AHPG855 The Art and Archaeology of Coptic Monasticism 4 credit points Unit Guide Semester 1, 2012 Faculty of Arts Department of Ancient History 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Convenor Position: Unit Convenor Name: Dr Victor Ghica Email: [email protected] Phone: (02) 9850 8240 Office: W6A 524 Office hours: by appointment. Students are strongly encouraged to visit the Coptic Studies page (http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/department_of_ancient_hi story/coptic_studiesatmq/) and the website of the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University (http://mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/department_of_ancient_history/ home/) to find out about the department, the teaching staff, units and degrees offered. The website of the Macquarie University Library (http://www.mq.edu.au/on_campus/library/) offers a wealth of information for all students and not only on the holdings of the library. Under the section “On Campus” > “Research” you will find “LibGuides - help to research your subject”, under the sections “LibGuides - help to research your subject” and “Referencing” you will find suggestions how to go about researching, evaluating, and presenting the information for your assignment. These suggestions are tailored to the needs of the various fields, so choose “Ancient History” from the list of subject areas (http://libguides.mq.edu.au/home). This study guide is directed at both students taking this course on campus and those taking it as distance education course. It contains specific information about the unit which is not contained in the handbook provided to you by the Centre for Open Education. The handbook contains all pertinent information about enrolment, receiving course materials, handing in assignments and general study skills. Distance students should therefore first consult the handbook for questions about these matters. NB: External Students: please note, though, that the assignments for this unit need not be mailed in to the Centre for Open Education, but must be e-mailed directly to your lecturer using the assignments tool on the unit website. 1.2 General inquiries Position: Departmental Administrator Name: Ms Raina Kim Email: [email protected] Phone: +61 2 9850 8833 Office: W6A 540 1.3 Welcome Welcome to AHPG855 The Art and Archaeology of Coptic Monasticism! The history of Coptic Art and Archaeology is one of misunderstandings and neglect. Many of the fascinating remains of post-pharaonic Egypt were destroyed, not so much by the vicissitudes of medieval history, but by a combination of modernisation, population increase and scholarly neglect in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The mudbrick architecture of which most of the material remains of Christian Egypt consisted, was destroyed by peasants digging for fertiliser or by early industrialisation. Egyptologists, on the other hand, neglected what was left in favour of the more outwardly impressive monuments of the Pharaohs. This lead to the clearing away of Coptic remains without or with insufficient documentation as debris, especially if they were found inside a Pharaonic tomb or temple as was often the case, since many of the earlier monuments had been reused as living quarters in the Christian era. 2 The situation in Christian Nubia is similar. No less fascinating archaeological witnesses of Christianity in Egypt’s southern neighbour now lie buried under the waters of Lake Nasser. The inattention towards the Christian remains of 19th and early 20th century archaeologists and various other factors also led to a number of misunderstandings about Coptic art, which can still today be found in older or popular literature. To give some examples: Imprecise stratigraphy led to mixing up the different archaeological strata of a site so that 4th or 5th century architectural elements or structures might be ascribed to the 6th century. Incompetent digging and insufficient registration of finds might lead to far-reaching misconceptions about this art, such as an early 20th century art historian accusing Christian monks of looking at sculptures of females nudes. These nudes did not at all belong to the architectural inventory of a monastery, but were the nymphs and maenads very frequently and properly found in Late Antique funerary sculpture. It is only in recent times that these misunderstandings have been cleared up and that this neglect has been remedied. Archaeologists and art historians devoting themselves to the art and archaeology of First Millennium Egypt have been rewarded by new discoveries and by new insights into artefacts long known. Discoveries both old and new and artefacts both known and unknown will be shown and studied in the course of this semester. Welcome then to the fascinating world of the art and archaeology of Coptic monasticism! 2. ACADEMIC CONTENTS 2.1 Credit points AHPG855 is worth 4 credit points. 2.2 Pre-requisite There are no pre-requisites for this unit. 2.3 Unit description and outcomes The Art and Archaeology of Coptic Monasticism will give students a comprehensive overview of the history of Coptic art and architecture as illustrated in the most important monastic sites of Egypt. At the same time, it will present some of the important sources we have for this topic and look at the immense bibliography available. It will teach students to see these sources within their historical and archaeological context, to understand the characteristics of their particular type or genre and to evaluate the historical information gathered from them. It will trace the development of church architecture in Egypt and show how this form of building adapted itself to the changing religious-political situation, the natural and financial resources, and the changes in forms of worship. It will also look at the very poorly explored field of domestic architecture and the architecture of the large pilgrimage center in Abu Mena. These two topics will allow you to better understand the relation between sacred and secular spaces, between a monastery’s spatial distribution and contemporary urban environment in Egypt, along the centuries. First Millennium Egypt has also left us a large number of funerary monuments, such as funerary chapels, catacombs, and gravestones that show the interaction of pagan and Christian burial customs and document the transition to a Christian society. This overview of funerary monuments will help you contextualise the specific burial structures used in monasteries. The various monastic forms of life are mirrored in the diverse forms of monastic settlement all around 3 Egypt. During this semester, we shall look at both the communal monastery (cœnobium) and the semi-anchoretic settlement (laura), analysing their characteristic components and their evolution in time. Particularly fascinating for both a specialist and a general public are the large number of colourful textiles with depiction of pagan and Christian motifs, of animal, plants, and geometrical designs. The minor arts, reflected in objects of daily use made of, e.g., glass, ivory, or wood, are very well represented in Late Antique Egypt. Many of these artefacts were discovered in monasteries. From this short description, one can already see the breadth of subject to be covered by an in-depth look into the art and archaeology of Egyptian monasticism. 2.4 Graduate capabilities Cognitive capabilities 1. Discipline knowledge and skills Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields. 2. Critical, analytical and integrative thinking Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory. 3. Research and problem solving capability Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving. Interpersonal and personal dispositions 4. Effective communication Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats. 5. Engaged and responsible, active and ethical citizens Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues 6. Capable of professional and personal judgment and initiative Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their