Learning Objectives
How did the ancients imagine the workings of the body, and how did they try to fix it when it went wrong? Unlike now, with our modern instruments and great understanding of human biology, the ancients had to rely on their own forms of experimentation as well as superstitious and religious methods of healing.
- Learn about some of the most exotic forms of medical treatment in the ancient world.
- Create an astrological amulet in the style of an ancient artefact.
- Compare ancient approaches to common illnesses with modern treatment.
Lesson 1
We will examine some of the most exotic and unusual approaches to healing across the ancient world. From bloodletting to drinking poisonous concoctions, we will uncover the reasoning behind the use of these treatments and the effects that they would have had on the bodies of the patients.
Lesson 2
We will create our own magical amulet to beseech the gods for medical treatment. As a popular alternative to normal medical treatment, you will learn some of the symbols and spells which were inscribed on items to ward off ill health. You can then choose a set to place on your own amulet and take home with you.
Lesson 3
We will compare the ancients’ approach to common health issues with our own modern-day practices and discuss how you think this would have impacted the people of the past.
The foundation of Mathematics
- Understand how the ancients discovered the mathematics which we use in our daily lives.
- Create your own estimate of π using ancient techniques.
- Use ancient mathematic instruments to solve a set problem.
How were the pyramids built so precisely? How did the ancients get a number for π? How was 0 invented? The invention of mathematics allowed our ancestors to change the world around them and has paved the way for the technology we all enjoy today. By turning the clock back, we will gain an understanding of how the most basic mathematical models allowed tremendous innovations, even six-thousand years ago.
Lesson 1
We will learn how mathematics was invented and how it was used in daily life thousands of years ago. Numbers and the ability to manipulate them allowed civilisation to expand, a monetary system to be created, and give our minds a method for imagining the abstract and imaginary.
Lesson 2
We will learn how π was originally calculated using shapes. We will create our own estimation of pi using large cut-outs of polygons and learn how this was scaled to create more accurate estimations of the important ratio.
Lesson 3
We will examine how some of the ancient uses of maths have not changed to this day and use ancient mathematical methods to solve problems which you encounter on a daily basis.