| CODE | NES2024 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Ancient Near Eastern Mythology | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit on Ancient Near Eastern Mythology is a comprehensive exploration of the mythological narratives and religious beliefs of the ancient civilizations in the Near East. Covering a broad range of cultures, including Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hittite, Canaanite, and Egyptian, this unit delves into the rich tapestry of myths that shaped the worldview of these societies. Students will examine creation myths, epic tales, and divine pantheons, gaining a profound understanding of the symbolic, cultural, and religious significance of these narratives. Study-unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit are: - to foster the ability to conduct comparative analyses of myths across different ancient Near Eastern cultures, identifying common themes, variations, and the interplay of cultural exchange in the region; - to discuss the various ancient Near Eastern societies through the narratives that emerged from the lands of Mesopotamia, Canaan, Egypt, and their neighbours; - to discuss the iconography associated with key figures of mythological narratives, and to provide students with skills in symbolic interpretation, allowing them to recognize and analyze the underlying meanings and metaphors embedded in ancient Near Eastern myths; - to provide students with a deep understanding of the cultural, religious, and social contexts in which ancient Near Eastern myths emerged, by understanding how political, economic, and environmental factors influenced the development and transformation of mythological narratives. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define mythology, with special reference to the ancient Near East; - Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of key mythological themes, including creation narratives, flood myths, heroic epics, and divine pantheons, across various ancient Near Eastern cultures; - Conduct critical analyses of specific myths, considering their historical, cultural, and religious contexts, and evaluating the impact of these narratives on the societies that produced them; - Apply symbolic interpretation skills to uncover deeper meanings within mythological narratives, recognizing the cultural and socio-political functions of these stories; - Compare and contrast myths from different ancient Near Eastern cultures, recognizing both shared elements and unique cultural expressions, and understanding the implications of such variations. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Undertake a closer reading of texts while learning how to unravel and account for what seem to be, prima facie, contradictory accounts; - Deal more efficiently with characters and customs from various ancient Near Eastern societies; - Sharpen their powers of observation and eye for detail. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Coogan, Michael D., and Smith, Mark S. (2012) Stories from Ancient Canaan, 2nd edn. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press. - Hart, George (2005) The Routledge Dictionary Of Egyptian Gods And Goddesses. New York: Routledge. - Leeming, David A. (2022) World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. - Pinch, Geraldine (2004) Egyptian Myth: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Supplementary Readings: - Pritchard, James B. (ed.) (1969) Ancient Near Eastern Texts relating to the Old Testament. 3rd edn. with supplement. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Gibson, John C. L. (ed.) (1978) Canaanite Myths and Legends. 2nd edition. Edinburgh: T & T Clark. - Leick, Gwendolyn (1991) A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology. London: Routledge. The above is a sample list of bibliographic items. The lecturer will provide a more detailed bibliography in class and on VLE. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Omar N'Shea Abigail Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
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 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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