85585 - Egyptian Archaeology and Material Culture

Learning outcomes

The course analyzes the historical-archaeological data of ancient Egypt from the predynastic period to the end of the dynastic period, providing methodological and critical tools to evaluate the interactions with other important Mediterranean civilizations . At the end of the course, the student has a knowledge of the various phases and different expressions of Egyptian civilization - epigraphic, artistic, religious and economic - and has the ability to correctly contextualize and interpret the archaeological data and the material from major museum collections in the world.

Course contents

This module participates in the University's teaching experimentation project and will focus on the main Egyptian archaeological sites, with a special focus on the following themes:

1. Royal Funerary Architecture. The evolution of the royal Tombs from Dynasty “0” to the Valley of the Kings

2. Royal and Divine Temples. Special attention will be dedicated to the temple of Karnak

3. Urbanism of the most important Egyptian sites. Special attention will be dedicated to the settlement of Amarna

4. Economic, Political and Diplomatic Relations between Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. Special attention will be dedicated to the International Relations during the New Kingdom

Four lectures will be conducted online: in addition to the normal programme, specific aspects of the research work of archaeologists in Egypt will be discussed and shown through a series of videos recorded in Egypt by the lecturer.

Readings/Bibliography

BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ATTENDING THE LESSONS:

- All the topics discussed during the module

- K.A. Bard, An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 2007 (reading the entire manual is strongly recommended, however only the following chapters are mandatory: 1, 5-8).

- B.J. Kemp, Ancient Egypt. Anatomy of a Civilization, Routledge 2006

BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR STUDENTS WHO WILL BE NOT ATTENDING THE LESSONS:

- K.A. Bard, An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 2007

- R. Wilkinson, The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt, 2000

- T. Wilkinson, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt. The History of a Civilisation from 3000 BC to Cleopatra, Bloomsbury 2010

- B.J. Kemp, Ancient Egypt. Anatomy of a Civilization, Routledge 2006

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Assessment methods

Oral exam during which students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on the Egyptian archaeology, in particular on royal and divine complexes.

Students with a high capability to comment on aspects and characteristics of Egyptian archaeology and who demonstrate to have good critical abilities and an understanding of the chosen bibliography and who express themselves with a language accurate and appropriate to the discipline will receive an excellent mark

Students with a capability to comment on aspects and characteristics of Egyptian archaeology and who have critical abilities and an understanding of the chosen bibliography and who express themselves with a language appropriate to the discipline will receive a good mark. Students who show to have memorized the main points of the subject, not accompanied by a particular critical ability and who will use a language not always appropriate to the discipline will pass the exam.

Students with a lack of knowledge of the discipline and who have not acquired the capacity to analyse the bibliography will not pass the exam.

Teaching tools

Power point

Office hours

See the website of Valentina Gasperini