Unit Test Answers

The two rivers that run through the Fertile Crescent are the Euphrates and the Tigris. The rivers are the reason that the region is referred to as “fertile”. A fertile region is an area that produces healthy, sustaining vegetation. The negative aspect of the rivers was that flooding was common. Flooding could wipe out an entire years crop.

Ideas and opinions will vary, but should be written in paragraph form and address all questions and/or details required by the prompt.

Islamic portable arts were examples of Islamic art that could be moved easily, either because of size or type. They were highly sought items were considered a luxury and brought status to their patrons both from Islam and Europe. They were often composed of silk and gold, and employed calligraphy on the panels. They could also include scrolls, interlacing designs, and figures enliven calligraphic inscriptions.

A: Menkaure B: Khafre C: Khufu Khufu is the largest of the three pyramids.

#1: Menorah - It is a symbol of paradise and the end of exile for the Jewish people. #2: Ram’s Horn - It was considered sacred and used during ceremonial occasions. #3: Citron - It symbolized prosperity and good fortune for harvest.

In the Paleolithic example (left), there images are simply painted, with a bit of color. In the Neolithic example (right), the style is abstract with sharp, clean lines and no color besides black showing. It shows humans and animals interacting together.

This relief sculpture is entitled Athena Attacking the Giants. It was created during the Hellenistic period. This sculpture shows an unhappy Athena, who is holding the men at either side, almost in a hostage manner. This sculpture is characteristic of the Hellenistic time period because it exhibits emotion, anger, and violence, which were all common in Hellenistic art due to the circumstances at the time Greece.

Picture 1 appears to be a Geometric vase, while Picture 2 is a small Geometric sculpture of a centaur. The vase would be characterized by horizontal bands, repeated patterns, and simplified figures arranged in an organized way. The centaur also shows typical Geometric features because its body is stylized rather than realistic and it is covered with decorative linear designs and spirals. Both works emphasize pattern, symmetry, and abstraction instead of naturalistic detail, which are key traits of Greek Geometric art.

Answers may vary, but should be similar to the following: This sculpture is of Khafre. Khafre’s is held by Horus, the falcon god, which is a display of protection. The lions form the throne’s legs, symbolizing strength and power. The intertwined plants below the throne symbolize Khafre’s rule of both Upper and Lower Egypt.

Answers may vary, but should be similar to the following: This sculpture is entitled, Pepy II and His Mother, Queen Ankhes-meryre. The sculpture shows Pepy, who inherited the throne at age six. Most likely, the queen acted as a regent (a representative) until Pepy was old enough to rule the kingdom himself. Pepy is smaller, because he is less important at the time this sculpture was made, but his features are adult-like and proportionate to his overall size.

This is called, Spotted Horses and Human Hands. It was made between 25,000 and 24,000 BCE, and was found in Pech-Merle Cave, which is located in Dordogne, France. There is a hand-print as a type of signature created by the artist. The artist created this by chewing-up charcoal in his/her mouth. Then he/she would place a hand on the wall, and blow the chewed-up charcoal over the hand. This would create a negative hand-print on the stone.

This is entitled, The Old Testament Trinity. It shows the three angels who visited Abraham in the Old Testament. This painting shows the ideal geometry invented by artists during this time period for human forms. The geometric figures are simple and similar in features. The subjects’ are elongated, meaning their necks and arms are long, and in general they are tall and slender. The composition of the figures is also geometric, for they are placed in a triangular form.

The Paleolithic period is divided into three main phases: Lower, Middle, and Upper. The division is based on the sophistication of the tools created and used. The Neolithic period came after, and showed a greater degree of sophistication, as well as actual examples of art.

In 313, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan granting all people in the Roman Empire freedom to worship whatever god they wished. Because Christians could worship freely, Christian art could now also be shown publicly.

- What type of sculpture is this tomb decoration? Ans: It is a relief sculpture. - Why was this type of sculpture common among Egyptian tombs? Ans: Relief sculptures were common because they could be engraved into the walls of the tombs, making them impossible for tomb raiders to steal. - What is the title of the sculpture? Ans: The title of this tomb decoration is Stele of Amenemhat I. - What is the subject matter of the sculpture? Ans: The sculpture shows ordinary people in everyday life. - What was the purpose of tomb decorations? Ans: Tomb decorations were intended to bring joy to the dead for eternity.

This is the Sarcophagus of the church of Santa Maria Antiqua. A sarcophagus is similar to a coffin. It is made of stone and is adorned with relief sculptures. The man in the middle of the relief is the teacher, and is suppose to symbolize Christ. He is baptizing a young boy, although because the pagans did not know this was happening, since they didn’t understand what baptism was.

The Geometric period was the first specifically Greek style of vase painting. It was characterized by linear motifs such as spirals, diamonds, and cross-hatching. Abstract forms were used to represent human figures. This included triangles for the torsos, dots for the eyes, long, thin rectangles for the arms, tiny waists, and long legs with bulging spherical muscles. Funerary art reflected the belief that the dead could continue to enjoy their favorite activities even in death.

The earliest period of human history is called the Stone Age because people primarily made their tools and weapons from stone. The two main periods of the Stone Age are the Paleolithic period (Old Stone Age) and the Neolithic period (New Stone Age).

The images depict the judgment of a pharaoh in the afterlife, a scene from ancient Egyptian funerary belief. The half-human, half-animal figures are Egyptian gods such as Anubis, who was associated with mummification and guiding the dead. The mummified ruler is being presented for judgment so he may enter the afterlife. This type of scene reflects Egyptian beliefs about the ka, the soul, and the importance of proper burial rituals.

Sumerians developed seals for identifying documents and establishing property ownership. When a cylinder stamp was rolled across soft clay and applied to the closure that was to be sealed, an impression was left. This impression insured that no unauthorized person could open whatever was being sealed.

Between 4000 and 3000 BCE, the agricultural villages of the Fertile Crescent turned into prosperous cities with developed specialized skills. Grain mills and ovens were added along with brick and pottery kilns, textile and metal workshops. With the addition of these extra goods came increased trade and contact with other cultures.

Answers may vary, but should be similar to the following: Pericles dominated Athenian Politics. He led Athens to a period of great wealth known as the “Golden Age” and used Athenian wealth for the adornment of the city. Encouraged artists to promote a public image of peace, prosperity, and power. There were many examples of great structures and vases created during this time period.

The picture shows an ancient Egyptian afterlife scene with animal-headed gods standing before a mummified pharaoh. It likely comes from the Book of the Dead, a famous funerary text placed in tombs to guide the dead through the afterlife. This document is important because it reveals Egyptian beliefs about judgment, burial, and what happened after death. In my opinion, it helps us understand ancient Egyptian society because religion shaped their art, politics, and daily life.

This sculpture is entitled Nike of Samothrace. It was created during the Hellenistic period. It is thought to have commemorated an important naval victory, or some other type of war victory.

Islamic art employed Aniconism, the avoidance of figural imagery. It used complex, geometric designs. It was common to see scrolling vines, which are also known as arabesques. Islamic art was always covered in surface decoration, including the use of line, color, and pattern.

These figures are votives, which traditionally hold religious significance and were most likely dedicated to the gods. They are limestone statues. They are an examples of the traditional way Sumerians represented forms, with simplified faces and bodies, and with clothing that emphasized the cylindrical shape and the styles of the time. The bulging eyes indicate the openness they had when approaching a god.

Before the Edict, Christian art was still made, but rarely seen. The most rare type of Christian art was sculpture since it was the hardest to hide. Most sculptures before the Edict were made of marble and depicted the Good Shepard (Christ). Christian artist would attempt to place images in works of art that would be symbolic to the Christian people, but would go unnoticed by pagans.

The image shows the funerary mask of Tutankhamun, one of the most famous artifacts from ancient Egypt. It was made of gold and decorated with colored glass and precious materials to represent the young pharaoh as divine and eternal. The discovery of this object was important because it gave historians an extraordinary look at Egyptian burial practices, royal wealth, and craftsmanship. It became one of the best-preserved and most recognizable treasures from the ancient world.

The Rosetta Stone contained a decree honoring Ptolomy V. A French scholar found the names of Ptolomy and Cleopatra in Demotic, and was able to match these to the Greek writing. This is when it was discovered that the same information written in three languages. After that, it took three years to decode the entire passage.

Picture 1: Egyptian Picture 2: Greek Picture 3: Islamic Picture 1 and 2 both show people and animals who are exhibiting respect and honor to the gods of each culture. Picture 3, from the Islamic culture, has no creatures or animals, because they did not believe that was a proper way to honor their god. They employed aniconism instead. There is also bright colors used in Picture 3. The three pictures are all made out of different materials and are different forms of art.

The Upper phase took place between 40,000 and 4,000 BCE. This phase is marked by the fascination of people with creating images. It is the first time in history that people and animals begin to be represented in art form, in a realistic fashion. The people used ochers to paint images in caves.

This is an example of a tomb decoration. This is called Pectoral of Senusret II. The decoration includes a scarab, a crown, and an ankh, which were all prominent symbols of strength and protection in Egyptian culture and art. It was made out of gold and semi-precious stones. It was found in the tomb of a king’s daughter.

The Persians are best known for their jewelry, coinage, and ornamental weaponry. The delicate designs and intricate details of their jewelry demonstrate high levels of technical and artistic sophistication. Coins were made with miniature low-relief portraits of rulers, so that coins, in addition to their function as economic standards, served as an advertisement for the ruler. Their ornamental weapons showed a high level of sophistication as well as the political need to emphasize power and strength.

This is a statue or sculpture of a human-headed winged lion. It is 10 feet 3.5 inches tall. Its purpose was to let all who passed by know who was in charge. It symbolized the strength of the ruler it defended. The intention was to inspire civic pride and fear.

Hieroglyphics: A Writing system of ancient Egypt using both logographic, and alphabetic elements. Demotic: The ancient Egyptian script derived from the northern forms of hieratic, or cursive writing, and Egyptian language.

#1: White Crown of Upper Egypt #2: Red Crown of Lower Egypt #3: Eye of Horus (Egyptian god) #4: Scepter (represents power) #5: Ankh (everlasting life)

The interesting point about pottery vessels like these, is why people in Europe did not produce these much earlier. Even though they understood the process of firing the clay as early as 32,000 BCE, it was not until 7000 BCE that they began making vessels using the same technique. Some historians believed that ceramic vessels were not used because of the time, effort, and expense of using them. Ceramic vessels were also much heavier and more fragile than vessels made out of other materials such as wood or fibers.

This is the Mosque of Isfahan. Throughout the mosque, Notice the beautiful, bright colors, geometric designs. On top of the dome, you can see examples of arabesques. Below the dome, on the cylinder piece, there is Islamic writing, probably religious. The facade (image on the right) also includes examples of arabesques and Islamic writing, or calligraphy. It is made of brilliant blue glazed tiles that wrap around the entire courtyard.

Early Byzantine art presented Christian stories and the Gospels through multi-leveled symbolism. Many church murals and mosaics were created. Most works of art were painted on sheets of vellum, which is a thick papyrus material. Artist most often use bright colors, although many have faded through the years.

Christian art most commonly depicted the Good Shepherd (Christ). Christian symbols, such as the cross were included in most works of art. Mosaics freely covered church walls, ceilings. Artists used bright colors and shading. Examples: Sarcophagus of the church of Santa Maria Antiqua Good Shepherd Rabbula Gospel Virgin of Vladimir The Old Testament Trinity

Around 3100 BCE, Sumerians pressed Cuneiform symbols into clay tablets with a stylus to keep business records. It was the first form of writing. The earliest writing was more of a pictograph or a crude picture of the item. Later writing evolved into more symbols and lines. The word symbolized is "bull."

The mosque pictured is the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Mezquita) in Spain. Originally built in the late 8th century by Abd al-Rahman I as the first major mosque on the Iberian Peninsula after the Muslim conquest, it symbolized the establishment of Umayyad power in al-Andalus. Its artistic elements include a vast hypostyle prayer hall supported by marble columns and distinctive double-tiered horseshoe arches with alternating red-and-white voussoirs, creating a striking visual rhythm.