Unit 1.2 Unit Assignment: Vocabulary

Words: 902
Pages: 4

1.2 Unit Assignment: Vocabulary
1. Venus of Willendorf- Made of limestone, the faceless, rotund statue with a distended stomach and full breasts is a figurine that was used to symbolically represent fertility and the creative power of nature. This mythological figure appeared during the Upper Paleolithic time period and may have been used during religious ceremonies in order to ensure the reproduction of the tribe as well as a bountiful food supply. This mother goddess seemed to be popular around southeastern Europe with about thirty-thousand sculptures made of bone, stone, gold, copper, and marble being uncovered at about three thousand sites. This figure is important because it tells us the types of materials that may have been used by artisans of that time as well as giving us insight into their religious practices.
2. Mesopotamia- Located between the
…show more content…
Muse- Also known as the nine goddesses of artistic interpretation was believed to give the Greeks their creativity. Religious beliefs were a very important part of Greek life and history. It was from out of these beliefs came the muses. Poetry, both epic, erotic and lyric was attributed to the muses, as well as dance, song, comedy, astronomy, tragedy, history and sacred hymn. 8. Homer- From the Archaic age, there came a bard who would sing his verses with a stringed instrument known as a lyre. Homer was extremely influential in his poetry because it was well crafted and appealed to all social levels. While very little is known about Homer himself, his epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey had a great impact on Western Culture. 9. Dionysus- god of wine or god of the vine. The Greeks attributed irrational, emotional and uncontrolled aspects of human nature to the god, Dionysus. In an effort to be reinvigorated and born again, Dionysus worshippers would dance wildly and consume wine. In Athens, Dionysus followers would hold annual ceremonies honoring and celebrating his powers as a god of the