Exam II Image Descriptions Trajan s Column What does it represent depiction of military activities tells the narrative of Trajan s conquest It is almost like a film showing their dress weapons the way they built their cities etc Shows how legions did their dirty work through images no words needed Why is it significant Standing today in isolation the Column was a focal point of the great forum and market complex built by Trajan to complement a group of older imperial fora clustered around the venerable Forum Romanum itself Palace Chapel Aachen What does it represent King Charlemagne s chapel Consecrated in 805 by Pope Leo III in honor of the Virgin Mary Building is centrally planned domed chapel Decoration of the building combines elements of Classical Byzantine and Pre Romanesque materials as the expression of a new royal house ruled by Charlemagne What is its significance the chapel was to serve the religious needs of Charlemagne and his clergy installed at the palace Archbishop s Palace Ravenna Christ as Conqueror Psalm 91 13 What does it represent Showing Judas Psalm refers to the fact he is stepping on the snake Byzantine style mosaic built when the Byzantine Empire tried going back to Italy Emperor of Justinian Crown around his head indicates Jesus Clothing is Roman military styled clothing Center of intricate mosaic work What is its significance The fact that it is the only Early Christian private oratory that has survived to the present day Umayyad Mosque Damascus What does it represent One of the largest and oldest mosques that was dedicated to John the Baptist Umayyad specific dynasty of caliphates Damascus modern day Syria southern Turkey Place of worship for ancient Muslims What is its significance Articulated the rising political status of the Islamic world as a major world power Its majestic stature became an Islamic architectural prototype for mosques being built in all the newly established territories The Franks Casket What does it represent found in England combination of several different styles and themes Christian whale s bone chest from the early 8th century densely decorated with knife cut narrative scenes with inscriptions mostly in Anglo Saxon rhetoric What is its significance The style of the carving and dialect of the inscriptions show that the casket was made in northern England probably in a monastery and possibly for a learned patron Made at a time when Christianity had not long been established in England it reflects a strong interest in how the pagan Germanic past might relate to Christ s message and to the histories of Rome and Jerusalem Gold ducat Venice c 1330 U of A What does it represent Trade coin in Europe from later medieval centuries until as late as the 20th century Gained wide international acceptance Above image is Saint Mark of Venice standing giving gonfalon heraldic flag of religious importance to the kneeling doge political figure of this time On the back of the coin Christ is standing amongst stars in oval frame What is its significance This example of gold ducat in Venice represents the type of currency of that time period that people used to trade and buy things with