Abstract This paper explores the cultural accomplishments and legacy of the Mayan Empire. The paper demonstrates how their system of higher mathematics and geometry allowed them to build palaces, public buildings, athletic arenas, monuments, pyramids, pottery, jewelry and other various art forms, all without the benefits of modern technology. The paper also examines the archaeological evidence left behind by the Mayan Empire, discussing their creation of whole cities based on stone technology, as well as discovered artifacts that demonstrate the Mayan's culture and cleverness. The paper concludes with a discussion of the legacy of the Mayan Empire and the continuing Mayan cultural presence in Latin America today.
From the Paper "The Mayans kept time with a combination of several cycles that converged and marked the movement of the sun, the moon, and Venus. Archeologists believe the Mayans began to keep track of time on August 31, 3114 BC. The year 3114 BC is called the zero year and is comparable to January 1, 0000 AD. The Mayan calendar records time in 400 year cycles, which means that 13 cycles of 400 years will have passed before the next cycle begins on December 27, 2012 (1-0-0-0-0 in Mayan time). The Mayans realized there were cycles in the Cosmos. From this astronomical realization came instruments for reckoning time and a calendar that accurately measures the solar year to within minutes."
Abstract An analysis of a Sumerian sculpture known as 'Standing Man'is provided in essay format that discusses how the sculpture reflects various values, ideas and beliefs held by this ancient culture. The paper explores the place of this god in Sumerian culture.
From the Paper The artifact from Tell Asmar known as Standing Man is typical of many sculptures from this ancient Middle East civilization...
Tags: Tell Asmar, gods, vegetation, religion, temples, prayers, Abu
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the formal and cultural dimensions of the pyramids at Giza and the Louvre. The Great Pyramid of Giza as one of the wonders of the ancient world, and I.N. Pei's pyramid that serves as the entrance to the Louvre Museum are discussed.
From the Paper "A pyramid is not a pyramid is not a pyramid to paraphrase Gertrude Stein". Even monumental pyramids vary greatly one from the other as we can see if we compare the grand pyramid that I M Pei created to serve as an entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris and the ..."
Abstract This paper discusses the history of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. The paper explains that the park was built to preserve the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people and that it is of historical and archaeological significance to visitors and scientists alike.
Tags: Mesa Verde, national park, Native Americans, Anasazi
Abstract This paper is a discussion of Athenian Democracy under Pericles as made possible by the existence of slavery. The paper explains that the massive slave population in Ancient Greece during this time underpinned the bulk of Greek society and drove the economy that allowed this state to flourish.
From the Paper "The ascendancy of the Greek polis in the Ancient World culminated in Athens in the fifth century BC under the leadership of the great statesman Pericles. Never holding an office higher than that of general, Pericles nonetheless dominated the political landscape of Athens for more than forty years. Under his sure hand, Athens became emblematic of all that many in modern times believe to epitomize Classic Greek culture - a shining glamorous city boasting the acropolis, the Parthenon and countless other marvels of architecture - a paragon of participatory democracy."
Tags: pericles, democracy, polis, Ancient Greece, athens, athenian democracy, slavery
Abstract This study discusses the Pre-Cambrian Period, roughly some two billion years ago, and in particular, fossils that have been found from that time period. The paper discusses three types of fossils that have been left behind -- body, trace and chemical and that these can be readily found within rocks formed during the Archaean and Proterozoic Periods.
From the Paper "During this time, a number of life forms emerged and left behind three types of fossils--body, trace and chemical, which can be readily found within rocks formed during the Archaean and Proterozoic Periods. Some of these fossils are actual cellular remains, something which Donovan admits is extremely rare in rocks of this age. The oldest have been dated as about 3.5 billion years and can be found in cherts from the Warrawoona Group near the North Pole, being northwest of Australia, and in the Onverwacht Group in eastern Transvaal (South Africa)."
Abstract The paper describes how in Greek mythology there is only one sphinx, in Egyptian mythology there are many sphinxes, but the symbolic representation of the sphinx in both these mythologies is completely the opposite. The paper analyzes how the Greeks wanted to bring awareness to the people that women were symbols of destruction and therefore should not be given a voice, suppressing the voice of the woman. The paper further discusses how the Egyptians did not associate the sphinx with destruction and for them it was a symbol of protection, they used the image of the sun god and then there are others who say that the Great Sphinx of Egypt was just a portrait of the pharaoh. The paper concludes that hybridization of a human face with an animal's body also represents that the human intellect can control raw power and use it for its benefits.
From the Paper "The faces of their sphinxes were the faces of their kings and thus it showed the king as being invincible and wise. The function of the Sphinx in Egypt is a hotly debated topic. In Egypt lions were also figures of guardianship and thus some claim the sphinx to be built to guard the Giza plateau. Others hold on to the much common theory that the sphinx had the face of the pharaoh Khafre and thus was his portrait. Yet there are others who say that because the lion was a symbol of the sun therefore they relate the sphinx with some solar cult. Ra was the Egyptian sun god who had a son called Horus."
Abstract The ancient empires of the Mediterranean were the Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans. The desire to control the world was one of the leading factors in the downfall of different Mediterranean empires. The paper shows that three specific political trends that led to the decline of the Mediterranean empire and the rise of the Western European hegemony are related to religion, cultures, and military.
From the Paper "The Mediterranean region is one of the most important in world history and it is the origin point of Western Civilization" (History Mediterranean p. 1). The ancient empires of the Mediterranean were the Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans. The desire to control the world was one of the leading factors in the downfall of different Mediterranean empires. Three specific political trends that led to the decline of the Mediterranean empire and the rise of the Western European hegemony are related to religion, cultures, and military. The Persian Empire Who were the Persians? What roles did they play in ancient empires of the Mediterranean? What caused their downfall? These questions are important in the study of ancient Mediterranean history and what were the causes of their downfall. "The Persians created an empire, the largest yet seen in the ancient world, 3,000 miles."
Abstract Whatever the degree to which individual people embraced their leaders as literal gods or divine fountainheads, it is clear that such cults played a tremendous role in the religious and political development of ancient societies. The paper shows that this was especially true for Hellenistic Greece and the Roman Empire, both of which existed under these cults - the former providing much of the historical and ideological groundwork for the latter.
From the Paper "The ruler cults of ancient Greece and the later imperial cults of ancient Rome are much-debated topics in classical studies. Historians have long struggled to understand the role that these cults played in the construction of these societies both at the ideological and practical, day-to-day levels. The debate most often revolves around the degree to which these cults could be considered religious institutions at all (Harland par. 1-2). Many critics feel that these cults were little more than opportunistic attempts to manipulate politics in these societies. Others argue that these cults, whatever their political machinations, actually did have religious basis."
Abstract The paper analyzes Ronald Wright's book "A Short History of Progress", 2004. The paper discusses how Wright examines the history of civilizations in terms of cultural stagnation by tracing examples from the Stone Ages, to the Middle Ages, to Contemporary society. He looks at how civilizations today are not much different in terms of evolution and progression.
From the Paper T"he book "A Short History of Progress" written by Ronald Wright discusses the patterns of progress and disasters in humanity since the Stone Age and examines the inherent dangers of cultural stagnation. Wright traces the progression of civilization throughout the years from the Stone Ages to today. His book provides evidence from history that is compelling and thought provoking. Wright's central argument is based on the notion that rise and fall of civilizations past demonstrate self-destructiveness, thus provides a glimpse into the future for civilizations to come."
Abstract The paper describes how, through the ages, it has become evident that ancient civilizations had methods of creating structures that are unexplained, even to this day. The paper discusses how the manner in which astronomy affects archeology verifies this contention. The paper examines ancient observatories such as Chaco Canyon, Machu Picchu, and Chichen Itza, which have given science the means to explore the methods practiced by ancient societies in correlating the existence of their societies with the heavens.
Abstract The paper discusses how, in the study of history, the "ways of knowing" the past of an object, a culture, or an event is a difficult and highly subjective challenge. The paper examines how the historian's methods are characterized by their own perspectives and objectives, and this quite often occurs in ways that are not consciously recognized by the historian. The paper further examines how this distortion is a highly problematic issue, for the study of history is essential to the understanding of both the past and the present, and also to shed light on many possible futures. This paper approaches the issue of multiple "ways of knowing" as applied to the study of history, with the purpose of clarifying the need for minimized personal perceptions and interpretations within the context of historical research and the teaching of social studies to the next generation.
Abstract This paper looks at important elements of the Bible, specifically the story of the flood and Noah's Ark as well as other related aspects of Genesis in the context of archeology. The paper examines problems with the creationist explanation of the Noah's ark story and why it doesn't fit with modern scientific and archaeological research, as well as discussing some reasons why people prefer the Creationist approach.
From the Paper "Everyone in the western world knows what they're looking at when they see a representation of an old man, a boat and a pair of animals, whether they be giraffes, rabbits or elephants. One doesn't need to be an active believer in any of the Biblical faiths to identify Noah and his Ark. In fact, the old man with a boat and some animals would probably have been an identifiable figure in the ancient world as well, from the Mediterranean to Indonesia, but especially in the middle east, where creation stories have included a divine salvation from a flood since the second millennium B.C. (Thompson 15; Bright 33)."
Abstract This paper examines the contributions of the Leakey family. The paper discusses Louis Leakey, the British-Kenyan archaeologist and paleoanthropologist who gained world-renowned fame and professional prestige for his academic studies of human origins. It then goes on to enumerate the successes and contributions of other members of the Leakey family.
From the Paper "The Leakey Family: An Analysis of Accomplishments The British-Kenyan archaeologist and paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey gained world-renowned fame and professional prestige for his academic studies of human origins. Leakey, his wife and professional partner Mary, and their son Richard made key paleoanthropological discoveries that dramatically enhanced our understanding of humanity's earliest ancestors. Richard Leakey and his wife, Maeve, continued their family's legacy of paleoanthropological research and inspired their daughter Louise to become a paleoanthropologist as well. (Kirjasto 2005) This generational dedication to the study of anthropology began when Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey was born in Kenya on August 7, 1903 to Harry and Mary Leakey, who were English missionaries."
Abstract This paper examines the relationships between archaeologists and the descendants of those they study, particularly in the North American southwest desert. The paper specifically looks at the Anasazi and their Hopi and Zuni descendants and the differences between the archaeologists' interpretation of history and that of the native people. The paper also looks at the role of Pan-Indian identity and ethnicity.
