How to Make a Model of the Roman Arches Out of Cardboard
Ancient Romans invented cement, a mixture of lime, clay and water, to construct Roman arches. Roman arches are made of bricks, also known as voussoirs. The center brick at the pinnacle of the arch that holds the other bricks together is called a keystone. The Romans first created arches as part of aqueducts, making rows of arches called arcades and building the rows on top of each other. In learning about the Roman arches, it is helpful to build your own arch to get a better understanding of the architecture. Construct a Roman arch using a cardboard cereal box and other household items.
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Things You'll Need
- Cereal box
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Gray acrylic paint
- Paint brush or small roller
- Picture of Roman arch attic
- Glue
- Gray construction paper
Instructions
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Cut an arch into the center of the side of a cardboard cereal box with scissors. Cut the arch about three-quarters of the width of the box, leaving enough room above the arch to decorate. Place the cardboard scraps into the recycling bin.
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2
Tape the opening in the cereal box with masking tape to give the appearance of a solid model. Cut the pieces of tape with the scissors to create a smooth appearance. Cover the entire opening so that it no longer looks like a cereal box, but like a Roman arch.
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Paint the arch with gray, acrylic paint. Use a brush or a small roller to create a smooth appearance. Cover the whole arch, including the taped opening, to take away all evidence of the cereal box and create the image of a Roman arch.
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Draw bricks onto the edge of the arch. Use a pencil to create the bricks and the keystone. Find a picture of a Roman arch to use as an example and make the arch as realistic as possible.
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Print a picture of an attic, or the large upper part of an arch filled with inscriptions of war victories and sculptures, of a Roman arch. Cut out part of the picture and glue it right above the arch.
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Trace columns on gray construction paper using a pencil. Trace two large columns and two small columns. Cut the columns out, and glue them on each side of the arch, placing the larger columns toward the outside of the box and the smaller columns closest to the arch.
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Tips & Warnings
Draw the arch on the cereal box with a pencil if you are unsure of the steadiness of your cutting.
Cut out black and white pictures of sporting events from sports magazines if you cannot find pictures of an ancient Roman attic or do not have a printer.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
