Egyptian archaeology 7.5 hp
The courses are part of Egyptology B and are also part of the Bachelor programme.
The course will mainly be focused on archaeology and archaeological data and concentrate on Egyptian and Nubian landscapes in the Nile valley and Delta as well as the deserts. It will look at the background to Egyptian life through the geography, geology and hydrology of Egypt and Nubia. It runs at 50% over the second half of the spring semester with one lecture per week.
How did the annual Nile cycle impact upon the Egyptians’ view of the world and the annual rhythm of their lives and activities? To what extent were they able to manipulate the river and floodplain for religious and more mundane purposes? How can an understanding of the landscapes and waterscapes of Egypt and Nubia help us to interpret such aspects of Egyptian life and thinking as myths of the origins of the universe; textual and pictorial sources (literary works, grain collection records, scenes of processions); temple and settlement locations; agricultural organisation; transport and travel?
The course will introduce archaeological landscape theory and how this may help us interpret the ways Egyptians’ may have experienced the landscapes in which they lived and worked. It will also present a number of archaeological methods and techniques that can be used in landscape archaeology: Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as a method of visualizing, analysing, and interpreting landscapes; geoarchaeological and geophysical survey in order to (re)construct past landscapes and waterscapes, which will help inform us about the dynamism of the floodplain environment in which the majority of Egyptians lived. During the course a number of case studies will be presented in order to better understand the Egyptian and Nubian landscapes and dynamic environment.