Uncover timeless displays of romantic affection or "true love" that were intended to endure long after death. We'll explore some remarkable examples, starting with the gold foil figures found at pre-Christian sites across Scandinavia that depict both mortal couples and the wedding of the Norse god Freyr to the jötunn Gerd. Then we'll examine a pre-Columbian stone pendant found on the ancestral lands of the Timbisha Shoshone (now known as Death Valley, California) that immortalized one couple's journey together. We'll discover the shared brass memorial over the adjacent graves of Elizabeth Etchingham and Agnes Oxenbridge, two English noblewomen who lived during the Tudor period, and the popular uprising in the previous century that helped pave the way for their public declaration of devotion.

We'll visit the Etruscan necropolises once again for examples of masterwork sarcophagi depicting affectionate couples lounging on couches called Klinai or lying in bed and facing one another. After that we'll delve into Ancient Egyptian tomb art and monuments like the tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, two elite men from the 5th dynasty of Ancient Egypt who's tomb art depicts them in ways typically seen in heterosexual couples to show they were married. And we'll learn about the intricate art from the tomb of King Tutankhamun that show him and his wife Ankesenamun in affectionate moments during their brief reign from 1332 – 1323 BCE. Last but not least, we'll explore the monuments Ramses the Great built during his reign in 1279-1213 BCE that display his devotion to his Great Royal Wife Nefertari, like her beautifully decorated tomb in the Valley of Queens or the temple dedicated to her at Abu Simbel.

Transcripts

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