Discover far flung and mysterious empires of the Middle Ages through the art and ideas they left behind. Hear the call to prayer from Turkey’s Hagia Sophia; walk through the great mud mosque of Mansa Musa; adventure with the Chinese Monkey King; sip the sacred cacao drink of the Mayas. In our class you will learn the history and humanities of great medieval empires generally unknown in the West.
Students will learn to identify great works of these empires, complete arts and history inspired writing assignments, and present four creative projects from the technology, architecture, fine arts, or literary arts of medieval empires we study this year. Class time will include lots of interactive activities and art projects, along with discussions and quizzes. Homework (2-3 hours) will include reading/listening/watching, a weekly writing assignment (1-2 pages), and two creative project presentations per semester.