Chapin


 * Stick Project: The Laws of Hammurabi**




 * The Final Carving**
 * []**
 * []**


 * The longest and most organized laws from ancient Mesopotamia are the Hammurabi Laws. The laws were created around 1760 B.C.E.. The real structure is about seven and a half feet tall. It is made of stone and is inscribed with all the laws of the land. The laws were created under the ancient civilization of Babylon which was located in the Fertile Crescent. Hammurabi was the first great king of Babylon. Under Hammurabi's rule the laws of the region were recorded permanently and covered a variety of topics including labor and family. Not only were these laws literally set in stone, but they called for serious consequences for rule breakers. Breaking the law often resulted in death or loss of body parts.**


 * The image at the top of the laws "shows Shamash, the sun god who controlled plant life and weather," interacting with Hammurabi (Benton 13). Shamash gives the king the laws to pass on to the people of Babylon. The individual that holds more power is clearly illustrated. The god, Shamash, is seated in a throne and is noteably larger than the king. Shamash gives Hammurabi the rod and ring which represent justice and kingship.** **The image reinforces "the ancient Mesopotamian belief that laws came from the gods" (Oriental Institute). Therefore, the kings job is to relay the messages, or laws, from the gods to the civilians.**

Works Cited Benton, Janetta Rebold, and Robert Diyanni. "Babylon." //Arts and Culture, Volume I (3rd Edition)//. 3 ed. Alexandria, VA: Prentice Hall, 2007. 12-13.

"Mesopotamia: Law & Government." //The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. . The original stick

Drawing the image onto the wood Carving the image Sanding the wood Darkening lines on the wood before staining

The final Code of Hammurabi

Basilica Picture #1
 * Pictures from Basilica and Cathedral**

The Basilica in Minneapolis immediately creates a sense of superiority upon arrival. The symmetry of the church is balanced by the three arches along with many strong horizontal lines. Many of the vertical lines stretch for a period of time, thereby creating multiple continuous lines. The general shape of the basilica is very geometric because there are not many natural shapes, rather they appear to be precisely measured.

Basilica Picture #2

The Basilica features three rose windows giving the building a sense of symmetry. The lines in the inside architecture are used very neatly to create depth and texture to the building. The picture above illustrates positive space. All areas of the image have some kind of picture or design. However, the eye is immediately drawn to the rose window primarily because of its size and also the natural light it brings into the building.

Cathedral Picture #1



The Cathedral in St. Paul is primarily a geometric shape. The entire building is in the shape of the Greek cross, meaning that all sides are the same length. The building is also very symmetric, especially from the front. Many vertical lines are used on the exterior of the building the enhance the sense of great height.

Cathedral Picture #2

The geometric dome of the Cathedral is arguably the most impressive part of the building. All of the vertical lines inside the building draw the eye upwards towards the dome. There is more negative space in the Cathedral because of the high celings. The arches contribute to the negative space by creating a vast space.

_

Research Paper Synopsis **Title:** __Women in Ancient Egypt and their Role in Society__ **Thesis:** Gender equality in ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom was generated by women’s prominent positions in society as well as their legal and economic rights that were unheard of in other civilizations. ** Summary: **  Ancient Egyptian women held significant power in the household as well as in society during the Old Kingdom. More importantly, and even more unique, these rights were not limited to women of the elite class. According to Dr. Joann Fletcher, a member of the University of York’s Mummy Research Group, “Egyptians viewed their universe as a complete duality of male and female.”  Egyptian women could appear in court, sign documents, and manage personal property without male representation unlike Greek women (Piccione). Women held the same legal rights as men within their own social class. One of the most powerful rights granted to women of the lower and middle class was the right to sign contracts. Through contracts women could file for divorce and even sign themselves into self-enslavement. Men and women held the same legal rights, and also broke laws in the same way. Although women were often depicted as the victims of rape, they also caused trouble by robbing tombs and committing adultery. The Egyptian law system was not without its flaws, but the gender equality was successful and carried over into public life.  In general women were free to go about in public as they pleased. Rather than hiding their bodies, women of the Old Kingdom wore tight-fitting dresses adorned with a variety of different jewelry (Fletcher). This stereotypical image of women made independent female mobility throughout Egypt frowned upon by cultural traditions but not illegal. When not traveling at their own risk, women held unique responsibilities and jobs. The most common occupation women held were mothers and housewives, but outside of the house, the priesthood was a popular career choice for women. Professionally, women held prestigious positions that include titles such as Director of the Dining Hall, Priests and Overseer of the Weavers’ House and Overseer of Funerary (Lesko). Common women left their mark on society through wall decorations and statues that bore the names and titles of owners or dedicators (Lesko). Images portray peasant women as helping with the harvest and trapping birds. Townswomen were commonly viewed as professional mourners, members of temple staff, musicians, dancers, and party guests (Lesko). **Concluding Statement:** With the end of ancient Egypt also came the end to gender equality. The freedom women enjoyed was ended by the introduction of Christianity. The legal and economic equality women experienced prevailed through multiple kingdoms and twenty dynasties. ** 3 Important Sources (MLA): ** Fletcher, Dr Joann. "From Warrior Women to Female Pharaohs: Careers for Women in Ancient Egypt." //BBC//. 18 Nov. 2010. < [] >.

Lesko, Barbara S. . "Women's Monumental Mark on Ancient Egypt." //The Biblical Archaeologist// 54.1 (1991): 4-15.

Piccione, Peter A.. "Excursis III: The Status of Women in Ancient Eyptian Soceity." //Northwestern University Library//. 30 Nov. 2010. .

**Primary Document: The Will of Naunakht** Excerpt: “But see, I am grown old, and see, they are not looking after me in my turn. Whoever of them has aided me, to him I will give of my property, but he who has not given to me, to him I will not give of my property” (__The Will of Naunakht__) Related Picture: [] Background: When Naunakht’s husband died she inherited all of his land then remarried and had eight children. She read her will in front of the entire village, claiming to have disinherited four of her eight children of the land she owned. She accused the four children, in her old age, of ignoring her needs. Analysis: From this document I have learned how significant a woman’s legal power over property and contracts was. The ability to own land and leave personal wills greatly affected the lives of others. **Interactive Piece: Statue of Meresankh and Queen Hetepheres II**  Who: The statue commemorates the lives of Meresankh III and her mother, Queen Hetepheres II    Where: Ancient Egypt When: Fourth Dynasty  What: To commemorate two very influential women during the Old Kingdom. So What: Queen Hetepheres II lived during the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Statues were produced to commemorate her influence on the Old Kingdom. One of her main titles was Controller of the Affairs of the Kiltwearers and she was in charge of running the civil service. Hetepheres II was widowed twice. A scandalous rumor claims that her first husband, Prince Kawab, was murdered by her second husband, Djedefre, in order to obtain the throne. Through her second marriage she became the chief wife of King Djedefre (Vanderzwet). Hetepheres II was laid to rest in a pyramid at Giza.