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Alexandrian Egypt - The Lighthouse of Pharos, The Library Of Alexandria, The Mouseion of Alexandria
"It was in Alexandria, during the six hundred years beginning around 300
B.C. that human beings, in an important sense, began the intellectual
adventure that has led us to the shores of space.....the greatest marvel of
Alexandria was the Library and its associated Museum.....the first true
research institute in the history of the world."
Carl Sagan
Cosmos p. 10
OPEN's portfolio on history related to the Mariners of Greece provides
students and teachers an opportunity to study one of the greatest cities of
Hellenistic Civilization...Alexandria. Not only have the Library and Museum
been a source of speculation, debate, imagination, and wonder for centuries,
but Alexandria was perhaps the first truly international and cosmopolitan
city in the world.
The "Bride of the Mediterranean" as Alexandria came to be called gave rise
to the beginnings of modern mathematics, physics, textual criticism,
astronomy, and geography. Its attempt to house the sum total of human
knowledge extant at that time under one roof at the Bibliotheca Alexandria,
and its exploration of these ideas provides a genuine source of inspiration
for future generations.
Alexandria also provides a parallel and model for our time. Most obviously
today, the Internet and its projects to catalogue electronically all books
and human knowledge (Google's Book Search and Library Project, the Alexandria and Gutenberg Projects) are in a very true sense a continuation of the works of those scholars and statesmen of the Alexandrian past. Today the Egyptian government and UNESCO have now also opened a new Library at Alexandria. Inspired by the legacy of Alexandria, the OPEN
Education Program, shares an international collaborative approach to
learning and the dissemination of knowledge.
Alexandria rose to greatness in part because it was a primary port for
Eastern Mediterranean seafarers and desert traders during the Hellenistic period.
Recent underwater discoveries in the harbor of Alexandria by Jean Yves Empereur
and French and Egyptian teams of divers, archaeologists, and historians have
shed light on the mystery surrounding the Lighthouse of Pharos. Their wonderful
discoveries are jumping off points for OPEN Mariners of Greece teachers and
student explorers.
Now OPEN students can explore the history of Alexandria, its Lighthouse, its
intellectual, architectural, economic, and cultural heritage, trace its evolution,
study modern parallels, and discuss its importance for both the Hellenistic and modern
worlds.
Possible Project Investigations -
Alexandrian Egypt - The Lighthouse of Pharos, The Library of Alexandria,
The Mouseion of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Pharos
Research the great Lighthouse at Pharos: Why and when it was built, how it
was designed and then constructed, how it worked, its uses, how it was
maintained, who maintained it, its significance for Mariners and
Alexandria, and its ultimate destruction.
Investigate, present, and report on new archaeological evidence that is
being uncovered, and what that tells us. Why was this lighthouse special?
Why was it so large? What was its significance in relation to the Colossus
of Rhodes and other large monuments of the time?
The Library at Alexandria
Research the history of the Library of Alexandria -
Research, the reasons for its founding and the goals of its original
creators. Trace its evolution from its inception to the 1999 inauguration
of the new Library of Alexandria.
Research the international character of Alexandria and the Library, how
this affected the city's growth as well as the promotion of Hellenism
throughout the Western and Near Eastern world. Draw modern parallels with
cities such as New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, etc. Explore the
method of collecting information in the written form, and how it was
utilized by scholars and others. Draw connections with programs on the
Internet and discuss the correlations and the near and possible long-term
significance.
The Museum at Alexandria
Research the Museum - The Temple of The Muses. Investigate and discuss its origins,
its history, the individuals who created and worked there and what their
achievements were, trace the evolution and application of their ideas and
theoretical constructs to modern times. The Muses were goddesses of
inspiration, daughters of memory, discuss inspiration, its meaning to the
Alexandrians as well as to us. How are their explorations similar to ours,
and what can we learn from their model?
Alexandria Related Bibliography References
- Alexandria, The Site and The History, Edited by Gareth L Steen, NY University Press, NY and London.
- Casson, Lionel, Ancient Mariners, Seafarers and Sea Fighters of the Mediterranean in Ancient Times, Princeton University Press,
1991
- Cosmos, Carl Sagan, Ballantine Books, NY.
- The Vanished Library, Luciano Canfora, University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles.
- Alexandria: History and Guide, E.M. Forster
- The Golden Age of Alexandria, A Comprehensive History of the City, John Marlowe
- The Alexandrian Library, Edward Alexander Parsons, The Elsevier Press, Amsterdam, London, New York.
- The Greek Myths, Robert Graves I & II, Penguin Books, New York, London.
Related Websites
Guidelines for Student Presentations
VISUAL
Each class presentation should include a visual component. Create
colorful charts diagrams, maps or art, which are large and clear enough
for your international classmates to see.
If you are performing a skit or a re-enactment of an historical event,
costumes and props may count as the visual component of your project.
Costumes may be simple, but everyone who is playing a part must wear
some type of costume.
You may also want to consider making a backdrop, so that your
classroom looks more like the site of ancient undersea wreck, or even a
modern newsroom.
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