Mountain Dialogues from Antiquity to Modernity

Mountain Dialogues from Antiquity to Modernity explores the representation of mountains as landscapes of the imagination and places of real experience throughout Western culture, highlighting the ongoing relevance of ancient understandings to the postclassical and present-day world. It brings together experts from various disciplines and periods to offer case studies on topics ranging from classical Greek drama to Renaissance art and from early modern natural philosophy to nineteenth-century travel writing, engaging with key themes of temporality, knowledge, identity, and experience in the mountain landscape. It suggests that modern responses to mountains participate in rhetorical and experiential patterns that stretch back to the ancient Mediterranean and makes the case for collaborative, cross-period research as a route for understanding human relations with the natural world in the past and informing them in the present.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Mountain Dialogues from Antiquity to Modernity explores the representation of mountains as landscapes of the imagination and places of real experience throughout Western culture. It highlights the ongoing relevance of ancient understandings of mountain environments to the postclassical and present-day world, while also suggesting ways in which modern approaches to landscape can generate new questions about premodern responses. The volume brings together experts from across many different disciplines and periods, offering case studies on topics ranging from classical Greek drama to Renaissance art, and from early modern natural philosophy to nineteenth-century travel writing. Throughout, essays engage with key themes of temporality, knowledge, identity, and experience in the mountain landscape.

One of the key themes of the volume is the relationship between ancient and modern engagements with mountains. The authors argue that ancient understandings of mountain environments have been influential in the postclassical and present-day world, and that modern approaches to landscape can generate new questions about premodern responses. For example, the authors discuss how classical Greek drama portrayed mountains as symbols of power and authority, while Renaissance art depicted mountains as landscapes of beauty and harmony. In the postclassical period, mountains were used as a source of inspiration for religious and philosophical texts, and in the present-day world, mountains are a popular destination for tourism and recreation.

Another theme of the volume is the role of human understanding in shaping our relationship with mountains. The authors argue that human understanding of mountains has changed over time, and that this change has been influenced by a variety of factors, including scientific research, cultural practices, and personal experiences. For example, the authors discuss how scientific research has helped us to better understand the physical processes that occur in mountains, while cultural practices have influenced our attitudes towards mountains and our use of them. Personal experiences, such as climbing a mountain or hiking through a mountain range, can also shape our understanding of mountains and our relationship with them.

The volume also explores the ways in which mountains have been used as a source of inspiration for art and literature. For example, the authors discuss how classical Greek drama portrayed mountains as symbols of power and authority, while Renaissance art depicted mountains as landscapes of beauty and harmony. In the postclassical period, mountains were used as a source of inspiration for religious and philosophical texts, and in the present-day world, mountains are a popular destination for tourism and recreation.

In addition to its exploration of the representation of mountains, Mountain Dialogues from Antiquity to Modernity also makes the case for collaborative, cross-period research as a route both for understanding human relations with the natural world in the past, and informing them in the present. The authors argue that collaborative research can help us to better understand the complex and multifaceted nature of human-environment interactions, and that it can help us to develop more effective strategies for managing and protecting the natural world.

Overall, Mountain Dialogues from Antiquity to Modernity is a valuable contribution to the field of mountain studies. It highlights the ongoing relevance of ancient understandings of mountain environments to the postclassical and present-day world, while also suggesting ways in which modern approaches to landscape can generate new questions about premodern responses. The volume brings together experts from across many different disciplines and periods, offering case studies on topics ranging from classical Greek drama to Renaissance art, and from early modern natural philosophy to nineteenth-century travel writing. Throughout, essays engage with key themes of temporality, knowledge, identity, and experience in the mountain landscape.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350194106