Assignment:

SUBJECT CHOSEN FOR ASSIGNMENT: HATSHEPSUT

Women Power in the Ancient World: Digital Museum Exhibit(750-900 words total) – 30%In the first assignment you were able to interview a living person about their experience, strategies, andsuccess (or lack therefore) navigating the power dynamic. For social historians and archaeologists alike,reconstructing past power dynamics is a bit more complicated. Instead of living people, we mustinterrogate the material remains and written record left behind in order to understand how past societieswere structured. These artifacts, writings, and in some cases, architecture are then housed in museumsacross the globe to present a glimpse into the past for the general public.In this assignment, we will collectively work to build a digital museum exhibit titled “Women andPower in the Ancient World.” Note that this assignment has both individual and collaborativecomponents. During Week 5, you will sign up for a group based on the region you are interested inresearching. Individually, your job is to select a woman from that region who was able to achieve thehighest position of power in her society. Conduct a research investigation into her life and how she cameto obtain power in society. You will need to consult at least 4 primary and 4 secondary sources. Youwill then look through museum catalogues and select three artifacts that you feel best reflect or shed lightinto her life as a leader. These artifacts do not need to be personally associated with her—they can also bethematically related to her challenges specific to her assumption of power—but they must be relevant toher social location (time and place). You will need to select one artifact for each of the followingcategories: 1) How she came to power; 2) What she accomplished in power; 3) How she wasremembered after her tenure was over.After you select your three artifacts, you will write a museum label for each one consisting of 250-300words. Use the following questions to guide you in your analysis:1. Rise to Power: When did your person reign? In what region of the world? How was the societytraditionally structured? How was your woman able to subvert the status quo and obtain herposition of power? How does your artifact reflect this?2. Power Accomplishments: How long was she in power? What did she do once in power? Howdid she maintain her position? How does your artifact reflect this?3. Cultural Memories of the Dead: How did the society remember her after she was dead? Wasshe honored as a true leader? Did later generations look back on her with disdain? Was sheglorified? Demonized? A cautionary tale for why women shouldn’t be in power? How does yourartifact reflect this?Collectively, you and your group members will compose a short (300-400 word) introduction to yourregion’s exhibit that highlights the ways in which women rose to power, accomplished power, and wereremembered as powerful (or perhaps not-so-powerful) leaders in your specific region. This means youshould look for patterns across case studies. Your group must then put together a digital exhibit of yourregion that is publicly available online. This exhibit can be in blog format (e.g., WordPress), a digitalpresentation such as Prezi—feel free to get creative! Just keep in mind that your audience is thegeneral public—thus, you should not assume that someone looking at your museum exhibit hasprior knowledge of that region or ruler. All artifacts from the course will be presented on a webpageby region in an online exhibit titled: “Women and Power in the Ancient World.”Individually, you will need to submit the following to Turnitin.com in one document • An image of each artifact, its title, where it is currently housed, and its accession number (this isfor citation purposes)• A museum label consisting of 250-300 words for each artifact• A bibliography of all sources you consulted to write your exhibit labels (at least 4 primary and 4secondary sources)• Group introduction to region (300-400 words)In order to prevent overlap, when you sign up for your region you will also list the woman you plan toresearch. Note that only one woman is allowed per region (i.e., five people cannot write aboutCleopatra). It is thus recommended you sign up early! (See TA website for sign-up sheet). Onceyou have selected your figure, you will need to begin your research on her. Please see your TA forresearch resources. After you have a general understanding of her ascension to power, her achievements,and her cultural memory, begin to peruse the various museum collections. *Note that each artifact does not need to be directly related to your figure (e.g., something she owned, hadcommissioned, something depicting her image, etc.), but it does need to reflect something about the systemwithin which she lived and how it reflects an aspect of your figure’s power narrative (i.e., one of the threecategories listed above).

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Digital Museum ExhibitThe components of this project are weighted as follows:Individual Labels 75%Bibliography 10%Group Introduction &Presentation of Digital Exhibit15%Note that if one aspect of your project is weak, it will impact the other parts. For example, if yourbibliography has inappropriate sources, then that will impact your labels and your group’s abilityto write an effective introduction.Individual Labels (250-300 words)A-range: Museum label successfully articulates in 250-300 words how the artifact reflects acertain aspect of the figure’s power narrative (i.e., rise to power, achievements, and culturalmemory). Label also successfully articulates how the artifact reflects something specific aboutthe power structure in that society. The artifact selected is appropriate and the label descriptionaids the viewer in understanding something deeper about the power dynamic in society. Studenteffectively engages with the intended audience for this assignment. Student has a clearunderstanding of the society within which this woman lived.B-range: Museum label articulates how the artifact reflects a certain aspect of the figure’s powernarrative (i.e., rise to power, achievements, and cultural memory) but does not meet allrequirements. The artifact selected is somewhat appropriate but may be a bit of a reach for thecategory it represents. Student appears to understand aspects the society within which thiswoman lived but label could be stronger in its analysis. Student demonstrates an understandingof the assignment’s intended audience.C-range: Museum label attempts to articulate how the artifact reflects a certain aspect of thefigure’s power narrative (i.e., rise to power, achievements, and cultural memory) but does notmeet most requirements. The artifact selected is a reach for the category it represents. Studenthas a minimal understanding of the society within which this woman lived. Analysis needsimprovement. Student struggles to engage with the assignment’s intended audience.Below C: Label is problematic. It does not meet the minimum requirements. Student struggleswith explaining how artifact reflects a broader aspect of the power structure and their figure’srelationship to it. It is apparent the student did not conduct sufficient research into this figure, nordoes the student understand the intended audience for this assignment.Bibliography/Works ConsultedA-range: All sources are cited appropriately. Students uses at least 4 primary and 4 secondarysources. Sources are appropriate and provide context for student’s labels.B-range: Most sources are cited appropriately. Student uses at least 4 primary and 4 secondarysources. The majority of sources are appropriate, but one or two may be a reach and/or notprovide context for student’s labels.C-range: At least four sources are cited appropriately. Student uses at least 4 primary and 4secondary sources. Some sources may be inappropriate for this case study.Below C: Student does not cite sources appropriately. Student uses less than the minimumrequirement of primary and secondary sources. Sources may be inappropriate given student’scase study.Group Introduction (300-400 words)A-range: Group clearly collaborated to discuss how case studies in region highlight the powerstructure/social system. Label successfully integrates case studies to highlight patterns in society.In instances where there was a social change (e.g., shift from city states to empire, change inreligion, etc.), label addresses how these changes affected the gender dynamic. Label meets allrequirements as stated in the prompt and effectively addresses the intended audience of thisproject. Museum exhibit is easy to navigate and visually stunning, and group has chosen anappropriate digital medium for this assignment.B-range: Group collaborated to discuss how case studies in region highlight the powerstructure/social system. Label integrates case studies to highlight patterns in society for the mostpart, but some parts of introduction could synthesize case studies more effectively. In instanceswhere there was a social change (e.g., shift from city states to empire, change in religion, etc.),label gives a cursory overview of how these changes affected the gender dynamic. Label may bemissing some requirements from the prompt or not always engage with the intended audience.Museum exhibit is easy to navigate, and group has chosen an appropriate digital medium for thisassignment.C-range: Group struggled at times with discussing how case studies in region highlight thepower structure/social system in that region. Either the label relies too heavily on case studiesand thus repeats what is in the artifact labels, or it provides an overview of the region but doesn’taddress patterns across case studies. Label could have been more in depth with regard to howsocial change in region affected the gender dynamic, and struggles to engage with the intendedaudience of this assignment. Museum exhibit appears to be hastily thrown together and/or thedigital medium is inappropriate for this assignment.Below C: Group did not coordinate and there is no introduction to the region. Label does notintegrate case studies nor provide viewer with a clear understanding of that region and powerwas structured. Museum exhibit is difficult to navigate and appears to be hastily thrown togetherand/or the digital medium is inappropriate for this assignment.