Secrets of the Parthenon

Student Handout

A Monumental Puzzle

The Acropolis Restoration Project team faced a monumental puzzle—thousands of fragments from the Parthenon scattered across the Acropolis and others that had to be recreated because they were missing. In this activity, you will find out more about how the team worked to reconstruct this famous architectural icon.

Procedure

1. Read your question set. As you watch the program, take notes on the questions you have been assigned.

2. After watching the program, meet with your team members who have been assigned the same questions. Together, come up with an answer you all agree on for the first question. Write this answer on a new sheet of paper. Work with your team members to answer all your assigned questions.

3. Divide the questions among team members so that each member is assigned at least one question to present to the class.

4. Share answers to your team's questions with the class.

Questions
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What was the name of the team assigned to restore the Parthenon?

2. How long did it take the ancient builders to construct the original Parthenon?

3. What was the goal of the restoration team?

4. How many pieces did the restoration team have to work with?

5. What is architecturally unique about each of the 46 columns?

6. What did the restoration team do to determine which blocks belonged where in the structure?

7. Who was the leader who directed the effort to rebuild the temples of the Acropolis?

8. During what period of Greece's history was the Parthenon built?

9. What role did democracy play in the reconstruction of the temples of the Acropolis?

10. In what way did the ancient builders use red clay to ensure that their pieces would fit together precisely?

11. How many different stonemasons were identified from the chisel marks?

12. How did the original builders make sure that the diverse workforce all used common measurements?

13. What role might the human body have played in Greek architecture?

14. What ratio was found to be prevalent in the Parthenon?

15. How were the ancient builders able to sand their marble pieces so precisely?

16. What device did the ancient builders use to precisely align the Parthenon's marble pieces?

17. How were the builders able to construct the curved columns without overall architectural plans?

18. What year was the Parthenon completed?

19. What happened just one year after the Parthenon was completed?

20. Name the groups that took over the Parthenon for the next 2,000 years.