Module 4.1 Hagia Sophia

February 2, 2016 by Jessica F. 4 Comments

BASILICA

The term basilica (term is greek derived) refers to a large an important church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope. Roman Catholic basilicas are Catholic pilgrimage sites, meaning they receive tens of millions of visitors per year. Below is a picture of St Peters Basilica in Vatican City. It is a major basilica of the Roman Catholic Church.

Initially basilicas were used for business and had no religious function at all in Roman times. The oldest known basilicas date back to 184 BC in Rome.

Architecture plays a large part in what makes up a basilica. Christians adopted a variation of the basilica for worship. It usually consisted of a central nave (hallway) with an aisle on each side. An altar on a platform was placed at the front of the hall for the clergy to officiate services. In most basilicas, the central nave is taller than the aisles, forming a row of windows called a clerestory. Below is a basic drawing that shows the structural elements of a gothic basilica.

The reason this term is important to our topic is because Hagia Sophia is a former Christian Patriarchal Basilica (church) that is located in Istanbul, Turkey. Is was the largest cathedral until the early 1500’s. It was built in 537 and is labeled famously as having Byzantine Architecture because it was built during the reign of Constantinople during the Roman Empire. It is well know for its massive dome.

Timeline:

537-1453: Orthodox Cathedral

1453-1931: Mosque

1935-present day: Museum

Below is a picture of Hagia Sophia.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia

competing narratives of the first thanksgiving

February 2, 2016 by amandalennox 1 Comment

The reading that was closest t my childhood image would probably be the first article because it was the only article that, in my eyes, was more fact based and talked about how the pilgrims and the indians became partners and how they feasted together in celebration. The article that is most relevant to my current understanding of Thanksgiving would still be the first article because it was straight forward and easy for me to follow along with previous knowledge. Honestly learning more about Thanksgiving over the course of my life hasn’t changed the celebration of the holiday for me. When the day comes around I do not think about the Natives and the Pilgrims feasting together. I think about spending quality time with my family.
I don’t find these interpretations interesting at all because they are more about economy and socialism which is just a way for the richer to become more rich and the poor to remain poor. These articles do tell me about how the pilgrims didn’t fully thrive until Bradford, their governor, divided up property. When I googled the author Richard Maybury it showed that he is a publisher and writes about economics, law and history from a librarian viewpoint.When I googled Rush Limbaugh, he is an American entertainer, talk show host and writer so he is very outspoken and you can tell from his interview/ article. Knowing more about the authors doesn’t change my view of their Thanksgiving stories. Everyone is entitled to their ow way of thinking.
I feel like the more I read these articles the more repetitive it all becomes which I know they are telling the same story but none are really attention grabbing or stick out to me. The authors of these articles are the same as the others. Again knowing more about the authors does not change my view of their version of the first Thanksgiving.
A historian would probably make sense of the first thanksgiving by relating all other events that occurred at the time. They would try to make it as accurate as possible by reading and comparing articles like we didnt today and then writing a more fact based article. An average adult would most likely make sense of the competing articles by comparing the knowledge behind each authors articles. They would probably like an article like Rush’s the most because is is more entertaining to read or listen to. Primary sources related to the first Thanksgiving would be history books or history websites. A secondary source of knowledge would be something like wikipedia because it has many facts and is cited

Madrasa and the Hagia Sophia

February 2, 2016 by caitlynmoyle 2 Comments

Madrasa is Arabic for any type of educational institution. This can mean secular or pertaining to any religion. In the West, the word is used to refer to a specific type of religious school or college for the study of Islam, though it may not be the only subject studied. But, not all students in madrasas are Muslims. There is also a modern curriculum. The word madrasah derives from the triconsonantal Semitic root D-R-S ‘to learn, study’, through the wazn (form/stem) mafʻal(ah), meaning “a place where something is done”. Madrasah quite literally means “a place where learning and studying take place”. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrasa#Definition)

A photo of a madrasa

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_madrasa_et_la_mosqu%C3%A9e_Tilla_Kari_du_Registan_(Samarcande,_Ouzb%C3%A9kistan)_(5630693152).jpg

The madrasa has recently developed a close relation with the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia is one of the most significant historical monuments in Turkey. It is a beautiful place that has been a “World Heritage Site” for a long time. The place is highly beloved by many people in Turkey. Recently, a new debate has come about with the Ministry of Culture’s plans to build a madrasa, a school of Islamic theology and law, in the Hagia Sophia’s courtyard. The source of the debate arose when the International Council on Monuments and Sites declared that once the madrasa is built, the status of the Hagia Sophia being a “World Heritage Site” will be reassessed and possibly removed. After the declaration, the Ministry of Culture began to reevaluate and have asked for an Environmental Impact Assessment Report. The Ministry plans to make their final decision regarding the madrasa plans after this report has been completed. But, because of the declaration to reassess the status of “World Heritage Site”, a rapidly growing resistance to the madrasa plans is assembling in Turkey. (http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/8493/new-madrasa-controversy-at-hagia-sophia)