Visit the museum or cultural heritage website and complete all facets of the tour.
Based on the prompt for each Virtual Tour, compose a journal entry on Blackboard of at
least 400 words.
You should begin each journal entry by describing what you saw in the tour.
Use information in the virtual tour, your textbook, library resources for further research.
Your journal entry must contain at least 1 academic citation (this does not include the tour,
the Bible, or the textbook, NO WEBSITES) in current MLA format. An academic source is a
peer-reviewed journal article or book from the Jerry Falwell Library website. Use databases
such as JStor to find art history articles.
Virtual Tour 1: The Caves at Lascaux
http://archeologie.culture.fr/lascaux/en
alternate link if above link doesn’t work: http://archeologie.culture.fr/lascaux/fr#/en/00.xml
Describe what you saw in the tour. Discuss how Prehistoric humans first started communicating with a
visual language as seen in the Lascaux Caves. These images are some of the only clues we have about
life during this time, especially since there were written records left behind (hence the term "pre" history
- before written history). What stories do these pictures tell us about our Prehistoric ancestors.
Note: Do not focus on when the caves were built (scientific vs. Christian dating), that is not the point.
We are looking at the earliest expressions of humankind, regardless of when they were created, we all
agree they are the earliest. Focus on the meaning, purpose, skillfulness, the ART.
Virtual Tour 2: The AncientCity of Petra
https://www.google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/petra/
Describe what you saw on the tour of Petra; relate your Biblical knowledge to the historical site of Petra.
Virtual Tour 3: The Pyramids of Giza
https://www.google.com/intl/en/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/pyramids-of-giza/
Describe what you saw on the tour. Discuss the pyramids of Giza in detail. Consider how ancient
cultures built monuments and burial chambers compared to Judeo-Christian monument and burial
practices.
Virtual Tour 4: Greek Acropolis
http://www.yougoculture.com/virtual-tour/athens/myth
Describe what you saw on the tour.
Choose two (2) architectural structures from the virtual tour and discuss how each building represents
the most important factors of Classical Greek Architecture. Describe each building using architectural
terms from the tours and the textbook - what type of columns (doric, ionic, corinthian) were used? --what
building techniques were used? and so forth. Discuss the purpose and functionof the buildings.
Finally, make a modern connection: how are Greek architectural forms used today in civic and
religious architecture today?
Your discussion should be based on the information you learned in the virtual tours. Be sure to use
specific examples and details in your explanation.
Virtual Tours
Thesis statement: Choose two (2) architectural structures from the virtual tour and discuss how
each building represents the most important factors of Classical Greek Architecture. Describe
each building using architectural terms from the tours and the textbook - what type of columns
(Doric, ionic, Corinthian) were used? --what building techniques were used? And so forth.
Discuss the purpose and function of the buildings.
Finally, make a modern connection: how are Greek architectural forms used today in civic and
religious architecture today?
I. Virtual Tour 3: The Pyramids of Giza
II. Virtual Tour 4: Greek Acropolis
III. References
Surname 1
Name:
Subject:
Instructor:
Date:
Virtual Tours
Virtual Tour 3: The Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt are found in the primordial city known as Memphis and
they were constructed to act as kings’ tombs. During the tour, I saw the monumental
constructions still standing strong despite being the most ancient and enchanting constructions in
the world. They are a wonder to behold and their legacy has been preserved over the years.
Basically, they represent the testimony of the engineering achievements of past civilizations.
While exploring the Pyramids of Giza, I made sure to leave no stone unturned. The
street view depicts the pyramids well and I can clearly see their sizes and textures. The site also
bears the sculptures of the kings who were buried in the pyramids and some writings on each
pyramid. They appear to be of different sizes, with some very small and constructed using a
certain pattern which is missing on the bigger structures. Also, the land surrounding the whole
area is a desert covered only with bare soil and stones. Between the pyramids, there is a road
leading to the city, which is visible from a distant. I have also caught a glimpse of magnificent
camels, which are possibly used by tourists to access the site.
The pharaohs of Egypt envisaged themselves as gods after their deaths. Therefore, to
ensure readiness for the next kingdom, they build temples for the gods as well as monumental
pyramid tombs that they could be buried once they died. The pyramids were also equipped with
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everything every king would require to lead and support themselves in the afterlife. The
pyramids represent the primordial engineering achievements at Giza, and they are so impressive
such that researchers cannot seem to understand exactly how the pyramids were constructed.
Basically, the structures were constructed by skilled and well-fed Egyptian builders from the city
nearby. Archaeological research shows that the community must have been highly organized,
equipped with the right resources and funded by a powerful central administration. Ancient
cultures respected the afterlife, and people were previously buried in their own homes and later
on the outside in tombs resembling houses. The dead were buried along with personal
possessions, tools, and food to sustain them even when dead. During Ancient Greece, Egypt, and
Rome, burial sites were viewed as offering magnificent visible monument for those alive.
However, during the middle ages, people were buried in churches and mosques, and later in
monuments/memorials, alongside with funerary urns. Jewish and Christian artifacts, as well as
symbols, were also important parts of these monuments (Strudwick, Helen, 37).
Virtual Tour 4: Greek Acropolis
The Greek Acropolis is an old fortress situated on a stony outthrust above the Athens
city. It consists of several ancient and very significant temples with outstanding architectural and
historical importance. The temples served as a place where people retreated to during the war.
The Acropolis is today recognized as a symbol of harmony, with the structure of the buildings
and the complexity of the inner designs representing harmony. Essentially, Acropolis is
described as being the paramount representation of democracy. Athenians, and generally the
Greeks, lost multiple soldiers while defending this democracy. This is the reason why the raising
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of their flag, which occurs each morning at the Acropolis is recognized as a very powerful
representation of the ultimate link of Acropolis to democracy (Owens, Edwin John, 111).
To explore the site in person, I went on a virtual tour to have a personal experience with
it. The tour was interesting and enchanting, and I got to visualize the area as if I was a real tourist
to the place. The short video tour starts with a beautiful view of the structures built on solid rock.
I can clearly see the strength of the rocks that have been able to support such heavy buildings and
withstand explosions and severe earthquakes. The great architectural designs are breath-taking
and the strength of the buildings has stood the test of time. Although some temples are seen to
have some cracks, they are still standing strong. Various sculptures, symbols, and artifacts are
still attached to their original positions. For instance, there is a lion sculpture on one of the
temples, which is a sign of victory achieved as the city battled for their democracy.
The Greek Acropolis was constructed by the ancient Greek engineers to withstand
earthquakes. The strong columns that stand up to this date possess exceptional seismic
performance features. The latest structure in the Acropolis is the popular Parthenon. The research
argues that the earliest inhabitants to this site were during the 4th millennium B.C, and the
structures constantly experienced damages as a result of wars and fires. The Parthenon, which
was used for weapon storage suffered huge damages during a cannonball strike. The temple had
beautiful decorations of sculptures representing the biggest accomplishments of artists in Greece.
It, therefore, serves as a representation of European art, culture, the principle of measure, and
most importantly human capability. The Parthenon is also recognized as an icon of maturity of
the classical form of Greece because it is one of the magnificent classical-Greek temple
architecture in Acropolis. The Acropolis structures are examples of both Doric as well as Ionic
architectural styles.
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References
Owens, Edwin John. The city in the Greek and Roman world. Routledge, 2018.
Strudwick, Helen. The encyclopedia of ancient Egypt. Amber Books Limited, 2016.
Virtual Tour 3: The Pyramids of Giza: https://www.google.com/intl/en/maps/about/behind-the-
scenes/streetview/treks/pyramids-of-giza/
Virtual Tour 4: Greek Acropolis: http://www.yougoculture.com/virtual-tour/athens/myth
