Introduction

Could it be the fire breathing dragons, knights in shining armor saving maidens in distress, or the magnificent castles that attract so many to investigate the Middle Ages? No era in human history has been so misinterpreted or more misunderstood than the Middle Ages. From fall of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance in Northern Europe, a span of more than a thousand years, this epoch became known as a period of vast transformations in which the roots of our own time are firmly planted. Some of the most extraordinary adventures in human history occurred in the Middle Ages, including the Crusades, the Black Death, the Hundred Year War, and the Viking discovery of North America. This was a period rich in science, law, philosophy, and art. Medieval art encompasses a number of different styles ranging from pre-Christian to gothic.

It is your job to uncover a small sample the major artistic developments of this time. You are knighted with the quest to discover the treasures of Medieval Art. Congratulations! You have been selected for the Round Table committee whose mission is to collect pieces of art that will exemplify the Medieval era. This exhibit, famously known as A Knight's Tour, will travel to various elementary schools across the nation in order to educate and excite student interest in Medieval Art.