At Bryn Mawr College: Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, 2011-12
Students may complete a major or minor in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology.
The curriculum of the department focuses on the cultures of the Mediterranean regions and the Near East in antiquity. Courses treat aspects of society and material culture of these civilizations as well as issues of theory, method and interpretation.
Associate Professor and Undergraduate Adviser Mehmet-Ali Atac
Rhys Carpenter Professor and Graduate Adviser A. A. Donohue
Assistant Professor Astrid Lindenlauf(on leave 2011-12)
Associate Professor Peter Magee (on leave semester II)
Professor and Chair James C. Wright
The major requires a minimum of 10 and 1/2 courses. Core requirements are two 100-level courses distributed between the ancient Near East and Egypt and ancient Greece and Rome, of which two half-credit courses (e.g., ARCH 105, 106, 130) may count as one; the half-credit course ARCH 135 (Archaeological Fieldwork and Methods); and two semesters of the senior conference. At least two upper-level courses should be distributed between classical and Near Eastern subjects and one other should concern method and theory in archaeology (ARCH 330 or ANTH 220). Additional requirements are determined in consultation with the major adviser. Additional coursework in allied subjects may be presented for major credit, but must be approved in writing by the major adviser; such courses are offered in the Departments of Anthropology, Geology, Greek, Latin and Classical Studies, Growth and Structure of Cities, and History of Art. In consultation with the major adviser, one course taken in study abroad may be accepted for credit in the major.
Each student’s course of study to meet major requirements will be determined in consultation with the undergraduate major adviser in the spring semester of the sophomore year, at which time a written plan will be designed. Students considering majoring in the department are encouraged to take the introductory courses early in their undergraduate career and should also seek advice from departmental faculty. Students who are interested in interdisciplinary concentrations or in study abroad during the junior year are strongly advised to seek assistance in planning their major early in their sophomore year.
The minor requires six courses. Core requirements are two 100-level courses distributed between the ancient Near East and Egypt and ancient Greece and Rome, of which two half-credit courses (e.g.., ARCH 105, 106 or 130) may count as one, in addition to four other courses selected in consultation with the major adviser.
The Departments of Anthropology, Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, and Geology offer a concentration in geoarchaeology for existing majors in these departments. Please consult with Professor Magee regarding this program. Please note that these requirements are separate from those for the major and cannot be double counted unless they first meet the above-described requirements for the major.
Requirements for the concentration:
- Two 100-level units from Anthropology, Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology (including ARCH 135, a half-credit course) or Geology, of which one must be from the department outside the student’s major.
- ANTH/ARCH/GEOL 270: Geoarchaeology (Magee, Barber).
- BIOL/ARCH/GEOL 328: Geospatial Data Analysis and GIS (Staff).
- Two elective courses, to be chosen in consultation with the major adviser, from among current offerings in Anthropology, Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology and Geology. One of these two courses must be from outside the student’s major. Suggested courses include but are not limited to ARCH 135 (half-credit: Archaeological Fieldwork and Methods), ANTH 203 (Human Ecology), ANTH 220 (Methods and Theory), ARCH 330 (History of Archaeology and Theory), ANTH 225 (Paleolithic Archaeology), ANTH 240 (Traditional Technologies), ARCH 308 (Ceramic Analysis), ARCH 332 (Field Techniques), GEOL 202 (Mineralogy), GEOL 205 (Sedimentology), GEOL 310 (Geophysics) and GEOL 312 (Quaternary Climates).
Honors are granted on the basis of academic performance as demonstrated by a cumulative average of 3.5 or better in the major.
Majors who wish to undertake independent research, especially for researching and writing a lengthy paper, must arrange with a professor who is willing to advise them, and consult with the major adviser. Such research normally would be conducted by seniors as a unit of supervised work (403), which must be approved by the advising professor before registration. Students planning to do such research should consult with professors in the department in the spring semester ot their junior year or no later than the beginning of the fall semester of the senior year.
Majors who contemplate graduate study in classical fields should incorporate Greek and Latin into their programs. Those who plan graduate work in Near Eastern or Egyptian may take appropriate ancient languages at the University of Pennsylvania, such as Middle Egyptian, Akkadian and Sumerian. Any student considering graduate study in classical and Near Eastern archaeology should study French and German.
A semester of study abroad is encouraged if the program is approved by the department. Students are encouraged to consult with faculty, since some programs the department may approve may not yet be listed at the Office of International Programs. Students who seek major credit for courses taken abroad must consult with the major adviser before enrolling in a program. Major credit is given on a case-by-case basis after review of the syllabus, work submitted for a grade and a transcript. Credit will not be given for more than one course and not for courses that are ordinarily offered by the department.
The department strongly encourages students to gain fieldwork experience and assists them in getting positions on field projects in North America and overseas. The department is undertaking several field projects in which undergraduates may be invited to participate.
Professor Peter Magee conducts a for-credit field school at Muweilah, al-Hamriya and Tell Abraq in the United Arab Emirates. Undergraduate and graduate students in archaeology participate in this project, which usually takes place during the winter break. He sends an announcement about how to apply for a position in the fall of each year. Students who participate for credit sign up for a 403 independent study with Professor Magee.
Professor James Wright directs the Nemea Valley Archaeological Project in Greece, which has finished fieldwork and is currently under publication.
The department is collaborating with Professor Asli Özyar (Ph.D., Bryn Mawr College, 1991) of Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, in the Tarsus Regional Project, Turkey, sponsored by Boğaziçi University. This is a long-term investigation of the mound at Gözlü Küle at Tarsus, in Cilicia, which was first excavated by Hetty Goldman, A.B. 1903. Both undergraduate and graduate students in archaeology participate in this project and an announcement inviting applications is sent to all majors in the fall of each year.
The department is awarded annually two internships by the Nicholas P. Goulandris Foundation for students to work for a month in the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, Greece, with an additional two weeks at an archaeological field project. This is an all-expense paid internship for which students may submit an application. An announcement inviting applications is sent by the undergraduate adviser in the late fall or beginning of the second semester.
Opportunities to work with the College’s archaeology collections are available throughout the academic year and during the summer. Students wishing to work with the collections should consult Marianne Weldon, Collections Manager for Art and Artifacts.
The department has two funds that support students for internships and special projects of their own design. One, the Elisabeth Packard Fund for Internships in Art History and Archaeology, is shared with the Department of the History of Art, while the other is the Anna Lerah Keys Memorial Prize. Any declared major may apply for these funds. An announcement calling for applications is sent to majors in the spring, and the awards are made at the annual college awards ceremony in April.
ARCH B101 Introduction to Egyptian and Near Eastern Archaeology: Egypt and Mesopotamia
A historical survey of the archaeology and art of the ancient Near East and Egypt. Three hours of class, one hour of special topics each week. Counts toward Africana Studies concentration. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B102 Introduction to Classical Archaeology
A historical survey of the archaeology and art of Greece, Etruria and Rome.
ARCH B104 Archaeology of Agricultural and Urban Revolutions (Cross-listed as CITY B104)
This course examines the archaeology of the two most fundamental changes that have occurred in human society in the last 12,000 years, agriculture and urbanism, and we explore these in Egypt and the Near East as far as India. We also explore those societies that did not experience these changes. Three hours of class, one hour of special topics each week. Counts toward Environmental Studies concentration. Counts toward Geoarchaeology concentration.
ARCH B105 Introduction to Greek Art and Archaeology
This course examines the visual arts and material culture of the ancient Greek world, and reviews past and present approaches to archaeological and art historical research in the area. We will focus on the time span of roughly 1,000 years from the so-called Dark Age through the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods, circa 1100 to 31 B.C.E. Proceeding more or less in chronological order, we will explore major excavated sites, such as Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Pergamon, and discuss key examples of architecture, sculpture, painting, mosaics and portable arts as documents of social, religious and cultural history. This is a half-semester, half-credit course. Three hours of class, one hour of special topics each week. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B106 Introduction to Roman Art and Archaeology
From its emergence in central Italy in the 8th century B.C.E., Rome developed into an empire extending from Western Europe through the Near East. This course surveys Roman material culture through the 4th century C.E. Emphasis is on the interpretation of monuments and artifacts in historical and social context. This is a half-semester, half-credit course. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B110 The World Through Classical Eyes (Cross-listed as CITY B110 and CSTS B110)
A survey of the ways in which the ancient Greeks and Romans perceived and constructed their physical and social world. The evidence of ancient texts and monuments will form the basis for exploring such subjects as cosmology, geography, travel and commerce, ancient ethnography and anthropology, the idea of natural and artificial wonders, and the self-definition of the classical cultures in the context of the oikoumene, the "inhabited world." Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B115 Classical Art (Cross-listed as CITY B115, CSTS B115 and HART B115)
An introduction to the visual arts of ancient Greece and Rome from the Bronze Age through Late Imperial times (circa 3000 B.C.E. to 300 C.E.). Major categories of artistic production are examined in historical and social context, including interactions with neighboring areas and cultures; methodological and interpretive issues are highlighted. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B120 The Archaeology, Anthropology and Sociology of Rubbish
This course aims to introduce students to a range of approaches to the study of disposal practices in past and present societies. Particular attention will be paid to the interpretation of spatial disposal patterns, the power of dirt(y waste) to create boundaries and difference, and types and motivations of recycling. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B125 Classical Myths in Art and in the Sky (Cross-listed as CSTS B125 and HART B125)
This course explores Greek and Roman mythology using an Archaeological and art historical approach, focusing on the ways in which the traditional tales of the gods and heroes were depicted, developed and transmitted in the visual arts such as vase painting and Architectural sculpture, as well as projected into the natural environment. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B130 The Bronze Age
This short course is about the notion of the Bronze Age and its archaeological manifestation in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East. It explores the notion that the discovery of metals and the development of metallurgy spurred the formation of "metal economies," which led to the expansion of civilizations in the third and second millennia B.C.E. This is a half-semester, half-credit course. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B135 Archaeological Fieldwork and Methods
The fundamentals of the practice of archaeology through readings and case studies and participatory demonstrations. Case studies will be drawn from the archives of the Nemea Valley Archaeological Project and material in the College’s collections. Each week there will be a two-hour laboratory that will introduce students to a variety of fieldwork methods and forms of analysis. Counts toward Geoarchaeology concentration.
ARCH B140 The Visual Culture of the Ancient Near East (Cross-listed as HART-B140)
The visual culture of ancient Mesopotamia, a region with its heartland in modern Iraq, from the first city to the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C.E., includes images designed to gain favor of the gods, promote royal achievements and adorn the deceased on the journey to the afterlife. Particular emphasis placed on the visual analysis of royal and elite artistic production of architecture, sculpture and cylinder seals. Counts toward Middle East Studies concentration. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B160 Daily Life in Ancient Greece and Rome (Cross-listed as CITY B160 and CSTS B160)
The often-praised achievements of the classical cultures arose from the realities of day-to-day life. This course surveys the rich body of archaeological and literary evidence pertaining to how ancient Greeks and Romans—famous and obscure alike—lived and died. Topics include housing, food, clothing, work, leisure and family and social life.Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B203 Ancient Greek Cities and Sanctuaries (Cross-listed as CITY B203)
A study of the development of the Greek city-states and sanctuaries. Archaeological evidence is surveyed in its historic context. The political formation of the city-state and the role of religion is presented, and the political, economic and religious institutions of the city-states are explored in their urban settings. The city-state is considered as a particular political economy of the Mediterranean and in comparison to the utility of the concept of city-state in other cultures.
ARCH B205 Greek Sculpture (Cross-listed as HART B204)
One of the best preserved categories of evidence for ancient Greek culture is sculpture. The Greeks devoted immense resources to producing sculpture that encompassed many materials and forms and served a variety of important social functions. This course examines sculptural production in Greece and neighboring lands from the Bronze Age through the fourth century B.C.E. with special attention to style, iconography and historical and social context.
ARCH B206 Hellenistic and Roman Sculpture (Cross-listed as HART B206)
This course surveys the sculpture produced from the fourth century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E., the period beginning with the death of Alexander the Great that saw the transformation of the classical world through the rise of Rome and the establishment and expansion of the Roman Empire. Style, iconography and production will be studied in the contexts of the culture of the Hellenistic kingdoms, the Roman appropriation of Greek culture, the role of art in Roman society and the significance of Hellenistic and Roman sculpture in the post-antique classical tradition. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B209 Aegean Archaeology
The prehistoric cultures of the Aegean area beginning with the origins of agriculture (circa 6500 B.C.E.) and ending with the end of the Late Bronze Age (circa 1100 B.C.E.) with a focus on the palaces of Crete (Knossos, Phaistos, Mallia), Troy, the Aegean Islands (Akrotiri on Thera) and Mycenaean Greece (Mycenae, Tiryns, Thebes, Athens, Pylos). Cross-listed as CSTS-B-209. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B220 Araby the Blest: The Archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula from 3000 to 300 B.C.E.
A survey of the archaeology and history of the Arabian peninsula focusing on urban forms, transport and cultures in the Arabian peninsula and Gulf and their interactions with the world from the rise of states in Mesopotamia down to the time of Alexander the Great. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B224 Women in the Ancient Near East
A survey of the social position of women in the ancient Near East, from sedentary villages to empires of the first millennium B.C.E. Topics include critiques of traditional concepts of gender in archaeology and theories of matriarchy. Case studies illustrate the historicity of gender concepts: women’s work in early village societies; the meanings of Neolithic female figurines; the representation of gender in the Gilgamesh epic; the institution of the "Tawananna" (queen) in the Hittite empire; the indirect power of women such as Semiramis in the Neo-Assyrian palaces. Reliefs, statues, texts and more indirect archaeological evidence are the basis for discussion. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B226 Archaeology of Anatolia
One of the cradles of civilization, Anatolia witnessed the rise and fall of many cultures and states throughout its ancient history. This course approaches the ancient material remains of pre-classical Anatolia from the perspective of Near Eastern archaeology, examining the art, artifacts, architecture, cities and settlements of this land from the Neolithic through the Lydian periods. Some emphasis will be on the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age, especially phases of Hittite and Assyrian imperialism, Late Hittite states, Phrygia and the Urartu.
ARCH B230 Archaeology and History of Ancient Egypt
A survey of the art and archaeology of ancient Egypt from the Pre-Dynastic through the Graeco-Roman periods, with special emphasis on Egypt’s Empire and its outside connections, especially the Aegean and Near Eastern worlds. Counts toward Africana Studies concentration.
ARCH B234 Picturing Women in Classical Antiquity (Cross-listed as CSTS B234 and HART B234)
We investigate representations of women in different media in ancient Greece and Rome, examining the cultural stereotypes of women and the gender roles that they reinforce. We also study the daily life of women in the ancient world, the objects that they were associated with in life and death and their occupations.Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B236 The Archaeology of Syria
Recent excavations in Syria have contributed important data to the major issues in ancient Near Eastern archaeology, including the onset of agriculture, the emergence of social stratification, and the rise of urbanism and empire. From the Palaeolithic period to the end of the Iron Age (circa 16,000-300 B.C.E.), this course will present the material culture of Syria and its parallels in neighboring regions.Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B240 Archaeology and History of Ancient Mesopotamia
A survey of the material culture of ancient Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, from the earliest phases of state formation (circa 3500 B.C.E.) through the Achaemenid Persian occupation of the Near East (circa 331 B.C.E.). Emphasis will be on art, artifacts, monuments, religion, kingship and the cuneiform tradition. The survival of the cultural legacy of Mesopotamia into later ancient and Islamic traditions will also be addressed. Counts toward Middle East Studies concentration. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B244 Great Empires of the Ancient Near East (Cross-listed as CITY B244, HIST B244 and POLS B244)
A survey of the history, material culture, political and religious ideologies of, and interactions among, the five great empires of the ancient Near East of the second and first millennia B.C.E.: New Kingdom Egypt, the Hittite Empire in Anatolia, the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires in Mesopotamia, and the Persian Empire in Iran.
ARCH B245 The Archaeology of Water
This course examines the distribution of water throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean and the archaeology of water exploitation and management over the last 12,000 years. Recent anthropological models that challenge the concept of "hydraulic civilization" are emphasized as are contemporary attempts to revive traditional and ancient technologies to preserve and better manage modern water resources. Counts toward Environmental Studies concentration. Counts toward Geoarchaeology concentration.Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B252 Pompeii (Cross-listed as CITY B259)
Introduces students to a nearly intact archaeological site whose destruction by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 C.E. was recorded by contemporaries. The discovery of Pompeii in the mid-1700’s had an enormous impact on 18th- and 19th-century views of the Roman past as well as styles and preferences of the modern era. Informs students in classical antiquity, urban life, city structure, residential architecture, home decoration and furnishing, wall painting, minor arts and craft and mercantile activities within a Roman city. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B255 Show and Spectacle in Ancient Greece and Rome (Cross-listed as CSTS B255 and CITY B260)
A survey of public entertainment in the ancient world, including theater and dramatic festivals, athletic competitions, games and gladiatorial combats, and processions and sacrifices. Drawing on literary sources, with attention to art and the archaeology and topography, we will explore the social, political and religious contexts of ancient spectacle. Special consideration will be given to modern equivalents of staged entertainment and representation of ancient spectacle in contemporary film and interpretive approaches such as gaze studies and carnivalesque. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B268 Greek and Roman Architecture (Cross-listed as CITY B268 and HART B268)
A survey of Greek and Roman architecture taking into account building materials, construction techniques, various forms of architecture in their urban and religious settings from an historical and social perspective.
ARCH B270 GeoArchaeology (Cross-listed as ANTH B270 and GEOL B270)
Societies in the past depended on our human ancestors’ ability to interact with their environment. Geoarchaeology analyzes these interactions by combining archaeological and geological techniques to document human behavior while also reconstructing the past environment. Course meets twice weekly for lecture, discussion of readings and hands-on exercises. Prerequisite: one course in anthropology, archaeology or geology. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B301 Greek Vase-Painting
This course is an introduction to the world of painted pottery of the Greek world, from the 10th to the 4th centuries B.C.E. We will interpret these images from an art-historical and socio-economic viewpoint. We will also explore how these images relate to other forms of representation. Prerequisite: one course in classical archaeology or permission of instructor. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B303 Classical Bodies (Cross-listed as HART B305)
An examination of the conceptions of the human body evidenced in Greek and Roman art and literature, with emphasis on issues that have persisted in the Western tradition. Topics include the fashioning of concepts of male and female standards of beauty and their implications; conventions of visual representation; the nude; clothing and its symbolism; the athletic ideal; physiognomy; medical theory and practice; the visible expression of character and emotions; and the formulation of the "classical ideal" in antiquity and later times. Counts toward Gender and Sexuality Studies concentration.Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B305 Ancient Athens: Acropolis (Cross-listed as CITY B305)
This course is an introduction to the Acropolis of Athens, perhaps the best-known acropolis in the world. We will explore its history, understand and interpret specific monuments and their sculptural decoration and engage in more recent discussions, for instance, on the role the Acropolis played in shaping the Hellenic identity. Cross-listed as CITY-B305.Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B308 Ceramic Analysis
Pottery is a fundamental means of establishing the relative chronology of archaeological sites and of understanding past human behavior. Included are theories, methods and techniques of pottery description, analysis and interpretation. Topics include typology, seriation, ceramic characterization, production, function, exchange and the use of computers in pottery analysis. Laboratory work on pottery in the department collections. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Counts toward Geoarchaeology concentration.
ARCH B312 The Eastern Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age
This course will cover economic and cultural interactions among the Levant, Cyprus, Anatolia, Egypt and the Aegean. We will study the politics and powers in the Eastern Mediterranean circa 1500 to 1100 B.C.E.—the Egyptian and Hittite empires, the Mitanni, Ugarit and Syro-Palestinian polities, Cyprus and the Mycenaeans. Topics include: metallurgy, mercantile systems, seafaring, the Sea Peoples, systems collapse and interpretive issues when working with archaeological and historical sources. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B323 On the Trail of Alexander the Great
This course explores the world of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic world on the basis of a variety of sources. Particular focus is put on the material culture of Macedonia and Alexander’s campaigns that changed forever the nature and boundaries of the Greek world. Prerequisite: a course in classical archaeology or permission of the instructor. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B328 Analysis of Geospatial Data Using GIS (Cross-listed as GEOL B328, BIOL B328 and CITY B328)
An introduction to analysis of geospatial data, theory and the practice of geospatial reasoning. As part of this introduction students will gain experience in using one or more GIS software packages and be introduced to data gathering in the field by remote sensing. Each student is expected to undertake an independent project that uses the approaches and tools presented.
ARCH B330 Archaeological Theory and Method
A history of archaeology from the Renaissance to the present with attention to the formation of theory and method; special units on gender and feminist theory and post-modern approaches.
ARCH B352 Ancient Egyptian Architecture: The New Kingdom
A proseminar that concentrates on the principles of ancient Egyptian monumental architecture with an emphasis on the New Kingdom. The primary focus of the course is temple design, but palaces, representative settlements and examples of Graeco-Roman temples of the Nile Valley will also be dealt with. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B355 Archaeology of the Achaemenid Empire in Cross Cultural Context
The Achaemenid Empire (538-332 B.C.E.) ruled the largest landmass of any of the ancient Near Eastern Empires. Attempts by archaeologists to understand the manner in which authority was asserted over this area have suffered from a reliance on biased historical sources, largely from the Classical World. This course uses archaeological data to re-examine the Achaemenid Empire in a global context. This data is examined through a methodological framework that emphasizes comparative studies of ancient and more recent Empires in Africa, the Americas, South Asia and the Mediterranean. Counts toward Middle East Studies concentration. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B359 Topics in Classical Art and Archaeology (Cross-listed as CSTS B359 and HART B358)
A research-oriented course taught in seminar format, treating issues of current interest in Greek and Roman art and archaeology. Prerequisites: 200-level coursework in some aspect of classical or related cultures, archeology or art history. Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B369 Topics in Medieval History (Cross-listed as HIST B369 and CSTS B369)
Not offered in 2011-12.
ARCH B398 Senior Seminar
A weekly seminar on topics to be determined with assigned readings and oral and written reports. Choice of topics: 1. Syro-Hittite states; 2. Art of Assyrian trade colonies; 3. Interconnections: Egypt and the ancient Near East.
ARCH B399 Senior Seminar
A weekly seminar on common topics with assigned readings and oral and written reports.
ARCH B403 Supervised Work
P. Magee, A. Lindenlauf, J. Wright, M-A Ataç, A. Donohue
ARCH B425 Praxis III: Independent Study