Visit guide for teachers Living with gods peoples, places and worlds beyond 2 November 2017 8 April 2018 Large wooden model of a juggernaut for bringing deities out of a temple into the community. India, 18th century.
Planning your visit We recommend the following planning guidelines: Provide a focus for students to keep in mind as they explore the exhibition and which you can then follow up afterwards. Do some preparatory work in school to develop the focus of the visit and familiarise students with the content of the exhibition. Allow students some scope to explore and find objects that interest them. Using this resource This resource is designed to support your visit to the exhibition Living with gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond. It aims to be cross-curricular and offer opportunities to work the exhibition into different subjects across the curriculum. To accompany this resource there is a downloadable image bank of objects displayed in the exhibition. Curriculum links The exhibition can be used to support the following curriculum areas: RE: beliefs, script, practices, sacred places, festivals, artistic expressions of belief, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism. Citizenship: religious diversity, respecting and understanding other people and groups, identity, freedom of religion, contributing to the community. Art and Design: figures, script and symbols, abstraction, precious materials, communicating meanings, beliefs and faith as inspiration.
Exhibition introduction Using the exhibition Beliefs in spiritual beings and worlds beyond nature are characteristic of all human societies. By looking at how people believe through everyday objects of faith, this exhibition provides a perspective on what makes believing a vital part of human behaviour. Seeing how people believe, rather than considering what they believe, suggests that humans might be naturally inclined to believe in transcendent worlds and beings. Stories, objects, images, prayers, meditation and rituals can provide ways for people to cope with anxieties about the world, and help form strong social bonds. This in turn helps to make our lives well-ordered and understandable. In advance Decide on a focus for the visit and the follow-up activities. Go through these with the students. Use the image bank to familiarise students with some of the exhibition content. Go through any exhibition activities with the students and accompanying adults beforehand. On the day Encourage adults to allow students to linger at objects which interest them, discuss what they see and share ideas as they go round. Remind students to behave calmly and politely. Photography is not allowed in the exhibition, but students may take photographs of relevant objects in the Museum s permanent galleries. Look out for the labels for younger audiences as starting points for small group discussion. Afterwards Use what the students have gathered in the exhibition/museum galleries for follow-up activities back at school. Ivory and gold sundial and compass with qibla indicator. Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey), 1500 1600. The big questions It is a good idea to have a big question for students to consider during their visit to the exhibition. Here are some possible examples: Which did I think, and why, was the most interesting object in the exhibition? What did I learn about how people believe that I did not know before? How is belief shown in the design or the construction of the objects? How do the objects help us to understand how people practice their religion and demonstrate their faith?
Exhibition themes The exhibition includes the following sections: Light, water, fire Light, water and fire are essential to life. People everywhere use their constantly changing forms as metaphors for creation and supernatural forces. Public celebrations Festivals and processions make religions visible and are often expensive needing effort, time and resources. They involve complex rituals depending on arts and knowledge of traditions that establish individual and community identities, encouraging competition and collaboration between and among different social classes and regional groups. In faiths that do not have communal worship at daily or weekly set times, coming together to celebrate provides a sense of unity and emotional support. Painted panels. Swabia, Germany, late 15th century. The senses Religions shape the way people perceive their world by engaging the senses. Indulging or depriving the senses during rituals stimulate mental responses that go beyond a simple instinct for survival by creating perceptions of stronger realities. These experiences are culturally learned and collectively shared. They are as important to understanding beliefs as the study of holy texts. The wheel of life The human mind gives rise to a fearful awareness of death and great anxieties about living. To get over these fears, people engage with invisible worlds and beings to reinforce the effectiveness of everyday practical actions. Beliefs expressed through objects and rituals help to give confidence, reduce stress and engage support for all that life brings from conception to death. These beliefs form and are strengthened through practice rather than written authority, seen in the many objects, some trivial, others sacred, associated with the cycle of life. Sacred places and spaces The home of spiritual connections is the human mind but real places and spaces, as well as words, images and objects, are needed to experience the awesome, mystical powers of the divine. Building for the gods As agriculture, city states and political systems began to develop in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) 6,000 years ago, stone built places of worship became common. These expressed the invisible, bonding people through rituals, as well as imposing developing symbols of power, hierarchy and conformity. Prayer Prayer is the way in which people talk to spiritual forces. Alone or in groups, spontaneously or, at specific times following a set form of words, people give thanks, seek help, forgiveness, peace of mind and even ecstatic out-of-body experiences by praying. Painted cloth thangka. Tibet, 1800 1900. Sacrifice Being faithful often involves sacrifice. Believers give up selfish and/or material things to prove commitment to a deity and the community of believers. It may involve killing an animal or human, giving away food or money, fasting, charity or pilgrimage. Sacrifice also brings benefits for the individual and society but can be exclusive.
Curricular opportunities RE Identify up to 3 objects from the exhibition that help you to understand the key beliefs and practices of a religion you are studying. Write a blog post to explain how the objects can do this. Finding ways to communicate with gods or spiritual beings is a common practice in many religions. What kind of objects and materials are used to connect? Do some research to investigate the similarities in practice and create an illustrated information leaflet. To what extent are the objects on display artworks, tools for religious practice or expressions of devotion? Think about the design, the place of use and how they are used. Discuss in pairs and present your view and evidence in class. Complete further research on one of the themes covered in the exhibition. Compare and contrast examples from at least two religions. Silver tefillin box. Vienna, Austria, 1700 1800. Citizenship and PSHE Choose an object from the exhibition to encourage understanding between people of different faiths. Draft a plan and explain to the class how you would use the object in the community. Critique the exhibition. What would you have done differently? Design your own exhibition or museum to explore how or what people believe. The final section of the exhibition looks at conflict, coexistence and belief. Working in groups, identify examples from the exhibition that represent or challenge freedom of religious practice. Share and debate the evidence in class. Art and Design What techniques were used to make the objects? In pairs, choose one object and discuss it. Try to create a timeline or diagram to illustrate the stages in the making process. Design a container for holding a precious or sacred object. Sketch out your ideas, thinking carefully about materials that you would use like metals, wood or glass, and the decoration. Think about how script and symbols have been used on or in the objects. Print out images of the objects and annotate them, highlighting and describing distinctive forms, shapes and patterns, and representation. Consider the range of influences on the artists and craftspeople who produced the objects on display. Complete further research on one of the objects and write a factual or imaginary biography for the person who created it.