Invisible conquests. Reassessing the Byzantine-Early Islamic Transition in the Levant and North Africa
Informacje ogólne
Kod przedmiotu: | 2800-AKEIT |
Kod Erasmus / ISCED: |
08.4
|
Nazwa przedmiotu: | Invisible conquests. Reassessing the Byzantine-Early Islamic Transition in the Levant and North Africa |
Jednostka: | Wydział Archeologii |
Grupy: |
Zajęcia kierunkowe na studiach anglojęzycznych |
Punkty ECTS i inne: |
3.00
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Język prowadzenia: | angielski |
Rodzaj przedmiotu: | uzupełniające |
Tryb prowadzenia: | w terenie |
Skrócony opis: |
This course delves into the transformative period of the Byzantine-Early Islamic transition in the Near East and North Africa, challenging traditional, colonial-era perceptions of urban decline and cultural destruction. By integrating case studies from these regions, students will critically assess the complex and often subtle impacts of the Arab conquests, which remain largely invisible in the archaeological record. The course emphasizes the importance of material culture—pottery, glass, and numismatics—in understanding shifts in communal identity and socio-economic structures. A key focus is the exploration of the motivations and reasons behind the Arab conquests, juxtaposing textual narratives with archaeological evidence to foster a holistic understanding of this crucial moment in global history. |
Pełny opis: |
I. Introduction Defining the geographical framework of the Eastern Mediterranean, northern Africa and adjacent regions. Examining various systems of chronology and periodization in historical and archaeological studies. Historical overview: An analysis of primary and secondary sources for understanding the Early Islamic period. II. Deconstructing the Perception of the Arab Conquests in Historiography and Popular Culture Byzantine historiography and its narratives on the Arab conquests. Arabic historiography: Emergent narratives and their contexts. Modern historiography: Reinterpreting traditional views. Deconstructing colonial discourse on the Arab conquests. Representations of the Arab conquests in modern popular culture. III. The Eastern Mediterranean before Muhammad Political and social dynamics within the Byzantine Empire. Religious diversity. The Sasanian-Byzantine wars and their effects on the region. Pre-Islamic Arab culture and its role in the wider Near East. IV. Arab Communities before Muhammad The Ghassanids and other Arab groups in the Levant. The first Arabic inscriptions and their significance. The growing Arab presence in the Levant. V. Invisible Conquests: The Impact of Early Islamic Conquests on the material culture of the Levant A historical outline of the early conquests. Archaeological evidence for the Arab conquests. Transformations in the urban structure of Late Antique cities. Continuities in material culture: Pottery, glass, and numismatics. Fiscal and administrative reforms under Islamic rule. Relationships between Muslims and indigenous Christian and Jewish communities. VI. From Polis to Madina: Changing Urban Landscapes in the Byzantine–Early Islamic Transition The decline of Late Antique public institutions. Shifts in aesthetic approaches to cityscapes. Continuities and transformations in sacred spaces. Encroachment on communication arteries in Late Antique cities. Debating trade and economic prosperity during the transition. VII. Settling the Desert: The New Umayyad Foundations in the Southern Levant The emergence of Islamic and mosque architecture Desert castles in Jordan and Palestine: Functions and significance. Palaces and residential architecture. The foundation of new cities and settlements. Late Antique art in the context of Early Islam: Continuity and change. Iconoclasm and iconophobia in Early Islamic art. The fate of Christian communities and churches under Umayyad rule. VIII. From Africa to Ifrīqiya The new administrative and urban foundations in North Africa. The fall of Carthage and its repercussions. Challenges in defining the Early Islamic period archaeologically. IX. Al-Andalus The establishment of the Umayyad Caliphate in al-Andalus. Migration and material culture evolution. Innovations in aesthetic and architectural traditions. X. Early Islamic Conquests in Global History Situating the conquests in the broader framework of global historical transitions. XII. Summary and Discussion Reflections on key themes and final discussions on historiographical and archaeological perspectives. |
Literatura: |
Avni, G. 2011 From Polis to Madina - Revisited. Urban Change in Byzantine and Early Islamic Palestine. Journal of Royal Asiatic Society 21, 301-329. 2014 The Byzantine-Islamic Transition in Palestine. An Archaeological Approach [=Oxford Studies in Byzantium], Oxford: Oxford University Press. Carvajal-López, J. C. 2021 After the conquest: Ceramics and migration. In H. Fancy amd A. García-Sanjuán (eds.), What was the Islamic conquest of Iberia? Understanding the new debate (pp. 55–73). Abingdon: Routledge 2023 Islamization and archaeology: Religion, culture and new materialism. London: Bloomsbury Donner, F. 1981 The early Islamic conquests. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Fenwick, C. 2013 From Africa to Ifrīqiya: Settlement and Society in Early Medieval North Africa (650–800). Al-Masāq 25(1), 9-33 2020 Early Islamic North Africa. London: Duckworth. Hoyland, R. 2015 In God’s path: The Arab conquests and the creation of an Islamic empire. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kennedy, H. 1985 From Polis to Madina: Urban Change in Late Antique and Early Islamic Syria. Past & Present 106: 3-27. 2007 The great Arab conquests: How the spread of Islam changed the world we live in. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson. Nol, H. 2022 Settlement and Urbanization in Early Islamic Palestine, 7 th -11 th centuries. Texts and Archaeology Contrasted [Studies in the History of the Ancient Near East]. Abington, Oxon, New York: Routledge. Magness, J. 2003 The Archaeology of the Early Islamic Settlement in Palestine. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. Milwright, M. 2010 An Introduction to Islamic Archaeology. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Taxel, I. 2018 Early Islamic Palestine: Toward a More Fine-Tuned Recognition of Settlement Patterns and Land Uses in Town and Country. Journal of Islamic Archaeology 5(2): 153-180. Walmsley, A. 2007 Early Islamic Syria: an Archaeological Assessment. London, Bristol: Duckworth. |
Efekty uczenia się: |
The student understands key terminology related to the chronology and periodization of the Byzantine and Early Islamic Near East and North Africa (KW02). Upon completing the course, the student can identify and describe the primary political, economic, and socio-cultural impacts of the Arab conquests in the mid-7th century. This includes a foundational understanding of changes in the social structure of Early Islamic societies, settlement patterns, and land use during the Byzantine-Islamic transition (KW03). The student gains knowledge of how to recognize, interpret, and contextualize various categories of material culture from this period. This enables an exploration of communal identities and social structures within Early Islamic societies (KW06, KW08). The student can independently select, analyze, and evaluate information from academic literature, internet resources (KU01), and other sources, applying critical thinking to archaeological subjects related to the Early Islamic Near East (KU02). The student develops the ability to classify and contextualize material culture, particularly ceramics, and identify appropriate analytical methods to interpret their archaeological context. Furthermore, they can present these findings effectively (KU03, KU12). The student recognizes the subjectivity inherent in traditional historiography of the Arab conquests and understands the influence of colonial discourse on historical interpretation (KK02, KK03). The course enhances the student's ability to handle and identify objects, preparing them for future research while fostering an appreciation for interdisciplinary approaches and the verification of data using diverse methodologies (KK05). |
Metody i kryteria oceniania: |
An active participation in classes are required, including the obligatory reading of short texts, short exam (based on these reading). |
Zajęcia w cyklu "Semestr letni 2024/25" (w trakcie)
Okres: | 2025-02-17 - 2025-06-08 |
Przejdź do planu
PN WT ŚR KON
CZ PT |
Typ zajęć: |
Konwersatorium, 30 godzin, 15 miejsc
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Koordynatorzy: | Piotr Makowski | |
Prowadzący grup: | Piotr Makowski | |
Lista studentów: | (nie masz dostępu) | |
Zaliczenie: | Zaliczenie na ocenę |
Właścicielem praw autorskich jest Uniwersytet Warszawski, Wydział Chemii.