Visit Ancient China & Ancient Egypt in the iCentre

Year 7 students are about to begin researching Ancient Egypt or Ancient China in their History classes. To extend students’ learning and research in these topics, the iCentre has created immersive experiences that allow students to visit these ancient times. 

Students can undertake a virtual visit to sites of historical significance through VR headsets. Sites available to explore include the Pyramids of Giza, the tomb of Ramesses VI, the Temple of Goddess Hathor, an Ancient Egyptian coffin, the Terracotta Army, the Great Wall of China, the Suzhou Canal, and the Forbidden City of Beijing.

A second opportunity for students is to examine artefacts loaned to us from the Queensland Museum.

Artefacts to look at include an Egyptian Queen’s pendant, Egyptian necklace and earrings, a model of an Egyptian sphinx, printed papyrus, screen folding from Ancient China, and a lotus shoe.

An item that has received a lot of attention is the lotus shoe made for feet altered by foot binding. Students have been learning about this historical practice, the origins of which are thought to have begun during the Tang dynasty (618-907). At that time, dancers and courtesans would bind their feet to make them look smaller and more delicate, and lotus feet were seen as a mark of beauty and social status.

As they begin their research, we encourage students to take advantage of the Research Guide curated by the iCentre team. This guide will connect students with relevant and reliable resources for use in their research task.