Take a scavenger hunt through our virtual collections, watch an OI lecture, relax with a coloring page, or try out ancient-themed crafts and activities.
You have reached the reference page for our weekly social media explorations! Here, you can access content referenced in our posts. No worries if you didn’t catch these in real time, each workbook, activity, video, and reading selection can be enjoyed on its own.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where you will find the latest activities and posts. We announce our themes each Monday and offer suggestions through Friday.
Check back often for new resources!
Week 1: The History of Wine
- Olmstead and the Chalice of Antioch
Further reading - OI Members' Lecture, Exploring the Roots of the Vine: The History and Archaeology of the Earliest Wine, Stephen Batiuk, University of Toronto
Online video - OI Virtual Scavenger Hunt, Wine
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 2: The OI and Film
- Star Wars and Religion, Russell Johnson, UChicago Divinity School
Online video - Demon Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 3: The OI and Ancient Games
- Ancient Games Reading List
Board Games Inspired by the Ancient Middle East
D&D Monster Inspiration
Further reading - The Gaming Episode in the Tale of Setna
Online video - The Assyrian (folda)Bull from University of Chicago Magazine
Ancient Games Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 4: The OI and Anceint Epics
- 1000 Nights and Islamic Shadow Puppets
OI and Epics
Further reading - Judean and Egyptian Novellas of the Achaemenid and Hellenistic Periods, Joey Cross, NELC, UChicago
Online video - OI Epics Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 5: Household Items in the Ancient World
- Ancient Household Items and Contemporary Counterparts
Household Items Reading List
Ancient Houseplans
Further reading - Facebook Live Chat: Egyptian Household Items with Catie Witt
(content starts at 6:10)
Online video - OI Household Items Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 6: Music in the Ancient World
- The Harp Players
Meresamun
Reconstruction of Music and Ancient Instruments
Clap Sticks and Sheet Music of Ancient Songs to Play at Home
Further reading - OI Music Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 7: Magic in the Ancient World
- Magic in Ancient Egypt
Incantation Bowls
Further reading - OI Podcast: Awakening the Dead for Love, with Robert Ritner, Rowe Professor of Egyptology and Foy Scalf, head of OI research archives
Online video
Week 8: The OI Thanks Essential Workers
- Our Work
Further reading - Essential Workers Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 9: Art and Artists in the Ancient World
- Ivories and Art of the Late Bronze Age
Ancient Art and Artists Reading List
Donato Bastiani
Sculpturs' Marks
Further reading - Taking Care of Color in Persepolis, Alexander Nagel, Smithsonian
Online video - Art and Artists Workbook
Activity sheets and workbook
Week 10: Landscape Archaeology
- Landscape Archaeology
CAMEL
Further reading
Subscribe to our Oriental Institute YouTube channel for first notice of lectures, videos, and livestreams!
