibited in other museums, otherwise most people in Australia would never get to see them
Unique pieces for sure. It’s wonderful that we can showcase artifacts like this.
It’s great that the British Museum allows these travelling exhibitions. Those of us too far away get to see some of these wonderful artifacts from other cultures.
Revered as Kali Nach in Bengal, this dance form pays homage to Goddess Kali in her most aggressive manifestation. The dancer dons a black mask prominently displaying the goddess’s blood-red tongue. In one hand, the dancer wields a falchion, while in the other, they carry a human skull. Drums form an integral part of the performance, heightening the dramatic impact of the dance. The Dance of Kali stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Bengal and the profound spiritual traditions within Hinduism. It is a captivating spectacle that encapsulates divine power, cosmic energy, and the intricate interplay between time and consciousness.
https://www.indianetzone.com/54/dance_kali.htm