ARCL0083 the Early Islamic World
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UCL INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY ARCL0083 The Early Islamic World 2018-19, Term I Year 2/3 Option, 15 credits Turnitin Class ID: 3884543 Turnitin Password IoA1819 Deadlines for coursework for this course: Problem essay: Monday 29th October (returned 5th November), Object analysis: Monday 19th November 2018 (returned 30th November), Research essay: Wednesday 9th January (returned 25th January) Co-ordinator: Dr. Corisande Fenwick Email: [email protected] Tel: 0207-679-4746 Office 502 Office hours: Thursday, 11-1pm in Term I or immediately after class At other times by email Please see the last page of this document for important information about submission and marking procedures, or links to the relevant webpages 1 1. OVERVIEW Course description How did the Arabs, a small group of tribes living in Arabia, came to conquer and rule a vast region from the Atlantic to the Indus? And how did their religion – Islam – came to be a major world religion? This module provides a thematic analysis of the first three centuries of Islam (600-900CE), moving between Arabia, the imperial centres of Baghdad and Damascus and the furthest reaches of the Islamic world. It will address key topics including religion and empire, urbanism and monumentality, the ‘Green Revolution’, frontiers and jihad, industrial innovation, new trading worlds, and issues in Islamic heritage today. Week-by-week summary 04.10.18 1. Introduction: Why Study the Islamic World (CF) 11.10.18 2. Out of Arabia: Muhammad and the Muslim Conquests (CF) 18.10.18 3. From conquest to empire: the Umayyads and the first Islamic state (CF) 26.10.18 4. The Abbasids and the mature Islamic system (CF) 01.11.18 5. The “Islamic City”: The Debate (CF) READING WEEK (NO TEACHING) 15.11.16 6. The Islamic City at work (TW) 22.11.16 7. The ‘Green Revolution’ and Industrial Innovation (CF) 29.11.16 8. Religion and Conversion (CF) 06.12.16 9. Trade and exchange: From the Sahara to the Silk Road (CF+TW) 13.12.16 10. The Past in the Present: The early Islamic world today (CF) Lecturers: Corisande Fenwick (CF) Tim Williams (TW) Methods of assessment This course is assessed by means of: (a) One problem essay of 1500 words which contributes 30% to the final grade for the course. (b) One analysis of an object of 1000 words which contributes 20% to the final grade for the course. (c) One research essay of 2500 words which contributes 50% to the final grade for the course. Teaching methods The course is taught through lectures. Students will be required to undertake set readings in order to be able to follow and actively to participate in the discussion. Students may be asked to make short presentations of case study material (non-examined). Powerpoint presentations and other learning materials are made available via Moodle. Workload There will be 20 hours of lectures for this course. Students will be expected to undertake around 80 hours of reading for the course, plus 88 hours preparing for and producing the assessed work. This adds up to a total workload of some 188 hours for the course. 2 BASIC TEXTS No single book yet provides an up-to-date interpretative synthesis of the archaeology of the early Islamic world. Recommended texts: Flood, F.B. and Necipoğlu, G. 2017. A Companion to Islamic art and architecture. ONLINE Hillenbrand, R. 1999. Islamic Art and Architecture. London. MAIN ART HB 5 HIL Insoll, T. 1999. The Archaeology of Islam. Oxford. INST ARCH DBA 100 INS Irwin, R. 1997. Islamic Art in Context. New York ART HB 5 IRW Kennedy, H. 2004 (2nd ed.) The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates, Edinburgh. MAIN HISTORY 53 D KEN; ONLINE Milwright, M. An Introduction to Islamic Archaeology. Edinburgh. (Overview of archaeology of the Islamic world – beware of muddling chronology). INST ARCH DBA 100 MIL; ONLINE Robinson, C. (ed.) The New Cambridge History of Islam. Volume 1: The Formation of the Islamic World, Sixth to Eleventh Centuries. Cambridge. (Very good historical essays on the early Islamic period) MAIN HISTORY 53 D CAM; ONLINE ACCESS Fairchild Ruggles, D. 2011. Islamic Art and Visual Culture: An Anthology of Sources. Oxford. ART HB 5 RUG Walmsley, A. Early Islamic Syria. London. INST ARCH DBD 100 WAL + EBOOK Ettinghausen, R., Grabar, O. and M. Jenkins-Madina 2001 (2nd. Ed.) The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250. New Haven. (An excellent, beautifully illustrated, book with detailed information about Islamic buildings and objects). BARTLETT N6260 .E88 2001 Some easy-to-read introductions to Islam and the early Islamic world Bennison, A. K. 2009. The Great Caliphs: the golden age of the ‘Abbasid Empire. London INST ARCH DBA 200 BEN Cook, M. 2000. The Koran, a very short introduction. Oxford. HISTORY 53 D COO Donner, F. 2010. Muhammad and the Believers. Harvard (an important account of how Islam first evolved) Kennedy, H. 2016. The Caliphate. London. HISTORY 53 D KEN Kennedy, H. 2007. The Great Arab Conquests. How the spread of Islam changed the world we live in. London INST ARCH DBA 200 KEN. (Introductory - a good narrative account of the conquests). Silverstein, A. 2010. Islamic history: A very short introduction. Oxford. HISTORY 53D SIL Reference Works: Brill Encyclopaedia of Islam. Leiden. MAIN REFERENCE CB 1c; ONLINE Kennedy, H. 2002. (2nd rev. ed.) An Historical Atlas of Islam. Leiden. ONLINE Petersen, A. 1996. Dictionary of Islamic architecture. London ; New York. BARTLETT NA380.P43 1996 2. AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSMENT Aims The aims of this module are to: - To provide an introduction to the archaeology and history of the formative centuries of Islamic civilisation, from the rise of Islam in sixth century Arabia to the collapse of the Abbasid caliphate in the early tenth century. - To consider the most important current research questions and interpretative paradigms in Islamic archaeology, including the development of Islam, state formation, urbanism, innovation, global exchange and religious conversion. 3 - To consider the nature and interpretation of different sources (archaeological, visual, textual) in approaching the early Islamic world. - To develop critical faculties in written evaluation of current research (problems, method and theory, quality of evidence). Objectives On completion of this module the student will be able to: - demonstrate a good knowledge of the history and material culture of the early Islamic world - analyse and discuss critically key variables, models and theories for the transformations that took place in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond during the first centuries of Islam - engage with different forms of evidence and methodologies, and understand how to use them critically in class discussions and writing assessments. - -display a nuanced understanding of the themes and controversies surrounding the study of the early Muslim world today. Learning Outcomes On successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate: - Understanding and critical awareness of the different values of primary and secondary sources. - Written and oral skills in analysis and presentation. - Knowledge of methods and theories of archaeological and historical analysis, and be able to apply them to archaeological data. - Ability to conduct original research. Coursework Assessment tasks: The deadlines for submission of assessed work are: Assessment 1: Problem essay (1425-1575 words): Monday 29th October 2018 Assessment 2: Written analysis of an artefact or building (950-1050 words): Monday 19th November 2018 Assessment 3: Research essay (2375-2625 words): Wednesday 9th January 2019 If students are unclear about the nature of an assignment, they should discuss this with the Course Co- ordinator. Students are not permitted to re-write and re-submit essays in order to try to improve their marks. However, the Course Co-ordinator is willing to discuss an outline of the student's approach to the assignment, provided this is submitted suitably in advance of the submission date. The nature of the assignment and possible approaches to it will be discussed in class, in advance of the submission deadline. Please note that in order to be deemed to have completed and passed in any module, it is necessary to submit all assessments. 4 Assessment 1. Problem Essay 1,425-1,575 words, 30% of course-mark DUE: Monday 29th October 2018 Choose one of the following: 1. Was there an Islamic state before the time of ‘Abd al-Malik? Produce a brief summary AND a critical review of the articles of Jeremy Johns (2003) and Robert Hoyland (2006). o Summarise the main arguments of both authors, and make sure to include what each is arguing for and arguing against. § How do Johns and Hoyland define a state? § What evidence do they use to support their differing opinions? § What elements of their arguments do you agree and disagree with, and why? o Consider the implication of their arguments for our understanding and interpretation of the seventh century CE. o Remember to back up what you say as specifically as possible & use the Harvard system, citing page numbers (e.g. Johns 2003: 31). 2. The maxim ‘Islam is more than just a religion but a way of life’ underpins Timothy Insoll’s controversial book The Archaeology of Islam (1999). Produce a brief summary AND a critical review of his arguments in the Introduction (Chapter 1). o Summarise Insoll’s implicit or explicit argument(s) in Chapter 1, and make sure to include both what he is arguing for and arguing against. § How does Insoll define Islam vs. Islams, and do you find his definitions satisfactory? § On what basis does Insoll argue that Islam leaves distinctive material traces which can be used to identify the presence of Muslims in the archaeological record? Do you agree? § What elements of his arguments do you agree and disagree with, and why? o Consider the implications of Insoll’s arguments for our understanding and interpretation of the archaeological record, material culture and social interaction of the early Islamic world.