Download the course syllabus here: 
Syllabus_IntroIslamicArch_Brown2006Fall.doc
Week 1: Preliminaries
9/6: Course Introduction
9/8: Geography and Territory of the Muslim World
Readings:
Hodges R. and D. Whitehouse. 1983. Mohammed, Charlemagne and the Origins of Europe. Ithaca: Cornell University Press
Week 2: Preliminaries continued
9/11: Mohammed and Charlemagne – Why study the Muslim world?
9/13: The world before Islam – A picture of late antiquity East and West
9/15: The legacy of the Prophet – negotiating religion and politics in an emerging empire
Assignment: Use the library reference resources to complete the blank map of the Muslim world with the list of toponyms provided.
Readings:
Nicolle, D. 2003. Historical Atlas of the Islamic World. Checkmark Books
Kennedy, H. 2004. The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century. 2nd ed. London: Longman (Chs. 1-6 pp 1-199)
Week 3: Defining Islamic Archaeology
9/18: Disciplinary beginnings – art history, history, and religious studies
9/20: Islam, identity and material culture
9/22: Discussion Map assignment due
Readings:
Insoll, T. 1999. The Archaeology of Islam. Oxford: Blackwell (Chapters 1, 4 and 8)
Whitcomb, D. ed. 2003. Changing Social Identity with the Spread of Islam: Archaeological Perspectives. Chicago: Oriental Institute (Introduction pp 1-7)
Horton, Mark C. 2003. Islam, Archaeology, and Swahili Identity. In Changing Social Identity with the Spread of Islam: Archaeological Perspectives. D. Whitcomb ed. 67-88. Chicago: Oriental Institute.
Johns, J. (2003). "Archaeology and the History of Early Islam." JESHO 46(4): 411-436.
Northedge, A. (1999). Archaeology and Islam. Companion Encyclopedia of Archaeology. G. Barker. London, Routledge: 1077-1107.
Peterson, A. (2005). "What is 'Islamic' Archaeology." Antiquity 79: 100-106.
Walmsley, A. (2004). Archaeology and Islamic Studies: The development of a relationship. From Handaxe to Khan: Essays presented to Peder Mortensen on the occasion of his 70th birthday. K. v. Folsach, H. Thrane and I. Thuesen. Aarhus, Aarhus University Press.
Week 4: Frameworks of an Historical Archaeology
9/25: Sites, texts and cultures: What are the objects of study?
9/27: Religion, civilization, and History: What do we want to know about?
9/29: Discussion
Readings:
Messier, R. (1997). Rereading Medieval Sources through Multidisciplinary Glasses. The Maghrib in question : essays in history & historiography. M. Le Gall and K. J. Perkins. Austin, University of Texas Press: 174-200.
Moreland, J. 2001. Archaeology and Text. London: Duckworth
Week 5: Arabia – Where it all began
10/2: Mecca and Medina – The sacred precincts of Islam (al-haramayn)
10/4: The origins of the mosque and its later institutional role
10/6: Discussion Paper 1 assignment hand-out
Readings:
Donner, F. M. (1998). The Role of Nomads in the Near East in Late Antiquity (400-800 CE). The Arabs and Arabia on the Eve of Islam. F. E. Peters. Burlington, Vt., Ashgate: 21-33.
Sauvaget, J. (2002 [1947]). The Mosque and the Palace. Early Islamic Art and Architecture. J. Bloom. Burlington, VT, Ashgate: 109-148.
Walmsley, A. and K. Damgaar (2005). "The Umayyad congregational mosque of jarash in Jordan and its relationship to early mosques." Antiquity 79: 362-378.
Insoll, T. 1999. The Archaeology of Islam. Oxford: Blackwell (Ch. 2)
al-Muqaddasi (1994). The best divisions for knowledge of the regions : a translation of Ahsan al-taqasim fi marifat al-aqalim. Reading, UK, Centre for Muslim Contribution to Civilisation : Garnet Publishing. (Section on Arabian Peninsula)
Recommended:
Sergeant, R. B. (1998). Haram and Hawtah, the Sacred Enclave in Arabia. The Arabs and Arabia on the Eve of Islam. F. E. Peters. Burlington, Vt., Ashgate: 167-84.
Week 6: Continuity and Rupture in the Early Islamic Landscape
10/9: No Class (Columbus Day?)
10/11: Urban transformations and Muslim settlement
10/13: NO CLASS (to be rescheduled) Writing an Academic Argument (review handout)
Readings:
'Athamina, K. (1986). "Arab Settlement During the Umayyad Caliphate." Jerusalem Studies of Arabic and Islam 8: 185-207.
Kennedy, H. (1985). "From Polis to Medina." Past and Present 106: 3-27.
Morony, M. (1992). Land Use and Settlement Patterns in Early Islamic Syria and Iraq. The Byzantine and early Islamic Near East: Land use and settlement patterns. G. R. D. King and A. Cameron. Princeton, NJ, Darwin Press. 2: 221-230
Magness, Jodi. 2003. Khirbet Abu Suwwana and Ein ‘Aneva: Two Early Islamic Settlements on Palestine’s Desert Periphery. In Changing Social Identity with the Spread of Islam: Archaeological Perspectives. D. Whitcomb ed. 67-88. Chicago: Oriental Institute.
Ibn Khaldun, M. (1958). The Muqaddimah : an introduction to history. New York, Pantheon Books.
Recommended:
Donner, F. M. (1981). The early Islamic conquests. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press. (esp pp. 50-90 and 251-271)
Week 7: Continuity and Rupture in the Landscape (cont.)
10/16: Conquest and colonialism - Landscape continuities and disruptions
Paper 1 due in class
10/18: Umayyad Monumentality - Case study of the “desert castles”
10/20: Midterm (30min) Discussion
Readings:
Bacharach, J. (1996). "Marwanid building activities: speculations on patronage." Muqarnas 13: 27-44.
Khoury, N. (1993). "The Dome of the Rock, the Ka'ba, and Ghumdan: Arab Myths and Umayyad Monuments." Muqarnas 10: 57-65.
Fowden, G. 2004. Qusayr ‘Amra: Art and the Umayyad Elite in Late Antique Syria. Berkeley: University of California (Preface and Chapters 1, 2, 9 and 10)
Ibn Khaldun, M. (1958). The Muqaddimah : an introduction to history. New York, Pantheon Books.
Week 8: Urbanism in the early Muslim world
10/23: The problem of the “Islamic city”
10/25: Amsār and early urban foundations
10/27: Royal cities of the post-Umayyad period
Readings:
Abu-Lughod, J. L. (1987). "The Islamic City--Historic Myth, Islamic Essence, and Contemporary Relevance." International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 19(155-76).
Northedge, A. (2005). "Remarks on Samarra and the archaeology of large cities." Antiquity 79: 119-129.
Northedge, A. (1992). Archaeology and New Urban Settlement in Early Islamic Syria and Iraq. The Byzantine and early Islamic Near East: Land use and settlement patterns. G. R. D. King and A. Cameron. Princeton, NJ, Darwin Press. 2: 231-266.
Scanlon, G. (1992). Al-Fustat: The riddle of the Earliest Settlement. The Byzantine and early Islamic Near East: Land use and settlement patterns. G. R. D. King and A. Cameron. Princeton, NJ, Darwin Press. 2: 171-180.
Whitcomb, D. (1994). "Amsar in Syria? Syrian cities after the Conquest." ARAM 6: 13-33.
Recommended:
AlSayyad, N. (1991). Cities and caliphs : on the genesis of Arab Muslim urbanism. New York, Greenwood Press.
Week 9: Urban life
10/30: Trade and industrial production
11/1: Domestic architecture and the space of everyday life
11/3: Discussion
Readings:
Henderson, J. and e. al. (2005). "Experiment and innovation: early Islamic industry at al-Raqqa, Syria." Antiquity 79: 103-45.
Hoffman, Tracy. 2003. Ascalon on the Levantine Coast. In Managing Social Identity with the Spread of Islam: Archaeological Perspectives. D. Whitcomb ed. 67-88. Chicago: Oriental Institute.
Insoll, T. 1999. The Archaeology of Islam. Oxford: Blackwell (Ch. 3, 7 and pages 151-165)
Goitein, S. D. 1967. A Mediterranean society : the Jewish communities of the Arab world as portrayed in the documents of the Cairo Geniza. Berkeley, University of California Press. Volume 4 “Daily Life” pp. 1-81.
Week 10: The Edges of Empire
11/6: Frontiers and Fortifications
11/8: The view from Muslim Spain
11/10: Discussion
Paper 2 assignment handout
Readings:
Glick, T. F. (1995). From Muslim fortress to Christian castle: social and cultural change in medieval Spain. Manchester England: Manchester University Press
Suggested case study reading:
Redford, S., G. Stein, et al. (1998). The archaeology of the frontier in the medieval Near East : excavations at Gritille, Turkey. Philadelphia: University Museum Publications University of Pennsylvania.
Week 11: Contact with the West
11/13: Archaeology and the Crusader Principalities ( guest lecture by Dr. Ronnie Ellenblum) – Please note that from November 12-14 there will be the Jerusalem conference. There will be many useful panels which you are strongly encouraged to attend. See the conference website for more details.
11/15: Before European Hegemony
11/17: No Class (to be rescheduled) Preserving cultural heritage in the Islamic world
Readings:
Boas, A. J. (1999). Crusader archaeology: the material culture of the Latin East. London: Routledge. (Chapter 4)
Ellenblum, R. (1996). "Colonization Activities in the Frankish East: The Example of Castellum Regis (Mi'ilya) " English Historical Review: 104-122.
Abu-Lughod, J. L. (1989). Before European hegemony : the world system A.D. 1250-1350.Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Pages 3-40, 102-134, 137-151,185-245)
Boone, J., J. Myers, et al. (1990). "Archaeological and Historical Approaches to Complex Societies: The Islamic States of Medieval Morocco." American Anthropologist 92: 630-646.
Handout: Articles on cultural heritage from Islamica Magazine 2006
Recommended:
Pringle, D. (2000). Fortification and settlement in Crusader Palestine. BurlingtonVT: Ashgate/Variorum. (chapters 1, 2, and 4)
Week 12:
11/20: The material culture of everyday life
11/22: Optional class discussion/review session
11/24: Thanksgiving break. Enjoy!
Readings:
Bulliet, R. W. (1992). Pottery Styles and Social Status in Medieval Khurasan. Archaeology, Annales and Ethnohistory. A. B. Knapp. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Hasan, A. Y. and D. R. Hill (1986). Islamic technology : an illustrated history. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bernsted, Ane-Marie. 2005. Early Islamic Pottery. Archetype
Week 13: Trade and the Intrusion of Europe
11/27: Ports and commerce
11/29: Trade and travel of the eve of European expansion
12/1: Discussion of Redman’s Qasr es-Seghir
Readings:
Kawatoko, M. (2001). Coffee trade in the al-Tur Port. Le commerce du café avant l'ère des plantations coloniales : espaces, réseaux, sociétés (XVe-XIXe siècle). M. Tuchscherer. Cairo, Institut français d'archéologie orientale: 51-66.
Redman, C. L. (1986). Qasr es-Seghir : an archaeological view of medieval life. Orlando: Academic Press.
Chittick, H. N. (1974). Kilwa: an Islamic trading city on the East African coast. Nairobi, British Institute in Eastern Africa.
Porter, V. (2002). The ports of Yemen and the Indian Ocean trade during the Tahirid period (1454-1517). Studies on Arabia in honour of Professor G.Rex Smith: Journal of Semitic Studies Supplement, 14. J.F. Healey and V. Porter. 171-190. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Suggested readings:
Kawatoko, M. (2005). "Multi-disciplinary approaches to the Islamic period in Egypt and the Red Sea coast." Antiquity 79: 844-57.
Week 14: Temporal and Spatial Peripheries of the Islamic World
12/4: Islamic archaeology in Sub-Saharan Africa
12/6: Ottoman period archaeology
12/8: The politics of Islamic archaeology
Readings:
Silberman, N. A. (1989). Tobacco Pipes, Cotton Prices, and Progress (Ch 13). Between past and present : archaeology, ideology, and nationalism in the modern Middle East. New York: H. Holt. (pages 228-243)
Insoll, T. (2003). The archaeology of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Chapters 1, 7 and 9)
Baram, U. and L. Carroll eds. (2000). A historical archaeology of the Ottoman Empire: breaking new ground. New York: Kluwer Academic. (Chapters 1, 5, 6, 10 and 11).
Week 15:
12/11: Review Session – Paper 2 due in class
Finals Week
Final exam is scheduled for Wed. December 13 at 9:00am (plan for 2 hours) (Please advise me at least one week prior to this date if you have a scheduling conflict)
