Q&A Hero

Q: In what city did elite men and women live in a separate part of the city from the general population? A. Mapungubwe B. Great Zimbabwe C. Aksum D. Benin

Q: The earliest images of Saharan rock art are thought to date from at least A. 40,000 BCE. B. 10,000 BCE. C. 25,000 BCE. D. 60,000 BCE.

Q: Which culture used structures that were meant to protect the inhabitants against extreme weather conditions? A. Nok B. Kongo C. Bantu D. Mousgoum

Q: When Koi Konboro, the 26th king of Djenn, converted to Islam, what did he transform into a mosque? A. the citys ceremonial complex B. his palace C. a block of volcanic tuff D. a marketplace

Q: Before the seventeenth century, why was southern Africa such an important trading hub for Europeans? A. It provided Europeans with raw goods, such as wood and rubber. B. It produced luxury goods prized by the European elite. C. It provided Europeans with much-needed spices. D. It was about halfway between Europe and Asia.

Q: The exterior walls at the Great Enclosure of Zimbabwe are topped with designs of A. chevrons. B. roses. C. arches. D. volutes.

Q: What elements of the Kongolese Crucifix (Fig. 14-20) are more in keeping with an African aesthetic than European traditions? A. the features of Christ B. the presence of Mary C. the size of the crucifix D. the medium of the crucifix

Q: Which objects were created specifically for trade with the Portuguese? A. textiles from Kongo B. brass plaques from Benin C. ivory horns from Sierra Leone D. gold figurines from South Africa

Q: What suggests that Horseman (Fig. 14-12) represents a guardian figure or an ancestor? A. the ornate bridle B. the oval head C. the jutting chin D. the smoothed limbs

Q: What was the function of textiles in Kongo culture? A. They were signs of protection. B. They were used in marriage rituals. C. They were exchanged as currency. D. They were used as offerings.

Q: In the thirteenth century, the numerous rock-cut sanctuaries at Lalibela in Ethiopia is evidence of the popularity of A. Buddhism. B. Hinduism. C. Judaism. D. Christianity.

Q: After the fall of the Roman Empire, what was the amphitheater at El Jem used for? A. storeroom B. monastery C. church D. fortress

Q: Which of the following features is a characteristic of West African mosques? A. strong, local, and quarried stone B. battered walls that slope inward toward the top C. projecting wooden beams called torons D. square or circular plans

Q: Why is the art of Benin considered royal arts? A. All artistic subject matter was related to the oba, his family, and court life. B. The oba commissioned works in brass and ivory. C. Only members of the most elite class could become artists. D. The lost-wax casting process was used to decorate thrones.

Q: What do the birds represent in Eusebiuss Letter to Carpianus (Fig. 14-8)? A. the canonical hours B. the Garden of Eden C. the Holy Spirit D. the canon tables

Q: What cultural influence is apparent in Ethiopian manuscripts? A. Nigerian B. Portuguese C. Byzantine D. Egyptian

Q: What caused the damage to the pyramids at Mero (Fig. 14-6)? A. dynamite B. sand storms C. climate change D. fire

Q: Which of the following is characteristic of the unique style of Igbo-Ukwu? A. idealized proportions B. multiple registers C. circular compositions D. naturalistic forms

Q: What characteristic feature appears in Nok sculptures of human figures and animals? A. scarification B. triangular D-shaped eyes C. brightly painted costumes D. eyes inlaid with glass and shell

Q: The technical skills of the Nok culture are demonstrated by their use of A. bronze. B. terra cotta. C. glass. D. ivory.

Q: As seen in rock art from around 8000 BCE to 2000 BCE, evidence of the geological changes in the Saharan region of Africa is found in vivid images of A. figures dancing. B. primitive masks. C. handprints. D. wildlife.

Q: The full, delicate lips and expressive eyes of Crowned Head of a Yoruba Ruler from Ife (Fig. 14-1) connect human anatomy with A. the oba. B. scarification. C. the oni. D. the toron.

Q: Describe the aesthetics, style, and purpose of Maya relief sculpture and wall painting.

Q: Compare and contrast the ceramics and works of metal from cultures of the Americas.

Q: Discuss the cultures of North America and their various works of art.

Q: Discuss the similarities and differences characterizing the major cultures of Mesoamerica.

Q: What monumental structures were built in the ancient Americas?

Q: What works have been found from the Florida Glades culture?

Q: What was the lifestyle of early North American people?

Q: What are the Nazca geoglyphs, and what might have been their use?

Q: What did the Paracas culture use textiles for?

Q: How were sculptural features of Chichen Itza different from those of earlier sites?

Q: What are the characteristics of the Mayan ideal of beauty?

Q: Describe the cosmic ballgame.

Q: What was the appearance and possible purpose of the colossal Olmec heads found in Mexico?

Q: What features were shared by the different civilizations of Mesoamerica?

Q: What effect did the arrival of Europeans have on Native American populations?

Q: What did the people of the Moche culture develop that allowed them to mass-produce some of their pottery forms? A. lost-wax technique B. low-fire glazes C. ceramic molds D. hand-building

Q: Where is the Great Serpent Mound (Fig. 13-23), which was created by the Mississippian culture, located? A. Louisiana B. Ohio C. Mississippi D. Indiana

Q: The Beaver Effigy Platform Pipe (Fig. 13-21), which would have been used by a smoker in such a way that the smoker would be face to face with the beaver figures eyes, is made from A. wood. B. jade. C. bone D. stone.

Q: What items made from gold and turquoise are evidence of the Moche cultures sophisticated metallurgy skills? A. earspools B. headdresses C. belts D. necklaces

Q: Used in recording the accomplishments of their rulers, the Maya perfected a more sophisticated version of the Mesoamerican A. burial site. B. temple. C. ballgame. D. calendar.

Q: The Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent (Fig. 13-8) includes high-relief carvings depicting a serpent with the goggle-eyed headdress associated with the A. Lightning God. B. Sun God. C. Storm God. D. Thunder God.

Q: Which structure at Teotihuacan was built over a multi-chambered cave with a spring, which may have been the original focus of worship at the site? A. the Pyramid of the Sun B. the Pyramid of the Moon C. the Temple of the Inscriptions D. the Avenue of the Dead

Q: Much of what we know about Mayan courtly life comes from paintings on A. cylindrical vessels. B. burial masks. C. wall reliefs. D. wood statues.

Q: What was a distinguishing feature of Pueblo Bonito (Fig. 13-28) in Chaco Canyon? A. It had multiple stories and many rooms. B. It was the hub of a network of roads to other communities. C. It was a site of low-fired pottery production. D. It was built on ledges under sheltering cliffs.

Q: What feature of southwestern pictographs is shared by the prehistoric cave paintings found in Europe? A. They depict both animals and human figures. B. They record recognizable rituals and ceremonies. C. They were made by scraping bacteria off the canyon wall. D. They represent realistic space and time.

Q: Which of the following was a characteristic of Pueblo kivas? A. They were sites for astronomical observations. B. They were arranged along a central avenue. C. They had a central hole in the roof that admitted a shaft of light. D. They had a floor indentation that recalled the cultures mythic origins.

Q: The woodhenges found at the Mississippian site of Cahokia seem related to A. astronomical observation. B. a ritual ball game. C. domestic tasks. D. defending the city.

Q: Textiles produced by the Paracas culture are characterized by A. the predominance of female artists. B. the use of monochromatic color. C. large, inconsistent stitching. D. repeated embroidered figures.

Q: Which animals were revered in the Diquis culture because they represented a higher world? A. crocodiles B. jaguars C. serpents D. birds

Q: How is the relief carving Shield Jaguar and Lady Xok (Lintel 24) (Fig. 13-14) characteristic of Mayan sculpture? A. The relief is very high. B. It depicts a scene of courtly life. C. The key figures shown are human. D. The composition is static.

Q: How did the discovery of an offering of carefully arranged figures in La Venta (Fig. 13-1) contribute to art historys knowledge of the Olmec? A. It demonstrated their skills at carving. B. It provided a context for similar figures found elsewhere. C. It explained Olmec ritual practice and belief. D. It proved that the Olmec interacted with other cultures.

Q: How does the architecture of Chavin de Huantar reflect its position as an important religious center in the Andean highlands on a trade route between the coast and the Amazon basin? A. the U-shaped Old Temple B. the sunken circular courtyards C. the synthesis of architectural forms D. mountain-sized, step pyramids

Q: Mayan inscriptions on architecture and stelae commonly A. offer prayers to the gods. B. record specific historical events. C. serve an ornamental function. D. provide instruction for ritual practice.

Q: Which city demonstrates the influence of Central Mexico on the Maya in the post-classic period through art emphasizing military conquests? A. Chichen Itza B. Yaxchilan C. Palenque D. Tikal

Q: How many levels do Mayan temples have, which set atop steep pyramids and probably reflected the cultures concept of the underworld? A. three B. six C. nine D. ten

Q: The Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque (Fig. 13-11) is built above a corbel-vaulted stairway that leads to A. a natural spring, which may have been the original focus of worship. B. the subterranean tomb of Pakal the Great, a powerful ruler. C. a chamber with extensive reliefs and inscriptions that give the temple its name. D. the hill thought to house mythological animals and earth deities.

Q: Which Mesoamerican cultures architecture is characterized by talud-tablero construction, where a sloping base supports a flat entablature? A. Olmec B. Teotihuacan C. Mayan D. Aztec

Q: How does the Mayan site of Tikal conform to the uneven terrain of the rainforest? A. the use of a grid plan around a central pyramid B. the buildings are terraced into the mountains C. structures placed on high ground connected by causeways D. the use of temporary structures made of impermanent materials

Q: Which of the following is true about Mayan writing? A. Logographs represented individual letters. B. Writing was closely related to the production of painted imagery. C. Inscriptions typically recorded astrological events. D. Extant codices provided information about Mayan religious practice.

Q: What was discovered at Olmec sites that is evidence of long-distance trade with other parts of Mesoamerica? A. jade B. textiles C. basalt D. limestone

Q: Compare and contrast paintings from the Heian period and the Kamakura period.

Q: Japanese secular paintings are considered to be among the finest in the world. Explain what makes them so special, in terms of both form and style.

Q: Discuss how Japans changing relationship with China and Korea impacted its art and cultural development.

Q: Discuss the interplay of indigenous traditions and transmitted culture in Japanese art.

Q: Compare the aesthetic and ritual characteristics of art made for different sects of Buddhism in Japan.

Q: Describe the joined-block wood sculpture technique.

Q: How does Zen Buddhist art differ from that of Esoteric and Pure Land Buddhism?

Q: How do raigo paintings differ from mandalas?

Q: Why did the Heian era end, and what period followed?

Q: What are the teachings of Pure Land Buddhism?

Q: What is Esoteric Buddhism, and how is the concept artistically interpreted?

Q: What are some of the Buddhist symbols and what do they stand for?

Q: What is one of the jataka tales told by the paintings of Horyuji?

Q: What cultural transformations occurred during the Asuka period?

Q: What social changes occurred in the Yayoi period?

Q: Which periods aesthetics are presented in the Amida Buddha (Fig. 12-10)? A. Kamakura B. Asuka C. Nara D. Heian

Q: The earliest form of samurai armor is known as A. kamakura. B. soji. C. yoroi. D. giga.

Q: What do the animal antics and court activities depicted in the yamato-e handscroll Frolicking Animals (Fig. 12-13) represent? A. deities B. worshipers C. warriors D. emperors