Tang Dynasty 2016
Marist School's
Museum of Ancient Cultures
The Marist Museum needs artifacts representing Tang Dynasty culture from China
Because of your expertise in ancient civilizations YOU have been chosen as curators of the museum.
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 Tang Dynasty in China, ca. A.D. 600 to A.D. 900.
You may replicate an actual artifact from antiquity or a variation on the original.
Research your artifact, its culture, and major events that happened in the area during that time.
Create a portfolio with a description and picture of your artifact, a map showing where it was found, a timeline, an article about the culture, a list of works you consulted, and pictures documenting 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. Martin, and Mr. Collier).
PROCESS
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First you need to decide on an item that you think will make it into the museum. Use the resources at the bottom of this page to find an artifact. Get at least one good picture of it.
TIPS:
Consider your artistic 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 of it.
You will need information. If you find a long write-up with your picture, then your work will be easier. If not, try to pick an everyday or famous object.
Consult with Mr. Buckner in Fine Arts for advice. If you decide to work with ceramics, Mr. Buckner has agreed to help but you must sign up in the ceramics studio this week because it can take four weeks to fire a piece. You must also follow Mr. Buckner's instructions and keep the studio clean.
FIRST WEEK TASKS:
1. Save a picture of your artifact to your network space or photocopy a picture from a book.
2. Write a citation for the picture like this:
Title of the artifact. Date of artifact. Name of museum, city. Title of Website.
3. Write down what your artifact is called, when and where it was found, and when it was made.
4. Begin creating your replica of the artifact.
5. Document your progress--take pictures while you work.
You need to research your artifact's background so visitors to the museum will know more about it. If you're lucky, the source where you found your picture (in step 1) will also have detailed information about the item. If not, think about where else you can look.
TIP:
Consider your artifact's larger purposes--religious icon, game, household tool--and look for books that deal with those things. If your artifact has an animal or sacred symbol on it, then look for books that explain why the symbol was important to these people.
SECOND WEEK TASKS:
1. Write about your item. Describe what your item is, what it is made of, how it is constructed, 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. Publisher, copyright date. Print.
Web page - Author’s last name, first name (if given). “Web Page Title.” Title of Site.
Museum visitors will want to know more about the Tang dynasty. Search the books and web sites for information about what was happening in the area when your item was made.
THIRD WEEK TASKS:
1. Use the Timeliner program to make a timeline of the period when your artifact was made and add at least five major points (migration periods, wars, important people's births and deaths, disasters, ruler's reigns, founding of cities, etc). You should use more than one source to find events for your timeline.
2. Hand-draw a map of the area where your artifact was found.
Put the most interesting and important information from step 2 into a museum card.
FOURTH WEEK TASK:
Type your information into a Word document.
Put the name of your artifact, when it was made
and your name(s) at the top.
Print out a copy to use for your presentation and bring it to class.
E-mail a copy of your information to Mr. Collier collierb@marist.com
(Mr. Collier will use it to mount a card for your artifact.)
This information will hang in the museum alongside your artifact, so be professional and make it interesting.
Example:
Buddha's Head
AD 320-550
Amanda Valencia and Katie Wojna
This sculpture comes from Mathura, India and was created during the Gupta period. This particular Buddha is carved from stone and shows some of the delicate details, such as the hair curls, that Gupta statues are known for. Similar statues of the Buddha can be found across India and were made over thousands of years. Some Buddhas are nearly 100 feet tall. They can be free standing or carved into the side of a mountain. The vast array of Buddhas found throughout India's history show us that the Buddha has been an important figure to these people for centuries.
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 you gathered in your research.
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.
Websites with Artifacts
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Tang Dynasty Timeline
Minneapolis Museum: Art of China
Be very careful to chose an artifact from the right time period.
Websites about Everyday Life, Maps and Important Dates for your Timeline
Type in the name of your culture to find articles, maps, and timelines.
Books with Artifacts, Maps, Everyday Life and Important Dates for your Timeline
Books about Chinese art are at 709
Books about ancient China are at 931
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. Martin 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.