Read the paragraph: Culture + the Arts
The land and people the ancient Persians conquered provided a great deal of wealth and knowledge to the Empire. And the Persians learned from the cultures around them. The Babylonians were very adept at astronomy. They began tracking the movement of the planets and stars surround 700 BCE. This knowledge helped developing calendars. And predicting seasons for agriculture, and the Babylonians remained the key astronomers under Persian rule. The Persians were increasingly influenced by Greek art and culture, and they wanted elaborate city centers for government and ceremonial festivities. In Persepolis and the other capitals of the Empire, the Persian architects blended existing styles of columns from Greece with their own designs. One local touch to the architecture was carving heads of bulls and griffins or other animals at the tops of columns. Some of the figures also combined human and animal features, such as giant winged humans or winged bulls, which were prominent throughout Persia as were the stone reliefs caved into the royal palace walls. These are an important source of historical information and help us understand life at the Persian court. This one on the stair case at the palace of Darius shows visitors and Persian nobles bringing gifts to the great king. The Persians had skilled artisans who created beautiful and practical works of art, including ornate drinking cups called rhytons. The cone-shaped part held the liquid, and the lower part usually featured an animal, in this case a lion with wings. In Iran today, amid the busy streets, you can still find may skilled artisans making ornate pieces in the tradition that was so important to the people of the ancient Persian Empire.
Part I: Read the paragraph and write the impressions of it.
Part II: Choose one of the following:
a. Embed a video of your favorite song or music piece and explain why you like it. You can also add background information.
b. Embed your favorite work of art and explain why you like it. You can also add background information.
c. Discuss the traditional art/music/dance of your country of origin. Add information to explain it.