The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

“Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.” These are the words engraved in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The United States was not the first country to come up with the idea of having a memorial to honor all the unidentified soldiers who had died fighting for their country. In fact, France was one of the first countries to build an Unknown Soldier tribute. There was some hesitation to build this monument though because General Peyton C. March was convinced “that while the French and English had many unknown dead, it appeared that the Army Graves Registration Service eventually would identify all the American dead” (The United States Army). But when an American soldier's body was found in France after World War I, Congress decided a tomb should be placed in Arlington National Cemetery in front of the Memorial Amphitheater. There were many ideas for the design of the tomb, but Thomas Hudson Jones and Lorimer Rich's design was the one picked by the Jury of Award. According to Arlingtoncemetery.net, “the total height is eleven feet, the width is eight feet at the base and six feet eight inches at the top, and the length is thirteen feet eleven inches at the base and twelve feet seven inches at the top” (The United States Army).

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a beautiful monument made from American marble and it was built in front of the Memorial Amphitheater and overlooks Washington D.C. Even though the design is simple, it is very powerful because of the emotion visitors feel as they think about what it represents. This monument is not intended to be sad, but it is to honor and respect our country's heroes. Because it is made from marble, it appears very peaceful because it is not a harsh, dark color that is usually associated with death. This work of art certainly honors the hard work and valiance of all those who fight for our country. It is unlike the Taj Mahal and Great Pyramid of Giza because rather than being a giant structure that honors only a single person, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors everyone who died fighting for The United States and was never identified.

“Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.” 8 May 2011 <http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/visitor_information/tomb_of_the_unknowns.html>

“The Unknown Soldier.” The United States Army. 12 Nov 1999. 8 May 2011 <http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/unk-wwi.htm>

The Taj Mahal

Easily one of the most beautiful structures in the world, the Taj Mahal was completed in 1653 to honor Shah Jahan's favorite wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal (“Taj Mahal”). Before she died, Mumtaz-i-Mahal asked Shah Jahan one thing: “that he will build [the] world's most beautiful monument in her memory”(“History of Taj Mahal”). After twenty years, this wish finally came true. The Taj Mahal is 120 feet tall and made from white marble (“Taj Mahal”). It is a masterpiece because of its perfectly symmetrical construction. Today, the Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and it is no surprise why it would be on the list. An estimated two to four million people visit the Taj Mahal each year to witness the fascinating structure (“Taj Mahal”).

The Taj Mahal is a majestic work of art that is incredible because it was built for someone who died, and if the Taj Mahal reflects what Shah Jahan thought of his wife, then he probably thought of her as perfect.This grandiose structure captures the love Shah Jahan had for his wife because of the intricate design and the enormous size of the structure. It goes with the theme Honoring the Dead because of how much the living want to honor their loved ones who have passed. However, in contrast to the Great Pyramid of Giza, there is a lot of detail in the Taj Mahal, and this is similar to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

History of Taj Mahal. 1 May. 2011. <http://www.tajmahal.org.uk/history.html>

“Taj Mahal.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 1969. 

 

“Taj Mahal.” Wikipedia. 1 May 2011. Wikimadeia Foundation. 2 May 2011 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal>

The Great Pyramid of Giza

One of the Wonders of the World is actually one of the Great mysteries of the world. The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is interesting because not much is known about why it was built or who built it. Although it seems like it would make the most sense for Egyptians to have built it, according to Plim.org, “the astronomical calculations found on the Great Pyramid determine that is was literally impossible for the Egyptians to have designed it”(Warren). It is also not clear why this pyramid was built, but the most plausible reason seems to be a tomb for Pharaoh Cheops (Greek for Khufu) because many of the other pyramids built in Egypt were built as tombs. Inside of the pyramid there are two shafts- also a strange thing to find inside a pyramid. According to Nationalgeographic.com, “scholars aren't sure about the purpose of these shafts, which were unique to pyramids built during the Old Kingdom period (2575 to 2150 B.C.), but one theory is that they were built as passageways for the pharaohs' journey to the afterlife” (Gupton).

The Great Pyramid is a magnificent structure because it was built from limestone blocks that have almost entirely stayed intact since about 1560 B.C. (“Great Pyramid of Giza”). No one would doubt that the pyramid's huge size meant that it was important, and whoever buried there must be equally as important as well. The pyramid is enormous and one can not help but wonder how it was built. In fact, it is hard to believe that a pyramid of that size and accuracy to the pyramid shape could be built by anyone. It is certainly the most mysterious art structure out of the three Honoring the Dead pieces, but it still remains incredible how it was built and the story behind it.

Gupton, Nancy. “Ancient Egyptian Chambers Explored.” 4 Apr 2003. 8 May 2011 <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/09/0910_020913_egypt_1.html>

Warren, Dr. Lee E. “The Great Pyramid of Giza.” May- June 1997. 8 May 2011 <http://www.plim.org/greatpyramid.html>