Research Paper on:
Ancient Egypt's Votive Statues

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
The purpose of art, the creation of art, the interpretation of art, and the teaching of art has always and still remains a process in which the interpretation fits into  certain parameters as surely as the art work itself. This certainly holds true with artworks that were created with religious or spiritual intent and that represents certain aspects of a  cultures belief systems. It is also important to understand that art, be it music, literature or, the visual arts is a reflection of the way people think and behave.  It is also a precursor to where the society is going because it involves the processes of past and present in a way that suggests the future even as it  serves to mirror the present. A careful examination of Egyptian votive statues allows the person who is doing the examining to consider all of these characteristics and how they apply  to these works of art and reflections of beliefs. The Egyptian Votive Statues The challenge that must be considered when examining ancient art is trying to understand the realities of  the world in which it was created. In her book, Votive Offerings to Hathor, Geraldine Pinch (1993) reaches a number of conclusions regarding the relationships between ancient Egyptians and their  rulers and the popularity of certain cults. The focus of the book on votives for Hathor caused Pinch to study a trio of meaningful shrines found in the core of  ancient Egypt, along with temples in Nubia, Sinai, and the Eastern Desert. The fact that votives for Hathor were found in such widely-spaced locations emphasizes the importance the Egyptians assigned  to the goddess. It is also worth noting that the votive offerings to Hathor were not always statuary but often included masks, textiles, amulets, jewelry, and containers. Pinch explains that