Anthro 312

ANTHROPOLOGY 312 - Archaeology of Ancient Egypt

This course examines selected topics on the archaeology of ancient Egypt, from early Neolithic times to the Greco-Roman Period. We will discuss several key issues, including: (1) Neolithic agriculture, society, and early burial ritual, (2) political formation and unification under the early Pharaohs, (3) the building and use of monumental burial architecture, and (4) societal collapse and reformation. Topics will not only cover the many classic Egyptian finds, but also review the latest archaeological discoveries from sites like the Great Pyramids and Valley of the Kings. Egypt represents an important cradle of civilization and therefore plays an important role in our understanding of the human past

Egypt, more than any civilization, stirs our modern imagination of the past. Yet there is no course that deals solely with this extremely popular topic. Such a course would provide students with an awareness of the remarkable achievements of an ancient culture that build the Great Pyramids only a few generations out of the Stone Age. A common misconception is that Egypt was a static, unchanging civilization, however, students will learn exactly how this society and its religion changed to meet new challenges over the course of 3000 years of Pharaonic history. Another major aim is to improve student's critical thinking skills by defining, discussing, and analyzing current debates in Egyptian archeology. Why were the great pyramids built? How and why did the role of the pharaoh shift from political leader mediator to divine king? Why was the afterlife an all-consuming focus of society? What was life like along the Nile at the height of Egyptian civilization?

This course will predominantly stress archaeological information, but emphasis will also be placed on historical, linguistic, and artistic reconstructions. An emphasis will be placed on how material culture serves as source for the political, social and economic dynamics of ancient Egypt.