If they don’t trust the schools, why should we.

A 2005 report by the Thomas B. Fordham institute found that public school teachers are twice as likely to send their children to private schools.  A  recent Sacramento news story  reported that Raymond who is the Sacramento City Unified Superintendent will be the first in 20 years to send his children to District schools.  When the people who know the most won’t send their own children to public schools, it seems we should all be a little concerned.

This blog article links to the original studies and reports.  Revealing reading.

KaBoom

This is a cool organization and website.  I will let them describe their mission in their own words.

KaBOOM! is the national non-profit that empowers communities to build playgrounds. We passionately believe that play has purpose, and that unstructured play in particular helps make children happier, fitter, smarter, more socially adept and creative. Learn more about KaBOOM!.

Etruscan Art

Okay, all of my art students, we have finished Greece and are moving on to Rome, which will coincide nicely with our ancient history study.

The country of Italy is a boot shaped peninsula that juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. Surrounded on three sides by water and on the North by the Alps this peninsula would set the world on fire. We begin our study at about 500 BC and there are several people groups living in Italy in city states similar to those in Greece. Twelve of these city-states, populated by a people group called the Etruscan’s, organized themselves into a loose federation and during the sixth century BC were at the height of their power. The Etruscans controlled the northern and central area of Italy which would become modern day Tuscany.

Through their trading the Etruscans were in contact with the people of Greece and Phonecia. Through this contact they were exposed to ideas, art and culture that expanded their own. This exposure would be reflected in what the Etruscans created, but always with their own unique stamp. They did not merely copy what they observed in these other cultures but they learned, adapted, and made it their own.

The Etruscans laid out their cities on a grid, much like the cities of Greece and Egypt, but with slight variations. They had two main streets, one running north and south, the other east and west dividing the city into quarters. Where the two streets intersected the Etruscans built the towns business center. Their homes were built around a central courtyard or atrium which was open to the sky. This allowed a shallow pool to collect rainwater to be used in the house. Walls were built around the city with large gates.

Porta Augusta, Perugia Italy. Gate built during 2nd Century BC

The gates of Porta Augusta in Perugla Italy are one of the few examples of Etruscan monumental architecture that survives to taday. Although the arch was used in Greece and other ancient civilizations, it would be the Romans who would make widespread use of this architectural element. Unlike the Corbel arch studied earlier, this arch is made with precisely cut wedge shaped pieces. A decorative element is seen above the arch, resembling the entablature of Greek structures.

The Etruscans and Romans, from early on, incorporated Greek gods and goddesses into their belief systems. Most Etruscan art has been destroyed over time, or by the Romans. What has survived is largely funeral art which can give a skewed impression of a civilization. What survives of Etruscan temples are just the remains of the foundations, we do have a few descriptions, however, to add to our knowledge.

Etruscan Temple - Roman Art

This is a reconstruction of what an Etruscan Temple would look like. It sat on a podium and had a single set of steps leading up to the front porch. The plan was almost square and the interior was often divided up into three spaces. It is believed these would have housed cult statues.

Etruscan temples were made with mud-brick walls. The columns and entablatures were made of wood and sometimes a volcanic rock. The columns and capitals were generally of the Doric or Ionic orders. There was sometimes a frieze above the columns, but often the temple was decorated with dazzling painting rather than the friezes of Greek temples. There were additional terra cotta sculptures placed around the temple and the roof served as the base for large statue groups.

Creating sculptures out of terra-cotta required a great deal of skill and posed significant technical problems. The artist had to know how to construct the figure so that it wouldn’t collapse either from it’s own weight or while going through the firing process. The temperature in the large kiln had to be precisely regulated to avoid damaging the works.

Apollo, from Veii. c.500 BC. Painted terra-cotta

This sculpture of Apollo was originally part of a four person grouping. Apollo and Hercules were fighting over possession of a deer that was Diana’s. Diana and Mercury were looking on as the two fought. Here Apollo is seen striding forward over a decorative element, this element provided needed stability for the figure.

For those of you familiar with Greek statues you will immediately recognize the Archaic smile. It is evident that the Etruscans were familiar with the Kouroi of Ancient Greece. However, they didn’t copy the Kouroi, they made it their own. The obvious difference is that our Apollo is clothed, where the Koisos were always nudes. We also see that this Apollo is in full motion, where the Greek statues merely hinted at movement. This energy and purposeful movement is characteristic of Etruscan sculpture.

Much of what has survived of Etruscan art is from their tombs. While they practiced

Etruscan cemetery of La Banditaccia

cremation it appears they also thought of their tombs as homes for the dead. In the Etruscan cemetery of La Banditaccia we can see that the cemetery is designed like a town. The tombs were carved out of the ground or bedrock and there were streets tunneling between them. Some of the tombs have

Etruscan burial chamber.

corbel vault roofs that

were then covered in dirt and stone.

As you can see from these indoor pictures some of the tombs resemble the inside of houses. They were painted and decorated and fully funished. There were pots, jugs, robes, axes and other objects hanging off pillars. Most of the objects were simulated in stucco to resemble a needed item. The items were rendered in low relief and then painted.

The coffins or sarcophagi were often made of terra-cotta. This one shows a husband and wife reclining comfortable and

Etruscan Sarcophagus

enjoying each others company. This is not a sad or somber picture of the dead, but a lively rendering showing significant details. The walls of the tombs were covered with brightly colored paintings of feasting, dancing, and musical performances. Unlike Greek tomb paintings the woman are pictured as active participants in this community life.

In ancient times the skill of the Etruscans with bronze was widely acknowledged. Unfortunately most of the pieces were melted down by the Romans to be used for coins. One of the most famous works which did survive is this She-wolf nursing the twins, Romulus and Remus. Here we have a work retelling part of the story of the founding of Rome. Although there are several versions of the legend I’ll just give a brief recounting here. Two brothers, fugitives from Troy, came to what is now Italy. One was given the kingship, the other control over the treasury. As often happens in these stories the brother in charge of the treasury seized the throne.

Romulus and Remus, Bronze

His greatest fear was that his niece would conceive a child who would be able to claim a right to the throne so he made her a Vestal Virgin. She, however, soon gave birth to twins. Some stories say the boys were the sons of Mars, other that her uncle was the father of her children. Either way, all were condemned to death. The boys were placed in a basket and set in the Tiber river to die of exposure. Instead they were watched over by the goddess of the river. They were found by a she-wolf who cared for the boys as if they were her own cubs.

As adults the boys take revenge upon their uncle…but then fight over who shall be the king. Through a series of events to long to detail here Romulus wins out and we have the birth of Rome.

Greek Sculpture in the round.

More information for my Art class.  I’ve had to pick and choose which pieces to include here, so these are representative of the different periods of Greek scupture.  There were so many beautiful and moving sculptures to choose from, each with their own stories.  We covered more in class, but these are the ones you will be tested on.

Kroisos (Kouros)

During the archaic period Greek Sculpture followed a set of rigid guidelines, not all that different from the Egyptians.  The Kouros were life size or larger free standing sculptures of nude young men.  They were made from either wood, terra-cotta or white marble and were generally presented mid stride and were brightly painted.  The Kouros have been found in both graveyards and lining the way into a sanctuary.   Some believe that the youths may have been famous athletes, others that the figures were symbolic of fertility and the continuity of the family.

One of the identifying features of these statues is the Archaic smile.  It is a characteristic close lipped smile used to enliven the expressions of the figures.

Unlike earlier statues where the clothing gave clues as to the social class and

Peplos Kore

position of the person be honored, the nudity of these statues removes them from a specific time, place, or class.  While similar to the Egyptians these figures are more lifelike presented with greater anatomical accuracy.  Their massive limbs and torsos suggest heroic strength and on the bases of some there were engravings that advised the viewer to stop, remember and emulate the noble qualities.

The corresponding female statues were always shown clothed and were called kore.  It is believed they probably represented deities, priestesses, or nymphs.  Nymphs were young female immortals who waited upon the gods.

This is the Peplos Kore, so named because of the distinctive drape of cloth, usually of wool, that is folded over her bodice and pinned at the shoulders.  This figure once wore a metal crown and earrings and still has traces of the paint that once covered it’s surface.

When the Persians sacked the city of Athens in 480 BC many of the statues were broken and left as debris.  Later the Acropolis was built on top of the rubble.  Later excavations have revealed many of the abandoned statues.  This Kore was one of these forgotten pieces.

The Discus Thrower

During the classical period sculpture changed dramatically.  Although sculptures still used a canon of proportions the sculptures were much more lifelike and had greater individual characteristics.  Faces showed greater emotion and figures were often found in motion.  This is no small feat.  Working with heavy marble it required a great deal of skill and mathematical understanding to provide counterbalances that left these statues standing and not tipping to one side.  The discus thrower is a perfect example of the classic period of Greek sculpture in the round.  Myron was the famous Greek Sculpture of the Discus thrower.

Myron, however, did not do this sculpture in marble, but in bronze.  The Greeks discovered how to do hollow-casting with bronze which allowed a great deal more freedom than marble and soon became the medium of choice.  This choice has left us with few original Greek statues.  It was just to easy and tempting to melt down the statues and reuse the bronze.  Fortunately the Romans often made marble copies of the works before they were melted down.  What has survived of the discus thrower are Roman copies and not the original.

In the discus thrower Myron caught the athlete as he poised to unwind and propel the discus.  While Myron

Riace Warrior

was greatly admired for this work it is interesting that he was just as famous in his day for another sculpture that did not survive, a bronze of a cow.

The Riace Warriors are two bronze statues that have survived.  The warriors were found at the bottom of the ocean and meticulous conservators have worked to restore them to their original conditions.  They provide an interesting peek into the Greek mindset.  The body is an idealized, heroic leader/warrior whose youthfulness is belied by his more mature face.  The face is that of an older man who has acquired wisdom and experience.  These advantages of youth and experience are brought together in one work.  The lifelikeness of the statue was enhanced by the addition of eyeballs made of stone and colored glass.  The eyelashes and eyebrows were made of separately cast individual strips of bronze, and the lips and nipples were done in copper.  There is plating along the teeth that suggest they were done in silver.

Aphrodite of Knidos, Praxiteles

This next figure of Aphrodite was done by the Greek sculptor Praxiteles.  He created the statue for the city of Knidos.  This work is considered seminal because it is the first time we know of that the Greeks did a public statue like this of a woman in the nude.  Although nudity was expected and admired for male statues it had been considered a sign of low character in women.

This piece however won wide acceptance and viewers of the day found the statue to be of such enchanting beauty that it was considered a public model of positive moral values.  The story is told that Aphrodite herself came down to view the statue and upon seeing it exclaimed, “Where did Praxiteles see me naked?”  This was a favorite statue among the Romans and hundreds of copies were made, with more than 50 surviving to today.

The Hellenistic Period in Greek art shows a drastic change as pieces show extreme

Gallic Chieftain killing his wife.

expressions of pain, stress, anger, or despair.   Not all works during this period were like the three I’ve chosen to include here.  Some combined these elements with the classical elements.  You will notice that the artists is trying elicit a specific emotional reponse from the viewer, this was characteristic of Hellenistic art.  This movement started in Pergamon in Asia Minor.

In this first work we see one of the works done as part of a group commemorating the Greek victory over the Gauls.  The Greeks admired the heroism of the Gauls and sought to arouse the viewers admiration and pity for his subjects.  In this work we have a chieftain killing his wife and himself.  This was originally part of a group of statues on a raised dias that could be viewed from all sides.

Laocoon and His sons

This next work was inspired by the story of Laocoon.  During the Trojan war, the priest,  Laocoon warned the Trojans not to trust the gift of the Trojan horse, that it was a trick designed to bring the enemy into the city.  The gods who were on the sides of the Greeks during the war wanted to retaliate against Laocoon for his warning.  They sent a sea creature to kill him and his sons as the wondered along the shoreline.

This work was meant to be viewed from the front and many historians believe this is actually an original Greek sculpture and not a Roman copy.  The work shows the anguish of Laocoon as he struggles to free himself and his children.

This last work is the famous Nike, or goddess of victory.  Originally

Nike of Samothrace

seen descending from the prow of a ship this sculpture shows the goddess as she descends against an ocean breeze.  Her arm which has been lost (although pieces have been recovered) would have had her right arm coming up to cup her mouth as she shouted out the victory.   The original piece was fittingly part of a war memorial.  Feeling the movement and power of the piece viewers are struck by it’s size and beauty.  The wings provide a backward thrust that balances the forward motion of the body.  The image of the body underneath the clothing is clearly seen showing the skill of the artist.

Great Article

Here is a great article about two terrific colleges. I’d be hard pressed to say who the hero’s were in this one. Kudos to all involved.

Westmont Fire

As most of you have heard a Wildfire has swept through the small community in Montecito. We received a phone call from our son very shortly after the blaze started, as it was not far from one of the dorms on Westmont’s campus and all students were evacuated to the gym. About 800 students along with faculty rode out the firestorm in the gym which is a concrete, fire-safe building. We were able to speak to both Caleb and Levi and knew they were safe.

The college has sustained many structural loses, including over a dozen faculty homes. Caleb’s dorm building burned. We don’t know if any of his stuff survived. I’m sure he’s hoping at least his amp and guitar made it, but from the pictures it doesn’t look good.

You can see pictures of Westmont during the fire last night at www.independent.com.

We are grateful that noone in Montecito has been seriously hurt and pray that the fire continues to remain contained…last night it was moving into a heavily populated area. The boys are still contained in the gym, but I assume we will hear more soon when they are allowed to walk around the campus. To complicate things it was College Preview Days and there were High School students visiting the campus.

We are giving thanks that God has protected all the people in the area and pray for those who have lost so much.

These photos were posted by Joel Phillips on facebook to let students know what was going on.

Teaching Children About God, Part 2

I started this post awhile ago to answer questions I’d received about how we taught our children about God. Some questions specifically centered on curriculum choices, others were about books and movies we allowed, others were more specific to their child’s current struggles and situation. All, however, shared the common concern of how to raise wise and Godly children in a culture so often opposed to our beliefs. There is no magic formula (unfortunately) and every child is created by God unique with their own story. However, I strongly believe there are some things we can do to give our kids a firm foundation. Since this is part 2 of my thoughts you may want to go back and take a look at Part 1,.

So, Question Number One: Did we use Christian textbooks/curriculum in our homeschool?

We used both Christian and secular books. The reasoning for this is simple. All truth is God’s truth.

Levi being baptized by his Dad.

Because facts are printed in a Christian book as opposed to a secular book does not make them more or less true, or more or less Godly. Whether we are studying addition, science, or history when we discover truths about the world we live in we are finding out about our Creator. In that sense, all of our education is a Christian endeavor, even an act of worship. God has placed within us a desire to learn, to grow, to create. Education should give us the tools we need to do those things.

I tried to find the best curriculum I could in each subject. Sometimes they were from Christian publishers, sometimes they weren’t. (Sometimes I made up my own.) My concern was that each would lead my student to a greater understanding of the topic, and hence a greater understanding of God and the world and people he created. Studying science is studying God and his creation…studying history is studying His story….studying Math is studying the unchanging laws God has established. Don’t compartmentalize your homeschool day into Bible…and everything else. Our faith permeated everything we taught even though we used a variety of books to accomplish that goal. Obviously this requires a higher degree of vigilance on the part of parents to correct and discuss any ideas presented that might be contrary to a Christian worldview, but those discussions are also useful teaching moments.

What Bible Curriculum did you use?

Before I answer this, let me just say that what we did at home was in addition to what they were receiving at church in their Sunday School class and mid week meetings. I think it’s vital for children to be a part of the life of the church and be involved, but I also think parent need to be careful not to neglect discussions and instruction at home to be sure children are getting a thorough grounding. Nothing can be more important than this.

Let me just emphatically say, “Don ‘t buy into the ‘twaddle’.” If any of you have had the opportunity to buy curriculum for your church’s Sunday School you may have encountered some of the same frustrations that I have. Charlotte Mason called it ‘twaddle’. She was particularly critical of much of the writing done for children’s books because she had a great respect for the minds of children. She felt parents and teachers should be encouraged to read to their children ‘living’ books and eliminate the twaddle from their lives. Let’s be honest, much of what is written for children in Christian bookstores would fall into this category.

Children have sharp, interested minds and those minds need to be respected. When I read our children

Christmas morning at church

the story of Adam and Eve’s fall straight from the book of Genesis many interesting discussions followed. Children ask many of the same questions adults ask and find many aspects of the story relevant. They discuss the way each character tried to blame another, the way the serpent tried to appeal to Eve, the silliness of trying to hide from God. In contrast, when we pick up the typical Bible curriculum we read a paraphrase of the story then ask questions designed to lead to one correct answer and a lesson summed up in a simple sentence for the children to walk away with. I find this unnecessary and limiting. So, when it comes to Bible Curriculum I would strongly encourage you to use the Bible.

Here is the approach we took. When the kids were really young, toddlers and preschool we had a Bible Story book with pictures that we read through. By the time they were in kindergarten they could recite back most of the stories by looking at the corresponding picture, and had a solid grounding in the stories of the Old and New Testament.

As they got older we read together a story directly from the Scriptures and had a brief discussion. As they moved into Jr. High and High school we encouraged them to read on their own. In our house and extended family, discussions of a religious nature are a common occurrence. If that is not the case in your family you will have to make a more concentrated effort to introduce those conversations. I have found these open ended discussions far more beneficial than most curriculum.

That said, there are a couple of programs I have come across and used that we found very beneficial. The first is Memlok, which is a Bible Memory program. I think it’s crucial for children and adults to ‘hide God’s word in their hearts. When my kid’s were young they did some of this through church programs and some with Memlok. Memlok has scriptures divided up into 48 different categories and printed onto small memory cards. So let’s say your child is struggling with anger. You can pull out verses that have to do with anger and help your child to memorize them. The back of each card has a visual clue to the first few words of the verse to help you get started and to aid in ‘locking’ the verse in your mind. This adds a visual element for those kids who have trouble memorizing. If you work consistently through the book you will memorize verses from every book in the Bible and have 700 verses memorized. There is a built in review system that only takes 5 minutes per day. You can get the program for your computer and print out a separate set of cards for every family member.

The other thing we participated in was the Community Bible Study Homeschool program. Community Bible Study (CBS) is a non-denominational study conducted all across the United States (and abroad). It is an inductive approach to study. Students work their way through a selection of scripture, making observations and answering questions on a worksheet. Unlike many programs these worksheets are specifically designed to get you digging, each answer you give must have a verse referenced, so no falling back on ‘what you’ve heard.’ CBS is an adult study, but in some areas they have a corresponding homeschool program, so while mom is working on her study, the child is doing a variation of the same and then coming each week to their own discussion group to go over what they have learned. And, for those of with preschoolers, the preschool program is great, my kids couldn’t wait to be there.

Well, I think that’s enough for now. Possibly we will continue this topic next month.

Aegean Art – Part 1 The Cyclades

Again, continuing to post information so my students can review what we have been doing in class…here is the ancient art from the area around the Aegean Sea.

The first art that we encounter was produced by the Cycladic people (3,000-1100 BC) who inhabited the Cycladic Islands.  They were excellent seafarers and farmers.  They had established trade with Egypt and other early civilizations in the Near East.  One of the hallmarks of this society was the use of Bronze, an alloy made from copper.  They had to import the metal ores needed to mix with the copper.

Because we have not been able to figure out how to read all of their writing, their art has become a major source on information about them.  Among the most unusual products of the Cycladic artist were strange, unidentifiable objects made of terra-cotta.  They were ornamented with stylized designs and either painted or incised before firing.  The example pictured is from 2500-2200 BC.  The incised panel is called a ‘frying pan’ not because it was used for that purpose, but because it is descriptive of it’s shape. 

“This piece consists of a wide, geometric border encircling a scene showing a boat on a sea of waves depicted as linked spirals.  With its long hull and banks of oars, the boat resembles those seen in Neolithic Egyptian art.  The large fish to the left might be a carved prow ornament.”  pg. 92 of Art History by Marilyn Stokstad.

The Cyclades had an ample supply of white marble which was used by sculptors.  In this piece we have a seated harp player who is fully developed in a sculpture in the round.  It’s body shape is reduced to geometric figures, but retains those elements essential to an actual musician.  The harpist sits on a high-backed chair with a splayed base, his head is tilted back as if singing, and his knees and feet are separated for stability.  The harp is braced on one arm, with the other left free to pluck.

Another unique kind of sculpture found in the Cyclades were nudes that could range in size from a few inches to 5 feet tall.  The sculptures were generally of females and were often found laying on graves.  The figures are fairly flat, simple geometric features and bodies, and by the angles of their feet it is apparent that they were laid flat as they could not be displayed standing.  Their arms are shown crossed on their bodies, toes pointed as if they are asleep or dead.  Originally these statues were painted black, red, and blue.  Besides having facial features painted on they would also have had hair added.

Although we cannot know the precise purpose or use of these statues one interpretation has been that they were used for worship in the home and then buried with their owners.  This would explain why many are found around graves.  According to this theory, the larger statues were set up for communal worship, either to represent the supernatural deities, or as votive figures.

Make a Chicken Mummy

Since we have been studying Ancient Egypt I thought I’d post this activity for those of you who want to try it.  These directions were found in The Story of The World, Activity Book One.  The photos are not mine, but copied from sites that have tried this.  Try looking at this site to see additional things you can do with your mummy, like measuring how many ounces the chicken loses during the process.  Fun stuff.

What you will need:

3 cans of baking powder

3 boxes of baking soda

chicken (whole, uncooked, small is better)  I suppose you could try this with a cornish game hen and it wouldn’t take as long.

Freezer bags…large and lots of them

Plastic gloves

rubbing alcohol, Egyptians used wine, but that would be a bit pricey.

salt, several boxes

If you wish scented oils…recipe below if you want to make your own.

various spices, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, you don’t have to use the spices if the expense is an issue

white glue

white linen type fabric, other fabric you have on hand will work, but won’t look very mummyish

Directions:

1.  Put on your gloves!  Chicken can harbor nasty bacteria.

2.  Remove the neck and package of liver, heart etc. from the inside of the chicken.  You can mummify these, but they will continue to smell, even after being dried.  If you do mummify them, the heart is usually wrapped in linen, and stuffed back inside the body.  The other parts are put in canopic jars.  Dry them following the same method as for the chicken.

3.  Wash the chicken well in hot running water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Wash again with alcohol and pat dry.  Don’t forget to wash inside the cavity of the chicken as well.  This helps to reduce the amount of bacteria that will grow on the bird.  Dry as much as possible.

4.  Mis 1/2 box of baking soda with 1/2 can of baking powder and 2 boxes of salt.  The addition of baking powder and baking soda will increase the acidity of the salt mixture reducing the amount of bacteria that can grow.  This will also make the salt mixture more similar to the natron salt used by the ancient Egyptians which consisted of three salts plus sodium sulfate.  If you like, you can also mix spices into the mixture.

5.  Pour some of this mixture into the cavity of the chicken until it is full.  Then, pour some into a large freezer bag.  Put the chicken in the bag, and add the rest of the salt mixture.  The chicken should be completely covered.  Seal the bag.  Put the sealed bag into a second bag and seal.

6.  Check the chicken everyday for a week.  If the salt is wet, put on some gloves, remove the chicken dust off the salt and repeat step 4.  You will likely have to do this several times.

7.  After the first week, you only need to check the chicken once a week.  If the salt is wet proceed as above.

8.  At the end of the 6th week, put on your gloves, remove the chicken from the bag, dust off the salt as completely as you can.  Wet a paper towel and wipe any remaining salt off the bird.  Be sure to dry immediately.

9.  Rub the fragrance oil into the chicken, inside and out.  If you are using unscented oil, you may rub spices into the chicken and then the oil.

10.  Stuff the inside of the bird with fabric, you could also use sawdust and spices.

11.  Dip the strips of linen into the glue and begin wrapping.  Wrap the wings and legs seperately from the body.  Once3 that is complete wrap the body again, without the glue another 2 to 3 times.  You can wrap trinkets in if you wish, like the Egyptians wrapped in amulets.

Making the Scented Oil

Fill a jar to the top with a combination of spices (cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg work well)

Add oil to the jar and close the lid

Set it in a sunny location for a week.  Shake the jar well 2-3 times per day.

Drain the oil to use, or repeat the above steps for another week for stronger oil/perfume.

To make Canopic Jars for your organs

Clean off a small jar with screw top lid (or several jars, generally only one organ was placed in a jar)

Put paper scraps and water into a blender an puree (you can use packaged paper mache if you prefer)

drain water and mix in some glue.

Mould the pulp onto the lid into the shape of the head of one of Horus’s sons.  (Horus had four sons, Imsety was human and his jar protected the liver, Duamutef was a jackal and protected the stomach, Hapy was a baboon and protected the lungs, and Qebhsemuf was a falcon and protected the intenstines.)  Let dry completely.

Paint on details to the sculpture you made on the top, and onto the jars, writing in hieroglyphics if you want.

Art History Hittites

Anatolia, or modern day Turkey, is the home of the Hittite civilization. The Hittites were Indo-Europeans and recognized equality between men and women. Their laws even incorporated rights for slaves. No other legal system in the world at that time was so advanced. At a time in the Near East when flaying and impaling enemies was the rule, the Hittites were humane and civilized, even by today’s standards.

Although the monarchy passed from father to son, this was a kingship based on the idea of “primus inter pares”, first among equals, for the ruler was required to bring many matters before a senate.

It is possible that the Hitties were the first people to work in iron.  They were skilled at using iron to fashion chariot fittings and weapons. They used blocks of stone to decorated in high relief to decorate their gateways, some of these guardian figures were 7 feet tall.  The illustrations included here show a few of these guardians.