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Thumbnail of woman selling items in the street
Methods

Analyzing Inquisition Documents

The modules in Methods present case studies that demonstrate how scholars interpret different kinds of historical evidence in world history..

The Prophet Muhammad and A’isha
Methods

Analyzing Religious Texts

The modules in Methods present case studies that demonstrate how scholars interpret different kinds of historical evidence in world history. In the video below, historian Sumaiya Hamdani analyzes a Hadith. Hadith are reports about what the Prophet Muhammad said or thought.

The Prophet Muhammad and A’isha
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The Prophet Muhammad and A’isha

This is a depiction of A’isha, one of Muhammad’s wives. She was close to the Prophet and is the author of roughly 1,200 Hadith. Her involvement tells us something about the public role that some women played in the early Muslim community and the respect she was given.

Excerpts from the Hadith by A’isha
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Excerpts from the Hadith by A’isha

Hadith are reports about what the Prophet Muhammad said or thought. They provide Muslims with a sense of how Muhammad applied the guidelines of the Koran to daily life. They are based on the memories and stories of those who knew the Prophet and were recorded a few generations after his death.

Hagia Sophia Floor Plan
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Hagia Sophia Floor Plan

This is an architectural drawing of the Hagia Sophia’s floor plan.

Thumbnail image of the Hagia Sophia
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Hagia Sophia

This an image of the Hagia Sophia, the cathedral of the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople. It was built in the early 6th century by the Emperor Justinian and stands today, almost 1,500 years later, despite earthquakes, wars, and revolutions.

Thumbnail image of the Hagia Sophia
Methods

Analyzing Objects

The modules in Methods present case studies that demonstrate how scholars interpret different kinds of historical evidence in world history.

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Cremation Rites with the Youngest Son, Calcutta 1944

The photographs depict a Hindu cremation site, or burning ghat, in the city of Calcutta in 1944. The first photo shows the men of the family, including the deceased's sons, seated in front of the corpse, which lies shrouded and bedecked with flowers on a bier.

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Hariti Relief Panel at Candi Mendut, Java

The carved stone relief is from the interior of Candi Mendut, a Buddhist temple in Central Java. Mendut was built during the early Shailendra dynasty in about 824 CE. It may have been built on the site of a Hindu temple from a previous century.

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Kuwera Relief Panel at Candi Mendut, Java

The carved stone relief is from the interior of Candi Mendut, a Buddhist temple in Central Java. Mendut was built during the early Shailendra dynasty in about 824 CE. It may have been built on the site of a Hindu temple from a previous century.