| CODE | ARC3032 | |||||||||
| TITLE | The Riverine Civilizations of the Near East | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Classics and Archaeology | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit offers an overview of the earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt which arose alongside the great rivers of the Tigris and the Euphrates, and that of the Nile, respectively. The major cultural feats of the Sumerians, the Akkadians, and the Babylonians, as well as those of the ancient Egyptians will be discussed with the examples of the rich material remains in question stemming from the excavated layers dating from the earliest periods up to circa 1000 B.C. The origins of writing in Mesopotamia followed very closely by its appearance in Egypt will also be tackled, and the two writing systems will be compared and contrasted. The parallelisms in the material culture of the two regions will also be discussed where relevant. A number of variegated cultural topics will be presented such as architecture, legal matters, business transactions, writing, literature, and trade. Mesopotamian Archaeology An archaeological picture of Sumer, Babylonia and Assyria from prehistoric times down to c. 1000 B.C. Basic notions on the writing systems in use in ancient Mesopotamia are also offered. Egyptian Archaeology An archaeological picture of ancient Egypt from prehistoric times down to the New Kingdom period. Basic notions on the writing systems employed in ancient Egypt are also offered. Study-unit Aims: 1. To present the major cultural feats of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt from the earliest period up to c. 1000 B.C.; 2. To help students appreciate the major inventions and developments in various areas, including that of writing, art, and architecture; 3. To show how human civilization is intrinsically linked to the geographical environment, and hence the phrase "Riverine Civilizations". Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Compare and contrast a variegated set of cultural sets (ranging from writing and art to architecture and trade) which prevailed in Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt; 2. Recall the major contributions made to humanity in general by the people of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt; 3. Recognize and explain the intrinsic link between art and writing in ancient Egypt. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Describe the key stages that led to the invention of writing in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt; 2. Identify and analyse the main sources of archaeological and written evidence that helps us explain ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian societies; 3. Recall and explain the key social, cultural and economic links between the ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian sociaties. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Brewer, D.J.(2012) The Archaeology of Ancient Egypt: Beyond Pharaohs, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Crawford, H(2004) Sumer and the Sumerians, 2nd edn, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Postgate, J.N. (1994) Early Mesopotamia: society and economy at the dawn of history, reprint with revisions of the 1992 edition. London: Routledge. Kemp, B. (2005) Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization 2nd edition. London: Routledge. The lecturer will provide a more detailed bibliography in class/on VLE. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Abigail Zammit |
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The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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