Archaeology and the Ancient World Course Offerings
2016-2017
Spring Term
(Jump to Fall Term)
Primarily for Undergraduates
ARCH 0164 The Art of Enlightenment (HIAA 0022) [CRN: 26437]
Interested students must register for HIAA 0022.
This course surveys the history of Buddhist art-making from the earliest representations of the Buddha to the curatorial practices of modern museums. Ranging from the great mandala of Borobudur in Java to the Zen monasteries of Japan, we will examine the complex ways in which theology and scripture interacted with the particularities of time and place in the long development of Buddhist art. Throughout these inquiries, the sensorial qualities of the art will remain at the forefront of our analysis. Together, we will explore the mechanisms by which artists transformed inert matter into powerful implements of the Buddhist dharma. WRIT. MWF 10:00-10:50. Instructor: Jeffrey Moser.
ARCH 0520 Roman Archaeology and Art [CRN: 25722] [Course Website]
Anyone who has ever watched “Gladiator”, “Spartacus”, “Life of Brian”, or “Bugs Bunny: Roman Legion Hare” has some image of Rome, the Romans and their empire. This course, while exploring and assessing these influential popular preconceptions, introduces a more balanced view of Roman archaeology and art, examining not only the “eternal city” of Rome, but its vast and diverse imperial domain. MWF 2:00-2:50. Instructor: Margaret Andrews.
ARCH 666 Cult Archaeology: Fantastic Frauds and Meaningful Myths of the Past [CRN: 25296] [Course Website]
The pyramids and Stonehenge built by aliens? The power of the Mummy’s Curse? These myths couldn’t be true… or could they? Cult Archaeology examines popular and fantastic interpretations of archaeological remains presented in the press and popular media. This course finds the logical flaws in pseudoscientific explanations and the biases that underlie them. Discover the “truth” about archaeology! MWF 1:00-1:50. Instructor: Laurel Bestock.
ARCH 0750 Women in the Ancient Mediterranean World [CRN: 26240] [Course Website]
Women represent half of humanity, but they have been greatly underrepresented in studies of past cultures. This course examines not only what women of the Near East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome actually did and did not do, but also how they were perceived in society. Focusing on material and visual cultures, but also incorporating historical and literary evidence, we will investigate the complexities of women’s lives in the ancient Mediterranean, as well as the roots of modern conceptions and perceptions of women. MWF 10:00-10:50. Instructor: Margaret Andrews.
ARCH 0771 An Anthropology of Food (ANTH 0680) [CRN: 25163]
Interested students must register for ANTH 0680.
An exploration of the human experience of food and nutrition from evolutionary, archaeological, and cross-cultural perspectives. The course will review the various approaches employed by anthropologists and archaeologists to understand diet and subsistence in the past and present. Starting with the evolutionary roots of the human diet in Plio-Pleistocene Africa, we will trace patterns of human subsistence to the present, including the social and health implications of the agricultural revolution. We will then explore modern foodways in cross-cultural perspective, focusing on the interplay of ecology, politics, technology, and cultural beliefs. MWF 10:00-10:50. Instructors: Andrew Scherer and Jessaca Leinaweaver.
ARCH 0801 Alexander the Great and the Alexander Tradition (CLAS 0810A) [CRN: 24793] [Course Website]
Interested students must register for CLAS 0810A.
This course focuses on a single historical figure, Alexander the Great, using him as a point of departure for exploring a wide range of problems and approaches that typify the field of Classical Studies. How knowledge of Alexander has been used and abused provides a fascinating case study in the formation and continuous reinterpretation of the western Classical tradition. MWF 11:00-11:50. Instructor: John F. Cherry.
For Undergraduates and Graduates
ARCH 1052 Global Historical Archaeology (ANTH 1620) [CRN: 25172]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1620.
The course examines historical archaeology as a multidisciplinary approach to the study of the historic past. Draws in recent research from different parts of the world, including North America, South Africa, Australia, the Caribbean, and South America, to illustrate historical archaeology's contributions to interpreting peoples' everyday lives and the diversity of their experiences in the post-1500 era. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: Patricia Rubertone.
ARCH 1056 Indigenous Archaeologies (ANTH 1125) [CRN: 25735]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1125.
This course is an introduction to Indigenous archaeology, sometimes defined as archaeology "by, for and with Indigenous peoples." These approaches combine the study of the past with contemporary social justice concerns. However, they are more than this. In addition to seeking to make archaeology more inclusive of and responsible to Indigenous peoples, they seek to contribute a more accurate understanding of archaeological record. They thus do not reject science, but attempt to broaden it through a consideration of Indigenous epistemologies. This course covers topics as the history of anthropological archaeology, Indigenous knowledge and science, decolonizing methodologies, representational practices and NAGPRA. TTh 9:00-10:20. Instructor: Robert Preucel.
ARCH 1176 Old News: Antiquity and Current Events (HMAN 1972H) [CRN: 25743]
Interested students must register for HMAN 1972H.
Antiquity is often invoked to manipulate how we view current events. This course will investigate examples of this phenomenon, including the ‘spectacles of destruction’ of antiquities in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and the couching of the Greek economic crisis in references to Greece’s classical past. We will interrogate questions of “who owns the past?,” and of how we reckon antiquity’s value; we will also investigate how scholars (archaeologists, classicists, et al.) have reacted to these contemporary events. Their stances raise important questions about the past’s ‘relevance’ in the present, but also about the intersections between humanities and the social sciences. Enrollment limited to 20. W 3:00-5:30. Instructor: Johanna Hanink.
ARCH 1177 Occupy Archaeology! Interrogating Inequality, Past and Present [CRN: 25917] [Course Website]
We are the 99%! Black Lives Matter! These rallying cries bring inequality to the front-and-center of western political and media discourses. Yet a social system dividing the haves and have-nots is hardly a modern phenomenon. This course considers injustice diachronically and on a global scale, examining ways in which the material world studied by archaeologists creates — and is created by — social divisions, and critiquing the ways that archaeology as a discipline is a part of the problem. Enrollment limited to 15. TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: Andrew Dufton.
ARCH 1220 Byzantine Archaeology and Art: Material Stories of a Christian Empire [CRN: 25900] [Course Website]
The world of Byzantium is often considered as a dark age separating the glories of Rome and the Renaissance. Yet Byzantium was among the longest living empires in world history, with an artistic and cultural impact felt far beyond its borders. The course will introduce students to a series of art works, architectural masterpieces, and archaeological discoveries that illuminate our understanding of the much underestimated, and much misunderstood, Byzantine Empire. TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: Sophie Moore.
ARCH 1238 Classic Mayan Civilization (ANTH 1031) [CRN: 25165]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1031.
Examines the history, culture, and society of the Classic Maya, with special emphasis on Preclassic precursors, dynasties, environmental adaptation, imagery, architecture, urban form, and the Maya Collapse. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Stephen Houston.
ARCH 1541 ISIS, NAGPRA, and the Academy: Archaeology and Global Issues in Cultural Heritage (ANTH 1580) [CRN: 25931] [Course Website]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1580.
These days cultural heritage is all over the news. The wars in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya have led to the destruction of countless sites and museums, and the looting of artifacts on a massive scale. Cultural heritage is a broad term however, and there are people and institutions around the world that have stakes in how it is defined and managed. How then do archaeologists, museum specialists, and others in the academy define, work with, and protect cultural heritage? This course will explore current themes in cultural heritage with an eye to material culture and ethical action. T 4:00-6:30. Instructor: Ian Randall.
ARCH 1546 The Monuments Men: Embedded Scholars and the Military-Archaeology Complex [CRN: 26191] [Course Website]
In this course, we will examine the entanglement of antiquarians and archaeologists with the military, and the militarisation of monuments and archaeological sites. We will take a long-term historical perspective, from the early modern period to the present: from the Napoleonic expedition to Egypt and the "Monuments Men" in WWII, to the 20th and 21st century invasions and wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. But this is not a historiography course; it is rather an exploration of the ethics and politics of such entanglement. MW 3:00-4:20. Instructor: Yannis Hamilakis.
ARCH 1609 Ancient Babylonian Magic and Medicine (ASYR 1500) [CRN: 24667]
Interested students must register for ASYR 1500.
A survey of ancient magic and medicine focusing on Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq, ca. 2500-300 BCE), with an emphasis on beliefs about the body, health, illness, and the causes of disease, such as witchcraft or angry gods. Topics will include the training of healers, exorcists, and herbalists; concepts of contagion and plague, modalities of treatment, incantations, prayers, and empirical remedies like prescriptions; ancient perceptions of problems like sexual dysfunction, the perils of pregnancy, tooth decay, epilepsy, and mental illness. Readings will be drawn from ancient texts (in translation), archaeology, and parallels with ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the Bible. No prerequisites. Not open to first year students. WRIT. Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
ARCH 1624 Ancient Egyptian Art II (EGYT 1510) [CRN: 26140]
Interested students must register for EGYT 1510.
Considers the art of 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. WRIT. MWF 11:00-11:50. Instructor: Laurel Bestock.
ARCH 1705 The Palaces of Ancient Rome (HIAA 1301) [CRN: 26338]
Interested students must register for HIAA 1301.
This seminar addresses the palatial art and architecture of the ancient Roman Empire. Key themes include the architectural articulation of political power; the role of international relations in expressing cultural power; the interplay of influence among palaces and villas; the art of adornment, luxury, and collecting; the interaction of architecture and landscape, including interior gardens and urban environments; the critical analysis of archaeological evidence, reconstruction, and legacy. WRIT. F 3:00-5:30. Instructor: Anne Hunnell Chen.
ARCH 1775 Animals in Archaeology [CRN: 25899] [Course Website]
Food, foe, friend: animals play all these roles, and more, in their relationship to humans, in the past as well as the present. This course will explore how zooarchaeology -- the study of animal remains (bones, teeth, and shells) -- allows us to reconstruct ancient human-animal-environmental interactions. We will cover a range of topics and analytical techniques, including hands-on sessions for the identification and quantification of faunal remains. Additional topics will include ancient DNA in zooarchaeology, bone stable isotope analyses, human-caused extinctions, animal domestication, bone artifact production, and animal sacrifice. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: Katherine Brunson.
ARCH 1791 Slavery, Materiality, and Memorialization (AFRI 1050X) [CRN: 26208]
Interested students must register for AFRI 1050X.
The institution of slavery ended in the Americas in the 19th century, but its official conclusion says little about the ways in which its legacies are materially present and memorialized today. This course is designed to place the material aspects of slavery in conversation with less tangible dimensions of how slavery is or isn't remembered and publicly acknowledged. Students will be introduced to the social and economic dimensions of transatlantic slavery, conduct archival research, and visit sites in the Providence area in order to inspire critical dialogue about how the material realities of slavery affect our past, present, and future. F 3:00-5:30. Instructor: Matthew Reilly.
ARCH 1797 A Migration Crisis? Displacement, Materiality, and Experience (MGRK 1210)
[CRN: 26186] [Course Website]
Interested students must register for MGRK 1210.
In the past few years, we have all experienced, most of us through the media, what has been called a migration crisis. And yet, migration as a phenomenon did not appear in 2015; it is as old as humanity, and displacement and contemporary forced migration have also a long history. In this course, we will examine the historical, material and experiential dimensions of contemporary displacement and migration. Many of the examples will be from Greece but also other parts of Mediterranean and beyond, including from the Mexico-US border. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Yannis Hamilakis.
ARCH 1805 The Archaeology of Us: A Material Approach to the Contemporary World [CRN: 26190] [Course Website]
Archaeology is traditionally seen as exclusively concerned with the past. However, the budding field of contemporary archaeology considers that our own material culture and built environment are equally important to examine archaeologically. This course explores materially-oriented approaches to analyzing our contemporary world, from the study of garbage to the destruction of heritage sites by ISIS. Course material will examine geopolitical crises including migration, militarism, inequality, and environmental devastation. Students will engage with local communities and the Providence area. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: Matthew Reilly.
ARCH 1830 Fake! History of the Inauthentic [CRN: 26111] [Course Website]
What is a fake? Who gets to decide what is authentic? Greek statues, Chinese bronzes, Maya glyphs. Have fraudulent objects always existed? Galileo’s signature, a centaur’s skeleton, Buddhas bearing swastikas. Are all fakes the same? If not, how are they different? Why do people make forgeries? This course revolves around the history of the inauthentic through a diachronic exploration of objects. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Felipe Rojas.
ARCH 1852 Material Culture Practicum (ANTH 1621) [CRN: 25173]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1621.
Combines theory with hands-on study of material culture in historical archaeology. Students gain skills and experience in identifying, dating, recording, analyzing, and interpreting artifacts and conduct individual or team research projects. Enrollment limited to 15. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: Patricia Rubertone.
ARCH 1881 An Introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis for Anthropologists and Archaeologists (ANTH 1201) [CRN: 26219]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1201.
This course serves as an introduction to the concepts, techniques, and (to a lesser extent, the histories) that motivate geographic information systems and their employment in anthropological and archaeological scholarship. GIS brings together traditional cartographic principles, computer-assisted analytical cartography, relational database design, and digital image processing and analysis to enable people to develop geospatial databases, analyze those databases, and use maps and other visual representations as part of this analysis. No previous work in GIS or computer programming is necessary. Previous computer experience with MS Windows operating systems is helpful. DPLL LILE. TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: Parker VanValkenburgh.
ARCH 1883 Global Environmental Remote Sensing (GEOL 1330) [CRN: 25834]
Interested students must register for GEOL 1330.
Introduction to physical principles of remote sensing across electromagnetic spectrum and application to the study of Earth's systems (oceans, atmosphere, and land). Topics: interaction of light with materials, imaging principles and interpretation, methods of data analysis. Laboratory work in digital image analysis, classification, and multi-temporal studies. One field trip to Block Island. Recommended preparation courses: MATH 0090, 0100; PHYS 0060; and background courses in natural sciences. TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: John Mustard.
Primarily for Graduates
ARCH 2105 Ceramic Analysis for Archaeology [CRN: 25298] [Course Website]
The analysis and the interpretation of ceramic remains allow archaeologists to accomplish varied ends: establish a time scale, document interconnections between different areas, and suggest what activities were carried out at particular sites. The techniques and theories used to bridge the gap between the recovery of ceramics and their interpretation within archaeological contexts will be examined in this seminar, focusing in particular on ceramic production. This course explores archaeological, ethnographic and scientific approaches, including hands-on and lab-based materials analysis of ceramics and their raw materials. M 3:00-5:30. Instructors: Peter van Dommelen and M.Ángel Cau Ontiveros.
ARCH 2310 Cities in the Sand: The Archaeology of Urbanism in Mesopotamia
Images of legendary Mesopotamian cities, now wired with explosives or pockmarked with looters’ pits, flit daily across our screens. For more than a century, archaeologists have been working to uncover these early urban centers in Iraq and Syria, where the very idea of the city was first imagined. This seminar offers an introduction to the archaeology of urbanism and a detailed examination of the cities of Mesopotamia – from Uruk and Ur to Babylon and Baghdad. Th 4:00-6:30. Instructor: Tate Paulette.
ARCH 2407 Lived Bodies, Dead Bodies: The Archaeology of Human Remains (ANTH 2560) [CRN: 25184]
Interested students must register for ANTH 2560.
Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains from archaeological contexts. We will survey the "state of the art" in bioarchaeology, while exploring its relevance and application to the archaeology of complex societies. We will survey a range of bioarchaeological methods and applications, including paleopathology, stable isotope analysis, population affinity/ancient DNA, perimortem trauma, and body modification. In turn, we will explore how bioarchaeology can be used to approach a wide range of archaeological problems relative to complex societies, including subsistence, economy, migration, urbanism, social inequality, conflict and warfare, and identity. Open to graduate students only. S/NC. LILE. M 6:00-8:30. Instructor: Andrew Scherer.
ARCH 2412 Space, Power, and Politics (ANTH 2590) [CRN: 25185]
Interested students must register for ANTH 2590.
This course critically examines the politics of space and landscape from an interdisciplinary perspective. After reading key texts in political philosophy and cultural geography, we explore themes in recent scholarship including the spatial production of sovereignty, capital, and political subjectivity and the evolving role of digital cartography in public culture and politics. Case studies are drawn from archaeology, art history, ethnography, cultural geography, and history. W 6:00-8:30. Instructor: Parker VanValkenburgh.
ARCH 2475 The World in Stone: Rock-cut Monuments in the Ancient Mediterranean and Near East [CRN: 26136]
This class will explore rock-cut monuments in Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Iran, Egypt, and the Levant from archaeological, anthropological, and art historical perspectives. We will range chronologically from the fourth millennium BCE to Late Antiquity and tackle topics such as materiality and ontologies of stone in the ancient world; making, meaning, and afterlives of rock-cut monuments; interaction and tension between text and image; and new approaches to the recording and representation of rock-cut monuments and their surrounding landscapes. The monuments themselves (rather than the different regions or periods in which they were produced) will drive our interdisciplinary investigation. W 3:00-5:30. Instructor: Felipe Rojas.
ARCH 2852 Skills Training in Material Culture Studies II [CRN: 25853]
When dealing with material culture, one must possess a solid foundation in a
range of skills. How does one document and analyze artifacts, architecture
and landscapes, what are the appropriate techniques? How should all this
information be securely stored and promulgated? This "hands on" class,
intended for students in multiple disciplines, will revolve around techniques of
documentation and analysis (e.g. architectural drawing, GIS [Geographic
Information Systems], data bases and digital media). F 3:00-5:30.
Fall Term
(Jump to Spring Term)
Primarily for Undergraduates
ARCH 0030 Art in Antiquity: An Introduction [CRN: 16471] [Course Website]
What went into the creation of the Parthenon? Who lived in the Tower of Babel? This course offers an introduction to the art, architecture, and material culture of the ancient world. Things of beauty and of power will be explored, from Egyptian pyramids and Near Eastern palaces, to the 'classical' art of Greece and Rome. We will concentrate geographically on the art of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, glimpsing occasionally into other regions of the world including the Americas and China. Every session will revolve around a single object which we will examine in detail in order to explore key aspects of life in the ancient world. We will also personally examine Brown’s and RISD’s collections of antiquities. MWF 11:00-11:50. Instructor: Felipe Rojas.
ARCH 0033 Past Forward: Discovering Anthropological Archaeology (ANTH 0500) [CRN: 16295]
Interested students must register for ANTH 0500.
This course offers a broad journey through the human past, from material culture crafted by our evolutionary ancestors to the remnants of the recent historic past. To facilitate this journey, the class explores the methods, concepts, and theories that anthropologists employ in the study of past peoples, places, and things. Case studies stretch across the globe. As a hands-on endeavor, archaeology focuses on tangible evidence. In this course, small-group discussion, laboratory, and field exercises will complement lectures, leading to an understanding of how anthropologists study the past and how that knowledge affects the present. LILE. MWF 9:00-9:50. Instructor: Parker VanValkenburgh.
ARCH 0150 Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology and Art [CRN: 16472] [Course Website]
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.
ARCH 0156 Architecture and Urbanism of the African Diaspora (HIAA 0770) [CRN: 15292]
Interested students must register for HIAA 0770.
This lecture course introduces the built environments in and of "Africa," from the earliest known examples to the contemporary moment. Through a consideration of texts and images, we will interrogate "Africa" as both a construct and concrete geographical entity characterized by diverse cultures, contexts, and histories. In addition to exploring the content of various architectural and urban traditions, we will approach our topic from the point of view of the theoretical paradigms that have governed the historiographical interpretation of particular periods, regions, and cultures. Readings will be arranged thematically and according to chronology and geography. Weekly one-hour section required. DPLL WRIT. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Itohan Osayimwese.
ARCH 0160 Buried History, Hidden Wonders: Discovering East Asian Archaeology [CRN: 17247] [Course Website]
What do Peking Man, human sacrifice, buried armies, lost cities, and silk routes have to do with one another? All are part of the rich and varied legacy of East Asian archaeology, which is today being re-written by spectacular new discoveries little known to the West. Beginning with Asia’s earliest hominin inhabitants, this course will explore the origins of agriculture, early villages and cities, ancient writing systems, and changes in ritual practice through time. We will also discuss the current state of archaeological research in Asia, focusing on site preservation and the political roles of archaeology. LILE. MWF 12:00-12:50. Instructor: Katherine Brunson.
ARCH 0201L Who Owns the Classical Past? (CLAS 0210 L) [CRN: 15975] [Course Website]
Interested students must register for CLAS 0210 L.
This course offers a forum for informed discussion of a variety of difficult questions about access to the classical past, and its modern-day ownership and presentation, seen primarily from the perspective of material culture (archaeology, art, museum displays, etc.). Enrollment limited to 20 first year students. FYS. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: John F. Cherry.
ARCH 0270 Troy Rocks! Archaeology of an Epic [CRN: 16474] [Course Website]
What do Brad Pitt, Julius Caesar, Dante, Alexander the Great, and countless sports teams have in common? The Trojan War! This course will explore the Trojan War not only through the archaeology, art, and mythology of the Greeks and Romans but also through the popular imaginings of cultures ever since, to figure out what "really" happened when Helen ran off and Achilles got angry and the Greeks came bearing gifts. FYS. TTh 9:00-10:20. Instructor: Margaret Andrews.
ARCH 0302 Object Histories: The Material Culture of Early America (HIST 0550A) [CRN: 15108]
Interested students must register for HIST 0550A.
History is not just about people; it is also about things! Come explore the world of early America through the lens of objects--boats, dresses, plows, houses, wagons, watches, silver cups, wigs, blankets, land, gardens, hammers, desks--and the cultures that produced and consumed them. As a first year seminar, this course is designed to engagingly introduce students to the basic concepts of historical study. We will take several field trips to local historical sites, both on and off campus. Our primary focus will be specific objects and their contexts and histories. Enrollment limited to 20 first year students. FYS WRIT P. Th 4:00-6:30. Instructor: Linford Fisher.
ASYR 0310 Thunder-gods and Dragon-slayers: Mythology + Cultural Contact - Ancient Mediterranean and Near East [CRN: 16569]
This course is an exploration of the mythological imagination in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. From cosmic origins to epic battles, mighty queens to baneful monsters, mythological motives and narratives crisscrossed the ancient world, bypassing seemingly rigid geographic and cultural boundaries. Particular attention will be devoted to the study of the dynamic reinterpretation of myths in situations of cultural contact. Primary evidence will include material from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, the Levant, Greece and Rome. The course will span several millennia, from the earliest attestations of the Epic of Gilgamesh to the Christian and Muslim reinterpretation of so-called pagan myths. FYS WRIT. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Felipe Rojas.
ARCH 0351 The Cradle of Civilization? Introduction to the Ancient Near East (ASYR 0800) [CRN: 17102]
Interested students must register for ASYR 0800.
This course explores the cultures of ancient Mesopotamia and the Near East (present-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran) from prehistory until the end of the first millennium BC. We will investigate the rich history and archaeology of this region through literary and historical texts (in translation) and archaeological evidence, including visual culture and architecture. Central to our discussion will be questions about how and why scholars study the Middle East in this early period. Topics include: early complex societies, state formation, the origins and development of writing, ancient empires, religion, culture and ethnicity, trade, diplomacy, warfare, agriculture, and craft production. WRIT. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: Matthew Rutz.
ARCH 0407 Hadrian’s Wall:
Archaeological Skills, Methods, and History on the Northern Roman Frontier [CRN: 17298] [Course Website]
Explore the archaeology of one of Great Britain’s grandest monuments, Hadrian’s Wall, from the beginning of the fortification in 122AD to the present. Students will learn the basics of archaeological excavation, survey, and illustration, through hands-on, in-class labs – to understand the real, tangible ways archaeology can teach us about religion, race, the military, politics, architecture, and the everyday lives of people in Roman Britain. Note: this course can fulfill the archaeological methodology (field archaeology) requirement for Archaeology concentrators. WRIT. MWF 10:00-10:50. Instructor: Sophie Moore.
ARCH 0643 The Architectures of Islam (HIAA 0041) [CRN: 16894]
Interested students must register for HIAA 0041.
Through selected case study examples, the course examines the varied manifestations of Islamic architectures. The course spans fourteen centuries and three continents, and examines religious as well as secular buildings. We will trace the sources and 'invention' of Islamic architecture in the Umayyad dynasty of the seventh and eighth centuries, and will explore its varied manifestations up to the contemporary period. By examining cross-cultural and trans-regional interactions, we will also investigate the relationship between Islamic and non-Islamic architectural traditions. A WRIT. MWF 11:00-11:50. Instructor: Sheila Bonde.
ARCH 0676 Pirates of the Caribbean:
Scalawags, Sailors, and Slaves [CRN: 17291] [Course Website]
Avast ye maties! Study the legendary bandits, mischievous scalawags, and barbarous buccaneers that roved the high seas of the Caribbean from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Through archaeological and historical scholarship, we will explore pirates’ everyday belongings, the goods they plundered, the hideaways they called home, the havoc they caused, and the legends they left behind -- including Blackbeard, Captain Morgan, and even Captain Jack Sparrow. We will also investigate the economics behind the rise of piracy, with an emphasis on the trans-Atlantic slave trade. MWF 2:00-2:50. Instructor: Matthew Reilly.
For Undergraduates and Graduates
ARCH 1054 Indians, Colonists, and Africans in New England (ANTH 1624) [CRN: 16303]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1624.
The course explores the colonial and capitalist transformation of New England's social and cultural landscapes following European contact. Using archaeology as critical evidence, we will examine claims about conquest, Indian Extinction, and class, gender and race relations by studying the daily lives and interactions of the area's diverse Native American, African American, and European peoples. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Patricia Rubertone.
ARCH 1152 Bandits and Barbarians: Exploring Subaltern Resilience and State Power (ANTH 1145) [CRN: 16863] [Course Website]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1145.
In the imaginations of ancient Greeks and Romans, the urban centers of ‘civilization’ were surrounded by wild lands where barbarians roamed. Even now, mountains, marshes, forests, and deserts are the realms of bandits, primitive tribes, warlords, and terrorists. From ‘shepherd-bandits’ in highland Sardinia and ‘red-faced Gauls’ in Roman France to ‘marginal tribes’ in the Kabyle mountains and the ‘wild people’ of the Ethiopian borderlands, this course explores peripheral lands through time and across the globe. We will critically examine such stereotypical representations, to understand how their inhabitants carved out their own spaces in the interstices of ancient and modern states. TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: Peter van Dommelen.
ARCH 1162 Anthropology in/of the Museum (ANTH 1901) [CRN: 16334]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1901.
This course will provide an introduction to the history, purposes, transformations, and internal workings of museums from an anthropological perspective. Students will learn about museums that focus on natural and cultural history related to anthropological studies of archaeology, human evolution, and world ethnography. It will cover the relevance of anthropological training to careers in the museum field, as well as the importance of conducting anthropological investigations in the museum environment. Enrollment limited to 20. T 4:00-6:30.
ANTH 1235 Vertical Civilization: South American Archaeology from Monte Verde to the Inkas (ANTH 1505) [CRN: 16560]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1505.
This course offers an introduction to the archaeology of indigenous south American Civilizations, from the peopling of the continent around 13,000 years ago, to the Spanish Invasion of the 16th Century C.E. Throughout, we seek to understand the often unique solutions that South America indigenous peoples developed to deal with risk and to make sense of the world around them. Course lectures and discussions focus on recent research and major debates. Weekly sections draw on viewings of artifacts and manuscripts from the Haffenreffer Museum and the John Carter Brown Library. DPLL LILE. MWF 11:00-11:50. Instructor: Parker VanValkenburgh.
ARCH 1772 The Human Skeleton (ANTH 1720) [CRN: 16304]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1720.
More than simply a tissue within our bodies, the human skeleton is gateway into narratives of the past--from the evolution of our species to the biography of individual past lives. Through lecture and hands-on laboratory, students will learn the complete anatomy of the human skeleton, with an emphasis on the human skeleton in functional and evolutionary perspective. We will also explore forensic and bioarchaeological approaches to the skeleton. By the course conclusion, students will be able to conduct basic skeletal analysis and will be prepared for more advanced studies of the skeleton from medical, forensic, archaeological, and evolutionary perspectives. Enrollment limited to 20. Not open to first year students. Instructor permission required. TTh 10:30-11:50. Instructor: Andrew Scherer.
ARCH 1787 Alcohol in the Ancient World [CRN: 16929] [Course Website]
From the earliest Neolithic experiments with fermentation to the elaborate drinking cultures of the Classical world, alcohol has infused and influenced social life for thousands of years. This course provides an introduction to the production and consumption of beer, wine, and other beverages in the ancient world. Case studies from across the globe demonstrate that alcohol was (and is) a uniquely potent form of material culture, embedded within complex webs of social, political, economic, and ritual activity. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: Tate Paulette.
ARCH 1793 Slavery in the Ancient World (CLAS 1120E) [CRN: 15988]
Interested students must register for CLAS 1120E.
Examines the institution of slavery in the ancient world, from Mesopotamia and the Near East to the great slave societies of classical Greece and (especially) imperial Rome; comparison of ancient and modern slave systems; modern views of ancient slavery from Adam Smith to Hume to Marx to M.I. Finley. Readings in English. TTh 2:30-3:50. Instructor: John Bodel.
ANTH 1830 The Pictured Text (ANTH 1830) [CRN: 16804]
Interested students must register for ANTH 1830.
Writing makes language visible, and thus concerns images. Language also delimits the legibility of imagery. Turning words into images and images into words occurs at great speed around us. This course explores the relation of text and image across world traditions -- Chinese, Mayan, Egyptian, Islamic, Greco-Roman, and others, extending up to the present. Topics include: calligraphy, context, scribal practice, the form and shape of writing, including typography, hidden or pseudo-writing, graffiti, and contemporary art. W 3:00-5:30. Instructors: Stephen Houston and Jeffrey Moser.
ARCH 1882 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Applications (GEOL 1320) [CRN: 16711 or 16712]
Interested students must register for GEOL 1320.
Introduction to the concepts of geospatial analysis and digital mapping. The principles of spatial data structures, coordinate systems, and database design are covered. Related work in image databases also discussed. Extensive hands-on training in ESRI-based geographic information system software will be provided. Focal point of class is the completion of student-selected research project employing GIS methods. Section 01: TTh 10:30-11:50; OR Section 02: TTh 1:00-2:20. Instructor: Lynn Carlson.
ARCH 1900 The Archaeology of College Hill [CRN: 16473] [Course Website]
A training class in field and laboratory techniques. Topics include the nature of field archaeology, excavation and survey methodologies, archaeological ethics, computer technologies (such as GIS), and site and artifact analysis and conservation. Students will act as practicing archaeologists through the investigation of local historical and archaeological sites in the College Hill area (e.g. the First Baptist Church of America and the John Brown House). M 3:00-5:30. Instructor: Eve Dewan.
Primarily for Graduates
ARCH 2006 Principles of Archaeology (ANTH 2501) [CRN: 16319]
Interested students must register for ANTH 2501.
Examines theoretical and methodological issues in anthropological archaeology. Attention is given to past concerns, current debates, and future directions of archaeology in the social sciences. F 9:00-11:30. Instructor: Robert Preucel.
ARCH 2041 Mesoamerican Archaeology and Ethnohistory (ANTH 2520) [CRN: 17075]
Interested students must register for ANTH 2520.
Seminar focusing on current issues in the archaeology and history of Mesoamerica, including Mexico and Northern Central America. Draws on rich resources at Brown, including the John Carter Brown Library. M 12:30-3:00. Instructor: Stephen Houston.
ARCH 2116 The Pictured Text (HIAA 2212) [CRN: 16321]
Interested students must register for HIAA 2212.
Writing makes language visible, and thus concerns images. Language also delimits the legibility of imagery. Turning words into images and images into words occurs at great speed around us. This course explores the relation of text and image across world traditions—Chinese, Mayan, Egyptian, Islamic, Greco-Roman, and others, extending up to the present. Topics include: calligraphy, context, scribal practice, the form and shape of writing, including typography, hidden or pseudo-writing, graffiti, and contemporary art. W 3:00-5:30. Instructors: Jeffrey Moser and Stephen Houston.
ARCH 2153 Archaeological Ethnography: A Multi-Temporal Contact Zone [CRN: 17082]
In this course, we will examine the emerging field of archaeological ethnography, a shared space of interaction between social anthropologists and archaeologists, and between scholars and the various local communities around archaeological sites. Our main focus will be the Sanctuary of Poseidon on the island of Poros in Greece, the epicenter of a long-term archaeological ethnography project, started in 2007. We will place the site in global comparative perspective, and debate together the challenges in producing an archaeological ethnography monograph. Th 4:00-6:30. Instructor: Yannis Hamilakis.
ARCH 2240 Key Issues in Mediterranean Prehistory [CRN: 16953] [Course Website]
This course's scope is the entire Mediterranean basin, from its first peopling until ca. 500 BC. The focus is on key transformations in economic, social, and political structures and interactions; on explanations for these changes; and on current issues where fresh data or new approaches are transforming our understanding. This seminar is intended for students both with and without prior knowledge of this field, and particularly for those preparing for the Mediterranean Prehistory field exam. M 3:00-5:30. Instructor: John F. Cherry.
ARCH 2501A Problems in Archaeology: Archaeology of Colonialism (ANTH 2500A) [CRN: 16318]
Interested students must register for ANTH 2500A.
Explores the theoretical discourses shaping anthropological approaches and defining archaeological projects on culture contact and colonialism. Attention will be given to examining colonial encounters between Europeans and indigenous peoples as ongoing processes rather than particular historical moments, and to looking at recent efforts at decolonizing archaeological practice.
Th 4:00-6:30. Instructor: Patricia Rubertone.
ARCH 2601 Approaching Women and Gender in Roman Culture [CRN: 17092] [Course Website]
Gender as a hierarchical concept was a fundamental basis of Roman culture, but women often played active roles in shaping political, religious, and social ideologies in both public and private contexts. Drawing on material, visual, and literary evidence, as well as theoretical concepts of gender in the ancient world, this course will examine not only how the concepts of women and gender were constructed and perpetuated, but also how they were simultaneously resisted and subverted. T 4:00-6:30. Instructor: Margaret Andrews.
ARCH 2710 The Archaeology of Nubia and Egypt [CRN: 16476] [Course Website]
Egypt and Nubia share the distinction of ancient civilizations along the Nile river, but Nubia remains much more poorly known than Egypt. This seminar will examine the archaeology of Nubia, including its relationship to Egypt, from the introduction of ceramics and agriculture to the medieval period. This long-term perspective will allow comparative study of issues such as state formation, imperialism and religious change. W 3:00-5:30. Instructor: Laurel Bestock.
ARCH 2851 Skills Training in Material Culture Studies I [CRN: 17170]
When dealing with material culture, one must possess a solid foundation in a
range of skills. How does one document and analyze artifacts, architecture
and landscapes, what techniques are appropriate in what cases? How should all this
information be securely stored and promulgated? This "hands on" class,
intended for students in multiple disciplines, will consider the study of
particular types of material or bodies of evidence (e.g., pottery, lithics,
epigraphy, numismatics). F 3:00-5:30.
Additional Resources
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