ARCH.F24

This course introduces the art and archaeology of the ancient Near East and Egypt. Via assigned readings, class work and lectures we will explore some of the most significant archaeological sites, artefacts and societies to have emerged in these regions. We will study the historical figures, societies and cultures that shaped the Near East and Egypt and consider some of the most fundamental inventions and innovations that originated in these areas. Via a variety of case studies, the course will also critically analyse the legacy of antiquarian archaeology in these regions and debate the future of modern archaeology in the area.

Archaeology offers a unique perspective to study and analyze how past inequalities developed over time, how they were maintained, negated, or transformed, and how societies responded to them or rejected them. Drawing upon different sets of data- including visual and material culture as well as bio-archaeological remains - and employing anthropological, social, and critical theory approaches, this course explores inequalities with reference to society, ethnicity, gender, and economy. We will use a wide range of case studies across the ancient Mediterranean, from Prehistory to Late Antiquity, to explore different trajectories of inequality and their manifestations in large-scale and long-term phenomena of war, economic crises, environmental transformation, and colonialism.

Prerequisite(s): ARCH B101 and 102; or ARCH B101 and a 200-level ARCH course; or ARCH B102 and a 200-level ARCH course; or two 200-level ARCH courses