Society and greats with no name.

Civilization is not just about individuals and events; without society there can be no civilization. What are the systems, customs and organizations that underpin civilization? Should the ceiling portray families? tribes? nations? government? democracy? the giving of gifts? capitalism? the work ethic?. Could we have civilization without an infrastructure of civil engineering? sanitation? transportation? What, if any, are the key aspects of infrastructure fundamental to civilization?

While history provides us with the names of many of those who have had great influence on civilization, there are of course many key figures who will always remain anonymous. Who first learned to control fire? to cook? who invented the wheel? who first herded animals? cultivated seeds? smelted metal? who painted the first picture? first made music or first used language to communicate?

Since we cannot realistically represent society and these early characters through named individuals, the idea is to replace the nine scenes in the original ceiling that represent biblical myths, with images that convey systems, events and acts that are central to civilization. If you have ideas on who and what should be portrayed simply click on the "nominations" button or post a comment