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Out of the Past: Signs and Symbols

57 minutes 27 seconds

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Brown computer graphic of a star made of 4 intersecting lines. Text on screen reads, "'an' or heaven." Caption. A star shape, to represent god or heaven.

Unearthing and interpreting the signs and symbols that define societies can be challenging yet revealing. From deciphering ancient scripts to understanding status symbols, archaeologists use ancient and modern examples to reconstruct the meaning of the symbols they find. Part of the "Out of the Past" series.

Media Details

Runtime: 57 minutes 27 seconds

Topic: History, Social Science
Subtopic: Ancient History, Anthropology, Archaeology
Grade/Interest Level: 10 - 12
Standards:

Release Year: 1993
Producer/Distributor: Annenberg
Series: Out of the Past
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Ancient intricate face statue carved out of brown and red stone. It has a wide open mouth and hair that resembles flower petals going around the head. Caption. The amazing variety of new world civilizations.

Silhouette of a pyramid with the sun peeking out from behind it. Caption. Archaeologists are looking for patterns in the past.

Man wearing a pink plaid shirt looks down and touches a piece of yellow leather that another man in a light green hoodie is holding. Hundreds of colorful leather samples are on the wall behind them. Caption. Their leather making skill is world renowned.

Brown computer graphic of a star made of 4 intersecting lines. Text on screen reads, "'an' or heaven." Caption. A star shape, to represent god or heaven.

Computer graphic of a large, ancient palace and its courtyards. The palace is made of multiple cascading levels and is surrounded by courtyards and other similar, but smaller buildings. Caption. The palaces and temples of the royal family.

Archaeological dig of ancient stone buildings surrounded by historical city buildings and streets. A large dome is visible in the distance. Caption. Eventually led to the discovery of a large complex of buildings.

Closeup of a statue of a man's face with curly hair and a medium length curly beard. It is made of dark stone. Caption. And king of all gods, Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

Abstract drawing of a white and a yellow skulls with block teeth surrounded by Aztec designs. The yellow skull's mouth is open. Caption. The alliance destroyed the Aztec empire.