Surprising...

  I was surprised to learn about the different artwork and complex architecture of the past.  I believe that art was a form of language and it used symbols or drawings to communicate (pg. 77 Distinctive forms of writing emerged in most of the First Civilizations)  The first artifact I was surprised to see was the Willendorf Venus in Austria which is a small figure about 25,000 years old.  Its carvings were very prominent in the female sexual organs were very detailed.  There is still speculation on what this significant piece was made for.

 The designs of how structures were built was a surprise to me because of how strongly built they were because its still visibly intact today.  The Gobekli Tepe or also called potbelly hill in southeastern Turkey is dating to almost 12,000 years ago which is a 25 acre complex currently consisting of about 200 massive limestone pillars, up to 18 feet, and weighing as much as 50 tons.  It's also known as the worlds oldest temple and is probably a ceremonial, religious, or possibly art site.

 Another surprising architectural place was the Caral, which was a City of Norte Chico.  A hidden civilization that had one of the most complex architectural construction existed in its time.  (2600 BCE) Most obviously impressive about Caral was its elaborate and monumental architecture. One of its 6 pyramids stood 60ft tall and occupied an area the size of 4 football fields. It had circular sunken plazas, temples, an amphitheater, stairways, and many residential spaces.   An intricate irrigation system funneled water from the nearby Supe River to agricultural fields which seemed ahead of its time.

  One of the most surprising cities was the famous architectural discovery of the 600 acre Mohejo Daro (built around 2000 BCE ) which was the largest city of the Indus Valley civilization consisting of about 40,000 people inhabiting this complex city.  Its strong foundation is still up til this day.

The world is always filled with surprises...