Dominique Collon: Ancient Near Eastern Art. University of California Press: Berkeley. 1995. (DC)

Martha T. Roth: Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor. Scholars Press. 1997.  (MR)

The above books can be purchased at the University of Utah Bookstore.
The above books will also be available at the Reserve Desk at Marriott Library.

Notes can be purchased during the first three class meetings from an instructor. 

Ewa Wasilewska: Creation Stories of the Middle East. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: 2000. (EWB)

Throughout the semester special focus will be paid to theoretical and methodological issues involved in interpreting ancient Middle Eastern records. Among problems to be discussed are chronology of the Middle East, the interpretation of written records and main characteristics of archaeological artifacts, which facilitate the process of proper identification of cultural groups and interpretation of behavioral patterns.

During the semester numerous references will be made to ancient cultures outside of the Middle Eastern realm, which were in contact with Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Syria-Palestine, and Persia. Depending on the amount of accessible and identifiable sources, such regions as the Aegean world, the Central Asian and Siberian nomadic cultures, the Indus Valley and, whenever possible China, will be mentioned when relevant.

Students should realize that this course is very important for their overall education since many concepts and achievements developed in the ancient Middle East have had enormous impact on the development of Western and other civilizations. 

The final grade will be based on three or four exams. Exams will consist of different sections (including essay questions) especially designed for the type of material, which will be covered during class meetings.  In order to pass these exams it is necessary to attend lectures and to read the required material. Since the amount of information to which students will be exposed is significant, three or four extra review sessions are planned after the last session before each exam, after the regular class period. The most important information, names, terms, definitions, etc., can be found in the notes prepared by the instructor in order to structure the learning process in the most effective way. At the end of the semester each student will be required to write a ca. 5 page essay on the topic that he or she found the most interesting with regard to the influence of ancient Mesopotamian, Anatolian, Pre-Biblical Levantine or Persian civilizations on modern cultures.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

In addition to the requirements listed above, graduate students are required to write a research paper of ca. 20 pages (plus bibliography). Each topic must be discussed with the instructor first and at the end of the semester each graduate student will be asked to present a brief summary of his or her research to the class. 

Readings for Week 1: 

EW:  H. # 1
MM: Introductory Concerns. Pp. 1-16.
DC:  Introduction. Pp. 7-40.

Readings for Week 2:

EW:  H. # 2
MM: Pp. 17-69 (from Week 2 up till Week 5)
DC: Pp. 41-55

Readings for Week 3: 

EW: H. # 3
MM: Pp. 17-69 (from Week 2 up till Week 5)

Readings for Week 4:

EW: H. # 4
DC: pp. 56-89
 

Readings for Week 5 & 6:

EW: H. #5 & 6
MR: Laws of the Third Millennium B.C.
 

REVIEW!!!

Readings for Week 7 & 8:

EW: H. # 7 & 8
MM: Pp. 80-118

Readings for Week 8 & 9:

EW: H. # 9 & 10
MM: Pp. 119-189
MR: laws of the 2nd mill. B.C.

Readings for Week 11 & 12:

EW: H. # 11 & 12
DC: 90-127
 

Review !!!
 

Readings for Week 13:

EW: H. # 13
MM: Pp. 195-231

Readings for Week 14 & 15:

EW: H. # 14 & 15
MM: Pp. 232-280
MR: Assyrian Laws.
MR: Neo-Babylonian Laws.
 

Readings for Week 16:

EW: H. # 16
DC: Pp. 128-187

Review!!!