Leisure & Luxury in the Age of Nero

Enduring Understanding

Artifacts, Amphorae, and Aliens

Lesson Five

Essential Question

What Students Will Learn

Materials

What Students Will Do

Assessment

What can artifacts tell us about the people who used them?

• Objects found at archaeological sites can tell us something about how people lived.

• “Amphora” image

For Each Student

For each Group

• Make observations about Roman artifacts.• Make inferences about the artifacts based on

observations and previous knowledge.

Students will draw and list observations of three selected artifacts from their chosen school site. Students will then exchange what they write with a classmate, who will write a subjective inference predicting what each of the three objects are called and their uses, as well as the place in the school his/her peer chose, using evidence from the physical descriptions.

• Paper clip• “Alien Archaeological Site” data collection sheet

Archaeology is a systematic way to learn about pastcultures. SUBJECTS: art, social studies, science

CCSS and NGSS: W.2, W.10, SL.1, SL.2, Sl.4, L.6 and ADQP, PCOISKILLS: • Bloom’s Taxonomy: Evaluation, Synthesis,

Analysis• Facets of Understanding: Interpretation,

ApplicationDURATION: 45- 60 minutesCLASS SIZE: Any

Copyright 2015 Project Archaeology-MSU

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Background Information Beyond the unique physical structure of Villa B, perhaps the most significant aspect of this site is the fact that it preserves unparalleled material for new study in several underrepresented areas, including human remains, foodstuffs, coins, jewelry, and transport vessels. In the courtyard and ground-level rooms, excavations uncovered over 400 amphorae. Perhaps the most significant of these are the stacked amphorae still in place at the northwest corner of the courtyard. The empty containers, originally containing oil, wine, or garum (fish sauce), were fitted together vertically, mouth to pointed base, in order to drain them. That these amphorae had been cleaned and stacked upside down to dry tells us that they were meant to be re-used at the site. Amphorae in northwest corner of courtyard. Supporting this assumption is the discovery of a small stone oven nearby containing a small pot with pine resin, suggesting that—among other things—in this courtyard workers prepared storage amphorae, certainly for wine, and possibly for oil and garum

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(the famous fermented fish condiment of ancient Rome). Extensive paleobotanical remains found in some amphorae and piles of carbonized pomegranates, hay, and walnuts found in the south rooms indicate that Villa B probably functioned as a site for the storage and distribution of foodstuffs. (http://www.oplontisproject.org/index.php/the-villas/)

Amphorae stacked in northwest corner of peristylium

Preparing to Teach

Uncovering Prior Knowledge

Discovering New Knowledge1. Make a copy of “Alien Archaeological Site” data

collection sheet for each student.2. Print colored copies of “Amphora” for each group

of students.3. Gather a class set of paper clips.4. Prepare to share background information.5. Post the essential questions and Word Bank words.

Place students into small groups of three or four and distribute a paper clip to each student. Inform groups that their task is to come up with a list of as many uses for the paper clip as they can in three minutes. One student in the group will write the group’s ideas. Allow groups to share their favorite, most creative, and most practical uses with the whole class.

What can artifacts tell us about the people that used them? Inform students that this question will guide their learning. Indicate the Word bank words (artifact, amphora, observation, inference, hypothesis) and inform students that they will use these words as tools and define them during the lesson.1. Distribute a large image of an amphora that was

discovered at Villa B at Oplontis to each group of students.

2. Tell students: The artifact they are analyzing is called an amphora, and that their job, as archaeologists, is to create a hypothesis as to what this object is and what its uses are.

3. Inform students that they must list the physical, observable features of their amphora. Then think of a hypothesis of what it was used for that is supported by physical evidence. Assist students in defining and giving examples of a hypothesis.

The amphorae were likely filled with a product to be distributed. Villa B was probably some type of business. Be sure to emphasize that these are best predictions about the past based on the evidence excavated, but that no one can be completely sure as to what the place was used for approximately 2000 years ago.

amphora: an ancient storage jar with a large oval body, narrow neck, and two handles that rise almost up to the mouth.artifact: any object made or used by people.hypothesis: an idea that is not proven, but leads to further study.inference: a conclusion derived from observations. observation: recognizing or noting a fact or an occurrence.

Word Bank

Misconception Alert!Studying Past Cultures

Many people mistake archaeology for a swashbuckling “Indiana Jones” adventure. Archaeologists often are thought of as questing after rare and beautiful artifacts. Although it is true that at times archaeologists do find rare and beautiful things, they could more accurately be compared to Sherlock Holmes, a detective of the past, as they gradually piece together the culture of a people to understand more about them. A single artifact removed from its context discloses very little about culture. By studying many sites and artifacts and their relationship to each other and the environment, one discovers the way people lived. Archaeologists study a people’s culture by the things they left behind, clues!

AssessmentInform students that alien archaeologists have landed on Earth and are trying to gather information about earthlings. These aliens have never encountered any object or infrastructure we have on Earth, and are exploring our school on a Saturday when nobody is around. Students, acting from the viewpoint of this alien species, are to choose a place in the school, or on the school grounds, and make observation notes on this place. This includes sketches of the environment, written physical description, and a list of physical characteristics of three artifacts.

Students will write descriptive, objective paragraphs describing the three selected artifacts from their chosen sites without naming the objects or inferring their utilities. Only what can be determined through the senses can be written. Students will then exchange what they write with a classmate, who will write a subjective inference predicting what each of the three objects are called and their uses, as well as the place in the school his/her peer chose, using evidence from the physical descriptions.

Reflecting on New Knowledge

Museum Activity

Provide students time to share with their partner what conclusions they made, and then discuss as a class how being an archaeologist is much like being a detective. Through systematic observation, careful note taking, and analysis of patterns, informed inferences can be made. Show pictures of Villa B at Oplontis and discuss how archaeologists believe it to have been some type of distribution center, or store, to sell some type of locally produced food, wine, or oil. Emphasize how stacked, clean amphorae indicated to archaeologists that the jugs were re-used, and a small stone oven with a pot of pine resin suggests that workers prepared stored amphorae. When archaeologists were classifying and counting amphora pieces a thumb print was discovered pressed into the clay!

Artifact Analysis! When students visit the museum exhibit have students, in partners, search the exhibit for an artifact that intrigues them and that they would like to learn more about. Give them the “Artifact Analysis Data Collection Sheet” to make observations and inferences (a clipboard would be helpful as well). Once they are finished they will find another group and interpret their artifacts for one another.

4. Have students write what use they believe the amphora had on a sticky note and stick on the board, clustering similar responses.

5. Allow groups to summarize their ideas with the rest of the class, emphasizing why they came up with their use, citing evidence from the image given to them.

6. Highlight how the class has just used observations to inform their interpretations. Assist students with defining artifact, amphora, observation, and inference.

7. Tell students: Archaeologists at Villa B at Oplontis discovered many of these tall, double-handled jars.

8. Ask students: Why were amphorae abundant at the villa? What might have been in the amphora? Who might have used the amphora? Why is it shaped the way that it is without a flat bottom? Share Background Information with the students.

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Notes

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Amphora

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Name:_________________________________________________________________________________________

Alien Archaeological Site

1. Sketch a place at school as if you were an alien visiting the school.

2. Draw three artifacts.

3. Describe the site and three artifacts only using five senses (sight, sound, taste, smell, touch).

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Exchange this paper with _______________. Guess the place and make inferences about the artifacts.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Names:_______________________________________________________________________________________

Artifact Analysis Data Collection Sheet (Adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration Artifact Analysis Worksheet)

With a partner find an artifact in the museum exhibit and make observations and inferences.

Observation

1. Sketch the artifact.

2. What type of artifact is it? (Describe the material from which it was made: bone, pottery, metal, wood, stone, leather, glass, paper, cardboard, cotton, wood plastic, other material)

3. What qualities does it have? (Describe how it looks and feels: shape, color, texture, size, weight, movable parts, anything printed, stamped or written on it)

Inference

1. Who might have used it?

2. What might it have been used for?

3. Where might it have been used?

4. When might it have been used?

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What does the artifact tell us?

1. What does it tell us about technology of the time in which it was made and used?

2. What does it tell us about the life and times of the people who made it and used it?

3. Can you name a similar item today?

4. If you could ask the maker or the user two questions, what would they be?