Archaeology of Western Anatolia: Cross Roads of the Ancient World the University of Washington
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Archaeology of Western Anatolia: Cross Roads of the Ancient World The University of Washington Course: NEAR E 296/ARCHY 269 Instructor: Stephanie Selover Term: Spring 2017 Office Hours: Wednesdays, 1-3PM Room: SAV 156 Office: Denny M220E Time: T/Th 1:30-3:20 Email: [email protected] Course Description: Ancient western Anatolia is a diverse and often understudied region. Its complexity is largely due to its unclear place in the world of archaeology: is the region part of Anatolia or Greece? Should Near Eastern or Classical archaeologists study the region? What place does it have in the Achaemenid/Persian empire? There are no clear- cut answers to these questions, for the western coast of modern Turkey has connections to many different cultural spheres, as well as its own, often overlooked, vibrant history and cultures. The study of ancient western Anatolian cultures also brings up other questions. How do mythology and archaeology work together? How does our modern understanding of ancient cultures affect the archaeologies of these cultures? The cultures of ancient western Anatolia remain in the modern imagination through the myths and tales of Troy, King Midas, the Gordion Knot, Ephesus, etc. While not realizing it, many of ‘Western Civilization’s’ myths originate from this region. This class is designed to provide students with a general survey of the archaeology of civilizations present along the western coast of Anatolia and their often- neglected place in the identities and histories of the ancient Near Eastern and Classical world. The time range covered will span from the Early Bronze Age until the conquest of Alexander the Great, in 333 BCE. The class will cover both historical and archaeological aspects of the cities of Troy and Ephesus, as well as the civilizations of the Phrygians, Lydians, Carians, Lycians and the Ionians in Anatolia. Additionally, the class will have four classes devoted to uncovering the complex and easily misunderstood relationship of Western Anatolia and its Anatolian, Aegean, Persian and Greek identities. The class will provide students with an understanding of archaeological practice and literature and how archaeological sites are published. To this end, students will read selections of excavation reports each week, in addition to overviews of the civilizations studied. We will have weekly discussions of these publications regarding the style, content, strengths and weaknesses. 1 Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students are expected to learn: • An introductory understanding of the practices of archaeology in general and in Western Anatolia in particular • A knowledge of the recent archaeological developments in modern Turkey • A knowledge of the various cultures and cultural practices of ancient western Anatolia • The various considerations necessary in the comparison of textual evidence to archaeological evidence • How to use mythological stories to understand the history behind them • How to critically read archaeological publications Course Format: Each week, one class will be devoted to a lecture on the history of a region, with a second class devoted to discussion of the archaeology of an exemplary site of that region. Each class is expected to be a discussion rather than a straight lecture by the instructor, so students are responsible for all readings before the start of class and are expected to actively contribute. At times, the class will be split into smaller groups to further discuss the themes of the class and then each group will present their collected ideas. Each week, every student is required to consider and thoughtfully answer one of two to three given discussion questions based on the weekly readings and lectures on the discussion board on the class website. This forum will allow students to contemplate the themes of the class and perhaps to think of new questions of their own. There are no wrong answers, but students are asked to give thought to their responses. Students may bring in their own experiences as they pertain to the subject. Feel free to be creative. Answers are to be submitted to the instructor on the Canvas site by 10pm each Wednesday. Late answers submitted before the start of class will be given half credit. No credit will be given to submissions after class. Each student is responsible for all assigned readings before the start of class and must be prepared to discuss them. The discussion section of the course will utilize both a voluntary method of question and answers, as well as a Socratic one, where the instructor may choose who will answer the question. Each student will be required to present on one mythological or archaeological subject of their choice, from the subjects covered in class before Week 8. A sign-up sheet will be handed out the first week of class, and will be posted on the class Canvas site. For example, students may find a modern retelling of the ancient story or present an aspect of the archaeological excavations of a site, and present it to the class, using questions to 2 begin a class discussion, such as on how myths affect our modern understanding of a region, and what cultural traits remain in the myth. In addition, there will be four classes devoted to the theme of “Connections.” These classes will focus on the connection between Western Anatolia and four related regions: Anatolia, the Aegean, Greece and Persia. Students will pick one of these topics to present on, and will give a short (10-15 minute) presentation on their findings. Students will speak with the instructor about which aspect of connections they may wish to present on, e.g. burial, architectural, artistic, religious, or cultural similarities. In the second week of the quarter, on April 4, a short map and geography quiz will be given at the start of class. Understanding the geography of the ancient and modern Anatolia is of great importance in order to understand the various cultures and peoples covered in this course. A midterm will be administered in-class at the start of Week 5, on April 25, covering all material from the first five weeks of the course. A final exam will be administered during final’s week, on June 9, covering material from the entire course, with an emphasis on the final five weeks of the course. Prerequisites: This course is open to all students interested in archaeology, anthropology, Classics, or Near Eastern studies. No prior knowledge of these areas is necessary. Required Reading and Attendance: This class does not have a textbook. The readings from this course come from a variety of journals and book chapters. All readings will be made available in .pdf form on the class Canvas website. The assigned readings are to be completed by each student before the start of the class. Staying on top of the readings will maximize a student’s learning experience and prepare them for discussions. It also allows the students to ask relevant questions during class. Readings are subject to change as determined by the instructor, with at least one week's notice. The assigned readings are to be completed by each student before the start of the class. Staying on top of the readings will maximize a student’s learning experience and prepare them for discussions. It also allows the students to ask relevant questions during class. Readings are subject to change as determined by the instructor, with at least one week's notice. Please arrive on time for class. It is rude and disrespectful to both your fellow students as well as the instructor to arrive after the start of class, interrupting lecture or discussion. Everyone here is an adult, so please be responsible for your own time management. 3 Class Requirements: • Class Discussion/Participation 5% • Responses to Weekly Reading Questions 15% • Myth/Archaeology Presentation 15% • Map Quiz (April 4) 10% • In-Class Midterm (April 25) 20% • “Connections” Presentation 15% • Final (June 9) 20% Grade Scale: You can always track your grades throughout the quarter on the online grade book on Canvas. I encourage you to do so to gauge your progress in class. Please contact us as soon as possible if you suspect any errors. Letter Number Percentage Letter Number Percentage Letter Number Percentage A+ 4.0 >95% B- 2.8 83% C- 1.6 71% A 3.9 94% B- 2.7 82% C- 1.5 70% A- 3.8 93% B- 2.6 81% D+ 1.4 69% A- 3.7 92% B- 2.5 80% D+ 1.3 68% A- 3.6 91% C+ 2.4 79% D+ 1.2 67% A- 3.5 90% C+ 2.3 78% D 1.1 66% B+ 3.4 89% C+ 2.2 77% D 1.0 65% B+ 3.3 88% C 2.1 76% D 0.9 64% B+ 3.2 87% C 2.0 75% D- 0.8 63% B 3.1 86% C 1.9 74% D- 0.7 60-62% B 3.0 85% C- 1.8 73% E 0.0 <62 % B 2.9 84% C- 1.7 72% 4 Technology in Class: The use of laptops in class is allowed for note taking and for referencing class readings. Surfing the web, checking emails, checking Facebook, online shopping, etc. is prohibited. Such activity is disruptive to the individual, the instructor, and to the remainder of the class. However, I would highly encourage students to take notes in class by hand, as numerous studies have shown handwritten notes to be far more useful for students than typed notes. If I do find a student using a laptop for any purpose other than note taking, the privilege of using the laptop in class will be revoked after one warning.