Ancient History Web-links

 

This list of links was prepared for students at a Harford County public school as a CERF “Just-In-Time” resource for an ancient civilizations social studies project.

 

Timelines

 

http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/maptext_n2/start1.html

http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/civil_n2/hist_2.html

http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/timelines/htimeline.htm

http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/Americas/Americas.html

http://www.taisei-kodaitoshi.com/civil_e/civilization.html

 

 

Mesoamerica

 

http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/history/html/conquista/index.html

 

 

Aztecs

 

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/meso/cultures/aztec_empire.html

http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/mexico/mexico.htm

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CIVAMRCA/AZTECS.HTM

http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/history/html/conquista/aztecas.html

http://countrystudies.us/mexico/5.htm

 

Inca

 

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CIVAMRCA/INCAS.HTM

 

Maya

 

http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/history/html/conquista/mayas.html

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CIVAMRCA/MAYAS.HTM

http://countrystudies.us/mexico/5.htm

 

Timbuktu

 

http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Episodes/Epi5/roadto.htm

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/leo_africanus.html

 

Great  Zimbabwe – Shona

 

http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Episodes/Epi6/6_wondr1.htm

http://campus.northpark.edu/history//WebChron/Africa/GreatZimbabwe.html

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/zimb/hd_zimb.htm

 

 

 

 

History and characteristics - Ancient China

 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chem/hd_chem.htm

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/9908/china.imperial.maps/content/shang.html

http://www.silk-road.com/artl/chrono.shtml

 

Sultan's Lost Treasures  

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sultan

Learn about ancient Chinese explorers, China's china, Asia's undersea archeology, and more.


Ancient Chinese Explorers  

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sultan/explorers.html

A century before Europeans 'discovered' the Indian Ocean, Chinese merchants led by the redoubtable Zheng He (1371-1433) journeyed as far as Zanzibar in search of trade items to dazzle the imperial court.

 

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368 A.D.)

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yuan/hd_yuan.htm
During the Yuan dynasty, China-for the first time in its long history-was completely subjugated by foreign conquerors and became part of a larger political entity, the vast Mongol empire. Ironically, during this century of alien occupation, Chinese culture not only survived but was reinvigorated. 

 

History and characteristics - Ancient Egypt

 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/thematic_pages.htm#Egyptian%20Art

http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/exhibits/online_exhibits/egypt/writing.shtml

http://webperso.iut.univ-paris8.fr/~rosmord/nomhiero.html

 

 

Egypt
http://www.livius.org/egypt.html

Articles about ancient Egypt, including biographies of Pharaohs.

Animals of Ancient Egypt
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/animal_gallery.shtml

Animals of all kinds were important to the Ancient Egyptians, and featured in the daily secular and religious lives of farmers, craftsmen, priests and rulers. Click on pictures for more information.

Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt Gallery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/gods_gallery.shtml

The deities in the following gallery are just 12 out of a possible 2,000 gods and goddesses who were worshipped in ancient Egypt. Click on pictures for more information.

Development of Pyramids Gallery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/pyramid_gallery.shtml

Egypt's pyramids served as tombs for her dead kings. The focus of a complex of ritual buildings, the pyramid was the magical powerhouse where the mummified pharaoh would attain eternal life. Click on pictures for more information.

 

Tutankhamun: beneath the mask
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna/tutankhamun/index.asp

View a reconstruction of Tutankhamun's face and read what medical researchers have discovered about him.

Pyramids
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/excavation/

Have you ever dreamed of exploring the pyramids of Egypt? If so, enter here, wander through the chambers and passageways of the Great Pyramid, and learn about the pharaohs for whom these monumental tombs were built. You can also follow the 1997 field season of a team of archaeologists as they excavated the bakery that fed the pyramid builders.

Ancient Egyptian Mythology

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/egypt_culture.html

Visit this page to learn about ancient Egyptian myths related to objects in the sky, the Earth, and aspects of their world.

Ancient Egypt Discovery Case
http://www.rom.on.ca/egypt/case/

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)teachers and Egyptologists have assembled this rich collection of resources about ancient Egypt for elementary and high school students and teachers.

Ancient Egypt
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html

Welcome to the British Museum's web site on ancient Egypt. The site is divided into ten ‘chapters' which address themes or topics relevant to ancient Egypt.

 

 

Creating an Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus
http://www.berksiu.k12.pa.us/webquest/Keeney/default.htm

Create a miniature sarcophagus using authentic hieroglyphics and motifs from the period. A WebQuest site.

 

 

History and characteristics - Ancient Greece

 

Who were the ancient Greeks

http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/E/essentials/history/units/greeks_bi.shtm l

"Two of the most important Greek city states were Athens and Sparta. We know a lot about Athens because it produced many writers and artists, whose work has survived to this day. Much less evidence survives about Sparta but we do know that it was a military state." Learn more about Ancient Greek city states at this website.

ANCIENT GREECE
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/landmarks/ancientgreece/findout.shtml

In this website you can learn about three places that were important in ancient Greece - Olympia, Corinth and Athens.

Daily Life In Ancient Greece
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Greeklife.html

How would you have behaved if you had lived in ancient Sparta? (Lie, cheat, steal, because that is the Sparta way!) Or in ancient Athens? Or in Corinth, Argos, or Megara? Meet the Greeks!

ANCIENT GREECE
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/landmarks/ancientgreece/main_menu.shtml

This site has been designed to be used effectively as a stand-alone resource. Greek culture, beliefs and government are covered in different ways in each of the sections.

The Greeks : Crucible of Civilization
http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/

See and hear Socrates! Experience the Acropolis and the Parthenon as it would have been over 2000 years ago. Compare life in Ancient Greece with life today, and actually learn to speak like an Ancient Greek! This excellent information-packed website includes interactive timelines and maps.

 

 


History and characteristics - Ancient India

 

The Ancient Indus Valley

http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html

The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China. But it was not discovered until the 1920's. Many excellent photographs.

Daily Life In Ancient India
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Indialife.html

What did the ancient Indians wear? What did they eat? Did kids play with toys? Did they go to school? This site shares daily life in three major time periods of ancient India history; the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization, the Vedic & Epics Periods, and the Age of Empires.

The British Museum : Ancient India
http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/

This British Museum website is a remarkable collection of ancient India resources. It includes information about Buddham Hinduism, the Indus valley, writing, and geography.

 

Hinduism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/hinduism.shtml

This BBC documentary examines Hinduism, its history, beliefs, and customs. Audio clips include scholarly discussions of many of these topics.

Dravidian Culture
http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/cultural/oldworld/middle_east/dravi dian.html

Dravidian is the name given to a linguistically related group of people in India.

Garo Culture
http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/cultural/oldworld/middle_east/garo. html

The Garo people live in the northeast part of India in the state of Meghalaya.

Gond
http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/cultural/oldworld/middle_east/gond. html

The South Central Gond live in the forests and hills of India in Maharashatra and Andhra Pradesh, north of the Godavari River.

 

History and characteristics - Ancient Rome

 

TIMELINE: ANCIENT ROME
http://www.exovedate.com/ancient_timeline_one.html

This site provides a chronological index of the history of Ancient Rome with extensive links to internet resources. Emphasis is placed upon the use of primary source material and new perspectives upon the roles of women in ancient time.

Tribes and Romans in Northern Britain
http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/reticulum/index.htm

Learn about the tribes that the Romans encountered in Northern Britain.

From Death in the Arena to Control of an Empire
http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/CHRISTNS/CHRISTNS.HTM

A website about the birth and rise of the Christian Church.

The Real Spartacus
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/R/real_lives/spartacus.html

"The real story of Spartacus is far more complex than this familiar, heroic image: a story of a real and fallible person in a culture very different from our own. It remains an inspiring story for all that." Learn more about Ancient Rome, slavery, and Spartacus at this website.

Roman Gladiatorial Games
http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/gladiatr/index.htm

Here you will learn about the history of gladiatorial games, as well as details, from amphitheater to animals.

The Roman Empire in the First Century
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/

Two thousand years ago, the world was ruled by Rome, and Rome was in turmoil. From the chaos of civil war, the Roman Empire would rise even stronger to embrace hundreds of cultures, and till the soil from which western civilization would grow.

 

THE ROMANS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/romans/home.html

Investigate key aspects of Roman History through the following series of articles. Then test your knowledge with the interactive quiz.

 

 

 

 

Similarities of the civilizations 

 

Classic Civilizations
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/science/clas.cfm

Classic Civilizations, such as Greek/Hellenistic, Roman, and Han China all made important contributions in science and technology.

 

Civilisations
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/interactive/civilisations/

"Civilisations is an entirely new way to explore human history - a multi-dimensional picture of the world, where you're in charge of the timeline. It uses web technology to reveal the sweep of historical forces and the rise and fall of great empires and ideas over 5000 years. You can customize Civilisations to show you the things that interest you."
 

 

Art Ages : Art through the ages

http://www.artfaces.com/artkids/ages.htm

 Art Ages provides an art history timeline from 30,000 B.C. to the present. The authors chronicle the major art periods and movements within each of them and the timeline listings link to more detailed descriptive texts.   Click on each art period for information.


 

Greek and Roman Surgical Instruments
http://www.indiana.edu/~ancmed/instr1.html

Physicians in the Classical World had access to a variety of surgical instruments that were designed to aid them in their treatment of the sick. Several ancient texts mention the use of surgical tools and several of these texts offer a brief description of some of the instruments used by doctors in antiquity. The precise date when each instrument was first employed is largely unknown. The most of the following instruments seemed to have been available to Hippocrates (c. 460) and continued to be used throughout the late Roman empire with several existing in a similar form still being used by physician's today.

 

Odyssey online
http://carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/MidElem_Home.html

It is "a journey to explore ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures. You'll find museum objects from the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. You can make your own discoveries through cool puzzles, games, and worksheets." Although designed with the young in mind, further resources are offered for adults and professionals. Includes a site map.

Sixty Centuries of Copper
http://www.copper.org/education/60centuries/homepage/homepage.html

This web site is intended for the reader who is interested in the general history of copper mining, the development of metal-working processes and the uses of copper through the past six thousand years. This site may take some time to load.

Bulfinch's Mythology
http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/welcome.html

The religions of ancient Greece and Rome are extinct. The so-called divinities of Olympus have not a single worshipper among living men. They belong now not to the department of theology, but to those of literature and taste. There they still hold their place, and will continue to hold it, for they are too closely connected with the finest productions of poetry and art, both ancient and modern, to pass into oblivion.

The British Museum : Geography, History and Culture
http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass/ixbin/hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=compass&search-f orm=graphical/edu/search/graphical.html&submit-button=search

A British Museum activity to learn about world culture. Information about each country or historical era is linked to easy-to-read explanations and art objects from that country that relate to each theme. A great way to combine history, geography, and art learning.

 

 

Achievements and contributions : Ancient China


Treasure of the Chinese Scholar
http://www.asianart.com/exhibitions/upenn/index.html

For thousands of years Chinese scholars, men greatly esteemed by their society, were also collectors of high quality, highly sophisticated art objects-some functional, some inspirational, most small enough to decorate a scholar's desk or complement his study.

 

Copper in Ancient Times : Copper and Bronze in Ancient China
http://www.copper.org/education/60centuries/ancient/copperand.html

 

 

Achievements and contributions : Ancient Egypt

 

Egyptian Garment Making

http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/prehistory/ancienttech/egyptian.garmentmaking. html

Find out about the types of textiles used in Ancient Egypt and how they were made.

 

 

Ancient Egyptian Surgery

http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/prehistory/ancienttech/ancient_egyptian_surger y.html

The Ancient Egyptians were able to set broken bones and studied brain structure.

WRITING : Scribes, Hieroglyphs, and Papyri

http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/exhibits/online_exhibits/egypt/writing .shtml

What are hieroglyphs?


 

Achievements and contributions : Ancient Greece


Isocrates and Rhetorical Education in Greece
http://bradley.bradley.edu/~ell/newisoc.html

About Isocrates and education in Ancient Greece.

 

ANCIENT GREECE : THE OLYMPICS

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/landmarks/ancientgreece/classics/olympics/intro.shtml

Thespis and Melinna, your Greek guides, are off to the Olympic Games. Follow them and find out just what went on there...

The Ancient Olympics
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/

Compare ancient and modern Olympic sports, tour the site of Olympia as it looks today, learn about the context of the Games and the Olympic spirit, or read about the Olympic athletes who were famous in ancient times. This website uses information from the Perseus Project, a digital library on ancient Greece.

 

Greek Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/index.html

Many foundations of modern Western medicine lie in Classical Greece, from about 800 B.C.E. to about 200 C.E. During this period, Greek medicine departed from the divine and mystical and moved toward observation and logical reasoning. These ideas spread throughout the Mediterranean world and as far east as India, and their influence has remained strong in the West to this day.

Ancient Greek Theatre
http://novaonline.nv.cc.va.us/eli/spd130et/ancientgreek.htm

Students will examine: Sources, Four Qualities of Greek Drama, The Greek Tragedy, The Satyr Play, The Greek Comedy, Actors and Acting.

 

Ancient Greek Ideas Today
http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/E/essentials/history/units/greekideas_bi. shtml

"The ancient Greeks lived more than 2000 years ago but their ideas still influence us today." Explore Greek contributions to the alphabet, drama, art, science, mathematics and philosophy, at this website.

 

Achievements and contributions : Ancient Rome

 

Roman Mosaics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/mosaics_gallery.shtml

The floors of Roman buildings were often richly decorated with mosaics, many capturing scenes of history and everyday life. Click on pictures for more information.

Ancient History : Romans : Technology
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/tech_01.shtml

From roads to recipes, Adam Hart-Davis reveals the lasting impact on our lives and culture that the Romans left behind.

Daily Life In Ancient Rome
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Romelife.html

The ancient Romans invented more games than any other culture. Find out what the ancient Romans did all day.

The Construction and Makeup of Ancient Roman Roads
http://www.unc.edu/courses/rometech/public/content/transport/Adam_Pawluk/Contruction_ and_Makeup_of_.htm

The ancient Romans had a good system of roads, one which required systematic planning and maintenance. This project will look not at the layout of the roads of ancient Rome, but at their construction and makeup.

All Coins Lead To Rome : Roman symbols that can be found on U.S. coins
http://www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?FileContents=/kids/teachers/Lesso nView.cfm&LessonPlanId=126

Students will compare and contrast modern U.S. coins to those of ancient times, by looking at various coins on hand and through research in coin books that have been collected in the classroom.

 

 

Roman Merchant Ships
http://www.unc.edu/courses/rometech/public/content/transport/ships/merch_03.html

Look carefully at this diagram of a Roman ship. We can tell you that this is pretty characteristic of such pictures, so it's safe for you to make generalizations from this depiction. That being the case, what would you say, based on this picture, are the most important features of a Roman merchant ship?

Roman Board Games
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/roma/rbgames.html

The Romans played a wide variety of board games, including Knucklebones (Tali & Tropa), Dice (Tesserae), Roman Chess (Latrunculi), Roman Checkers (Calculi), The Game of Twelve Lines (Duodecim Scripta), The Game of Lucky Sixes (Felix Sex), Tic-Tac-Toe (Terni Lapilli), Roman Backgammon (Tabula), Egyptian Backgammon (Senet), and others.

High-Performance Roman Cements and Roman Concretes
http://www.geopolymer.org/archaeo5.html

Concrete experts talk today about how to make concrete durable. Many ancient Roman concrete buildings are still in use after more than 2000 years. 

 

 

 

 

General Information

 

Ancient Civilization City-State Virtual Trip

http://www.taisei-kodaitoshi.com/civil_e/civilization.html

An excellent site that takes you on a virtual world tour of civilizations, using computer graphics and video clips. RealVideo or QuickTime are needed. 


 

Great Women Rulers

This page contains short biographies, with pictures, of some of the most powerful women in the world's history.

 

Mrs Donn's Special Sections : Daily Life

http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/indexlife.html

Teaches 3rd to 8th graders about daily life in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, India and China. Read about the food, clothing, homes, games, beliefs, legends of these ancient civilizations. Includes a site index.

 

 

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/

Although most people know that a list exists of the Seven World Wonders, only few can name them. Here you will find descriptions and learn about the history of the Seven Wonders. For their builders, the Seven Wonders were a celebration of religion, mythology, art, power and science. For us, they reflect the ability of humans to change the surrounding landscape

 

CERF Just-In-Time Document 2004/04/04