Ancient/classical Humanities Test 1

Front 1

Animism

Back 1

The belief that the forces of nature are inhabited by spirits.

Front 2

Clan

Back 2

A group that traces its descent from a common ancestor.

Front 3

Culture

Back 3

The sum total of those things (including traditions, techniques, material goods and symbol systems) that people have invented, developed and transmitted.

Front 4

Cuneiform

Back 4

"wedgw-shaped" One of human kind's earliest writing systems, consisting of wedge-shaped marks impressed into clay by means of a reed stylus.

Front 5

Dolmen

Back 5

A stone tomb formed by two posts capped by a lintel.

Front 6

Hieroglyph

Back 6

"sacred sign" in Greek. the pictograph script of Ancient Egypt.

Front 7

Hominid

Back 7

Any of a family of bipedal primate mammals, including modern humans and their ancestors, the earliest which was Austalopithecus

Front 8

Ideogram

Back 8

A sign that represents an idea or thing.

Front 9

Lost Wax

Back 9

(Cire-Perdu in French) A method of metal casting in which a figure is modeled in wax, then enclosed in a clay mold that is fired; the wax melts , the molten metal is poured in to replace it; finally, the clay mold is removed and the solid metal form is polished.

Front 10

Megalith

Back 10

a large, roughly shaped stone, often used in ancient architectual construction.

Front 11

Phonogram

Back 11

a sign that represents a sound.

Front 12

Pictograph

Back 12

A pictoral system used in humankind's earliest systems of writing.

Front 13

Polychrome

Back 13

Having many or various colors.

Front 14

Post and Lintel

Back 14

The simplest form of architectural construction, consisting of vertical members (posts) and supporting horizontals (lintels).

Front 15

Prehistory

Back 15

The study of history before written records.

Front 16

Shaman

Back 16

A priestly leader or healer who meditates between the natural and the spiritual world.

Front 17

Stele

Back 17

An upright stone slab or pillar.

Front 18

Antiphonal

Back 18

A type of music which two or more groups of voices or instruments alternate with one another.

Front 19

Cantor

Back 19

The chief singer of the liturgy.

Front 20

Covenant

Back 20

Contract; the bond between the Hebrew people and their god.

Front 21

Empire

Back 21

The state achieved militarily by the unification or territories under a single sovereign power.

Front 22

Epic

Back 22

A long narrative poem that recounts the deeds of a legendary or historical hero in his quest for meaning or identity.

Front 23

Lapis Lazuli

Back 23

A semiprecious blue stone.

Front 24

Liturgy

Back 24

The rituals for a public worship.

Front 25

Menorah

Back 25

a seven-branched candelabrum.

Front 26

Monarch

Back 26

A single or sole ruler.

Front 27

Monotheism

Back 27

the belief in one and only one god.

Front 28

Mosaic

Back 28

A medium by which small pieces of glass or stone are used to ornamate a flat surface.

Front 29

Polytheism

Back 29

The belief in many gods.

Front 30

Prophet

Back 30

Greek: "One who speaks for another. a divinely inspired teacher.

Front 31

Responsory

Back 31

A type of music in which a single voice answers another voice or chorus.

Front 32

Shofar

Back 32

A trumpet made of a ram's horn, used to summon Jews to prayer.

Front 33

Synagogue

Back 33

The Jewish house for worship and religious study.

Front 34

Theocracy

Back 34

Rule, by god or god's representative.

Front 35

Torah

Back 35

"instruction" "law" or "teaching" The first five books of the Hebrew bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Front 36

Ziggurat

Back 36

A terraced tower of rubble and brick that served ancient Mesopotamians as a temple-shrine.

Front 37

Cosmology

Back 37

The theory of the origins, evolution, and structure of the universe.

Front 38

Dynasty

Back 38

a sequence of rulers from the same family.

Front 39

Canon

Back 39

A set of rules or standards used to establish proportions.

Front 40

Fresco Secco

Back 40

"fresh" or "dry" in Italian. A method of painting on walls or ceilings surfaced with moist lime plaster.

Front 41

Hypostyle

Back 41

A hall whose roof is supported by columns.

Front 42

Lyre

Back 42

Any one of a group of plucked stringed instruments; usually made of tortoise shell or horn and therefore light in weight.

Front 43

Lyric

Back 43

Literally "accompanied by the lyre," hence, verse that is meant to be sung rather than spoken; usually characterized by individual or personal emotion.

Front 44

Mastaba

Back 44

Early rectangular Egyptian tomb with sloping sides and a flat roof.

Front 45

Module

Back 45

A unit of measurement used to determine proportion.

Front 46

Obelisk

Back 46

A tall, four sided pillar that tapers to a pyramidal apex.

Front 47

Papyrus

Back 47

A reedlike plant from which the ancient Egyptians made paper.

Front 48

Pylon

Back 48

A massive gateway in the form of a pair of trundicated pyramids.

Front 49

Pyramid

Back 49

A four sided structure rising to a peak.

Front 50

Relief

Back 50

A sculptural technique in which figures or forms are carved either to project from the background suface (raised relief) or cut away from below the background level (sunk relief); the degree of relief is designated as high, low, or sunken.