Contact Details
For any information about the loan box please contact:
Ian Carroll Collections Manager Institute of Archaeology University College London 31-34 Gordon Square London WC1 H 0PY TEL: 020 7679 4789 FAX: 020 7383 2572 e-mail: i.carroll@ucl.ac.uk
The Teacher‟s Pack was written by UCL MA Museum Studies students: Anastasia Doxanaki, Maria Clara Dias Pereira, Jane Salter, Nga Yin Tang, Anne-Marie Taylor. The information and illustrations of this pack may be photocopied by educational establishments for free distribution, for their own educational use only. Copyright © 2001 UCL – Institute of Archaeology.
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CONTENTS CONTENTS
OBJECT LIST INTRODUCTION HANDLING GUIDELINES TIMELINE CONSERVATION ART AND ARCHITECTURE OLYMPIC GAMES & CHILDREN’S GAMES DAILY LIFE AGRICULTURE, TRADE & COMMERCE GODS, DEITIES & THEATRE GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ANSWERS
p. 3-7 p. 8-9 p.10-11 p.12-13 p.14-15 p.17-28 p.29-35 p.36-43 p.44-51 p.52-60 p.61-64 p.65-66 P.67 P.68
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OBJECT LIST OBJECT LIST
1) Object number: 000095 / Case: 152 Body fragment with part of foot of a vessel called "bowl". Material: ceramic. Decoration: inside and outside glazed, with an inscription incised below in ancient Greek. Attic black glazed technique. Location: Mainland Greece. Period: 4th c. BC.
2) Object number: 000097 / Case: 147 Rim and neck fragment with root of handle of a vessel called "amphora". Material: ceramic Decoration: inside: rim glazed with a single red line; outside: lip glazed; neck: chains of opposed lotus and palmettes. Attic black-figure technique. Location: unknown. Period: 6th c. BC?
3) Object number: 001238 / Case: 9
Female head back missing. Material: stone. Decoration: carved. Location: unknown.
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4) Object number: 001280 / Case: 9 Left foot. Material: Stone. Decoration: carved. Location: Unknown.
5) Object number: MN 55-889 Handle fragment of a storage vessel. Material: ceramic. Decoration: brown geometric patterns on beige background. Location: Al Mina in Asia Minor.
6) Modern replica of a drinking vessel. Material: ceramic: This replica can be reconstructed using sellotape. It has been included as an activity to demonstrate the work of museum conservators.
7) Object number:000863 Part of a rim lost of a vessel called "aryballos". Maybe used as a toy jug. Material: ceramic. Decoration: Glaze fired orange-brown. Three lines on the top of the rim, two verticals outside of the handle, single line at the base of the neck, frieze of rays on the shoulder. Protocorinthian technique. Location: Argos. Period : Late 8th century.
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8) Object number :001049/ Case: 109
Part of a vessel called "Lekythos". Material: ceramic. Decoration: Two rows of dots between pairs of lines. Below 3 seated women . Two are holding objects in their right hand. Attic black figure technique. Location: Mainland Greece.
9) Object number: 000710b Rim and bowl fragment of a vessel called "cup". Material: ceramic. Decoration: At the right edge part of a woman standing right in front of a chair, behind her part of volute and lotus. Attic-Red figure technique. Location unknown. Period: 5th century BC?
10) Object number : 001578. Case/ 17
Female figurine standing, dressed with peplos. Material: ceramic. Decoration: moulded. Location: Egypt.
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11) Object number: 001522 /Case 180
Animal figurine. Bull. Material: Copper Alloy. Decoration: cast. Location :Egypt. 12) Object number: 001530. Case/ 180
Animal figurine. Goat's head. Material: Copper Alloy. Decoration: cast. Location: Egypt.
13) Object number :001290/ Case: 3 Tragic mask. Fragmentary. Material: ceramic. Decoration : moulded & painted. traces of colour. Location: unknown.
14) Object number: 000867 Vessel called "aryballos". Material: ceramic. Decoration: Broad band between lines on top of the rim. Lines on lower part and horizontal bands on outside. Horizontal band on top of handle, vertical on side. Corinthian Black-figure technique. Location: Unknown. Period: 610-550 BC.
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15) Object 001945
numbers:
001943-
Appliques in the form of the palmettes. Material: ceramic. Decoration: moulded. Location: Unknown
16) Object number: 002502/ Case: 99 Lamp. Material: ceramic. Decoration: fighting gladiators. Moulded. Location: Cyprus. Period: Roman.
17) 3 Replica coins from the British Museum 2 Athenian silver drachmas minted in the 460's BC. Decoration: Head of Athena and her special bird the owl. Corinth silver didrachm. Decoration: The flying horse Pegasus & Athena, the goddess of wisdom. 5th c. BC.
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INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
ABOUT THIS B OX: The box has been designed for use by Key Stage 2 children. The work sheets and teachers pack provided have been specifically created to incorporate History, English, Maths and Geography at a level appropriate for Key Stage 2. The themes introduced by the worksheets are firstly those recommended by the National Curriculum and secondly transferable aspects of Ancient Greek History. The objects in the box have been chosen because they represent or are examples from Ancient Greece which are comparable to contemporary British society, such as clothing styles, art and architecture, children‟s games, trade and commerce. By using recognisable themes, children will be able to see similarities and differences between their lives and those of people in the past. BENEFITS DERIVED FROM HANDLING OBJECTS: History is a difficult area to teach. Objects help to transport a child back to the period that is being studied. They provide a concrete example of what is often only an abstract concept. Trying to persuade students that past cultures were not inferior, because they did not have the benefits of electricity or sky T.V, can be made easier if they have objects to handle. The delicate craftsmanship demonstrated in a carving or the painting on a vessel will help teach that past societies were not necessarily less sophisticated, they simply valued different qualities. Children learn best when able to participate in activities. The objects will impart basic information about the materials and colours that were available to people in the fifth century before Christ. Objects will also give clues to production methods, such as; looking for joints in ceramics where handles have been added or a small whole at the bottom of a sculpted head where it was fitted to the body. Through observation children will slowly be able to notice these different types of information. Varied teaching methods will prolong the children‟s attention span and help to involve those who are generally difficult to teach, because they get bored quickly or have trouble understanding through more traditional methods. HOW TO USE THE OBJECTS: Incorporated in this teachers pack is a list of handling guidelines, these are rules on using the box without damaging any of the pieces so that they will continue to be of use for other people in years to come. The objects themselves are all special because, except from the coins and the replica drinking vessel, they are all genuine. The pieces may not look 8
spectacular in themselves, but we know from research with the box that children respond in highly imaginative ways to original objects because of their age and amazing history. The most important skill to be learned thorough using this box is observation. Modern society is bombarded with images shown on television, computers, and advertisements, to the point where people become skilled in filtering out information. Children have to be taught to look at objects. A good example of this is the stone carved foot. All children will recognise the object as a foot but they may not appreciate that the bone structure in feet is specific to the genetic background a person comes from. Greek feet tend to be relatively slender while Anglo-Saxon feet are short and stubby. Noticing the differences between children‟s own feet and that of the carving may seem a relatively simple exercise, but it is a foundation on which to build investigative skills. Observational techniques teach children that subtle differences in things may mean far more than is first apparent. Discussion is also an essential part of the handling collection. Getting the children to describe the object they are holding will help to build on essential topic related vocabulary, e.g. Parthenon and Athens, but also general key words such as “Before Christ”, “Anno Domini”, “merchants” and “granite”. Children will find it easier to retain and recall the words they have been introduced to when the object previously held can be remembered. Discussion about ancient Greece and the objects from the box can be built on gradually as different themes are introduced over the four weeks permitted borrowing time.
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HANDLING GUIDELINES HANDLING GUIDELINES
The objects included are originals, so please follow the handling guidelines to ensure that objects are preserved for use as long as possible. Sometimes accidents cannot be avoided. If an object is damaged, please contact Ian Carroll as soon as possible.
Handle objects over the padded boards provided, whilst sitting at a table or on the floor. Only handle one object at a time. Use two hands to hold the object. Do not hold the object by the handles or parts that stick out, as these can easily break off. Do not try to open the sealed container. These objects are very fragile and not for touching. Do not snatch objects from other people while they are handling them. Do not walk around with objects. Remember to wash your hands after handling. These objects have been in contact with 2000-year-old dirt.
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ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
Many children will not know how to hold a fragile piece of archaeology and so will need guidance. Start by passing around a mundane object such as a plastic bottle of water. Talk with the class about what it is possible to do with the bottle e.g. throw it, shake it, without damaging the bottle or its contents. Next discuss what would break the bottle and the effects of this .The water will be wasted and the bottle can not be used again. Now remove the lid of the bottle and ask the children to pass it around without spilling any of the contents. Discuss the methods of handling objects safely so that the water does not spill. Pretend that the water bottle is a 'special' object that can not be replaced. Ask the children to pass around the 'special object' and help them to understand that it must be held with two hands gently but firmly. Once you as the teacher are happy that the children understand the need for care when handling archaeological objects you can move on to working with the objects.
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Timeline of Ancient Greece
2000-1500 BC : Cretan Civilization. Bronze age 1500-1100 BC: Mycenean civilisation. Fall of Minoan Civilization 1100-800 BC: Geometric period. Homeric poems
800- 480 BC: Archaic period. First Greek colonies on the coast of the Ionian Sea & the Black Sea. Foundation of Olympic Games. 480- 360 BC: Classical period. Persian invasion. Start of democracy in Athens . Age of Pericles. Building of the Parthenon. Persian Invasions. Peloponnesian war
360-30 BC: Hellenistic ages. Rise of Macedonia. Wars of Alexander the Great
30 BC- 324 AD: Roman period.
Note: The Ancient Greek loan box and the information in the Teacher‟s Pack is mainly focused on the period between 800-360 BC.
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ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
Work on chronological vocabulary e.g: AD, BC, ancient-modern, pastfuture-present, century, period, decade. Divide the children into groups in order to make a big timeline display. Discuss the continuity and change of different cultures.
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CONSERVATION OF OBJECTS CONSERVATION OF OBJECTS
Artefacts such as the ones in the box are many thousands of years old, and they need to be looked after to avoid complete deterioration. This is the role of the conservator. The first task that a conservator must do, when the objects have been found by archaeologists, is to examine the object. This will help to determine its historical and artistic significance. The examination of objects can be very helpful for the full understanding of the object‟s history and meaning. Through a technical examination of the object the conservator can withdraw some information about it and can sometimes avoid further damage to the object. A process of conservation was carried out on one of the objects in the box. A filling was used to join the two parts of the vessel fragment in order to avoid further damage and preserve the integrity and meaning of the object.
There are many causes for the deterioration of objects. Bright light, high temperature, humidity, and pollutants are some examples, but there are other factors that can damage objects such as contact with insects, handling, packing and the transporting of objects. However, one of the most common causes of damaging objects is handling.
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
Explain to the pupils that museum collections are for the public benefit. As students, they have the privilege of handling this collection of Ancient Greek artefacts, but at the same time they have the responsibility for the care of the objects. 14
Explain to the pupils the purpose of conservation and illustrate the benefits of conservation by showing why and how the object has been conserved. Read the handling guidelines and explain how important they are for the conservation/preservation of the objects. Explore with the pupils the Sensory Qualities associated with handling objects. (E.g.: Feeling of Closeness/contact across time/space/culture).
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CONSERVATION OF OBJECTS CONSERVATION OF OBJECTS
Recommended objects to accompany worksheets, to stimulate discussion and to develop observation skills.
Modern replica of a drinking vessel to accompany worksheet N o 1- THE WORK OF CONSERVATORS
Fragment of a cup (UCL 000710 b) to accompany worksheet No 2- PRESERVING THE LIFE OF OBJECTS
Part of a vessel (Lekythos) (UCL 001049) to accompany worksheet No 1 - THE WORK OF CONSERVATORS
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ART AND ARCHITECTURE ART AND ARCHITECTURE
ARTISTS STATUS: Artists trained as apprentices from a young age and worked in small workshops of not more than ten men. Much of their work was traded for goods with other countries or commissioned e.g. sculptures to go inside temples. Later specialist skills were developed within the family, such as wall painting or sculpture. Boys learned their trade by helping their father. Few women were artists. Initially artists were seen as common because they got dirty when working, but after about 480 BC their skill was admired and they became highly valued. The 5th century BC is a turning point in Athenian culture, because they have subdued their enemies and have peace to produce art in the form of temples, paintings, stories and poetry. ART MATERIALS: Greek artists painted on wood, walls, marble panels and terracotta. There are rare examples of art works on ivory, leather, parchment and linen. Materials used for sculpture were marble, limestone, bronze, wood and terracotta. A few examples of very special gold or silver sculpture are known from either contemporary or Roman written sources. Brushes and pens were made from reeds. Paints were produced from the pigments of natural materials such as chalk, soot, bronze, seashells and glass. Some of the smaller sculpted figurines and reliefs were not only created for public buildings but also for individual households. The small figurines were not unsophisticated as the craftsmanship which has gone in to them contains the same detail as that of large structures. The small sculptures were made of limestone, marble or more frequently terracotta. TEMPLES: Doric columns were used predominately on the mainland of Greece but spread out to non-Doric areas such as Athens. This style would have originally been built in wood. They usually had four to six columns on each side and around 20 flutes on each column shaped in to sharp edges. Columns on Ionic temples were found more in Asia Minor- modern day Turkey, and are an indication of a wealthy city-state. Ionic temples usually have eight to twelve columns on each side and about 24 flutes.
Doric, Ionic & Corinthian columns
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The fluting on Ionic columns is not sharpened to points like the fluting on Doric columns, but are spaced out with a smooth band between each one. ATHENS AND THE PARTHENON: Why the Parthenon was built
In 490 BC the first temple was built to the site of today‟s Parthenon, as a memorial to the dead after the battle of Marathon where the Greeks fought the Persians. This first Parthenon was built on the south side of a high cliff, this area is called the Acropolis. The Acropolis was originally a fortress, but the new temple made it a place to worship the gods. Athene was the goddess to whom the Parthenon was dedicated. Although it can not be proven beyond doubt that the Parthenon commemorated the battle of Marathon. In total 194 men are sculpted on the temple and 194 were recorded as dead after the battle. The need for people to commemorate the dead can be seen today in the Cenotaph, built in London after the two Great wars of 1914-18 and 1935-39.
The Parthenon
After the Battle of Marathon
The battle of Marathon has been seen as the first fight for democracy. The Athenians beat the Persians by slaughtering over 6000 of their soldiers. Inside Athens democracy ruled. The system allowed voting males to ostracize an individual whom was no longer considered to be working for the benefit of the whole community. Themistocles who had organized and won the battle for the people of Athens was considered to be getting too selfimportant. People felt that the threat had gone and so voted to exile Themistocles. The new leader of Athens was Pericles. Under the rule of Pericles, the city of Athens spent less time in training soldiers and more on artistic achievements. Pericles was the driving force behind the Parthenon and its unprecedented magnitude.
Pericles
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Building the Parthenon
In 448 BC the Assembly voted to build a new temple on the same site as that dedicated to the warriors from Marathon. This was the Parthenon. Athens imposed to many of the Greek colonies to offer money, so as to contribute to the glorification of Athens. The site and structure was Pericles‟ idea with Iktinos and Kallikrates chosen as the architects. A sculptor called Phidias was chosen as the overall manager of the Parthenon. It was his duty to carve the great statue of Athene to go inside the temple. The project was overseen by five (epistatai) who were appointed by the assembly each year to monitor progress. Records of the building costs of the temple and paying the laborers still survive today on stone slabs. The construction meant that Athens had work available for both skilled and unskilled men, the free and slaves all worked side by side to complete the job. TECHNOLOGY: The structures in Athens were not on a grand scale for individuals. Houses tended to be relatively small and narrow made from sun-dried mud bricks and wood. When the Parthenon was built it was the largest temple on mainland Greece. Athens is located next to the Mount Pentelicon a marble quarry. The cost of transporting marble was huge if the source had not been so close the structure would have been impossible to complete. The stone was cut and trimmed at mount Pentelicon so that the least possible weight was transported. The marble was cut by hollowing out vertical and horizontal holes and putting in planks of dry wood. The wood would then be wet, until it expanded and split the stone. Marble has large veins that run through the rock making it vulnerable to splitting. Wagons pulled by oxen were used to pull the rock from Pentelicon to Athens. Some of the largest pieces of stone took up to 40 yoke of oxen to pull them. Mules were then used to pull the stone up the slope to the acropolis. Most temples had only a few sculptures placed in the metopes these would have been very small, but on the Parthenon, all four sides were decorated above each of the 92 metopes. Normally Doric temples would not have a central frieze. The Parthenon frieze was continuous over all of the porches and around the Naos. This full frieze shows an Ionic influence. Color was used on the sculptures. This is sometimes forgotten as the white marble is now accepted as normal. The sculptures had colored hair, eyes and clothing. The colors were used to make them stand out from a distance. Bronze was attached to the stone to indicate the bridle and reins of horses. The structures had to be visually impressive because the worshipers would have stood outside. Only those conducting the ceremony would be inside the temple.
Appliques used on the roofs of the temples
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Greek geometry or symmetry in the temples was very important e.g. all temples no matter how small or large had two porches. The Parthenon in particular adheres to a rigorous mathematical ratio of 9:4. The overall rectangle is exactly 9:4. The width between each column is four and the width between the centre of two columns is nine. The movement of colonies in contributed to the cult of mathematics and the belief in reason to modern Turkey. INTERPRETING THE SCULPTURE: Fifth century Athens is sited as the birthplace of western traditions such as democracy, philosophical thought art and visual drama. Many of these qualities can be seen in the sculpture on the Parthenon. The East pediment depicts Athene‟s birth, from the top of, Zeus, her father head. The West pediment shows the struggle for Attica between Athene and Poseidon. This fight is the basis of a local myth where Athene and Poseidon fought to be the dignitary of Athens. During the battle between the two Gods and an olive tree and salt water spring were formed heightening the special significance of the site. The Ionic inner frieze of the temple is commonly known as the „Parthenon frieze.‟ This depicts chariots and horse riders along with men chatting and a sacrificial procession. The procession is believed to be based on an actual festival that took place in Athens. The frieze is a long ribbon around the whole of the temple one metre high and 160 meters long. The procession starts at the West porch and runs along both sides of the temple towards the East pediment. All of the friezes on the Parthenon show duality in some form such as the female Athene fighting the masculine Poseidon, Centaurs verses Lapiths and Greeks against the Amazons. SOCRATES AND ATHENIAN DEVELOPMENT: Socrates was a citizen of Athens but he chose to live as a bare foot man wandering the city, discussing issues with whoever was prepared to talk to him. His philosophy taught that the mind and soul were all important and the body was merely a shell. He had many young supporters who wanted to build a new style Athens disregarding many of the old traditions. This was unpopular and resulted in Socrates being charged with corrupting youth and religion. Socrates was sentenced to death, by drinking poison. The death was said to have altered the city, because Socrates said he was dying for his principals. Less than 200 years after Socrates, Athens was transforming the world not through war but ideas. Democracy, science, art and literature are the achievements that have influenced the world. KEY WORDS Acropolis , Apprentice Terracotta, Phidias, Marathon, Socrates, Bronze 20 Doric, Ionic, Marble, Parthenon, Frieze, Pericles,
This extract is taken from Plato‟s“ the Apology” , a collection of philosophical letters. Plato was an Athenian philosopher writing in the 4th century BC. In this extract Plato talks about the moral principles that should characterize artists.
ARTISTIC EDUCATION AND CENSORSHIP “ It is not only to the poets therefore that we must issue orders requiring them to represent good character in their poems or not to write at all; we must issue similar orders to all artists and prevent them portraying bad character, ill discipline, meanness, or ungliness in painting, sculpture, architecture or any work of art and if they are unable to comply they must be forbidden to practise their art” H.P.D. Lee (1955)
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
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o o o o o
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“BUILD YOUR OWN PARTHENON”. The following pages contain a template for the Parthenon Temple. They need to be photocopied on to firm paper or lightweight card, so that the structure will stand up properly once it has been made. Equipment: Scissors, Glue Instructions: Cut out the base (3). Make a small cut down one side of each corner and fold along each edge. Fold the corner flaps inwards and glue to raise the base. Cut out the statue of Athena (1) Fold and glue flap. Stick flap to (B) on the base. Cut out front inner columns (6) Fold and glue flap. Stick flap to (A) on the base. Now do the same with back inner columns (7) Cut out Naos (2) Fold along the lines. Glue flap to make a rectangle. Place Naos on the base around the statue. Cut out the back room (13) Fold along the lines. Glue flap to make a square. Place back room behind Naos on the base. Cut out two long sides (11) and (12). Cut out two short sides (4) and (5) Fold flaps. Place the sides in a rectangle shape with the two shorter sides at each end with the columns facing out. Glue each flap and stick it to the back of the next piece. Place the columns around the edge of the base. Cut out roof (10) fold along the main lines to form a triangle. Glue flap to underneath. Cut out front and back pediment (8) and (9). Fold and glue flaps carefully stick in to each end of roof. Rest roof on top of main body 21
Test the strength of a column: Take a piece of paper 81/2” x 11 inches and roll it in to a cylinder to represent a column and secure it with tape. Set your column the floor and balance a book on top of it. See if it will hold another book? How many will it hold? When your column collapses look to see if it has bent. The bent in the column is the weakest point. Now try the activity again only this time roll the paper as tight as possible. See if this makes the column stronger or weaker. How to make a Greek Tile: Materials: Self-hardening clay, water, Carving and cutting tools, Brushes, Paint, PVA Glue, rolling pin Instructions: 1. Warm a small ball of self-hardening clay in your hands and then roll and shape in to a square tile. 2. Using a little water smooth the surface of the clay and then scratch in your picture. 3. Once you are happy with your picture, leave the clay to dry and set. 4. Mix paints with your PVA glue and paints the tile. Remember that the ancient Greeks liked bright colours such as gold, red and blue. Chose two pupils to write short speeches, one on the benefits of building the Parthenon and the other from the perspective of a colony, that does not want money spent on the glorification of Athens. Ask the pupils to read out the short speeches and then the other children can use counters as the ancient Greeks would have done to vote on the decision to build the Parthenon or not. Discuss with pupils the illustration of the ACROPOLIS.
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ART AND ARCHITECTURE ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Recommended objects to accompany worksheets, to stimulate discussion and to develop observation skills.
Head of a woman (UCL 001238) to accompany Worksheet No 2- PORTRAIT SCULPTURE.
Foot (UCL 001280)for discussion.
Perfume Pot (UCL 000867) to accompany Worksheet No 4- HOW VASES WERE MADE.
Vessel rim (UCL 000097) to accompany Worksheet No 3- DISCOVERING ART AND TECHNOLOGY.
Figurine with Peplos (UCL 001578) to accompany Worksheet No 1 – PORTRAIT SCULPTURE
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OLYMPIC GAMES AND CHILDREN’’S GAMES OLYMPIC GAMES AND CHILDREN S GAMES
THE ORIGIN OF THE ANCIENT OLYMPICS: The Greeks liked physical athletic competition, as they believed that their gods particularly loved to see strong, fit, graceful human bodies, especially men's bodies. Because of the Greek tendency to turn everything into an „agon’, a competition, this meant there were a lot of athletic competitions in Greece. The most famous of these is the Olympic Games, but there were other games held in other places as well, like the Isthmian Games at Corinth. The Olympic Games was the most important religious festival in Ancient Greece. They were dedicated to Zeus, the supreme of all gods.
Olympia: Model of sanctuary, showing Temple of Zeus
The site and the sanctuary of Olympia where the Olympics were held, gradually developed from a simple cult place to an elaborate sanctuary adorned with temples. The greatest among them was the Temple of Zeus. It was the central site for the worship of Zeus. Individuals and communities donated buildings, statues, altars and other dedications to the god. The most spectacular sight at Olympia was the gold and ivory cult statue of Zeus on his throne, which was placed inside the temple. The statue was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and stood over 42 feet high.
Olympia,Temple of Zeus Reconstruction elevation of the statue of Zeus by Phidias
The Olympic festival was held once every four years, in the summer for five days. A number of sacrifices were dedicated to the altars of the gods of Olympia, such as the sacrifice of one hundred cattle in front of Zeus‟ altar. Meanwhile, a series of athletic contests were held in the stadium, the hippodrome and other areas of the site in front of thousands of spectators from all cities in Greece. The athletic contests included running, wrestling, boxing, pankration, pentathlon and horseracing amongst others. 29
The busy schedule included religious ceremonies, including sacrifices, speeches by well-known philosophers, poetry recitals, parades, banquets and victory celebrations. THE
RULES OF
OLYMPICS: There were strict rules and conventions established for the games. Firstly, a truce (in Greek, ekecheiria, which literally means "holding of hands") was announced before and during each of the Olympic festivals. All cities had to cease hostilities during the days of the games aimed to allow the athletes safe travel to Olympia. An inscription describing the truce was written on a bronze discus which was displayed at Olympia. During the truce, wars were suspended.
Secondly, all Greeks were allowed to participate, except woman and slaves. People who were not Greek could not compete in the Games, but Greek athletes traveled hundreds of miles, from the colonies of the Greek citystates. These colonies were as far away as modern-day Spain, Italy, Libya, Egypt, the Ukraine, and Turkey. Ancient athletes competed as individuals, not on national teams, as in the modern Games. The emphasis on individual athletic achievement through public competition was related to the Greek ideal of excellence, called arete. Last but not least, a number of rules regulated the training procedures and the performance of the games. Discipline was strict and breaking the rules was harshly punished. For example, those who were discovered cheating were fined, and the money was used to make bronze statues of Zeus, which were erected on the road to the stadium. The statues were inscribed with messages describing the offences, warning others not to cheat, reminding athletes that victory was won by skill and not by money, and emphasizing the Olympic spirit of piety towards the Gods and fair competition. The prize for the victor was to be crowned with a wreath of wild olive cut from the sacred tree. He was also entitled to have a statue of himself, set up at Olympia. Although he did not receive money at the Olympics, the victor was treated much like a modern sports celebrity by his home city. A hero‟s welcome, fame and fortune awaited them at home from Olympia. His success increased the fame and reputation of his community in the Greek world. ABANDON AND REVIVAL OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES: The institution of the Olympic Games lasted for twelve continuous centuries and was abolished in 393 A.D. (the 293rd Olympiad) by order of Theodosios I when the functioning of all idol worshiping sanctuaries was forbidden. Efforts for the revival of the Olympic Games in modern times reached a peak at the end of the 19th century with the instrumental contribution of the French Baron Pierre De Coubertin and the Greek Dimitrios Vikelas. The first contemporary Olympic Games took place with great glamour in 1896 in Athens, in the Panathenaic 30
Stadium. The head quarters of the International Olympic Academy are in Olympia now. In Olympia, there is the altar of the Olympic flame, which is transferred every four years to the city that hosts the Olympic Games. Today, the Olympic games are the world's largest pageant of athletic skill and competitive spirit. They are also displays of nationalism, commerce and politics. Although the Olympics are a bit different from the Ancient Olympics, the idea of uniting nations stays the same and it is held at different places throughout the world. The five interlocking circles are the symbol of the modern Olympics, designed in 1913 by France‟s Baron Pierre de Coubertin to symbolize the five continents of the world.
a map shown Olympia
GAMES: The Children in Ancient Greece played various games. These games are still played today. We can see different kinds of games illustrated in the Greek artefacts. However, most of the games have now been completely forgotten. Ball games were popular in Ancient Greece. Greek made balls out of leather stuffed with cloth scraps or wool, sewn together with leather thongs or string. It looked like a football today. There are some pictures of the artefacts which shown both boys and girls throwing balls to one another, and boys in classical Athens playing a game like field hockey with curved sticks and a ball.
Trochos was a hoop which made of bronze. Children liked to bowl along the trochos with a stick and see who bowl it furthest. Greeks also played less active games like dice and marbles, and knucklebones, and checkers. The picture on left is a
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famous vase from the Vatican museum showing Achilles and Agamemnon playing checkers. Same as the children today, the ancient Greek children also played with dolls. They were made of wood, clay or bone. Some dolls have jointed legs and arms, so children can move them, and others are all in one piece. Plagones were the dolls which made of clay. Copies of tiny clay furniture, pots, chairs, tables, shoes and other items made play more entertaining. A tiny toy jug placed in the Ancient Greek Loan Box. Astragalizein was the game with knuckle-bones. The most common game was „five stones‟. Children threw them up and tried to catch them in the back of their hand. Strobilos was a kind of top. It has a conical shape and was usually made of wood or metal. Children set it going with a whip to make it go fast. Some of the ancient Greek games were very similar to the ones we still play and enjoy today, such as hide-and-seek.
KEY WORDS Olympic Games, Olympia, Hippodromes, Olympic truce, Arete, Plagones 5 Continents Zeus, Athlete, Pankration, Strovilos, Olive wreath, Astragalizein
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This is a lyric poem of the poet Pindar (518- 438 BC) for King Hiero of Syracuse , winner of the horse race at Olympia:
Water is the best thing of all, and gold Shines like flaming fire at night, More than all a great man‟s wealth. But if, my heart , you would speak Of the prizes won in the Games, Look no more for another bright star By day in the empty sky More warming than the sun, Nor shall we name any gathering Greater than the Olympian. The glorious song of it is clothed by the wits of the wise: They sing aloud of Kronos‟ son, When they come to the rich and happy heart of Hieron, Who sways the scepter of law In Sicily‟s rich sheep-pasture. He gathers the buds of all perfections And his splendour shines in the festal music, Like our merry songs When we gather often around the table of friends. C. M. Bowra (1928-1969)
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
The Olympics play an important part in our society today as an international event where the best athletes from all over the world compete. Class discussion about the Olympic Games today. Ask the children what are their favourite games and athletes? Plan your very own Olympic games with the class within the similar activities as the Ancient Greek would have. Divide the class into several groups and asks them to design a poster for the Ancient or Modern Olympics. While one group need to design a prize for the winners. Then, vote for the best poster all together and give them the prize. A virtual tour to ancient Olympia, Greece, the sanctuary of Zeus. Give the class the related web-sites and instructions, and explore the ancient Olympia with the class through Internet resources Here are some interesting and informative web-sites. 33
Trace the past, present and future of the Olympic movement at the official site http://www.olympic.org/ The tour of Olympia with loads of pictures and movies. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/site.html Divide the class into few groups and then asks each group to design a game. Play together then. Ask the class to use clay for making small knucklebones, and then play „five stones‟ together. Ask the class to draw a picture of a toy or game they like most. Discuss the illustration about WRESTLING.
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OLYMPIC GAMES AND GAMES OLYMPIC GAMES AND GAMES
Recommended objects to accompany worksheets, to stimulate discussion and to develop observation skills.
Toy jug (UCL 000863) for discussion about GAMES.
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DAILY LIFE DAILY LIFE
LANGUAGE: All Ancient Greeks spoke the same language. They adapted their language by taking elements from the language of the Prohellines, the population that inhabited Greece before the coming of the Greeks. After the Greeks‟ arrival, the alphabet used was the Phoenician alphabet, that the Greeks had borrowed from the Phoenicians- a population living in the Near East. The Greeks adapted this alphabet by adding some letters. At first, Greeks wrote from the right to the left. They used only capital letters, and they didn't divide the words. EDUCATION: Ancient Greek boys went to school at the age of 7. Only boys were allowed to have formal education. The school was usually an open air building. There were public and private schools. Lessons started at sunrise and finished at sunset. In primary schools boys had to learn reading, writing and arithmetic. They had to memorize poems and they usually learned by heart the words of Homer, a famous epic poet of 9th century. They were also taught music. The most popular Greek instruments were the lyre, which had a sound box made of tortoise, and the kithara, that was similar to the lyre, but bigger and made of wood. The teachers were always
Boy in school
men. Boys from wealthy families were taken to school by a slave. Boys were also taught physical exercise in order to become strong soldiers. The teaching took place either on special training grounds (gymnasia), or at wrestling schools. Physical exercise was very important for Ancient Greeks, as they believed in the proverb "healthy mind in healthy body". Books were very rare and expensive in Ancient Greece. Pupils used to write on papyrus scrolls made from the Egyptian plant of papyrus. Papyrus scrolls 36
were expensive, so students mainly used wax tablets. They used reed pens to write with. These were made of bone or metal, with a blunt end for smoothing out the mistakes. With the exception of Spartan girls, poor boys and girls did not attend school. Girls usually stayed at home. Some of them had private teachers, that taught them how to read and write. However, they were mainly occupied with housework, such as weaving and spinning. In Sparta, girls went to school. Along with reading and writing, they were also taught wrestling and gymnastics.
THE LIFE OF MEN: Men spent a lot of their time outside the home. They were involved in politics and they also spent a lot of time at work. Men who were not slaves, were considered as citizens, which meant that they had legal rights. They ran the government and participated in its sessions. In the case of Athens these took place at a hill called “Pnyka”. A significant part of men‟s life were the banquets and drinking parties (symposia). Symposia were usually private parties, but they could sometimes be public ones. There, men used to drink plenty of wine, play games and discuss politics. Women were excluded from these parties and only slave girls, who entertained men with their singing and dancing, were allowed to attend.
Vase depicting scene of symposium.
Girl reading
THE LIFE OF SLAVES: Slaves were very important in Ancient Greek society, as they did all the heavy work. They were used as servants, or they worked in the fields, in the silver mines and on the ships. There were many ways of becoming a slave. However, most of them became slaves because they were captured in the war, or because they were the children of slaves. Slaves did not have legal rights and they were not allowed to use their name. Instead they used the name of their owner. THE LIFE OF WOMEN: Greek women spent their time mainly at home and they had very little freedom. Their occupation was to run the household and to bring up the children. They spent much of their time spinning and weaving. They usually produced all the cloth needed for clothing and furnishing in their home. Poor women used to sell their weaving in the agora, the market place.
Woman spinning
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Women in Ancient Greece did not have legal rights. Women were not allowed to attend the Olympic Games because the participants were naked. However, they could participate and attend weddings, funerals and some religious festivals, they could also go to the theatre. GREEK CLOTHING: Men, women and children wore similar clothes. These were made of linen for the summer and wool for the winter. Wealthy people sometimes wore silk clothes too. Most families made their own clothes, as it was expensive to buy them from the market place. However, nudity was considered normal, particularly for men. The Ancient Greek dress was formed by a rectangular piece of cloth, wrapped around the body in various ways, that shaped the several types of dress. Women and men usually wore the chiton, a dress worn next to the skin, sewn on the side and passed over the head. It was held over the shoulders by buttons and women usually tied a belt around the waist. Peplos was a dress worn only by women. It was made of a thick woolen fabric and it had an overfold at the top. It was pinned on the shoulders with pins or brooches. The garments were often dyed pink, blue, purple or yellow. Sandals were usually worn and boots were used for riding. However, it was very common to walk without shoes. Wealthy women wore jewellery, usually made of gold or silver and it was often very ornate. They also wore perfume oils. They used special powder pots called pyxis to hold their cosmetics. Other small clay vases, called aryballos, were used for perfumes. HAIR STYLE: Most women had long hair. In the 5th century, the most fashionable hairstyle was one which left the hair piled up at the back of the head, placed with nets and ribbons. Women also wore their hair in ponytails. The hair bands were usually made of ribbons or metals. Men usually kept their hair short, unless they were soldiers and they often had beards.
Woman‟s jewellery
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FOOD: Ancient Greek food was very simple. Most Ancient Greeks grew their own food. They grew grapes, figs and olive trees, which are still all over Greece. Along the coastline the soil was not so fertile, while in the plains there were many farms, where wheat was grown. Pears, beans, pomegranates and apples were very popular food. Seafood and fish were also very common food items, since the seas around Greece produced plenty of fish. Meat was primarily used for sacrifices to the Gods. It was usually only eaten by wealthy people, who could afford to go hunting. Ancient Greeks had no potatoes or rice and instead of sugar they used honey. Dish with fishes Their main meal was in the evening and they did not use forks. They had only knives and spoons but often they used their fingers. For dessert they had sweet fruits like figs. Their breakfast was usually bread dipped in wine, accompanying by figs. Wine was the most popular drink, it was drunk by everybody. It is noteworthy that Ancient Greeks rarely drank plain wine. Instead, they usually mixed it with water in a large vessel called a Krater. They drank their wine in special drinking cups which were very ornate.
Krater drinking cup
KEY WORDS
Phoenician Alphabet,
Wine,
Lyre, Kithara,
Slave, Pnyka “Healthy mind in healthy body” Wax tablets, Papyrus Scrolls, Pyxis, Peplos, Spartan girls,
Citizen
Symposium,
Aryballos,
Gymnasia, Chiton, Athenian girls
Homer,
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Sandals Krater
This is part of Homer‟s epic poem “The Iliad” . The Iliad and the Odyssey , the two famous epic poems of Homer were composed in the 9 th c. BC. They were part of an oral tradition that came to an end at 700 BC, when they were written down.
THE GODDESS HERA AT HER DRESSING –TABLE First with suave ambrosia washed off the slightest stain From her brilliant skin ; then richly sweetened herself With a swift and vividly scented oil of Olympus. ……………………………………………………………….. She fondled this into her flesh and then softly combed And plaited the intense fall of hair with her hands. Then gently drew on a glinting dress that Athene Had carefully designed for her, hatched with hundred patterns, And pinned across her breasts with a golden clasp, Rounding her waist with a belt flaring out in hundred tassels She hang her ear-rings with three clustering drops Like mulberry berries in the pierced Lobes of her ears, and O, how liquidly they glistened!
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
Ask pupils to find English words that originate from the Greek language. o Examples of English words that come from Greek: auto = self autobiography, automobile geo = earth geography, geology anthropos = human being anthropology demos = people democracy
Divide the children into groups. Give each group one of T HE OBJECTS RECOMMENDED FOR DAILY L IFE and ask them to describe what these objects indicate about the life of Ancient Greeks. Make comparisons with today‟s daily life. Either discuss this as a class or write down your observations.
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Show the children the illustration of GREEK SCHOOL. Discuss the differences and similarities between ancient Greek education and modern education. Write about a day in the life of Timareti, an Ancient Greek woman of Athens. Try to make your ancient chiton or peplos, taking a piece of clothe and following the information in the Teacher‟s Pack. Write a shopping list of supplies needed for an Ancient Greek household. Discuss the nutrition values of Ancient Greek food. Compare with today‟s diet.
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DAILY LIFE DAILY LIFE
Recommended objects to accompany worksheets, to stimulate discussion and to develop observation skills.
Bowl with incised letters (UCL 000095) for discussion about ANCIENT GREEK ALPHABET and to accompany worksheet No 1- ANCIENT GREEK ALPHABET
Dressed figurine with peplos (UCL 001578) for discussion about GREEK CLOTHING and to accompany Worksheet No 2 -GREEK CLOTHING
Perfume pot (aryballos) (UCL 000867) for discussion about THE LIFE OF WOMEN.
Part of Vessel depicting women (UCL 001049) for discussion about THE LIFE OF WOMEN.
Head of a woman (UCL 001238) for discussion about HAIR STYLES.
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Fragment of a cup (UCL 000710 b) for discussion about FOOD and THE LIFE OF MEN.
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AGRICULTURE,, TRADE AND COMMERCE AGRICULTURE TRADE AND COMMERCE
PLACES A ND ENVIRONMENTS: Greece is one of the fifteen countries in the European Union. It is located in the southern part of Europe. Greece, like several other countries in that area, is bordered by the Mediterranean, which is the largest sea in Europe. Ancient Greece was a larger country than it is now, and had colonies in Asia Minor, North Africa, Italy and France. The Greeks used the Mediterranean as a way of trading and colonising this part of southern Europe. Greece is a mountainous country, therefore the sea became the main way of travelling and trading between the Greek mainland, the islands and the rest of southern Europe.
AGRICULTURE A ND INDUSTRIES : Land, Agriculture and Fishing
The majority of Greeks were small farmers. In important cities such as Athens and Corinth, agriculture was predominant. However life in the country was very hard especially in the mountains were terraced fields were dug on the hillsides to allow the olives and the grapes to grow. Olives and grapes were the main crops but in the plains wheat was also an important crop. Olives provided food, and olive oil was used for cooking, in oil lamps, as body oil and soap. Grapes were part of the Greeks diet and were also used to produce wine. Goats and sheep were able to live and survive in very dry and mountainous areas, so they were the most common animals seen in Ancient Greece. They provided milk and cheese. Goats could provide Greeks with their skin and sheep with their wool. Many kinds of fish could be found in the seas around Greece. The Greeks would go to the sea in wooden boats and they would use nets and fishing spears to catch tuna, mackerel, sturgeon, shellfish, squid and octopus.
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Mining and Crafts
Silver and gold were economically significant in the Laurium region of southern Attica, on Siphnos and in the Pangaeum region of Thrace. Slaves mined the gold and the silver. Each city-state issued its own coins. Primarily, they were made from electrum (an alloy of gold and silver) and later of silver or gold. The coins were decorated with the symbols of Greek deities or gods with whom the city-state was associated. Athene was the patron deity of the city of Athens. She was the Goddess of Wisdom.
Coin with Athene
Objects were made from terracotta, wood, marble and metal. The best pottery was made in Athens. Bronze was used mainly for statues and everyday objects such as lamps. Metal workers, stone carvers, jewellers, shoemakers, and many other craftsmen flourished in the cities of Ancient Greece.
THE CITY OF A THENS AND THE MARKET PLACE: The city of Athens
Ancient Greece was divided in city-states. Each city-state had its own government and its own customs. Athens was the most wealthy and powerful city-state during the 5th c. Its was considered as the centre of the arts and learning.
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Athens like most of the Greek city-states joined forces to defend themselves against possible enemies. It built up a strong navy and it increased trade between the city-states and the Greek colonies, as well as with other Mediterranean countries. Oil, wine, pottery, and metal work were the main exports. The city of Athens became rich and powerful. With its market place (Agora) in the middle of the city, people would come from all over Greece to buy a variety of products. While women stayed at home weaving, men would go to work and shop in the market place.
Storage vessel (amphora) Perfume pot
The Greeks built temples from marble, most of them with a triangular-shaped roof held up by rows of columns. There were three different styles in Greek architecture: the Doric style, the Ionic style and the Corinthian style. The Parthenon in Athens is a typical Greek Temple.
The Parthenon
The Theatre was an important part of Greek city life. Great plays were written by the Greeks and performed as part of religious festivals to please the Gods.
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Greek actors wore painted masks to show what sort of character they were playing. Athens was the most powerful of all city-states. The Acropolis (High City) of Athens was the most sacred part of the city, and the people of Athens lived on the land below the Acropolis. The Market Place
The Agora (Market Place) was a large open area in the centre of the town where the stone carvers, the metal workers, the jewellers, the shoemakers, and many other craftsmen had their workshops. Craftsmen tried to sell the things they had made. In the Market Place, Athenian Pottery was very popular. People would travel on their donkeys to buy lamps made of pottery and different kinds of vessels. Farmers also came from the countryside to sell their produce and animals. There were also moneychangers, acrobats, dancers, and slaves waiting to be sold. Most of a town‟s important activities took place in the Agora . It was a place where men would discuss politics, culture and business. THE TRADE IN OLIVE OIL A ND WINE: The people of Ancient Greece grew most of their own food. Olives and grapes were two important fruits. The olives were used to make olive oil. The Greeks used olive oil in cooking, to clean their skin and for burning in lamps, which were the main form of light. They used grapes as food and they were the main ingredient in wine production. Olive oil was one of Attica‟s main exports. Men would shake and beat the olives from the trees. Then the juice was squeezed from the olives in large presses. The oil would be stored in jars called amphorae, and some of it will be sold in towns, carried on donkeys or by ship. Grapes were also pressed in a similar way and the juice made into wine. A storage vessel to ship wine and/or olive oil was used to trade around the Mediterranean.
Handle of a Storage vessel
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KEY WORDS
Europe, Corinth, Olive oil, Laurium, Terracotta, Marble, City-state, Trade, Acropolis Mediterranean, Agriculture, Oil lamp, Electrum, Wood, Metal, Colonies, Agora, Grapes
This is part of Homer‟s epic poem “The Odyssey” . The Iliad and the Odyssey , the two famous epic poems of Homer were composed in the 9 th c. BC. They were part of an oral tradition that came to an end at 700 BC, when the poems were written down. This part shows the trade made between the Greek Phoenicians. “To this island come some Phoenicians- notable seamed but greedy rogues- and in their cargo they brought all manner of pretty things …………………………………………………………………………………… This cunning rogue brought up to my father‟s house a necklace of gold With amber beads between, and in the hall the maids and my lady mother kept Handling it, gazing at it with all their eyes and proffering the price asked.” sailors and the
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
With an Atlas work with the pupils on the location of Greece. With an Atlas and with the maps of Greece and Europe from the CD-ROM ´Encarta 98‟. Work with the pupils to discover the most important places and environments in Europe, such as the largest city and/or the largest country, the largest river, the largest mountain, etc. Look at the three replica coins and discuss what is different and what is similar about our coins and the ones that the Greeks used. Ask pupils to find out if their parents have coins from other countries or even from Greece and compare them (decoration, size, shape, weight and material). 48
Observe the picture THE MARKET PLACE and discuss with the pupils the different things they can find in the Agora. Ask who has already been to an outside market and bring to the discussion their impressions about this kind of shopping/entertainment place. Raise the question: „what do you do or buy that is different from the things that were in the Agora? And what is the same?‟ Search for the location and names of the Greek Islands. Learning from the object Nº MN 55-889. It is a handle fragment of a storage vessel. Discuss with the pupils about the object and try to help them discover things about the object such as material, function, size, shape and weight.
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AGRICULTURE,, TRADE AND COMMERCE AGRICULTURE TRADE AND COMMERCE
Recommended objects to accompany worksheets, to stimulate discussion and to develop observation skills.
Handle of a storage vessel (MN 55-889) for discussion about TRADE IN OLIVE OIL & WINE- AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY and to accompany Worksheet NO 5- LEARNING FROM LOOKING AT AN OBJECT.
Fragment of a cup (UCL 000710 b) for discussion about TRADE IN OLIVE OIL & WINE.
Rim of a storage vessel (amphora) (UCL 000097) for discussion about TRADE IN OLIVE OIL & WINE.
Lamp (UCL 002502) for discussion about TRADE IN O LIVE OIL & WINE and to accompany worksheet No 4- THE CITY OF ATHENS.
Bull of metal (UCL 001522) for discussion about THE CITY OF ATHENS AND THE MARKET PLACE .
Goat’s head (UCL 001530) for discussion about THE CITY OF ATHENS AND THE MARKET PLACE.
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Mask (UCL 001290) for discussion about THE CITY OF ATHENS AND THE MARKET PLACE and to accompany worksheet No 4- THE CITY OF ATHENS.
Appliques (UCL 001943-001945) for discussion about AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY and to accompany worksheet No 4- THE CITY O F ATHENS
Replica coins to accompany worksheets No 2-CONNECTING THE OBJECTS WITH THE PLACE & NO 6- GREEK COINS
Perfume pot (UCL 000867) to accompany Worksheet NO 4-THE CITY OF ATHENS
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GODS ,, DEITIES AND THEATRE GODS DEITIES AND THEATRE
GODS AND GODDESSES: Ancient Greeks believed that Gods and Goddesses influenced their fate. There were twelve Gods who were regarded as being the most important; these Gods lived on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Ancient Greece. The food of the Gods was said to be ambrosia and their drink was said to be nectar. These were believed to ward off mortality. In order to encourage the Gods to favor them, Ancient Greeks worshipped the Gods making offerings and sacrifices in their honor. The Greeks built temples for the Gods usually of limestone or marble. They worshipped the Gods and Goddesses outside the temples, they also made animal sacrifices to please them; they washed and decorated with flowers the animals that were to be sacrificed. The Goddess Athene was worshipped at the Parthenon in Athens. This housed a twelve metre high statue of Athene made of gold and ivory.
Statue of Zeus
The Olympic Games was another, more pleasant method of honoring the Gods. The Olympic Games were first started to honor Zeus, the King of the Gods. While there were plenty of Greek Gods, Ancient Greeks mostly worshipped Goddesses. However, the Gods were not always fair to mortals and this was used to explain misfortunes. The most famous shrine to a God is the oracle at Delphi. This was the site at which Apollo was worshipped. Ancient Greeks came to Delphi to consult the oracle and to receive advice from Apollo. Apollo was believed to speak through his Priestess Pythia. Unlike other Gods, the Olympian Gods were not there to teach people right from wrong, in fact the Gods were subject to the same moods and temptations as humans. So the role of Olympian Gods was to control destiny. Certain Gods are associated with particular foods. Athene is associated with the olive and is said to have planted the first tree in Athens; thus she became the Goddess of this city. Dionysus is connected to wine and cakes. While, Persephone is associated with the pomegranate, because while in the underworld she had eaten six pomegranate seeds. While most Ancient Greeks worshipped the Gods openly, there were a number of mystery religions. These were cults, in which the members were sworn to secrecy, therefore little is known about them. 52
Myths and legends are not unique to the Ancient Greeks; all cultures have their own legends and myths. Even some of the Ancient Greek mythological heroes have their counterparts in other cultures. Hercules can be found in both Roman and Greek mythology, similar characters are the Babylonian hero, Gilgamesh and the Biblical hero, Samson. The Phoenician goddess of love forms the basis for the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. Some of the monsters and events that occur in the Greek myths may appear rather fantastic and yet a lot of these things have some basis in reality. Centaurs are creatures that are half man and half horse. These creatures may be explained by the fact that many Southern Greeks were not used to seeing horsemen, thus when they saw men riding horses they assumed that both the man and the horse were the same creature.
Vase depicting one of Hercules‟ deeds.
A TO Z OF GREEK G ODS AND GODDESSES: Aphrodite: Roman name: Venus Role: Goddess of love and beauty. Responsible for the Trojan war. Brought Galatea ( a statue) to life for Pygmalion as a reward for his loyalty to love. Associations: Golden belt, doves and sparrows. Apollo: Role: Sun god. Patron of the arts. Hunter. Associations: Gold bow and arrows, Raven, he wore a Laurel wreath in memory of his unrequited love, Daphne. Role: God of War. 53
Ares:
Gets involved in opposing sides of an argument. Not a dependable ally. Associations: Armour and changes shape. Artemis: Roman name: Diana. Role: Moon goddess. Protector of animals, small children and pregnant women. Associations: Silver bow and arrow, woodland and stag drawn chariot.
Asclepius: Role: God of Medicine. Associations: Snake curled around a stick. Athene: Roman name: Minerva. Role: Goddess of wisdom and war. Used reason over violence. Overseer of home crafts. Gave Greece the olive tree. Associations: Olive tree, armour and owls. Other names: Athene Parthenos and Pallas Athene. Roman name: Ceres. Role: Goddess of plants, earth and harvest., fertility and growth. Associations: Corn. Roman name: Bacchus. Role: God of theatre and wine. Taught people how to make wine. Women called Maenads followed him. Associations: Carries a stick in twinned with vine leaves. Roman name: Cupid. Role: Made people fall in love. Often made unsuitable matches. Associations: Gold bow and arrow.
Demeter:
Dionysus:
Eros:
Hephaestos: Roman name: Vulcan. Role: Crippled smith to the gods. Hera: Roman name: Juno. Role: Queen of the gods. Protector of women. Rivalry between her, Athene and Aphrodite. 54
Associations: Peacock. Hermes: Roman name: Mercury. Role: Messenger to the gods. Also god of thieves and treaties. Associations: winged helmet and sandals. Roman name: Vesta. Role: Protectors of the hearth. Gave her place on Olympus to Dionysus. Role: God of nature and shepherds. Associations: Man‟s body, goats legs and sometimes has horns.
Hestia:
Pan:
Persephone: Roman name: Proserpina. Role: Helped her mother Demeter. Spent half the year with Hades (winter) and half the year with Demeter (summer). Associations: Spring and new growth. Pluto: Roman name: Pollux. Role: Ruler of the Underworld. Kidnapped Persephone. Associations: All precious metals and jewels belong to him. Roman name: Neptune. Role: King of the ocean. Associations: Triton. Role: King of the gods. Associations: Thunderbolts, Eagles and oaks.
Poseidon:
Zeus:
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THEATRE: Attica, Athens and its surrounding area was the center for drama, in Ancient Greece. Plays were only performed at religious festivals thus the theatres were not open all year. Drama competitions were an essential part of festivals; the prize for the best plays was to be crowned with an ivy wreath. People who could not afford to buy a ticket were given entry tickets paid for by the state. Plays were performed outside. The seats were made of stone and as they were very hard, people often brought cushions to sit on. To create special effects such as thunder, pebbles were rolled onto copper sheets. All actors wore masks; these were made of linen or clay. Wigs were attached to the masks. The masks helped to amplify the actor‟s voices. In comedies the actors wore padded outfits which highlighted their stomachs and bottoms. In comedies ordinary characters mocked politicians and intellectuals. Comedies were often very rude.
The God Dionysus
God of wine, new life, illusion and fertility. Rules passion not reality. Takes the form of a goat or a bull. Women followers are called Maenads; they tear people and Gods apart that have angered Dionysus. Ivy and leopards were associated with Dionysus. Festivals
Lenaea: Held in January, Athens. Involved a procession and drama competition. 5 comic playwrights and 2 tragic playwrights Rural Dionysia: Local festivals, late winter or early spring. comedies, tragedies or combination of all three. Performed
City Dionysia: Also known as Great Dionysia or The Dionysia. End of March. People came from all over the Greek World. 3 tragedies, 1 satyric play and 1 comedy were performed.
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Important roles in the City Dionysia:
Archon : 1 of 9 magistrates chosen yearly. With the help of 2 assistants had to organize the festival. Choregoi: Wealthy citizens chosen by the archon to help; finance their poets production, find a chorus and musicians, pay for the props and costumes and the end of show party. The role of the Choregoi could be swooped with another citizen. If the other citizen refused the role, then he had to exchange all his possessions with the challenger. Chorus: Made up of 15 actors. Could be asked to play people, animals or even clouds. The chorus linked actors to the audience. Actors: 3 main actors. Actors were paid, women were not allowed to act. The poet directed the play. Judges: There were 10 judges called Kritai (hence modern term critic). Picking judges was complicated. Citizens were divided into 10 tribes. Each tribe submitted the names of 10 possible judges, these names were put in urns. On the day of the performance the urns were opened and 1 name was taken from each. These people made up the judges. Festival: A ceremony called a Proagon, told the programme of events throughout the festival. Performance: The theatre was purified by the sacrifice of a pig. Sons of men killed in war were paraded before the audience, certain citizens were honoured. There were 4 days of drama, the last day of the festival was reserved for comedy. Decision: Judges wrote the winners on pieces of pottery and placed them in an urn. the Archon took out 5 pieces of pottery, thus the winners were chosen. The winners were crowned with ivy. The festival ended with a discussion of all the events that had occurred during the festival.
Epidauros, one of the largest Ancient Greek theatres
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KEYWORDS Mount Olympus, Delphi, Olympic Games, Mystery Religions, Drama, Comedy, Tragedy, Dionysus Oracle, Nectar, Ambrosia, Centaur, City Dionysia, Maenads, Satyr,
This is part of the Homeric Hymn to Dionysus. There are 33 hymns with this title that are addressed to various gods. These hymns were first ascribed to Homer, something that this is no longer accepted.
HYMN TO DIONYSUS
Dionysus, famous Semele „s child is my subject: How he appeared by the shore of the unharvested sea On a jutting promontory, like a young man In the prime of youth; his beautiful dark hair Streamed about him, a purple robe clasping his strong soldiers. Peter Jay (1966)
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
Re-write one of the myths and put it in a contemporary setting. Or write one of the myths in the form of a newspaper and illustrate it with pictures of objects from the box. Turn one of the myths into a short play and act it out. Divide the class into groups and vote for the best play following the method of Ancient Greece. Discuss with children the illustration of ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE.
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All Ancient Greek Deities had their own dance. During a PE lesson ask the children to choreograph a dance for a particular Deity. Ask the class to think of 10 questions they would like to ask a particular God. Make a Papier Mache Theatre Mask.Decide whether you want to make a tragic or comic mask. Look closely at the mask in the loan box. Basing your mask on this one begin to create your own papier mache mask. Equipment: Wall paper paste or a similar substance, newspaper torn into strips, 1 balloon and paints. Instructions: 1. Blow up your balloon, not forgetting to tie the end. 2. Tear your newspaper into strips. 3. Cover the balloon with the paste. 4. Sti ck the strips of newspaper to the balloon. 5. Bu ild up a thick covering of newspaper. 6. Leave to dry. 7. When the papier mache is completely dry, pop the balloon. 8. Cut out features such as eyes and mouth. 9. Build up a nose by adding more layers of papier mache and shaping it. 10. When the nose is dry, you can paint your mask.
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Make a mosaic shield for Athene. Equipment:Circle of card with a diameter of 65 cm, glue, pencil, small squares of colored paper, card, sweet wrappers or fabric. Instructions: 1. Re-draw your design onto the card circle. 2. Pick one of your colors and wherever it appears on your design stick in the correct place on your card circle. 3. Do this with all your colors. 3. You should now have a completed mosaic shield.
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GODS ,, DEITIES AND THEATRE GODS DEITIES AND THEATRE
Recommended objects to accompany worksheets, to stimulate discussion and to develop observation skills.
Bull of metal (UCL 001522) for discussion about GODS- DEITIES AND THEATRE
Goat’s head (UCL 001530) for discussion about GODS-DEITIES AND THEATRE
Tragic Mask (UCL 001290) for discussion about THEATRE AND O O TO ACCOMPANY WORKSHEETS N 6-THEATRE MASKS 1 & N 7-THEATRE MASKS 2.
Replica coins for discussion about GODS-DEITIES.
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GLOSSARY GLOSSARY
Achilles: Greek demigod, that fought in the Trojan War. Acropolis: A collection of buildings, made as a safe place, in the highest area of the town. Agamemnon: King of Mykenes. The leader of Greeks in the Trojan war. Agon: Competition Agora: A large open space in the centre of the town used as a market place. Amazon: Warier women Ambrosia: Food of the Gods. Amphora: A two handled pottery to contain oil and wine. Archaeologist: A person who finds and studies objects from the past. Artefact: An object from the past. Aryballos: A perfume pot, used by women. Astragalizein: Game with Knuckle-bones. Attica: The region around Athens. Black- Figure technique: Technique used in pottery during the 7th & 6th century, where black silhouettes were painted on the reddish clay background. Used firstly in Athens. Centaur: Mythical creature, half men half horse. Chiton: Greek clothes, worn by women & men. City-State: A small independent city. Citizen: Men who had legal rights. Classical period: The period of Ancient Greece, between 480-360 BC.
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Colony: Country or territory that has been developed by people from another country and which is still controlled from the mother country. Conservator: A person who conserves the objects from the past. Coubertin Pierre: French Baron, who contributed to the revival of the Olympic Games in the 19th century. Doric rhythm: Style of Greek temples, where the fluting of columns is sharpened to points and their capital is simple. Doric temples have metopes and they are predominately found on the mainland of Greece. Epic poem: Large poetic account of the deeds of one or more great heroes. The most famous Ancient Greek epic poet was Homer. Frieze: A ribbon of relief paintings around Ionic Temples. Gymnasia: Special training grounds, where Greeks were taught physical exercise. Hippodromes: Racecourse for horses. Homer: Famous Greek epic poet of the 9th century, who wrote the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey”. Ionic rhythm: Style of Greek temples, where the fluting of columns is spaced out with a smooth band between each one and their capital is more elaborate than the Doric one. Ionic temples have a frieze and they are predominately found in Asia-Minor. Kithara: A musical instrument, made of wood. Krater: Large vessel, used by Ancient Greeks for mixing the wine with the water. Laurium: Region of southern Attica with important mines. Lyre: A musical instrument, made of wood. Lyric poem: Short poetic account full of emotion, composed for singing. Maenads: Women followers of Dionysus. Metopes: Façade in Doric Temples, that contained small squares of relief sculptures. Nectar: Drink of the Gods.
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Olympia : Region in Southern Greece with a sanctuary dedicated to Zeus. The Olympic Games were held there. Olympic Games: The most important religious festival in ancient Greece, that was dedicated to Zeus. Olympic Truce: Truce that was instituted by the city-state of Elis to protect against military incursions which interrupted the games. It aimed to protect athletes, visitors, spectators and official embassies who came to festival, from becoming involved in local conflicts. Pankration: An athletic event combining aspects of wrestling and boxing. Peplos: Greek clothes with an overfold, worn only by women. Pericles: The leader of Athens. During his leadership Athens became the strongest city in Greece. Persian wars: Wars between the Greeks and the Persians between 492- 478 BC. One of the most important battles was the battle of Marathon, where the Persians were defeated. Phidias: Famous Greek sculptor of the 5th century. He was chosen as the overall manager of the Parthenon. He carved the great statue of Athene in the Parthenon and the Golden statue of Zeus in Olympia, 2 of the 7 Wonders of the world. Phoenicians: Population living in the Near East. Phoenician Alphabet: The alphabet from which the Greek alphabet originated. Plangones: Clay dolls. Pnyka: A hill in Athens where the Assembly was gathered. Pyxis: Powder pot used by women to hold their cosmetics. Red-Figure technique: Technique of pottery, where the figures were left on the red color of the clay while the background gained a black color during the fire process. Used in Athens during 5th and 4th century. Sandals: Greek shoes. Satyr: Mythical creature, half man half animal, follower of Dionysus. Satyric play: Play which was connected to Satyrs.
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Slave: A person who is owned by another person and doesn‟t have legal rights. Socrates: An Athenian philosopher who believed that the mind and the soul were all important. He disregarded many old traditions and as a result, he was sentenced to death. Strobilos: A kind of top. Symposium: Drinking party, that only men were allowed to attend. Theodosius: Byzantine emperor that abolished the Olympic Games in 393 AD. Trochos: A hoop made of bronze.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY
Boardman J, Griffin J, Murray O (eds), 1986. Greece and the Hellenistic
world. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Camp, John, 1986. The Athenian agora, excavations in the heart of classical Athens. London: Thames and Hudson. Cartledge, Paul (ed), 1998. The Cambridge Illustrated History of Ancient
Greece. Cambridge: University Press.
Chandler, F, 1999. Ancient World. Usborne world History.. DunGanson Neil, 1991, The Olympics, Wayland. Evans,C & Tatchell, J. , 1995. Greek Myths, London: Usborne Publishers Ltd. Evans,C & Millard, A., 1985. Greek Myths & legends, London: Usborne Publishers Ltd. Grau, A., 1998. Dance, London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd. Hinks,R, 1935. „Greek and Roman Portrait Sculpture.‟ British Museum Press. London James, J & L, 1997. The Greeks. Oxford: Heinemann Library. Jekins I. 1968, Greek and Roman Life, London: British Museum. Kindersley D. 1992, Ancient Greece, London: Dorling Kindersley Limited. Lagerlof, M, 2000. „The sculptures of the Parthenon athestetics and interpretation.‟ Yale University Press. London McCann,J,1988. Ancient Greece, , London: Two-Can Publishing Ltd. Millard, A, 1981. Ancient Greece, London: Usborne Publishing Ltd. Morley,J. , 1997.Greek Myths, Hove: Macdonald Young Books. Pearson, A, 1992. What do we know about the Greeks?. Simon & Schuster Young Books. Plati M. 1999, Playing in Ancient Greece… with Lysis and Timarete , Athens: N.P Goulandris Foundation –Museum of Cycladc Art. Powell A. 1987, The Greek World, Kingfisher History Library. Ross,S, 1996. Greek Theatre, Hove: Wayland Publishers.
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Russell- Brown, J., 1995. The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Steele, P, 1993. Thermopylai. Zoë Books Limited. Tomlinson,R, 1995. „Greek and Roman Architecture.‟ British Museum Press. London. Vartoogain, J & L.,1997. The Living World of Dance, USA: Saraband Inc. Woodford,S, 1981. „The Partheonon.‟ Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. Wright, R. 1997. Greeks, London: Franklin Watts. Useful Web-sites:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Sparta/5416/antiquity.htm http://www.21stcenturyadventures.com/vva/olmpiava.htm http://www.culture.gr/2/21/211/211071/og/games.htm http://www.upenn.edu/museum/Olympics/olympicorigins.html http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/games/index.htm
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ANSWERS OF THE WORKSHEETS ANSWERS OF THE WORKSHEETS
Object Timeline: Worksheet No 1: Answer: Object No 1. Art & Architecture: Worksheet No 1: 1. Pericles, 2. Socrates Worksheet No 4: From Left to the right: 4, 5, 1, 3, 6, 2. Olympic Games & Children’s Games: Worksheet No 1: 3-A, 1-B, 2-C, 5-D Worksheet No 2: A. Blind man‟s buff, B. Hide and seek, C. Hopscotch, D. Tug of war. Worksheet No 3: 1) Olympia, 2) 5, 3) Pan-Hellenic Unity, 4.1) Running, 4.2) wrestling,4.3) boxing, 4.4) pentathlon, 5) women and slaves. Worksheet No 4: Gold medal, silver medal, bronze medal, Ans: (c) 776 BC Worksheet No 5: Ans. Five continents Daily Life: Worksheet No 2: 1. peplos, 2. chiton Worksheet No 3: Modern Greece: 1. Athens, 2. Greek, 3. drachmas, 4. stuffed vine leaves, 5. Christian Orthodox Ancient Greece: 1. Athens, 2. Ancient Greek, 3. drachmas, 4. fish, 5. 12 gods of Olympus Agriculture, Trade and Commerce: Worksheet No 1: 1. Aegean & Ionian Sea, 2. Mediterranean, 3. Athens, 4. Yes, 5. e.g. UK, France, Spain, 6. England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Irland. Worksheet No 4: 4, 3, 1, 2. Worksheet No 6: 2 drachmas, 42 ovolos, 1) 1100 drachmas Gods, Deities and Theatre: Worksheet No 3: olive, worshipped, Athene, Goddess, envy, spider, tapestries Worksheet No 8: 1.False, 2. True, 3. False, 4. True, 5. True, 6. False, 7.True, 8. True
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Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Friends of UCL and Sainsbury‟s for their economic support. We would also like to thank Ian Carroll, the supervisor of our project and collections manager of UCL classical collection of archaeology for his valuable help, Stewart Laindlaw- the photographer of UCL, James Halesthe conservator for UCL collections, Steven Stockton for the „Make your own Parthenon activity‟ and drawings for art and architecture worksheet „How vases were made‟, Pauline Taylor and Emma Bowden for the Gods‟ Illustrations, Niki Harris for her contribution to our web-site, Mrs Parr, Lucy Owen, Eilean Maclachlan, Mr Law, Chingford.
The illustrations are from: © N. P. Goulandris Foundation – Museum of Cycladic Art- 1999: worksheets n. 1 “Olympic Games & Games”, worksheet n. 2 “Olympic Games & Games”. ©Trustees of the British Museum: Worksheet n.1 PORTRAIT SCULPTURE, worksheet n.6GREEK COINS, worksheet n. 1 OLYMPIC GAMES & GAMES ill.3-4, . © Dorling Kindersley Limited 1998, London. © Bildarchiv Preussicher Kulturbestitz (Antikenmuseum Berlin). © Archeological Museum of Laon: worksheet n.1 -OLYMPIC GAMES & GAMES ill. 1. © Royal Museum of History of Art, Brussels: worksheet n.1-OLYMPIC GAMES & GAMES, ill. 2. © Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston: worksheet n. 1 -OLYMPIC GAMES & GAMES, ill:5. © Heinemann Library, worksheet n. 4-THE CITY OF ATHENS. © Pearson Anne © Chandler, F. © Steele ,P. © Ekdotike Athenon: Worksheet No 5- LEARNING FROM LOOKING AT AN OBJECT.© Saraband Inc 1997. © Oxford University Press 1995 . Every effort was made to find the holders of the copyright for the illustrations . We apologize for any unintentional omissions.
and Caroline Heal for their teaching
advice, Eleanor Palmer School, Torriano Jnr School and St. Joseph‟s School
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