A Zodiac for the Hereafter: The Coffins of Petamenophis-Ammonios and His Family

Abstract

In Imagining the Heavens across Eurasia, 20 authors tell in novel ways the histories of astral knowledge through objects and their imagery. These objects include, for instance, caves and buildings, manuscripts and prints, textiles and metal dishes, instruments and paintings, monuments, and sculptures. Each chapter focuses on specific items, analysing their pictorial content and situating them in the contexts of their production and usage. As its main issue, the book addresses the knowledge inscribed in these images and their material carriers. Particular attention is paid to the interconnection between images, materials, themes, and objects across space and time. This approach enables the authors to highlight the numerous cross-cultural relations between the objects, interlinking their chapters with each other. Thus, this book offers a richly illustrated kaleidoscope of astral knowledge in Eurasia to experts and lay people alike.