Introduction
Our textbook, Arts 101: Art and Architecture from the Prehistoric World through the Medieval World, uses open-access resources that were written by peer-reviewed experts on the topics. Most of the content of our book is taken from Smarthistory (https://smarthistory.org/), created by art historians and archaeologists. Smarthistory aims to share information about art and architecture with all people at little or no cost. This book and our course are indebted to the scholars and editors of Smarthistory and other institutions and scholars who strive to make cultural content available without paywalls and subscriptions.
How to access content: You can reach each Unit and chapter from the Content drop-down menu to the left. Each chapter is broken into sections which can guide your reading. The plus sign + indicates a chapter or section. This is a “use-it-as-you-need-it” kind of text – you do not have to read every chapter from beginning to end. It helps if you start by reading the introductory information and then browsing the rest of the chapter, so you so you can see the depth and breadth of the content; some of which will be useful for your assignments. Additionally, your instructor may select individual chapters as needed.
If you see errors (missing links, spelling, and syntax errors, or problems with content); please post in your course’s Discussion Forum in Blackboard for this book or contact your instructor. If you find other exciting information that might be a great addition to the course, you should add that, too. For further comments or questions, please contact Dr. Karen Brown (karenbrown@cwi.edu).
Land Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the traditional and ancestral lands of the Shoshone-Bannock, the Shoshone-Paiute, the Coeur d’Alene, the Kootenai, and the Nez Perce tribes on which we are teaching, learning and working today. The struggle for Indigenous rights is deeply connected to human rights. It is important that the stories and traditions from tribal nations are heard, celebrated, and protected.
Creative Commons Licensing
Unless otherwise stated, this book is licensed under a Creative Commons as CC BY 4.0
Cover Acknowledgment
View of the Via Sacra (Sacred Way) in the Roman Forum by Stephen Zucker (2019). CC By-NC-SA 2.0
