How better to apply what you have been learning in your Ancient History Through Art class than by exploring the three ancient civilizations that influenced the local territory? Throughout the year, you and your classmates read, analyze and comment on not only written sources, but through archaeological remains and artifacts.
A trip to Sperlonga, a small town perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the Mediterranean, brings you and your classmates to the Villa di Tiberio, the Roman emperor’s (14-37 AD) “lost” summer home that wasn’t discovered until 1957. You move about the remnants, down a path that leads you to fishponds and a grotto where Tiberius would have entertained guests. Scenes from Greek Hellenistic literature of Homer and Virgil come to life through grand statues depicting mythological compositions of Odysseus’ encounters, including Polyphemus and Ulysses.
It’s a sunny, blue-sky day as you walk through the 13th century Abbey of Fossanova in Priverno, a Cistercian monastery, just as Thomas Aquinas had. This church complex is considered one of the earliest examples of early Gothic architecture in Italy. Austere, unlike most Italian churches, the rose windows and a faded fresco of the Madonna and Child provide a peaceful and magical backdrop for you and your classmates to write reflective letters.
Moving the campus north to Torino, home of the Shroud of Turin, you and your classmates explore boulevards and grand squares that are lined with stately baroque buildings and old cafes to get your footing. The main theme guiding this academic trip is identity: what factors contribute to the identity of a place and to the identity of the people within that place. Applying cultural competence building skills, you were asked to challenge yourself with observational and interview skills, and further develop your language skills … and tastebuds. A visit to Torino is incomplete without enjoying a cup of bicerin: dark chocolate, espresso and whipped egg whites, a favorite of the Count of Cavour himself.
Traveling a bit more, you reach the 10th century Sacra di San Michele, which evoked an intense mystical atmosphere frozen in time. Rising into the sky atop Mount Pichiriano, you explored this Romanesque-Gothic monastic complex, discovering arches, portals, paintings, tombs and every corner hidden in the mysterious charm of this ancient place. You finally reach the church, after climbing the steep and narrow Scalone dei Morti (Stairway of the Dead), a staircase flanked by arches, niches and tombs in which, until recent times, skeletons of dead monks were visible. The symbolic ascent from darkness to light leads you to the Portale dello Zodiaco (Portal of the Zodiac) with the twelve signs of the zodiac and the southern and northern constellations. After passing through the portal, you finally reach the abbey, which preserves the tombs of members of House of Savoy, one of the oldest royal families.
The abbey served as one of the inspirations for the book “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco and the movie of the same name. As legend states, this complex was built along ancient pilgrimage routes at the request of archangel Michael, with materials transported miraculously to the top of the mountain. You ponder the science and math behind this and learn that there is a mysterious connection to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, a traditional trip for your peers at SYA France. What you find mystifying is that the six monasteries venerating St. Michael, from Ireland to Greece, are in a straight line leading to Mount Carmel in Jerusalem; and you’re standing on one of the three most important medieval monasteries venerating Saint Michael in Europe, on the same axis, one pilgrimage route, at exactly the midpoint between Mont-Saint-Michel and Monte Sant’Angelo in Puglia.