MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM TEACHER GUIDE Grades k-12 www.mpm.edu/education 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS TEACHER GUIDE Crossroads of Civilization: Ancient Worlds of the Near East and Mediterranean Introduction to Crossroads of Civilization . 3-4 Exhibit Map . 5 Exhibit Highlights by Section . 6-7 The Making of Crossroads of Civilization . 8 Mummy Profiles . 9 Historical Background of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean . 10 Who Were They? Major Historical Figures . 10-11 The Ramesside Era . 12 Map of the Mediterranean and Near East . 13 Timeline . 14-15 Vocabulary . .. 16 Student Activities . 17-21 Resources . 22 CONTACT INFORMATION By Phone: Call 414.278.2714 or 888.700.9069 Field Trip Call Center Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 2 TEACHER GUIDE INTRODUCTION Crossroads of Civilization investigates the confluence of ancient cultures at the junction of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Focusing on the well-developed societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, Crossroads of Civilization brings together interactive technologies with over 200 artifacts to lead visitors through this ancient hub of humanity. To explore this area’s role as an intellectual and physical crossroads, the exhibit focuses on six themes common to all civilizations: construction, communion, community, commerce, communication, and conflict. Construction Early civilizations are usually distinguished from other cultures by the presence of urbanism—life in cities. The monumental architecture of cities, including palaces, temples and tombs, and the building materials and techniques used, are among the hallmarks of ancient civilizations. Each ancient culture had its own distinct style of large-scale construction, and experienced peaks and declines in the amount of construction throughout its history. One of the most well-known examples of large-scale construction is the Egyptian pyramid. In addition to the three pyramids in Giza, ancient Egyptians also built the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, the earliest of a sequence of royal pyramids stretching over several centuries. This pyramid, built in the 27th century BCE, included a large courtyard memorializing pharaoh Djoser’s life and death. Another important ancient construction was the White Temple at Uruk, one of the oldest Sumerian cities. Built sometime between 3200 and 3000 BCE, the White Temple is a small addition on the top of a simple ziggurat, placed there to bring its priests closer to the heavens. Communion Central to early civilizations are religious and political belief systems, which frequently overlap. Most ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, practiced religions that featured large pantheons of deities. Early monotheism—the worship of a single deity—which survives today in the modern Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, originated in the ancient Near East. Though the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans had different religions and beliefs, the cultures had many similar gods and goddesses. Sometimes, they even adopted a deity from one of the other cultures. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus mentions some of these in his records. This table illustrates some examples of deities that were adapted from, or interpreted as, the equivalent of those of other cultures. Egyptian Greek Roman Horus the Child Harpokrates --- Bast Artemis Diana Hathor Aphrodite Venus Osiris Dionysus, Bacchus, Hades Pluto Neith Athena Minerva Horus Apollo Apollo Amun Zeus Jupiter www.mpm.edu/education 3 Community People of the ancient cultures had similar concerns to modern day societies. Social activities and work were all part of daily life. Attitudes and beliefs about the afterlife shaped many of the daily customs of family and communities. In addition to necessary objects and those with religious significance, people in the ancient world also often had luxury items. The Egyptians used make-up in their daily lives, and it had practical and spiritual significance in addition to an aesthetic one. One of the more popular forms of make-up was kohl eye paint, which actually helped to prevent certain eye infections. Though the dramatic eye make-up that is now associated with the ancient Egyptians appears to have been important throughout all dynasties, the styles did change. They also used the henna plant to paint their nails and dye their hair. Commerce Early civilizations had complex systems of commerce and exchange, and with the exchange of goods came the exchange of ideas. Agricultural practices were exchanged between cultures, in addition to food, animals, and luxury items such as obsidian, lapis lazuli, and other precious stones. Long distance trade, made possible with the domestication of beasts of burden and the development of ships, played an important role in market economies. (See trade routes map, page 13) Commerce progressed from bartering to standardized weights and measures to coinage. In Egypt, Cleopatra VII replaced the local system of bartering and coin-value based on weight with a standard weight coin. The value was denoted with a mark, similar to modern-day American paper currency. Communication Writing, though appearing in various forms, was vital to virtually all complex early civilizations. The written mechanism of script, as opposed to purely verbal communication, assisted in keeping economic records, codifying laws, and developing written history and literature. Each ancient culture devised its own writing system and language, despite trading with one another. The Egyptians used a hieroglyphic script, modified over time into simpler forms. Cultures in Mesopotamia developed a cuneiform writing system and Greeks adapted the Phoenician alphabet into one of their own. The Romans created the Latin alphabet, derived from the Greek, which is still used in many languages today, including English. One of the most important examples of ancient communication was the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi, a Babylonian king, developed this code in the 18th century BCE to include 282 “laws” and punishments. The law of retribution, “an eye for an eye,” was one such punishment. Conflict Both internal and external conflicts shaped early civilizations. Legal codes and courts handled internal issues within individual states. Though conflicts between states often involved international diplomacy, warfare was common, with militaries employing varying styles of weaponry and tactics. The first organized war that we know of occurred around 2700 BCE in Mesopotamia between Sumer and Elam. The Sumerian King of Kish led his armies to a victory over the Elamites. Despite being the first recorded battle, warfare predates this conflict by centuries. Pictographs show armies in Kish around 3500 BCE, and cemeteries suggest an even earlier date, as does other evidence from Egypt. 4 TEACHER GUIDE Stela w/ Ramose Mummies in General Busts Cosmetics Games/Recreation Funerary Deities Funerary Roman Busts, Mummy Masks Stela w/ Stela Supplicant Animal III. Mummies Hadidi Photo COMMUNION of Osiri above Intro Community III. monitor/scans I V. COMMUNION COMMUNITY Djed Hor Ramses The Divine Temple Osiris Glass Pottery DSS Hoplite Greek Communion Intro touch-pad Ram Stela Conflict Map Conflict Touch-pad II. IX. Seal Tut N King Tut & Chariot Video Materials CONSTRUCTION EXHIBIT Construction Jerusalem Model ISLANDS Sect II Intro VII. GP-II.1 36/45 CONFLICT Persian TBD Wood Objs. Papyrus Weapons VI. Boat Intro COMMERCE Helmet Roman Exec. Figures Exec. bench Akkadian Trade VII. X. V. Documents Educator's Map Educator's EDUCATION COMMUNICATION Greek CONFLICT Vases Amphora Coinage Pompeii Image Pompeii Cylindar Seals Cylindar Decipherment Cont. bench Overhead Map Overhead Nebuch. Cyl. Trade Route Map Above Commerce Intro Rosetta Stone Rosetta Samnite Hadidi Rosetta Stone Label Evolution of Writing Lion relief carving above SPQR above Door DOOR I. 6 Themes www.mpm.edu/education INTRO N 24/24 EXHIBIT MAP EXHIBIT VIII. Acknowledgement CONTINUITY panel EXIT Exhibit Intro 5 bench ENTRANCE NML Presents Access Panel Donor panel Title panel EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS BY SECTION Construction Face and Torso of Early Ramesside King (c. 13th - 12th cent. BCE): The Ramesside Era, named after the eleven kings named Ramesses, stretched from approximately 1292-1077 BCE. The artistic style of the time, represented on this stele, was characteristic of the massive construction projects of Ramesses II, and may actually depict that great ruler. Bronze Lion Head Door Pulls (c. 2nd-3rd cent. CE): Bronze was a common material for door knockers or pulls in ancient cultures. This example from Antioch, Syria, a Roman city, features a lion head. The lion in ancient cultures is often associated with strength, myth, and a sense of majesty. Communion Corn Mummy with Osiris Effigy (c. 399-343 BCE): This corn mummy, a mud-figure packed with grain, is shaped like Osiris. Corn mummies such as this one represent the power of regeneration and were placed in tombs to magically assist the deceased to be resurrected. Roman god Janus Bronze aes grave (c. 250-225 BCE): Coins depicting different deities were common in ancient Greece and Rome. This large Roman coin portrays Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions, who looks towards both the past and the future. Canopic Jars (c. 875-775 BCE): Ancient Egyptians frequently placed the organs of deceased individuals who were being mummified in jars such as these. The lids portray the four Sons of Horus, Duamutef, Qebehsenuef, Hapy, and Imsety, who were tasked with protecting the stomach, lungs, liver, and intestines. Communication Babylonian Cylinder: This hollow clay cylinder was found buried in the site of Marad, in southern Iraq, beneath buildings from the time of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-561 BCE). Cylinders with cuneiform writing, such as this one, stated (to future rulers) that the king had carried out major constructions and renovations. Coffin Fragment Hieroglyphic (c. 1000-970 BCE): The fragment, made during the 21st dynasty of Egypt, is stylistically representative of Thebes. Though no name is visible on the fragment, the hieroglyphs identify numerous gods in the traditional Egyptian manner. 6 TEACHER GUIDE Commerce Model Boat from an Egyptian Tomb (c.