Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook
This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Undergraduate Handbook 2005-2006 (archived)

Module ARCH1111: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE EAST

Department: Archaeology

ARCH1111: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE EAST

Type Level Credits Availability Module Cap Location
Open 1 20 Available in 2005/2006 None. Durham

Pre-requisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combinations

  • None.

Aims

  • The module will develop students' abilities to apply key concepts across a range of very different geographical and cultural contexts by taking a comparative approach.
  • The module will also provide a foundation for Level 2/3 modules dealing with ancient societies from Egypt to the Far East.

Content

  • The module will embrace four geographical areas: Egypt, Western Asia, South Asia (India and Pakistan) and Japan/China, at least three of which will be covered in any one year.
  • Coverage within each geographical area will be adapted to suit the available data, but will address the majority of the following themes.
  • agriculture - the economic base, state formation, the development and nature of urban communities, social stratification and the paraphernalia of power, communication, control and the development of writing, trade and economy, the countryside, perceptions of the past.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge
  • By the end of the modules, students will have:
  • 1. become familiar with key concepts for the study of ancient complex societies;
  • 2. gained an understanding of the variety of forms which these can take; and
  • 3. gained familiarity with the evidence from selected ancient societies.
Subject-specific Skills
  • Interpreting archaeological data from fieldwork, artefacts and other archaeological materials
  • Undertaking of comparative analysis across different geographical and cultural contexts
Key Skills
  • Gain experience in a range of transferable skills such as accessing library and web resources
  • Undertaking independent study, research and problem solving

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • TEACHING & LEARNING: Lectures; tutorials; self-guided learning
  • ASSESSMENT: Examination; essays; computer test.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotal HoursAttendance Monitored
Lectures 20 1 Per Week/2 Per Week 1 Hour 20
Tutorials 3 1 Per Term 1 Hour 3
Other 2 2
Preparation and Reading 175
Total 200

Summative Assessment

ComponentComponent WeightingElementLength/DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Examination 100% Examination 3 hours 100%

Formative Assessment

One computer-assessed test in Michaelmas term, one essay of 1,500 words (max) in Epiphany term.

Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.