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What Is An Artifact?
- 1. What Is AnArtifact? Prepared by The Delaware County Historical Society Curriculum Support Committee
- 2. Definition: •An object madeby a human being; typically an item of cultural or historical interest
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- 11. Where else canwe find artifacts?
- 16. The Great Altar Thismagnificent structure was the focus of everything in the outer chamber represents the religious communication as practiced by the ancient North Americans. It was capable of communication with a large number of gods, but the altar seems to have been mainly intended to communicate with the gods MOVIEA and MOVIEB. Communication with the altar was symbolically continued into the afterlife by placing the communicator box in the hand of the deceased.
- 17. he Bell System hispercussion instrument was found near the statue of WATT. Markings similar to those on the face of the pper altar imply a symbolic connection to the gods. The Bell System was played by holding one half of the nstrument in each hand and banging them together in some rhythmic pattern. The impact would cause a mall bell inside the larger of the two pieces to ring. Both halves were connected by a beautifully crafted coil which would miraculously reform itself into identical number of loops after each playing.
- 18. The Internal ComponentEnclosure This is the 20th century adaptation of the ancient Egyptian Canopic jar. It stood on a special table in the outer chamber. Since no traces of internal organs was found in the ICE, its function as a Canopic jar is considered to have been merely symbolic.
- 19. Musical Instruments The twotrumpets were found attached to the wall of the inner chamber at the end of the sarcophagus. They were both coated with a silver substance. Music was played by forcing water from the sacred spring through the trumpets under great pressure. Pitch was controlled by a large silver handle marked HC. The other instrument is made from wood and rubber and is probably a percussion instrument, but how to play it remains a mystery.
- 20. The Sacred Pendant Thispiece of jewelry was found lodged in the silver-rimmed hole in the floor of the sarcophagus, where it had apparently been dropped. The beautiful pendant was carved out of rubber (now petrified) and has been inscribed with the markings 1 ½. It is connected most delicately by a silver ring to a beautifully formed silver chain. We don’t know the symbolic reason for the shape of the pendant.
- 21. The Ceremonial BurialCap This extraordinary headdress, made especially for the deceased. The pattern is so complicated that we can’t figure out what the message is.
- 22. The Sacred Pointand The Sacred Parchment Very little is know about the Sacred Points except that they were very rare and were only ever found on the ends of sacred parchment scrolls. It is believed that they simply pointed the way to eternal life.
- 23. The Sacred Urn Thisrelic is most holy and was found in the inner chamber. It was carved from a single piece of porcelain and then highly polished. The Urn was the focal point of the burial ceremony. The important celebrant would kneel before the Urn and chant into it while the water from the sacred spring flowed in to mix with sheets of Sacred Parchment.
- 24. The Sacred Collar Thiswas worn by the ranking celebrant at the final burial ceremony. This artifact is dated 1979 making it one of the earliest collars ever found. The 2 bumps were just decorative. The two spiral connectors shown were used to secure the Collar and to the Urn after the ceremony.
- 25. The Sacred Aspergillum Oncethis has been dipped into the water of the Sacred Urn, it was shaken over the deceased and, over the entire chamber. This represented the cleansing of the eternal home.
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- 29. Small Relief This extremelyfine piece of workmanship served as a portable shrine which was to be carried through life and into eternal life. The writings were intended to identify an individual’s religious preference along with the burial site to which the body should be delivered when necessary. Matching writings were found on the main doors of the great sanctuary.
- 30. The Music Box Thisdelicate instrument, placed immediately above the Sacred Urn, served two functions. First, when you pull on the outer handle, the flow of water from the sacred spring goes into the Sacred Urn. Second, once the handle has been pulled, a continuous trickle of water creates a simple musical accompaniment that would last for the whole ceremony, and maybe through eternal life.
- 31. The Scared Seal Thistreasure has proportions of classic beauty. It was placed upon the handle of the great outer door by officials following the closing of the tomb.