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
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.