Courses
Not all courses are offered every year. Please check Banner for class availability and meeting times.
Click here for Course Offerings 2009-2010
Courses open to Undergraduate and Graduate students.
ARCHAEOLOGY OF ANCIENT EGYPT EGYT 1200, EGYT 1210 Instructor:Staff.
This course is a general survey of the archaeology of ancient Egypt in prehistoric and Pharaonic times. It covers such areas as the development of private and royal funerary monuments, private and royal dwellings, and temples. Attention is also paid to the principles of Egyptian art and architecture and, where appropriate, to archaeological connections with the surrounding cultures.
EGYT 1210 is a continuation of EGYT 1200. Students need not take both EGYT 1200 and 1210.
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No prerequisties
-Not offered 2009-2010.
ARCH0150 Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology & Art will be offered Semester I - Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology & the Ancient World
ARCH 150 Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology and Art An introductory survey of the archaeology, art and architecture of ancient Egypt, ranging in time from the prehistoric cultures of the Nile Valley through the period of Roman control. While the course will examine famous features and characters of ancient Egypt (pyramids, mummies, King Tut!), it will also provide a wide-ranging review of the archaeology of this remarkable land. MWF 1:00-1:50. Instructor: Laurel Bestock
MIDDLE EGYPTIAN:
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHIC WRITING SYSTEM AND THE CLASSICAL STAGE OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE EGYT 1310, EGYT 1320
Instructor: James P. Allen.
Much of this two-semester sequence will be spent learning the signs, vocabulary and grammar of one of the oldest languages known. By the end of this introductory year, students read authentic texts of biographical, historical and literary significance. This is the cornerstone course in the Department of Egyptology--essential for any serious work in this field and particularly recommended for students in archaeology, history, classics, and religious studies.
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No prerequisites for EGYT 1310.
-EGYT 1310 is a prerequisite for EGYT 1320.
-Offered Semester I (EGYT 1310) and Semester II (EGYT 1320).
SELECTIONS FROM MIDDLE EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHIC TEXTS
EGYT 1330
Instructor: James P. Allen.
Readings from the various genres of classical Egyptian literature, including stories and other literary texts, historical inscriptions, and religious compositions. Students will be expected to translate and discuss assigned texts.
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Prerequisite: EGYT 1310, EGYT 1320 .
-May be repeated once for credit.
-Offered Semester II.
SELECTIONS FROM MIDDLE EGYPTIAN HIERATIC TEXTS
EGYT 1340
Instructor: Staff.
Introduction to the hieratic script and readings from a variety of hieratic documents, including literary compositions, letters, and religious texts. Students will be expected to translate and discuss assigned texts
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Prerequisite: EGYT 1310, EGYT 1320 .
-May be repeated once for credit.
-Not offered 2009-2010.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LITERATURE EGYT 1410
Instructor: Staff.
This survey is an introduction to one of the most intriguing aspects of ancient Egyptian culture. There are no prerequisites for this course, but students will be expected to read (in translation) many of the most significant literary documents that survive from Egypt. A reasonable amount of historical perspective will be presented, but students will be expected to participate in class discussions concerning the nature, purpose, quality, and effectiveness of the works read. Students will also be expected to write two term papers in this course.
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Not offered 2009-2010.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RELIGION AND MAGIC EGYT 1420
Instructor: James P. Allen.
This course will provide an overview of ancient Egyptian religion from both a synchronic and diachronic perspective. We will examine such topics as the Egyptian pantheon, cosmology, cosmogony, religious anthropology, personal religion, magic, and funerary beliefs. Students will be acquainted with the different genres of Egyptian religious texts in translation. The archaeological evidence which contributes to our understanding of Egyptian religion will also be treated, including temple and tomb architecture and decoration. A mid-term and final will be given and one research paper will be required.
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Not offered 2009-2010
HISTORY OF EGYPT I
EGYT 1430
Instructor: Laurel Bestock.
A survey of the history and society of ancient Egypt from prehistoric times to the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty (ca. 5000-1300 BC). Readings include translations from the original documents that serve as primary sources for the reconstruction of ancient Egyptian history.
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No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester II
HISTORY OF EGYPT II
EGYT 1440
Instructor: Leo Depuydt.
A survey of the history and society of ancient Egypt from the Ramesside Period to the Roman conquest (ca. 1300-30 BC). Readings include translations from the original documents that serve as primary sources for the reconstruction of ancient Egyptian history.
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No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester I
CALENDARS AND CHRONOLOGY IN ANCIENT EGYPT & THE ANCIENT WORLD
EGYT 1490
Instructor: Leo Depuydt.
Time is the dimension of history. Chronology studies show how we know when events happened. Chronology is much more important to "BC history" than to "AD history." B.C.E. But how do we know this? The focus of this class is on the answers to such questions through the study of the foundations of the history of Egypt specifically and of the ancient world in general. Some prior knowledge of Egyptian language or civilization might be handy but is by no means required.
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No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester II.
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
EGYT1500
Instructor: Staff.
Ancient Egyptian art and architecture had a remarkably long history, and much that was produced is amazingly well preserved. Almost anything Egyptian is immediately recognizable today, but developments in most areas were steady and pronounced. To do justice to this subject, a number of experts will cooperate in presenting various topics including monumental buildings and lavishly decorated tombs, as well as the sculpture, painting, and minor arts of all periods from Predynastic to Nubian. The ancient artisans, their materials, and their techniques will be discussed; modern efforts undertaken to conserve and document their work will also be described. Prerequisite: previous course work in Egyptology (e.g. EGYT 1430 or 1440) or written permission of the instructor.
-Not offered 2009-2010
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART II EGYT 1510
Instructor: Laurel Bestock.
Considers the art of the ancient Egypt's New Kingdom or Empire Period (1500-1100 B.C.). The relief carving and painting of Theban temples and tombs are studied in detail, and the developments leading to the revolutionary Amarna style of art is carefully analyzed. Decorative arts, Tutankhamun's treasures, and recent exciting discoveries are all surveyed.
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Not Offered 2009-2010.
SENIOR SEMINAR
EGYT 1910, EGYT 1920
Instructor: Staff.
Senior seminar.
Offered Semester I (EGYT 1910) and Semester II (EGYT 1920).
Check with the Registrar to determine the appropriate section.
INTRODUCTION TO AKKADIAN AWAS 0200
Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
Akkadian is the earliest-attested member of the Semitic family of languages and is the language of the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, the peoples of Mesopotamia. The numerous texts of the ancient language are written in cuneiform ("wedge-shaped") script. This course introduces students to Old Babylonian grammar and script. Students will read Old Babylonian contracts and laws from Hammurapi's "code"; some texts will be read from the original cuneiform.
-No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester I.
INTERMEDIATE AKKADIAN AWAS 0210
Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
This course continues the introduction to Old Babylonian grammar, script, and texts begun in Introduction to Akkadian. In addition to lessons on grammar, students will read laws from Hammurapi's "code", letters, contracts, omen texts, royal inscriptions, hymns to the goddess Ishtar, prayers to the moon-god, and Tablet II of the Epic of Gilgamesh.
-Prerequiste AWAS 0200.
-Offered Semester II.
INTRODUCTION TO THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST AWAS 0800
Instructor: Omur Harmansah.
This course offers an introduction to the study of the political, social and cultural history of the ancient Near East, from prehistory to the end of the Iron age (ca. 330 BC) Both literary sources and archaeological evidence are examined as relevant. Near East is understood here in its widest geograhic extent, including primarily the Mesopotamian lowlands, Iranian and Syro-Anatolian highlands, as well as the Levantine coast. The course not only offers a foundational survey of the historical developments in the region, but also addresses the broader methodological and historigraphic problems involved in Near Eastern studies.
-No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester I.
Course Website
IMAGINING THE GODS: MYTHS AND MYTH-MAKING IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA AWAS1100.
Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
Creation, the Flood, the Tower of Babel—well-known myths as these have their origins in ancient Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Using both ancient texts in translation and archaeology, this course will explore categories of Mesopotamian culture labeled ‘myth’ and ‘religion’ (roughly 3300-300 BCE), critically examining the ancient evidence as well as various modern interpretations. Topics will include myths of creation and the flood, prophecy and divination, death and the afterlife, ritual, kingship, combat myths and apocalypses, the nature and expression of ancient religious experience, and the representations of the divine.
-No prerequisities.
-Offered Semester II.
ASTRONOMY BEFORE THE TELESCOPE AWAS 1600
Instructor: John Steele.
This course provides an introduction to the history of astronomy from ancient times down to the invention of the telescope, focusing on the development of astronomy in Babylon, Greece, China, the medieval Islamic world, and Europe. The course will cover topics such as the invention of the zodiac, cosmological models, early astronomical instruments, and the development of astronomical theories. We will also explore the reasons people practiced astronomy in the past. No prior knowledge of astronomy is necessary for this course.
-Not Offered 2009-2010.
TIME IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AWAS 1650
Instructor: John Steele.
Time plays many roles in civic and everyday life: calendars provide a way of regulating activities ranging from gathering taxes to knowing when to perform religious rituals. This course will provide an introduction to the way time was measured, used, regulated and conceived in the ancient world. We will cover topics such as the calendars used in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and China, sundials and other instruments used for measuring time in the ancient world and the way time is used in scientific and non-scientific texts.
-No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester I.
ASTRONOMY, DIVINATION AND POLITICS IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AWAS 1700
Instructor: John Steele.
This course will explore the relationship between astronomy, divination and politics in the ancient world. The sky provided ancient cultures with many possibilities for observing occurrences that be interpreted as omens. In many cultures, celestrial omens were directed towards the king and his government. As a result, interpreting and controlling celestrial omens became an important political activity. In this course, we will explore how and why astronomical events were used politically in ancient Mesopotamia, the Greco-Roman world, and ancient and medieval China. No prior knowledge of astronomy is necessary for this course.
-No prerequisites.
-Not Offered 2009-2010.
DIVINATION IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA AWAS 1750
Instructor: John Steele.
The interpretation of natural events as portents of good or bad outcomes played and important role in religious, political, scholarly and everyday life in ancient Mesopotamia. In this course we will study Mesopotamian omen literature from textual, scientific, philosophical and cultural viewpoints in order to understand how divination operated and what it was used for.
-No prerequisites.
-Offered Semester II.
SENIOR HONORS THESIS
It is possible for students to receive the AB in Egyptology or Ancient Western Asian Studies with departmental honors. (Please note that this differs from graduating magna cum laude). For this purpose, students will need to write a senior honors thesis according to the following criteria and procedure.
1. Accumulate a 3.5 grade point average by the end of the junior year.
2. At the beginning of the senior year, consult with the department’s undergraduate advisor. If the advisor agrees that a senior honors thesis can be undertaken, the student must obtain the agreement of two faculty members (at least one from the department) to serve as readers and the approval of the department chair.
3. During the first semester of the senior year, prepare a detailed outline of the thesis, with accompanying bibliography, in consultation with both readers. This should result in a thesis plan approved by both readers before the end of the semester.
4. In the second semester of the senior year, register for a Senior Seminar. This will normally involve meetings with the first reader twice a month, and with the second reader monthly, to discuss researching and writing the thesis.
5. Finish writing the thesis before the end of classes in the semester. As a rule of thumb, the thesis should be no more than 100 pages in length, including bibliography.
6. At a half-hour session during exam period, give a short presentation and defense of the thesis to both readers and any other faculty or students who wish to attend.
Courses primarily for Graduate students.
INTRODUCTION TO COPTIC EGYT 2210
Instructor: Leo Depuydt.
Coptic, the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language, was written with essentially Greek alphabetic characters. This course is an introduction to Sahidic, which is perhaps the best representation of the Coptic dialects. Sahidic grammar will be explained, and some texts, mainly of a biblical and patristic nature, will be read. Open to undergraduates with the consent of the instructor. Knowledge of Middle Egyptian and/or Greek would be helpful.
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No prerequisites.
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Offered Semester II.
INTRODUCTION TO LATE EGYPTIAN EGYT 2410
Instructor: Leo Depuydt.
Introduction to the grammar of the third historical phase of ancient Egyptian and the readings from its various genres, including literary texts, letters, historical inscriptions, and tomb-robbing papyri. Students will be expected to translate and discuss assigned texts.
- Prerequisites: EGYT 1310, EGYT 1320.
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Offered Semester II.
SOCIAL LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT EGYT 2510
Instructor: Laurel Bestock.
This course will provide a valuable opportunity to link theory and data innovatively. Taking the lifecycle as its structure, it covers Egyptian life from conception to death and the afterlife, drawing together a range of data sources, such as a material culture, iconography, textual data, and human remains.
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Not Offered 2009-2010.
INTRODUCTION TO DEMOTIC
EGYT 2610
Instructor: Leo Depuydt.
After discussions and exercises in the grammar and peculiar script of this late stage of the Egyptian language, the student will begin reading actual ancient texts, including The Instructions of Onkhsheshonkhy, The Petition of Petiese , and The Story of Setne Khaemwas . Knowledge of Demotic remains essential for a proper understanding of Egypt during the Saite, Persian, Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Open to Undergraduates with the consent of the instructor.
-Prerequisites: EGYT 2410 or EGYT 2210
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Offered Semester I.
INTRODUCTION TO OLD EGYPTIAN
EGYT 2810
Instructor: Staff.
Introduction to the grammar of the first historical phase of ancient Egyptian and readings from its two primary genres, the Pyramid Texts and autobiographical inscriptions. Students will be expected to translate and discuss assigned texts.
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Prerequisites: EGYT 1330, EGYT 1340
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Not offered 2009-2010 .
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION PREPARATION
EGYT 2970
Instructor: Staff.
For graduate students who have met the tuition requirement and are paying the Registration Fee to continue active enrollment while preparing for a preliminary examination
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Offered Semester I and II.
READING AND RESEARCH
EGYT 2980
Instructor: Staff.
Reading and Research
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Offered Semester I and II.
THESIS PREPARATION
EGYT 2990
Instructor: Staff.
For graduate students who have met the tuition requirement and are paying the Registration Fee to continue active enrollment while preparing a thesis.
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Offered Semester I and II.
HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE EXACT SCIENCES AWAS 2120
Instructor: John Steele
Introduces graduate students to the sources, problems, and methodologies of the history of astronomy and mathematics from Babylon to Kepler.
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Not Offered 2009-2010.
ANCIENT SCIENTIFIC TEXTS: AKKADIAN AWAS 2310A
I
nstructor: John Steele.
Readings and analysis of a major scientific text in Akkadian.
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Offered Semester II.
ASSYRIOLOGY l AWAS 2310B
Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
The kings of Agade and Assyria took every opportunity to boast about their military victories, sucessful hunts, the completion of new cities, and the building and decoration of temples and palaces. This course (Agade, Assur, Calah, and Nineveh) examines the history of the kings of Agade and Assyria (2334-612 BC); emphasis is placed on reading Akkadian texts in translation, including royal inscriptions, scholarly letters, and astrological reports.
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Offered Semester I.
ASSYRIOLOGY II AWAS 2310C
Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
This semester will focus on selected topics of the Neo-Assyrian history (1000-612 BC), including: the royal family; the queen and her influence; celebrating New Year's festivals; hunting lions; conquering a city; constructing and decorating palaces and temples; urban renewal and the founding of new cities; the substitute king ritual; and scholary life. Assyria in the first millennium BC will be examined principally from Assyrian texts in translation.
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Not offered 2009-2010.
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANCIENT SCIENCES AWAS 2700
Instructor: John Steele.
This course will be a topics course containing a detailed technical and cultural study of an area of science in a culture of the ancient world. Although intended for graduate students, undergraduate students who have taken AWAS1600 or a similiar course may be admitted at the instructor's discretion.
-Offered Semester I.
FALL XLIST Courses of Interest to Concentrators in Egyptology and Ancient Western Asian Studies
ARCH 0150 Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology & Art (see description above)
ARCH 1200F City and the Festival: Cult Practices and Architectural Production in the Ancient Near East This course will explore urbanization, formation of urban space, and architectural projects in relation to cult practices and commemorative ceremonies in the Ancient Near East. Investigating case studies from early cities of fourth millenium BC Mesopotamia to Iron Age Syria and Anatolia, we will study processes of the making of urban and extra-urban landscapes in the socio-religious context of festivals. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Omur Harmansah
ARCH2600 Ceramic Analysis for Archaeology
RELS0320 Israelite Religion
JUDS0170 Intro to Biblical Hebrew
SPRING XLIST
ARCH0666 Cult Archaeology: Fantastic Frauds and Meaningful Myths of the Past
ARCH 1630 Fighting Pharaohs: Ancient Egyptian Warfare When and why did the ancient Egyptians engage in war? Who was fighting? What were their weapons like and what were their military strategies? What were the political situations that caused them to go to war? How did warfare impact Egyptian society? In studying Egyptian history and society through the pervasive motif of war, we will gain an understanding of the forces that shaped Egyptian culture. TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: Laurel Bestock
ARCH 2010C Architecture, Body, and Performance in the Ancient Near Eastern World This seminar investigates the relationship between bodily practices, social performances, and production of space, using case studies drawn from ancient Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Syria. Employing contemporary critical theories on the body, materiality, and social practices, new theories of the making of architectural spaces and landscapes will be explored with respect to multiple geographical, historical contexts in the Ancient Near East. M 3:00-5:20. Instructor: Omur Harmansah
RELS0020 Death and Afterlife in the Biblical Tradition
JUDS0180 Exilic Responses to Crisis: Biblical Literature of the Sixth Century BCE