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Interpretation of texts II: Sumerian texts

Class at Faculty of Arts |
ASYRN30013

This text is not available in the current language. Showing version "cs".Syllabus

* Partial bibliography: 1. One of the following manuals

Crawford, H. (ed.), 2013, The Sumerian World, Routledge, London-New York.

Matthews, R., 2003, The Archaeology of Mesopotamia: Theories and Approaches, Routledge, London-New York.

Potts, D. T. (ed.), 2012, A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, vols. I-II, Whiley-Blackwell, Malden.

Less relevant options

Nadali, D. - Polcaro, A. (eds.), 2015, Archeologia della Mesopotamia Antica, Carocci Editore, Roma. [ONLY IN ITALIAN, BUT WITH LOTS OF ILLUSTRATIONS, CHARTS, DRAWINGS, SCULPTURES, RELIEFS AND GLYPTIC, IT HAS ALSO DOWNLOADABLE ONLINE MATERIALS].

Pollock, S., 1999, Ancient Mesopotamia, Cambridge University Press [FOR GENERAL PUBLIC]. 2. Further bibliography will be provided during the lessons

This text is not available in the current language. Showing version "cs".Annotation

The present course aims to provide the students with a diachronic overview of the archaeological remains dug the core areas of Mesopotamia with a focus on the IV to the I millennium BCE, with the addition of some outstanding examples of archaeological findings and excavations reports from neighbouring regions.

The course will be structured as a series of frontal lessons following the urbanistic, artistic, and technological development of the Mesopotamian cities and settlements throughout the long-lasting history of the alluvium.

Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of palaces, temples, and pieces of art exceptionally relevant for the understanding of the socio-cultural background of the related periods.

A breakdown of the lessons is given below.

Lessons breakdown: lesson no. 1 - Late Chalcolithic period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture in Southern Mesopotamia, Susa and the middle Euphrates;

• private architecture;

• art and technology. lesson no. 2 - Late Chalcolithic period

• urbanization and settlement dislocation in the Jezirah valley and the Tigris valley;

• public and private architecture;

• art and technology. lesson no. 3 - Early Dynastic period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture (temples and palaces). lesson no. 4 - Early Dynastic period

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic and funerary costumes. lesson no. 5 - Akkadian period

• where is Akkad?

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public and private architecture of remaining settlements. lesson no. 6 - Akkadian period

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 7 - Ur III period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public and private architecture. lesson no. 8 - Ur III period

• art, glyptic, metal working and pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 9 - Old Babylonian period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture (palaces, temples, defensive structures);

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 10 - Old Assyrian period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture;

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 11 - Mitanni

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture (palaces, temples, defensive structures);

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 12 - Kassite and Middle Assyrian period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture (palaces, temples, defensive structures);

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 13 - Neo Assyrian period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture (palaces, notable residences, temples, defensive structures);

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes. lesson no. 14 - Neo Babylonian period

• urbanization and settlement distribution;

• public architecture (palaces, temples, defensive structures);

• private architecture;

• art, glyptic, metal working, pottery;

• funerary costumes.