Museum of Ancient Cultures
Han Dynasty

The Museum of Ancient Cultures needs artifacts from China's Han Dynasty! Because of your expertise in ancient civilizations you have been chosen as curators this term.

The museum only has space for a limited number of artifacts, so the Board of Directors has arranged a competition. You must locate an artifact, research it, and present your findings. If you're successful, your artifact will go on display.


What's a curator?

Museum curators acquire artifacts for the museum. They know enough about the artifacts' construction to insure that they are displayed in a manner that preserves them. Curators also research cultural information about artifacts and interpret that information into displays that help the public understand the people who made them.

YOUR CHALLENGE

  • Fill the Museum with replicas representing the Han Dynasty from 200 B.C. to A.D. 200.

  • Research your artifact, its culture, and major events that happened in the area during that time.

  • Create a portfolio with a picture of your artifact, a map showing where it was found, a timeline, information about the culture, a list of works you consulted, and pictures of your progress.

  • Create a museum card that describes your artifact and why it was important.

  • Present your artifact to the museum's Board of Directors (the class, Mr. Hall, and Mr. Collier).

Complete Your Project in 5 Easy Steps

Step 1 - You need to decide on an artifact that you think will make it into the museum. Use the resources at the bottom of this page to find an artifact. Remember: no weapons. Get at least one good, color picture of the artifact.

TIPS:

    • You must make your replica from scratch, so consider your strengths: Can you weave? Did these people weave? If so, you may want to re-create a textile.

    • If the original artifact is really huge or tiny, you can make a smaller or larger version.

    • You will need essay information: look for artifacts that include long write-ups, or pick an everyday or famous object.

TASKS:

  1. Save a picture of your artifact.

  2. Write a citation for the picture like this:
    "Title of the artifact." Title of Website, URL. Date of access.

  3. Write down what your artifact is called, when and where it was found, and when it was made.

  4. Begin planning your replica. The presentation date may seem a long way off, but give yourself plenty of time for creating your artifact. Students commonly say they have to make more than one attempt.

Step 2 - You need to research your artifact's background so you can tell museum visitors more about it. If you're lucky, the source where you found your picture will also have detailed information about the item. If not, think about what your artifact represents--religion, food, game, tool--and look for related information in the books.

TASKS:

1. Write about your item. Describe what it is, how it was made, where it was found, and why an ancient person would think it was important.

2. Write citations for your sources of information like this:

Book - Author's last name, first name. Title of Book. City of publication, Publisher, copyright date.

Web page - Author’s last name, first name (if given). “Page Title.” Title of Site, copyright date, URL.

Step 3 - Museum visitors will want to know more about your culture. Search the ebooks and websites for information about what was happening in the area when your item was made.

TASKS:

1. Make a timeline of the period when your artifact was made including major points (migration periods, wars, important people's births and deaths, disasters, ruler's reigns, founding of cities, etc).

2. Write a paragraph for your essay about the people who made your artifact.

3. Hand-draw a map of the area where your artifact was found.

Step 4 - Put the most interesting and important information from step 2 into a museum card.

TASKS:

  1. Take all your information and gather it into an essay about your artifact and the people who made it. Follow the instructions Mr. Hall gave you.

  1. The first paragraph will be used as your museum card, so make it all about your artifact. This information will be in the museum alongside your artifact, so be professional and make it interesting.


  1. The rest of your essay will be about the culture itself and how your artifact fit into the lives of these people.

Example First Paragraph/Museum Card:

Spirit Masks - Hebron Region
7000 BC
Isabella Ares, Annie D’Amaro

In the Judean desert, twelve 9,000 year old masks were found within a 50 kilometer radius. Each mask weighs approximately one to two kilograms (two to four pounds). It is believed that many masks were created, but only these remaining twelve survived. They are made of limestone, and one mask suggests that they were likely painted in antiquity. “It is important to say that these are not living people, these are spirits” (Debby Hershman, Israel Museum). These masks may have been used in ceremonies dedicated to the dead, but there are no written records of usage since these masks predate writing by 3,500 years. These masks were created by the first people to abandon the nomadic lifestyle and create permanent settlements. Thanks to the desert climate, they are still with us today.

Step 5 - Put all your work together for your presentation to the Board of Directors.

1. Bring your artifact and your information to class.

2. Present the information about your artifact.

3. On the map, point out where your artifact was found.

4. Tell us about one or two important things on your timeline.

5. Show pictures of how you created your artifact.

You will have 3 to 5 minutes to present, so stick to the interesting stuff.

RESEARCH SOURCES

Websites with Artifacts

Freer Sackler Collection at Smithsonian Museum
Use the Period tab on the left to select Han Dynasty artifacts.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

British Museum

Where to find Everyday Life, Maps, and Important Dates

Gale eBooks
Click the "History" tab, select Ancient Civilizations Reference, then look for the section on China.
Or search from the main box if you have a person's name, a city, or a term.

ProQuest eBook Central
Search for "Han Dynasty" to find several books. Look for Chinese culture or history.

World Book Online
Type in the name of your culture to find articles, maps, and timelines.

Go to the Library Portal to find the off-campus logins for these databases.

PRINT BOOKS - with maps, cultural information and important dates for your timeline

    • Books about ancient China are at call number 931

DUE DATES

  • Sep 10 - Partners and artifact due

  • Sep 24 - Historiography due

  • Oct 1 - First paragraph (museum card) due

  • Oct 8 - 1st and 2nd paragraphs due

  • Oct 15 - Rough draft due

  • Nov 2 - Project is finished and presentations begin

GRADING

You will be evaluated on three aspects of this project: your presentation to the Board, the quality of your information, and your artifact itself. Mr. Hall will grade each part of your project according to the handout given to you at the beginning of the project.

CONCLUSION

Consider these questions:

  • Why was it important to use so many different sources of information?

  • Did creating a representation of your artifact help you better understand the people who made it?

  • What did you learn about your civilization during this task?

  • What did you learn from your classmates' presentations?

Even though you may not become a museum curator, hopefully you will see where things you learn in Ancient Civ might apply in the "real world". You should have a better understanding of the ancient artist and a sense of style from the earliest cultures on earth. You will also exercise your ability to locate information in different forms and put it together so you can share your knowledge with others.