Twee aardewerken vaten die gevonden zijn in het Mesa Verde National Park before 1893

This is a photograph from Gustaf Nordenskiöld's study, depicting two earthenware vessels discovered in Mesa Verde National Park. The photograph itself is formally arranged, juxtaposing these artifacts against the backdrop of printed text. Note how the shapes of the vessels, rendered in grayscale, dominate the composition. The upper vessel is a sphere with horizontal striations, while the lower one presents a globular form adorned with geometric patterns, creating a visual rhythm. Nordenskiöld, through the careful composition of his photograph, invites us to consider the cultural and structural elements inherent in these objects. The vessels, as artifacts, transcend their utilitarian function, becoming signifiers of a complex society and its relationship with the natural world. The geometric patterns, and the very act of photographing and documenting them, function as signs within a larger semiotic system. Consider the photograph as a cultural artifact. How does it engage with prevalent ideas about history, anthropology, and the representation of indigenous cultures?