LOCATOR: home | rundown | episode 2 | segments | segment three | focus questions FOCUS QUESTIONS How does the architecture of churches in Africa during this period compare with styles in Europe? How do you account for the differences? Describe King Lalibela's vision for transforming the Ethiopian mountainside into churches. Why did Lalibela build these churches, according to the narrator? What are some other motives he may have had for building these churches? Consider the technological feat accomplished by the Ethiopians in digging these churches out of the rock. What can you infer about their ambition, the level of their technology, and their ingenuity? Considering the location of Ethiopia: "a Christian kingdom, surrounded by Muslims," why do you think Lalibela was so concerned with building these churches? According to a leading world historian the story of Lalibela is a very atypical episode from African history. Why do you think the filmmakers chose to include this segment in the Century of the Axe? How does this segment shed light on why the filmmakers chose to call the seventeenth century the Century of the Machine? How does this approach to twelfth-century African history compare with other sources on the subject you are familiar with? What new information did you learn from this segment? back to top © 1999 Turner Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved.