Module ARCH52830: Research Topics in the Archaeology of Egypt, the Near East and Asia (ENEA)

Department: Archaeology

ARCH52830: Research Topics in the Archaeology of Egypt, the Near East and Asia (ENEA)

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of a specialised aspect of the archaeology of Egypt, Ancient India and/or the Near East chosen from a list of topics representing the main areas of research in the Department and the Strands within the MA in Archaeology.

Content

• One of the following topics as available:
• Ancient Near East: later prehistory to early urban societies: The framework of current research on the development of complex societies in the region; The nature of late prehistoric communities in the near east; Regional sequences in north and south Mesopotamia, and the Levant; Evidence for, and significance of, long-distance interactions; The archaeology of complex organizations; Approaches to the analysis of archaeological evidence.
• Ancient Near East: Middle and later Bronze Ages: The origins and influence of the key 20th century research frameworks; The nature of societies in the East Mediterranean world during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages; Regionalism and diversity during the 2nd millennium BC; The relationship between archaeology and documentary sources; Language, 'ethnic' groups and archaeology; Archaeology and present-day politics in the Middle East; Evidence for, and significance of, long-distance interactions; The archaeology of complex organizations; approaches to the analysis of archaeological evidence.
• Cultural Landscapes of Eurasia: Provides students with an in depth understanding of archaeological landscapes, focusing on the development of complex societies and territorial empires. We discuss advances in the tools available for understanding landscapes, including remote sensing and satellite imagery, GIS and drone technologies, as well as covering key research areas such as urbanism, water systems and human-environment interactions. Case studies are drawn from a wide area, including the UK, Middle East, Mediterranean, Central Asia and the Caucasus.
• Archaeology of the Ancient Egyptian State: the Egyptian Afterlife: Research tools and research orientation in Egyptology; Mechanisms of control: ideology, writing and status; Geographical and Environmental pressures; Administrative organisation; The practice of economic systems; Expressions of religious beliefs; The Priesthood; The role of the King; Monumental architecture; Military Power; Imperial Dynamics; Settlement organisation.
• Archaeology of the Ancient Egyptian State: Religious Life: This research topic will examine the way in which religious life (that is things connected with beliefs in the gods) had an impact on all lives in Egypt. It will focus upon the 'high' religion of the temples and the way in which it could be manipulated for political purposes as well as the reality of spiritual life for non-elite Egyptians, including the practice of magic and the issue of 'personal piety'. Finally, the topic will consider the subtle changes visible in Egyptian religion particularly in the New Kingdom and the possibility for greater upheavals in the system as demonstrated by the 'heretic' Akhenaten. The course will use archaeological case studies of sites such as Luxor and Karnak temples, introduce the reading of texts and religious literature and study specific material evidence of non-elite belief, primarily from the workmen's villages of Deir el Medina and Kahun.
• Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam in South Asia: Theory of comparative religion and the archaeology of religion; "Spiritual" India and the earliest religions from Mehrgarh to Harappa; Vedic culture and ritual and the Upanishads; The politics of religion and the politics of the past in South Asia; Buddhism, economy and society in Early Historic South Asia; Buddhist art and architecture; The development and roots of Hinduism; Urban decay and the formation of early medieval kingdoms; The development of the Hindu temple; Hindu art and inconography; The origins and development of Islam; Islam in South Asia; Case studies: e.g. Kalibangan, Sanchi, Aihole, Kajuraho, Gangaikondacholapuram, Agra, Delhi.
• Continuity and Change in South Asia: The emergence of South Asia’s two urbanisations, the Indus and the Early Historic. Exploration of specific issues concerning the degree of continuity and change within the region’s developmental sequence. Evidence for the diffusion of ideas and materials from West, Central and Southeast Asia; the limitations imposed by current South Asian archaeological methodologies and techniques; the impact of colonialism and nationalism on the theoretical frameworks of South Asia’s archaeologists. Geopolitical context; Colonial archaeologies and archaeologists; Nationalist archaeologies and archaeologists; Neolithic revolutions; Normative states; Aryans and imperialism; The Asokan ideal.
• Archaeology and Economy: Theory of economic archaeology (Polanyi, market and embedded economies, capitalism, Wallerstein, Kondratieff, Frank); Global approaches (comparative historiography comparative archaeology); Background developments (seafaring techniques and monsoon winds, Bronze-age trade, Periplus, Rome, India, and China, silk and spice trade); Tracing patterns of global development using survey data (the Mediterranean, the Near East, Iran and South Asia); Tracing patterns of global development using historical evidence; Tracing patterns of global development using numismatic evidence; Tracing patterns of global development using artefact evidence; Historical questions: The Islamic conquests and the Pirenne debate; Early Medieval urban decline in South Asia (R.S. Sharm's model); Feudalism and state formation in Early Medieval India; The emergence of a medieval world economy - China and the Indian Ocean (the Fijjuin pattern); European domination and Wallerstein's long - 16th century; Example Case studies: Buirma (A. Reid), Java (J. Wisseman-Christie), Iran and Hormuz (Williamson), Ras al-Khaimah I (settlement, trade urbanism), Ras al-Khaimah II (marginal zones and the Barker model), Shanga (Horton).
• The Gulf and Eastern Arabia: This will be an overview of the development of Eastern Arabia from the Ubaid period until the Islamic period. It will examine the longue duree social and economic development of the region and explore how that development has been shaped by proximity to Mesopotamia, Iran and South Asia in different ways at different times. As we now have a very good archaeological data set for Eastern Arabia it provides an excellent opportunity to look in detail at such questions and to link theoretical ideas with a specific data set in a well-defined regional context with its own particular environmental circumstances.
• Townscapes in North Africa and the Near East: Urban form and its transformation from Late Antiquity to the early Arab period. The major focus will be on the Mediterranean provinces, especially North Africa and the Near East from the Roman Imperial period to the 8th / 9th centuries AD. Comparison between eastern and western Mediterranean. Transformation of cities through major historical events; the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, the Vandal occupation of North Africa, the Byzantine Empire and the arrival of the Arabs. Overview of the classical city and the range of public and private buildings and their development over time. The transformation of space from Late Antiquity, both the urban layout of towns and the reuse of individual buildings. The changing nature of society during a period of great historical upheaval. Christianization - the changes to urban topography brought about by the foundation of churches and the rise of the power of the clergy.
• Aspects of Art and Archaeology in Ancient Greece and Beyond (700-300 BC): this topic explores the emergence of art in the Greek speaking world and its complex relationships, overlaps and differences from the visual cultures associated with other groups in the Mediterranean and Near East, as well as variability within the Greek speaking world. Topics include the ‘birth’ of ‘Greek’ art; regionalism in archaic Crete and Etruria; temples, architectural orders, their meanings and regionalism; the art and architecture of the Achaemenid Persians and their allies; the emergence of the Classical style in Greek art and its meaning; the depiction of other races and ethnicities by Persians, Greeks and others; the uses of architectural sculpture by poleis and non-Greek royals.
• Preservation of Archaeological Remains in situ: explores how we preserve archaeological remains (sites and artefacts) in situ and the ethical issues raised in dealing with sites as diverse as aboriginal rock shelters and wrecks in the English Channel. Covers: the extent and nature of the degradation processes seen at these sites; the means of recording and describing these decay processes; the legal and economic methods used to protect these sites and their artefacts; the physical and chemical methods used to preserve these sites and their artefacts; the methods used for restoring these sites and worrying about how far you should go with restoration. We will also try and gain a clear understanding of the chemistry, biology and physical nature of the burial environment and decay processes of a range of materials. There will be an emphasis on the physical practicalities of these issues, we will, however, not be exploring any aspect of conserving artefacts.

Learning Outcomes

• Using one of the following topics as available, students will have:
• Ancient Near East: later prehistory to early urban societies: developed a critical knowledge of the key classes of evidence pertaining to the development of complex societies in the Near East; developed an appreciation of the diversity of regional sequences; acquired a sophisticated understanding of key theoretical concepts; evaluated competing theoretical interpretations of this material; demonstrate an understanding of the way in which particular scholarly perspectives have influenced the nature of archaeological explanation.
• Ancient Near East: Middle and Later Bronze Ages: developed a critical knowledge of the key classes of evidence pertaining to the archaeology of the second millennium BC in the near east; developed a sound understanding of the relationships between various aspects of ancient complex societies, and the ways in which these can be investigated through material evidence; developed an appreciation of the diversity of regional sequences; acquired a sophisticated understanding of key theoretical concepts and the datasets to which these can be most readily applied; evaluated competing theoretical interpretations of this material; evaluated the relationship between the analysis and interpretation of material and documentary evidence; demonstrated an understanding of the way in which particular scholarly perspectives have influenced the nature of archaeological explanation.
• Cultural Landscapes of Eurasia: Developed a critical understanding of the history of landscape archaeology and the range of approaches available. Understood the key theoretical and methodological concepts involved in the study of the landscape. Developed the capacity to analyse and interpret map data, aerial photographs and satellite imagery to make informed interpretations. Understood the broad nature of landscape change in at least one major study region (UK, Mediterranean, Middle East, Central Asia).
• Archaeology of the Ancient Egyptian State: Developed a critical knowledge of the types of archaeological objects, and sites, geographical and environmental data and documentary evidence available from Ancient Egypt; Analysed specific data-sets relating to each of the main institutions of the Egyptian State; Appreciated the nature and biases inherent in the evidence; Evaluated methodological and theoretical approaches to the Egyptian material; Developed their independent research and learning skills.
• Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam in South Asia: developed the ability to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subject matter (specifically the origins, development, and practice of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam); show a detailed and advanced critical understanding of the ways in which archeological monuments can be used to illustrate and investigate religious practice and history; show a detailed knowledge of a range of key religious monuments in South Asia; critically assess current issues and interpretations, and the evidence and theoretical and political positions which underpin them; show a detailed understanding of the link between social and economic change, and the development of the three religions under consideration; demonstrate a sophisticated and critical understanding of the political positions which underlie current interpretations of the religious past in South Asia.
• Continuity and Change in South Asia: developed the ability to demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the subject matter; critically assess current issues and interpretations, and the evidence which underpins them; appreciate the impact of colonialism and nationalism on interpretations of South Asia’s cultural sequence; apply their analytical and evaluative skills to specific case studies; consider in depth the role of concepts of ‘material culture’ in the south Asia.
• Archeology and Economy: developed a critical understanding of the historical background to, and significance of, the development of the Indian Ocean economy, and the basic historiographical problems related to it; demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the subject matter (specifically evidence relating to the development of the Indian Ocean economy between the 4th and the 17th Century) with specific knowledge of selected sites, regions, and case studies; show an in-depth understanding of the theory of writing economic history and addressing questions of economic development using archaeological evidence; be able critically to assess current issues and interpretations, and the evidence and theoretical positions which underpin them.
• The Gulf and Eastern Arabia: Established a knowledge of the main archaeological evidence pertaining to the development of human society in Eastern Arabia from the first arrival of humans to the advent of the 20th century oil economy. Established a critical understanding of the main academic debates related the interpretation of this evidence and evaluated competing theoretical interpretations in relation to it. Gained a clearer understanding of the cultural and economic relationships between different regions around the Western Indian Ocean littoral and their development through time. Gained a basic understanding of local climatic factors and their potential affect on the development of human societies in a hyper-arid region.
• Townscapes in North Africa and the Near East: Developed an ability to demonstrate advanced levels of current knowledge and intensive understanding of: Roman and Late Antique urbanism (particularly in the North Africa – Tunisia, Libya, Algeria - and in the Near East), the diffusion of Christianity and the progressive Christianization of urban areas, the major debates on the fate of classical Roman towns after the fall of the Roman Empire, Roman, Vandal, Byzantine urbanism, early Arab occupation of classical Roman towns (did urban areas [in the civic sense] survive?); evaluated the available sources of evidence and current issues and interpretations; investigated and analysed specific case-studies for each period; considered in detail the re-use of former public buildings and the social, political and economic contexts in which these transformations occurred.
• Aspects of Art and Archaeology in Ancient Greece and Beyond (700-300 BC): Developed familiarity with a range of case study regions, sites and monuments in the period and area concerned, including sculpture, painting and architecture in the Greek world and neighbouring zones; queried the mechanisms that led to the formation of particular monument types and trajectories of visual cultures in particular contexts; investigated the formation and expression of identities of the ‘self’ and ‘others’ in historical context; considered how patterns of visual culture, identities and language usage relates to the use of ethnic taxonomies in historical and archaeological literature, both ancient and modern.
• Preservation of Archaeological Remains In Situ: Acquired a detailed knowledge of the history of the legal and physical protection of archaeological remains; acquired an understanding of the ethical issues involved in preservation; developed an appreciation of the nature of the burial environment; developed a detailed understanding of the physical strategies (reburial, display, shelters, maintenance) and legal mechanisms currently used for preserving archaeological remains; become familiar with the issues involved in enacting social, legal, physical, biological and chemical protection of archaeological remains in the modern heritage industry environment.

• Students will have acquired an appreciation of the complexity and diversity data available on different temporal/spatial scales, have gathered relevant data and evaluated competing interpretations of available materials and data.

• Students will have developed independent research and learning skills.

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

• Core content is delivered through instructor-led lectures also attended by Level 3 undergraduates, and a mixture of instructor-led and student-led tutorials/seminar classes dedicated to Level 4 (MA) students.
• Instructor-led tutorials/seminar classes are small group learning environments which are interactive. They can: go over material from lectures; explain and discuss complex interpretations, theories and ideas; share opinions on set readings; or discuss a case study in depth.
• Student-led tutorials/seminars can: require students to present to the group on essay topics, readings or case studies.
• Lectures, instructor-led seminars and reading lists initiate students into various topics and provide guidance for them on readings, including archaeological reports, synthetic and theoretical literature.
• There is an emphasis on developing critical reading through seminar discussion, but also on independent exploration and reading, aimed at building the critical appraisal and independent research skills in the intended learning outcomes.
• Summative essays assess the grasp of material and ideas covered in the courses, ability to describe material, formulate problems and explain issues clearly in writing, evidence of critical and inquisitive thinking, and development of independent research and reading.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

The preparation achieved in the module RSS that precedes this module is considered to be sufficient formative preparation for the summative assignments in this module.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University