Archaeology of Egypt and Nubia (course I) - classes

Basic knowledge about the ancient Egyptian civilisation: geography of the region, general chronology of prehistory and ancient history. Main topics of the classes are: Egyptian and Nubian religion, afterlife, art, script and literature, daily life.

The classes consist of practical exercises concerning several areas:

- egyptological and nubiological research workshop – presentation of the most important bibliographies, encyclopaedias, journals and professional websites

- description of artefacts- verbal description of different categories of objects using professional terminology. Written description of one object is mandatory for each participant

-discussions – critical discussion on the topic given below. Reading of fragments of publications (texts will be delivered beforehand) is mandatory for each participant.

- presentations – two multimedia presentations (about 30 minutes long) are mandatory for each participant (see the list below)

Topics discussed during classes:

EGYPT:

1. RELIGION

1.1. Cosmologies

1.2. Major deities

1.3. Afterlife beliefs

2. TOMBS

2.1. Royal tombs - Early Dynastic Period

2.2. Royal Tombs - pyramids from the Old and Middle Kingdom

2.3. Royal Tombs -Valley of the Kings

2.4. Royal Tombs - Tanis

2.5. Private tombs - mastabas in Giza

2.6. Private tombs - rock cut tombs in Thebes

2.7. Tomb and burial – mummification and funerary equipment

3. TEMPLES

3.1. Old Kingdom solar temples

3.2. Middle Kingdom funerary temples

3.3. New Kingdom funerary temples

3.4. New Kingdom Amun temples in Karnak and Luxor

4. ART

4.1. Art of the Early Dynastic Period

4.2. Old Kingdom royal and private sculpture

4.3. Old Kingdom reliefs in mastabas

4.4. Middle Kingdom royal and private sculpture

4.5. New Kingdom royal and private sculpture

5. SCRIPT AND LITERATURE

5.1. Egyptian script – hieroglyphs, hieratics, demotics

5.2. Egyptian literature

6. HOUSE and TOWN

6.1. Old Kingdom settlement of pyramid builders in Giza

6.2. Middle Kingdom city of Kahun

6.3. Middle Kingdom fortresses of Buhen and Semna

6.4. New Kingdom city of Tell el-Amarna (without palaces)

6.5. New Kingdom palaces of Malqata and Tell el-Amarna

6.6. New Kingdom settlement of tomb builders in Deir el-Medina

7. MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

7.1. Mudbricks

7.2. Stones and stoneworking

7.3. Wood and woodworking

7.4. Metals and metalworking

7.5. Pottery

7.6 Faience and glass

NUBIA:

Various aspects of archaeological research on the basis of different types of publications:

1.Funeary rites (on the example of Goup A, Kerma culture ad Egyptian domination)

2. Social relations (on the example of Kerma culture, Napatan period).

3. Visual arts- Napatan period, Meroitic period

4. Cultural changes-continuity and discontinuity

Bibliography:

Dodson, A. & S. Ikram, 2008, The tomb in Ancient Egypt: royal and private sepulchres from the early dynastic period to the Romans, London ; New York: Thames & Hudson.

Hartwig, M.K. (ed.), 2015, A companion to ancient Egyptian art, Wiley Blackwell

Ikram, S., 2002, Death and burial in ancient Egypt, Harlow: Longman.

Kemp, B. J., 2006, Ancient Egypt : anatomy of a civilization, London ; New York: Routledge.

Lacovara, P., 1997, The New Kingdom royal city, London, New York: Kegan Paul International.

Lehner, M., 1997, The Complete Pyramids, Thames & Hudson

Lloyd, A.B. (ed.), 2010, A companion to ancient Egypt, vol I, Wiley Blackwell

Moeller, N. 2016, The archaeology of urbanism in ancient Egypt : from the predynastic period to the end of the Middle Kingdom, Cambridge University Press

Morenz, S., 1973, Egyptian religion, Ithaca, N.Y.,: Cornell University Press.

Nicholson, P. T. & I. Shaw (eds.), 2000, Ancient Egyptian materials and technology, Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.

Reeves, N., Wilkinson, R.H., 1996, The Complete Valley of the Kings, Thames & Hudson

Robins, G., 2008, The art of ancient Egypt, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Snape, S., 2014, The Complete Cities of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson

Wilkinson, R.H., 2003, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson

Wilkinson, R.H., 2000, The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson

Knowledge:

- The student knows the basic terminology associated with the Egyptian and Nubian archaeology (K_W02).

- The student knows the basics of ancient Egyptian and Nubian civilisations (K_W05).

- The student knows the latest discoveries and theories related ancient Egypt and Nubia (K_W08).

- The student knows basic methods of analysis and interpretation of data from scientific publications (K_W11)

- The student has a general knowledge about ancient Egyptian materials and technologies (K_W15)

Skills:

- The student knows how to analyze, judge, select and use information concerning archaeology of Egypt and Nubia (K_U01).

- The student knows how to obtain knowledge and develop scientific skills in case of Egyptian and Nubian archaeology (K_U05).

- The student can recognize different types of ancient Egyptian scripts (K_U08)

- The student knows how to prepare speech and digital presentation about different aspects of ancient Egypt and Nubia (K_U017)

Social competence:

- The student appreciates the unique values of archaeological sources and their role in reproducing the past of man (K_K02).

- the student can critically assess the interpretation of archaeological and historical sources with an awareness of the multifaceted interpretation (K_K04).

Grading.

Requirements to pass the class:

- preparing two multimedia presentations – at least 30 minutes long, conspectus with detailed bibliography, sent by e-mail at least 1 week in advance

- one written description of a selected object

- passing one written tests per semester

- mandatory attendance (two absences are acceptable).