Research And Writing Process

1. Choose two experiential artifacts which you would recognize as being sacred or having sacred quality. You may choose artifacts from one religion, several religions or other sacred traditions. Explain why you have chosen the two artifacts.

2. For each artifact, research the historical, cultural, religious, social background for each artifact so that you can explain how and why the artifact is considered 'sacred'. Your research should answer the questions of identification, and association/meaning. You are required to have three sources for each artifact - a total of six sources are required.

3.Go to the website of the Royal Ontario Museum. Use this link to their research website: https://www.rom.on.ca/en/collections-research

1. Find one artifact at the museum that is sacred or has sacredness.
2. Include the museum website details and photo, if possible.
3. Explain why you chose this artifact and how it contributes to your understanding of the sacred. (This could be historical, sociological, linked to ritual or culture...)

4. Write something in which you define the term "sacred" using the experiential artifacts to illustrate the definition of sacred.

Visual Component

Think of how different religions represent their beliefs - the use of geometric forms: circles, squares, triangles are all used.Or, consider how the natural geography of sacred locations becomes symbolic for the religion and therefore the beliefs connected to it - the use of rivers, mountains, oceans, trees are also used.

1. Make a visual definition for the term "sacred" as you have defined it. The artifacts you chose (the two plus the one from the ROM) must appear in your visual.

The visual definition may be done in any format. You may use whatever medium you like - paint, coloured pencils, coloured paper etc. The visual may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. This is your choice. You may use a computer...

2. Write something to explain how your visual presents "the sacred".