What in the World?

Artifacts and Historical ResearchArtifacts and Historical ResearchPresented by:Presented by:

Anita Heriot and Lisa SnyderAnita Heriot and Lisa Snyder

The Haverford SchoolThe Haverford Schoolwww.haverford.orgwww.haverford.org

Deep Description

The goal of the deep description is for students to examine The goal of the deep description is for students to examine the artifact objectively without interjecting his or her the artifact objectively without interjecting his or her assumptions. In order to engage in this process students are assumptions. In order to engage in this process students are asked to describe the following components of the artifactasked to describe the following components of the artifact

~ material~ material ~ shape~ shape ~ imperfections (cracks, missing pieces etc.)~ imperfections (cracks, missing pieces etc.) ~ color~ color ~ inscriptions or designs on the object~ inscriptions or designs on the object ~ measurements~ measurements ~ typology~ typology

Diagnostic Questions

After the student completes his or her deep After the student completes his or her deep description, the student begins to “diagnose” the description, the student begins to “diagnose” the artifact with the goal of identifying its origin and artifact with the goal of identifying its origin and use. As a physician looks at the symptoms of a use. As a physician looks at the symptoms of a disease to figure out a sickness, the student disease to figure out a sickness, the student reflects on the identifying characteristics of the reflects on the identifying characteristics of the artifact to determine it use and origin. artifact to determine it use and origin. Hypothetically, the answers to the diagnostic Hypothetically, the answers to the diagnostic questions should unlock the mystery of the object. questions should unlock the mystery of the object.

Student Example

The following are some The following are some examples of diagnostic examples of diagnostic questions used by students in questions used by students in their analysis of their objects.their analysis of their objects.

In looking at a tile the boys In looking at a tile the boys asked,asked,

““What type of Rock or clay What type of Rock or clay was used to make the tiles?”was used to make the tiles?”

““Where is this type of Where is this type of geometric pattern found and geometric pattern found and does it have a symbolic does it have a symbolic meaning?”meaning?”

Our ArtifactBy: Holden Frederick and Jack Shine

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Criticism and Reflection

The ultimate goal is for the student to provide a coherent The ultimate goal is for the student to provide a coherent analysis based on evidence which places the object in the analysis based on evidence which places the object in the appropriate cultural context.appropriate cultural context.

~Peers evaluate each presentation based on the quality of ~Peers evaluate each presentation based on the quality of the argument and the extent to which it has achieved the argument and the extent to which it has achieved the above goal. the above goal.

~Together the presenters and their peers come up with ~Together the presenters and their peers come up with changes to the power point to make the argument changes to the power point to make the argument stronger. stronger.

~If students follow recommendations of the teacher and ~If students follow recommendations of the teacher and their peers, the presenters received 10 revision points.their peers, the presenters received 10 revision points.

Measurements

8.25 cm

10.25 cm

Weight: 5 oz

Description

• Front• Flaky terracotta material• Light and dark shades of brown• Chipped and decaying• Engraved facial features; eyes, mouth, ears, and flat nose• Mouth protrudes slightly from the face• Crudely and primitively made• Has a very flat face overall• Back• Severe depression in bottom half of face with a groove the size of a

thumbnail• Back has no detail compared to front

Severe Depression

Flat Face

www.haverford.org

www.haverford.org

The Object’s Use• Object’s of this typology are usually found in tombs or sanctuary wells,

which means that our object was either used as part of a religious ritual to the gods or as part of a burial tradition.

• The fact that the object is a head is significant because it was used to either represent the person being buried or the god being prayed to.

• Basically, the object of this typology is used for religious purposes.

Much wear suggests time spent buried.

Pre-Columbian Burial Site

http://www.mc2-map.org/IMA/FIGS_JPG/FIG17.JPG

The Location and People• Objects of this type are used by early classic cultures such as Vera

Cruz,the Mayans, the Chipicuaro, or the Aztecs. All of the cultures are from parts of South America and parts of Mexico.

• This object was most likely from the Pre-Columbian era (before Columbus’ “discovery” of the Americas), anywhere from 600 B.C.E. to 100 B.C.E.

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/americas/9907/28/mexico.population/mexico.mexico.city.jpg

http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/CITY.GUIDES/regional/southam/southam.jpg

The Analysis• First, we started by observing all we could. The questions we asked

ourselves were:-What cultures had flat-faced sculptures?

-What people used small terracotta heads as part of their culture?

• We then moved on to using the internet and books to try and find any ancient artifacts of the same typology.

• We continued to search relentlessly, but to no avail. On our second to the last day, we finally found a lead. The objects pictured below are all of the typology of our object; they are made from terracotta, they are primitively made, and most importantly the faces are flat.

Flat FaceTerracotta

http://www.mcintosh55.com/items/J01435.jpg

http://www.mcintosh55.com/items/J01431.jpg

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The Analysis (contd.)• Next we hit another wall, as our only examples were heads attached to

other pieces of terracotta. After refined searching due to our findings, we were able to come up with a collection of heads just like ours, but no information was available. In order to obtain this information, we contacted the auction house selling the collection and got a clearer picture as to what the objects were used for and who used them.

http://www.antiquities.com.au/order/EuropeanitemDetail.asp?v=22&vprodid=1431&vOrder=

http://www.antiquities.com.au/order/EuropeanitemDetail.asp?v=22&vprodid=1406&vOrder=

terracotta material, similar facial features, primitively made, and flat-faced

http://www.haverford.org/upper/courseinfo/seminar/archeology0409/images/P9230013_JPG.jpg

Closing Statements• From the auction house we found out that the objects

were found in sanctuary wells or tombs. We concluded that:

-The object was used for religious purposes (An offering to Gods, or part of a burial ritual).

• We also found out the objects were from the Mexican area in the Pre-Columbian era. We concluded that:

-The Mayans, Aztecs, Vera Cruz, and Chipicuaro used terracotta heads in the Mexican area during 600-100 B.C.E.

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Jack Shine and Holden Frederick

Aztec or Mayan Terracotta HeadThe Mexican Area of South America 600-100 BCEHeight: 10.25 cm Width: 8.25 cm

An ancient terracotta head found in the Mexican area that was most likely used by the Mayans or the Aztecs in 600-100 BCE. It was sculpted to be part of either a burial ritual or for offerings to the Gods. The head represented either the person being buried or the God being worshipped.

Bibliography:

Rabito, Giovanni. Your reguest of Information on Xanthos. http://us.f613.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=2162_108678_3202_1483_2025_0_15_5645_1903547879&Idx=4&YY=80050&inc=25&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&box=Inbox (e-mail). (28 September, 2004).

“Collection of Terracotta Heads.” Prima Dell’ America. http://www.antiquities.com.au/order/EuropeancollectionitemList.asp?v=22. (27 September, 2004).

The Exhibition

The Winners

Project Survey

What was your attitude when you first What was your attitude when you first received your object? Choose one of the received your object? Choose one of the following and explain:following and explain: ExcitedExcited AnxiousAnxious ConfusedConfused ConfidentConfident

Survey, cont.

In what ways did your description of the object In what ways did your description of the object change between the first and second attempts?change between the first and second attempts?

In your research, what was the greatest stumbling In your research, what was the greatest stumbling block that you encountered?block that you encountered?

When did the “AHA Moment” occur?When did the “AHA Moment” occur? For you, as a learner, what do you believe was the For you, as a learner, what do you believe was the

most important part of the process?most important part of the process? Where else might this project be useful?Where else might this project be useful?

Student Reflections

What was the most important part of the process?What was the most important part of the process?

. . . Learning how to look at things in smaller parts and . . . Learning how to look at things in smaller parts and realizing each part’s significance to the entire object.realizing each part’s significance to the entire object.

. . . I think the most important part was looking and not . . . I think the most important part was looking and not jumping to conclusions because I think as people, we jumping to conclusions because I think as people, we tend to reach conclusions and stick with it and stop tend to reach conclusions and stick with it and stop trying to look for possibilities.trying to look for possibilities.

. . . No matter how hard a time you are having finding . . . No matter how hard a time you are having finding something, if you keep on looking you can eventually something, if you keep on looking you can eventually find the answer.find the answer.

Student Reflections

Where else might this process be useful?Where else might this process be useful? . . . Being able to test your beginning thoughts and . . . Being able to test your beginning thoughts and

prove or disprove them.prove or disprove them. . . . To learn to not jump to conclusions.. . . To learn to not jump to conclusions. . . . In situations where you are given many unknowns . . . In situations where you are given many unknowns

and need to determine what the larger picture is.and need to determine what the larger picture is. . . . When you are stuck with a problem in anything, . . . When you are stuck with a problem in anything,

you could describe the problem and then research it.you could describe the problem and then research it. . . . In any other type of assignment that involves going . . . In any other type of assignment that involves going

one step at a time, and eventually putting each fact one step at a time, and eventually putting each fact together to make up the end result.together to make up the end result.

The Haverford School

www.haverford.orgwww.haverford.org Anita Heriot, aheriot@haverford.orgAnita Heriot, aheriot@haverford.org Lisa Snyder, lsnyder@haverford.orgLisa Snyder, lsnyder@haverford.org