Sonali

**Stick Project: Ancient Comb**

 * by Sonali Garg**

 Combs were made out of a variety of materials including ivory, wood, silver, and bamboo, however wooden combs were the most common. The oldest combs archaeologists have found date back about 5000 years ago from Persia. The oldest known comb, from Sweden dating back to about 2500 BC, was used not only to care for hair but also for decoration. Combs found from 1800-500 BC were made of bone and bronze and were given primarily as burial gifts. During the Iron Age, the combs transitioned from being wider and half-moon shaped to becoming longer and narrower, most similar to modern day combs. Ancient combs have been found all over the world and are therefore believed to play a role in most, if not all, ancient civilizations. Combs were used not only for hair care but also for decoration. In ancient China, combs were used as hair accessories to represent one’s social status. Over time, combs were used as decorative pieces, important accessories, indicators of social status, and practical hair groomers. To this day, combs are commonly used primarily for practical purposes like caring for hair, however some make use of vintage combs' glamour and continue to use combs as decorations.



One of the earlist combs from the Stone Age

Comb from the Iron Age (500 BC-400 AD)

Comb from late Iron Age (400 AD-1050 AD) []

**The Process:**
The Stick Cutting the Stick

Making holes for the comb's bristles Putting toothpicks as the bristles in the holes

Finished comb

__**Field Trip:**__
The Basilica:

The arches create a majestic and more antique feel to the building. The intricate sculpting higher up draw attention to the extensive time and care put into the design and perfecting the beauty of the building. The shapes are mostly geometric, leading to the symmetry of the building. The stained glass window on top of the arches is positioned exactly in the middle of the three, and the smaller windows surrounding the larger window are placed evenly apart, contributing to the symmetry.



The architecture of the inside of the Basillica is complex, composing of many arches, columns, and lines. Arches provide depth and add to the appeal and majesty of the room. The complex designs and art on the ceiling and the walls under the arches, the Basillica seems more full than it is, but majority of the Basillica is negative space.

Saint Paul Cathedral: 

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The stained glass windows played an important role in both ancient architecture and religion. In churches, stained glass windows represent different episodes of the life of christ. Also in a more practical sense, the stained glass windows allow for natural light to shine in. The high ceilings and domes amplify sounds in the cathedral, in this case trailing sounds for up to seven seconds. The domes inside are all decorated to some extent, some more intricate than others. =====



The Saint Paul Cathedral is composed of arches domes, and intricately designed sculptures and stained glass windows. The domes and arches make the cathedral look very large from the outside and its symmetry suggests order within the church.

Research Paper Synopsis Cosimo de Medici: Founder of Italy’s Cultural Success **Thesis:** Not only did Cosimo de Medici thrust Florence into the limelight of the Italian Renaissance, but he created a supportive environment where music, art, and literature could thrive, and added a degree of sophistication and class to the people of Florence. Through his patronage of the arts and creation of a rich Italian culture, Cosimo also succeeded politically in unifying the city-states and establishing a lasting peace among them for over forty years.

Following Giovanni’s di Bicci’s death in 1429, Cosimo de Medici, the eldest of his two sons, continued to grow the Medici empire founded by his father. His acquisition of an economic empire bought him immense political power and popularity with the common people. Although he never held official government positions, Cosimo ruled as a citizen as de facto ruler of Florence for the next thirty years. Cosimo held a very unique position of power. Pope Pius II describes this unique position: “nothing is denied to Coimo; he is judge of war and peace, moderator of the laws; not so much a citizen as lord of the country; the policy of the Republic is settled in his house; he gives commands to the magistrates. Nothing regal is wanting to him but the name and state of a king” (Ewart 184). Cosimo skillfully used his economic power to balance the low and high social classes. Not only did internal affairs improve, but Florence’s external relations were largely resolved under Cosimo’s rule, which brought an era of peace and stability upon the entire people of Italy. Cosimo was a fervent patron of art, architecture, literature, and intellect. Using his personal wealth from the Medici banks, he single-handedly funded the building of numerous public structures including libraries, schools, and houses of art as well as invested time and money into aspiring artists, sculptors, writers, and intellects. Cosimo’s creation of institutions and sponsorship of art stemmed from the desire to ensure that the culture of Florence left a lasting legacy in the world, even after he was gone. Cosimo confirmed this desire when he told his friend, Vespasiano da Bisticci, that “before fifty years have passed, we shall be expelled, but my buildings will remain” (Epiro 149).

**Concluding Statement:** Strategically using his immense wealth and unique power gained primarily from widespread popular support, Cosimo molded Florence into the most culturally advanced city of its time.

Three Important Sources: Epiro, Peter, and Mary Desmond Pinkowish. //Sprezzatura: 50 ways Italian genius shaped the world//. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. Google Book Search. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. Ewart, K. Dorothea. //Cosimo de' Medici,//. London: Macmillan and Co.;, 1899. Google Book Search. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Machiavelli, Niccolò. //History of Florence and of the affairs of Italy, from the earliest times to the death of Lorenzo the Magnificent; together with the prince. And various historical tracts.//. London: H.G. Bohn, 1847. Google Book Search. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. Primary Document:

Interactive Component: For my interactive component I contacted Professor Phil Adamo, who is the director of Medieval Studies at Augsburg College. I was having trouble coming up with primary sources, and Phil supplied me with a few primary and secondary sources: <span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Primary Source # 1:

Vespasiano Da Basticci (1421–1498) has a great chapter on Cosimo di Medici. See “The Vespasiano memoirs: lives of illustrious men of the XVth century,” by Vespasiano Da Basticci, which you can find on google books at:

@http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lyMQTgOuKUoC&pg=PR16&dq=Vespasiano+da+Bisticci&hl=en&ei=aXb4TN_BOM-RnAeex-i-Aw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg

The chapter on Cosimo begins on p. 213 and following

You can also find excerpts at:

@http://www.elfinspell.com/WhitcombBisticci.html

Primary Source # 2:

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527), who also wrote “The Prince”, wrote “The History of Florence and of the affairs of Italy,” which has a section on Cosimo di Medici. You can also find this on google books:

@http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_ZgLAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+History+of+Florence+and+of+the+affairs+of+Italy&hl=en&ei=7Xf4TJSJF4GCngfcu4XpAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA

The chapters on Cosimo (Cosmo) begin on p. 188.

For some secondary sources, try these:

Gene Brucker, Renaissance Florence (New York: Wiley, 1969) J.R. Hale, Florence and the Medici : the pattern of control (London: Thames and Hudson, 1977) Christopher Hibbert, The rise and fall of the House of Medici (London: Allen Lane, 1974)