Marga Patterson
Author
Artist and Writer. Marga is fascinated and inspired by the ancient world, art history and archaeology. You can find more of her work here: www.margapatterson.com
Art and Ritual: Culture of the Enigmatic Moche People
The Moche were an ancient, Indigenous people of Andean Peru. They are considered to be one of the most influential civilizations of the ancient...
Marga Patterson 24 September 2026
Meet the Architect Who Made Sardinian Homes Blend into Nature
Architect Savin Couëlle’s (1929–2020) organic designs go beyond extensions of the natural landscape. He created a feeling of being one with...
Marga Patterson 23 September 2026
Living Memories: The Funerary Stelae of Ancient Cyprus
The majority of sculpture that survives from ancient Cyprus are funerary stelae, elaborate grave markers to commemorate the dead. Possessing an...
Marga Patterson 9 April 2026
The Curious Lure and Strange Beauty of Ancient Anatomical Votives
Eerie, mysterious, and fascinating, ancient anatomical votives represent literal parts of people’s past. When most people think of a votive object,...
Marga Patterson 7 April 2026
The Magic and Splendor of Karagöz—Turkish Shadow Puppets
Evoking the imagination of adults and children for centuries, Karagöz (“black eye” in Turkish) is a popular and beloved Turkish shadow puppet...
Marga Patterson 11 February 2026
The Fascinating Ceramic Tile Art of the Anatolian Seljuks
The ceramic tile art of the Anatolian Seljuks dazzled with its mystical turquoise hues, fantastical creatures, and figural depictions. So, who were...
Marga Patterson 11 February 2026
The Wonder and Glory of Medieval Portable Shrines
For devoted Christians, a portable shrine provided an immediate and intimate way to connect to a higher power within a monastic space or the privacy...
Marga Patterson 9 December 2025
Art in the Golden Hour
The golden hour is a brief and awe-inspiring moment filled with the most radiant light, intense colors, and deep shadows. For centuries, artists have...
Marga Patterson 5 December 2025
Beasts, Teachers, and Protectors: Centaurs in Art
Centaurs are human-horse hybrid creatures composed of dualities: human and nature, chaos and neutrality, love and violence. From ancient Greece to...
Marga Patterson 2 October 2025
A Luxurious Desire: Ancient Near Eastern Ivory Carvings
The allure of ivory, a lustrous material that gleams and glows when polished, exudes warmth and mysterious beauty. Near Eastern ivory carvings are...
Marga Patterson 24 July 2025
