What is a Primary Source/Document?

Cory May9/7/2011

A Primary Source is ….

Anything that comes from or was created during the period of time in question – an ORIGINAL source Document Artifact Recording Piece of Art Person Picture Etc.

Ex: Pericles’ Funeral Oration

Secondary Source

Not an original document, but deals or comments on a primary source or multiple primary sources

Ex: Your Textbook (although it may have a

collection of Primary Sources located within it)

Dissecting a Primary Source Questions:

Author – Who did/wrote this Audience – Who’s it for Form – What is it Context – According to time, also to the audience Message – What is this trying to get across Method – How is it written/displayed Bias – Reasons for creation – important for some

reason Intent – What was the author trying to do or get

across Success or Failure – Do you buy this source?

Alexander Mosaic – 1st Century BCE

From: Pompeii Author: Philoxenos The Battle of Issus (333 B.C.) –

Alexander’s Victory over Darius III. Marked the beginning of the end for the Persian Empire

Darius “Treasury Relief” – c. 550-486 BCE

Author: Unknown From: Persepolis Bas relief of Darius I’s (the Great)

Nowruz Audience Depicts the giving of gifts to the

Persian king by ambassadors from the satrapies of the empire for the New Year.

Mural: Tomb of Thutmosis IV - c.1400-1390 BCE

Author: Unknown Location: Egypt Depicts the King Thutmosis IV facing

various divinities who stretch the sign of life towards him - the ankh

What about the text above his head?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Persian_warriors_from_Berlin_Museum.jpg

Babylonian Archers

Author: Unknown Location: Babyl0n (presently: Berlin,

Germany) Method: Assyrian Mosaic Tiles Depicts 3 Babylonian Archers on

guard Why is this important?