GO MUSEUM SCENE
Mesopotamian art highlighted
By Nancy Maes
Special to the Tribune
Published October 17, 2003
Long, long ago and far, far away in a country called Mesopotamia (meaning "land between rivers") many aspects of civilization as we know it today took shape.
That crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers is in modern-day Iraq. We know it from the headlines of a war's aftermath and the looting of the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad.
Families can find out more about its ancient history during a day of activities called the "Magic Carpet" that will take place to celebrate the opening of the Mesopotamian Gallery in the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago. It displays artifacts that are thousands of years old, similar to the ones in the Baghdad museum, which were acquired during the first half of the 20th Century with the permission of the Iraqi government.
Youngsters can go on a treasure hunt to seek out various artifacts including a pull-toy shaped like a sheep that is 4,000 years old.
"It looks just like the pull-toys of today except that it is made out of baked clay," said Carole Krucoff, head of public and museum education. "It's on wheels, which were first invented by the Mesopotamians."
Families can also play a Mesopotamian board game to see whose token can get to the "finish line" first.
"The players used to throw knuckle bones to see how many moves they would get, then they threw pieces of wood like popsicles sticks decorated on one side and would proceed according to how many decorated sides came up and then they invented dice with dots on each side like the ones we use today," Krucoff said.
Children will get a paper replica of the game so they can try their luck at home.
They also will learn about the cuneiform script used by Mesopotamian scribes.
"It started out as pictographs but since they were writing on mud or clay it was difficult to draw pictures so it evolved into a wedge-shaped writing with about 600 symbols for ideas and sounds," Krucoff said.
Children can have their names inscribed in cuneiform on a bookmark.
Because the cuneiform script existed, Mesopotamian stories were written down on clay tablets and many of them still exist. Judith Heineman will tell several of these ancient tales including the epic of King Gilgamesh.
"He was part man and part god and had superhuman power and abilities," Heineman said. "He was the first superhero and these stories [that] are full of magic and discuss the large issues of being human--the quest for a sense of belonging and friendship and immortality--are the template for `Star Wars' and `Harry Potter.'"
Here are some other exhibits where children can learn more about ancient civilizations:
Inside Ancient Egypt: Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, $10 adults $5 children; 312-922-9410.
Rosenbaum Artifact Center: Spertus Museum, 618 S. Michigan Ave., $5 adults, $3 children, $10 per family; 312-322-1747.
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Magic Carpet
When: Noon-4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Oriental Institute Museum, 1155 E. 58th St.
Price: Free; 773-702-9507
Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune
