"The Codex and Illuminated Manuscript | 1st Century AD"

The Codex & Illuminated Manuscript

1.) Post an example of a scroll.

2.) What were the drawbacks of the scroll?
The reader had to read the text in the order that is was written







3.) Post an example of a codex.

4.) What is a codex?
A covered and bound collection of hand written pages





5.) "Codex" is derived from the Latin meaning "block of wood". Why?
Because it was sturdy and compact unlike the scrolls that were used before the codex


6.) What is the difference between "sequential access" and "random access"?
Random access means anyone can go to any point in the book and find information where as sequential access means that one must go through it in order to find certian information


7.) What were the advantages of using the codex?
It was easier to organize in libraries because the spine could be written on as well the codex was must more portable and easier to read


8.) What helped spread the use of the codex?
The rise of Christianity


9.) What replaced papyrus? Describe the process used to create it?
Parchment, it was made from substrate from animal skin and the hair and far were removed and the skin was smoothed out then the hide was soaked in in water and caluim, salt and flour were added and then the skin was laid to dry out


10.) What is vellum?
Parchment made from the skin of young calves


11.) Name several examples of current technology that utilizes the format of the codex?
the ipad and the kindle



12.) What led to a period of cultural and economical deterioration?
The decline of the Roman empire and the take over of the Huns, also known as the "Dark Ages"


13.) Post an example of an illuminated manuscript.

14.) Who began creating books by hand, taking the creation to an art form?
Monastic monks



15.) What does "illumination" refer to? What was included in this ornamentation?
The borders and illustrations added to the text. Initials of chapters or paragraphs or paintings in margins and borders around the text


16.) What tool was used for creating the illuminated manuscripts?
Natural quill pens made from bird feathers


17.) Why were these manuscripts reserved for religious purposes?
Because it took so much work and time to create the illuminated manuscripts


18.) What is craftsmanship? Why is it important?
How you put together your work and the effort you put into making it. It is important because better craftsmanship allows art to stay perserved for longer periods of time, just like the illuminated manuscripts

"The Roman Alphabet | 7th Century BC"

The Roman Alphabet

1.) What was the basis of the Roman uppercase alphabet?
The Greek Alphabet

2.) What were the purposes of the formal and informal styles of lettering?
A rigid formal script was used formally for manuscripts and other important documents while informal script which was quick and used for writing that was routine

3.) Why is the Roman alphabet the most widely used and what contributions did it make?
Serifs originated from this, it was the institution of basic penmanship and typography, they always made sure that the letters were on a straight line

4.) From where did serifs originate?
From writing on stone tablets

5.) When and where did lowercase, or minuscule, letters develop?
The Greek Alphabet

6.) What is a ligature and why were they utilized?
So that the utensil would not slip when they were writing

7.) Post an example of the Roman alphabet in visual form. 

"The Greek Alphabet | 800 BC"

The Greek Alphabet 

1.) How did Greeks come in contact with the Phoenicians?
Phoenicians regularly traveled to Greece in order to do business

2.) How was the Greek adaptation of the alphabet different from its predecessor?
Several consonants where made into vowels and additional letters were added

3.) Why is the Greek alphabet considered to be the world's first true alphabet?
It gave way to many other alphabets being created

4.) Name several similarities and differences between the Greek and modern English alphabets?

5.) Post an example of the Greek alphabet in visual form. 

"The Phoenician Alphabet | 1050 BC"

The Phoenician Alphabet

1.) The Phoenician alphabet is based on what principle?
One sign represents one spoken sound

2.) Describe the shape of the letters and what tool created them?
Most of the shapes are angular and straight. They are created using a stylus

3.) What two reasons made the Phoenician alphabet so successful?
It was easier to learn than most languages at the time and the symbols were much simpler than most others

4.) What long term effects on the social structures of civilizations did the Phoenicians have with the creation of their alphabet?
It allowed common people to read and write and it didn't discriminate based on social class

5.) Post an example of the Phoenician alphabet in visual form.

"Hieroglyphics and the Egyptians | 3,000 BC"

Hieroglyphics and the Egyptians 

1.) In the sixth century BC, what three civilizations invaded Egypt?
The Persians the Greeks and the Romans

2.) Post an example of the inside wall(s) of an Ancient Egyptian temple.

3.) What was discovered on the inside of the temples?
Carved and painted images on every single surface

4.) Scholars believe that Ancient Egyptians were inspired and influenced by which written language?
Yes

5.) What is the difference between logographic and alphabetic elements?

Logograms: visual symbols that represented ideas or objects

6.) The term Hieroglyphic derived from what two Greek words?
Hero and glyphic

7.) What is a scribe?
People who recorded important political and religious events

8.) Who else was trained to read and write? Why?
Military leaders so that they could communicate during battle

9.) Post an example of hieroglyphics on papyrus.

10.) What is papyrus and how was it made?
Substrate from reeds, it was made by flattening out reeds and drying them on top of each other and then they were scrubbed stones until the surface was smooth

11.) What is a substrate?
A portion of a plant

12.) What were the Books of the Dead?
Instructions and spells to help people find their way in the afterlife

13.) How did Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics become a forgotten language?
Egyptians became less and less able to read the hieroglyphics













14.) Post an example of the Rosetta Stone

15.) What is the Rosetta Stone? Where was it discovered?
It allowed the hieroglyphics to be translated, it was found in Rosetta

16.) What three languages are included on the stone?
Egyptian, Greek and Demotic hieroglyphics

17.) Why couldn't the text on the Stone be deciphered?
A chunk of the stone was missing and the texts were not complete

18.) Who finally deciphered the text? What was his breakthrough?
Champollion, his breakthrough was when he was able to match the hieroglyphic symbols with the same version of Greek text of the name of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses






19.) Why does the interpretation of the Rosetta Stone have such significance?
 

It allows us to look into the culture of these people and see how they worked and what they were like

"Assignment 15 Research and Inspiration"

Assignment #15

Research

-What is an illuminated manuscript?

Text accompanied by some form of art surrounding the text. Decorated in gold or silver

-When where illuminated manuscripts used?

Used as early as 400 to 600 BC and used up until the middle ages and throughout the Renaissance

-Who used them?

Muslims, Christians writing the gospel, monks, crafts men, ect

-What where they used for?

To record history and things about religion

Inspiration 

-What did an illuminated manuscript typically look like?

This manuscript uses gold instead of silver. The decorations surrounding the text are tree branches or vines as well as pictures of people, that are probably involved in the text itself.

This one is interesting because the text is not all in one place, the author separates it into four different parts.

I liked the look of the letter with pictures inside of it, I also like the idea of starting off text with one large and intricate letter.

I loved the swirly designs on the edges of this one, maybe use the same type of lines in mine?

Again for this one I liked the designs on the outside, I'm thinking of incorporating some of the same designs into my project?

What type of text/literature should I use?

-Bible verses: www.biblegateway.com

-Poems: www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/find-poems

-Lyrics from a song: www.songlyrics.com

What font should I use?

-Fonts: www.dafont.com

-Scripts, italicized, cursive

"Cuneiform and the Sumerians | 3,000 BC"

Cuneiform

1.) The Sumerians were one of the earliest types of this kind of civilization? What does that mean?
They had the first written language, it was the beginning of our recorded history

2.) Why is the region of Sumer considered the Cradle of Civilization?
It was where the first written language was created

3.) What could the Sumerians practice year round because of the regions climate?
Agriculture

4.) Post an example of early Cuneiform (Sumerian pictograph).

5.) Why was Cuneiform created?
They needed a way to keep track of business transactions.

6.) What medium was used to "write" Cuneiform? Explain the process of preparing and writing on this surface?
They used clay tablets to write on. The process used to create these clay tablets was to wet the clay, form in into flat surfaces and then use a wedged shaped stylus to write and then they were layed in the sun to dry. 

7.) What did Cuneiform begin as a series of?
pictographs

8.) Post an example of evolved Cuneiform (wedge-shaped).

9.) After it evolved over time, what shape did the characters of Cuneiform evolve into?
A wedge shaped language.

10.) Post an example of Akkadian Cuneiform.

11.) After the Akkadians conquered, what happened to the Sumerian culture and written language?

Nothing, the Akkadians adopted the Sumerian culture and language.

12.) What is a pictograph?

Small pictures that represent something

13.) Why did the creation of Cuneiform allow the Sumerians to become a sophisticated culture?
They were able to keep track of business transactions and therefore evolve new ways of business and become a successful society