Annotation
The objective of this course is to offer an introductory exploration of the archaeology of the ancient Near East. The course will be structured chronologically, revolving around overarching themes such as the beginnings of agriculture, the evolution of urbanism, and the ascent of state formations. The historical progression of these themes will be traced across various regions of the Ancient Near East, with a particular focus on Mesopotamia, spanning from its beginnings until the end of the 1st millennium BC.
The thematic blocks for the course include the Epipaleolithic and Neolithic cultures in northern Mesopotamia, the Ubaid culture viewed as a phenomenon crossing regional boundaries, the Uruk period, the Early Dynastic period, the Akkadian Empire, Lagash II and Ur III, the Amorite kingdoms and city-states, Mesopotamia during the Late Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
Suggested reading:
Pollock, S. - Bernbeck, R. (2005). Archaeologies of the Middle East, Oxford.
Potts, D., ed. (2012). A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, I-II, Malden, MA - Oxford - Chichester.