ANTHROPOLOGY 377/ 576N
EMPIRES OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST
SPRING 2003
|
Instructor: Reinhard Bernbeck
Time: Tuesday, Thursday 2:50 - 4:15 p.m.
Location: Fine Arts 209
Office Hours: T 11 a.m.-noon; Wed., 10 -11 a.m. or by appt.
Tel. x72542
Email: rbernbec@binghamton.edu
Course Description: This course deals with the major empires of
the ancient Near East, from ca. 2300 B.C. to 333 B.C. The Near East is
a complex geographical area, and consequently, there were often several
contemporary empires that had inimical, or more rarely friendly relationships
with each other. Internal structures and processes of these empires also
were quite variable.
The course has two main goals. One is to provide you with an overview
of the history and archaeology of these large-scale states. The second
is to focus on anthropologically important aspects, such as religion or
kinship systems.
The historical periods of the ancient Near East are researched by both
Assyriologists and archaeologists. The archaeologists are not often affiliated
with anthropology, the assyriologists even less so. This means that there
are not too many good anthropologically oriented overviews, textbooks
etc. What you find in the syllabus are readings that will provide you
with a basic idea of the material remains of an empire, and sometimes
readings on specific themes. However, my lectures will often significantly
depart from these readings. You must do the readings before the lectures
to understand what I will speak about. Furthermore, I expect you to take
notes CAREFULLY in class, and especially to ask questions if you don't
understand what I am talking about. This is in your own interest, since
a significant part of your grade will depend on your ability to connect
what you have read and what I have talked about.
Apart from lectures, there will be occasions for discussion.
Textbooks and other Literature:
Two books have been ordered for this course at the University Bookstore.
Roaf, Michael
1990 Cultural Atlas of Ancient Mesopotamia. New York: Facts on
File.
Oates, Joan
1986 Babylon. (2nd ed.). London: Thames & Hudson.
A note on the content of these books: Roaf's book is relatively meager
in text, but has an excellent overview both of maps and pictures of buildings
and objects from the ancient Near East. Oates' book is more in-depth,
but does not treat all the subjects we will deal with.
Therefore, much of the remainder of the readings will be available to
you in the impressive 4-volume Civilizations of the Ancient Near East
(1995, edited by Jack Sasson et al., New York, Scribners' Sons). This
is a large handbook and is available in the reference room of the Bartle
library. It is non-circulating, which means that you must read it in the
library.
Grades:
Your grade for the course will be based on a combination of assignments,
two exams, and a project:
| • |
There will be two essay exams (takehome), due on: |
|
| |
- MARCH 6 (first takehome)
- MAY 8th (second takehome) |
|
Each exam will be worth 25% of your grade. There is NO possibility
for any "make-ups".
| • |
There will be several ca. 10 minute quizzes
at the beginning of class. The goal of these is to make sure that
you understand the readings. Latecomers have no chance to take a longer
time. Altogether, the quizzes will be worth 15% of your grade. |
|
| • |
Oral contributions will make up 5% of
your grade. |
|
| • |
The remaining 30% of the grade will consist
of a paper that is due on April 29th. Choose from one of the
following topics, and write an essay of AT LEAST 12 pages, that must
contain two perspectives in clearly separate sections (marked by headings).
The first will be a personal narrative of the topic chosen. You have
to write in the first person singular, as a person living him/herself
in the period in question. Give a vivid account of your topic as if
it was part of your daily life. Make sure to include emotions, such
as hopes and sorrows in this narrative. People in the past were probably
like us in that respect. Note: you will be forced to invent actions
to make your narrative interesting, but you should limit your imagination
when it comes to objects, documents, or buildings.
The second part of your paper will account for the material remains
of the narrative you have used in the first part. Here, you must give
the sources of texts, sites, buildings and their remains, etc. Be
sure to cite relevant publications, whether of primary (site publication)
or secondary nature.
Apart from 12 pages text, you must include at least 10 bibliographic
references that must be mentioned in the text (most likely in the
second part of your paper). It is always good to include copies of
the site maps, plans of buildings, or objects you are speaking about.
A clear, complete presentation - check also orthography and READ the
text before handing the paper in! - enhances your grade.
A final hint: it is probably easiest to write the second part of the
paper first, then move on to the first part, the narrative. You may
need to read more for the second part of the paper than you cite there,
in order to produce an interesting narrative for the first part.
|
|
Topics:
- The bureaucracy of the Ur III period
- The cleanliness of Harrapans
- Life in Old Babylonian Ur
- Family relations in the Old Assyrian trade period
- A visit to Mari
- Hittite royal religion
- The brutal wars of the Assyrians
- Burial ritual at Gordion
SCHEDULE of CLASSES
| Jan 21 |
Egypt, Middle Kingdom/ Hyksos |
| Jan 23 |
Egypt, Amarna |
| Jan 28 |
Background on Mesopotamian Geography |
| |
• |
Oates, Introduction |
| |
• |
Butzer, Karl W. |
| |
1995 |
“Environmental Change in the Near East and Human
Impact on the Land”. In Jack M. Sasson, John Baines, Gary Beckman
and Karen S. Rubinson, eds.: Civilizations of the Ancient Near
East, Vol. I, pp. 123-152. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Jan 30 |
Third Millennium Mesopotamia and Syria |
| |
• |
Weiss, Harvey |
| |
1986 |
“The Origins of Cities in Dry-Farming Syria and
Mesopotamia in the Third Millennium B.C.”. In Harvey Weiss, ed.:
The Origins of Cities in Dry-Farming Syria and Mesopotamia in the
Third Millennium B.C. pp,. 1-6. New Haven: Four Quarters Publishing. |
| |
• |
Michalowski, Piotr |
| |
1986 |
“Mental Maps and Ideology: Reflections on Subartu”.
In Harvey Weiss, ed.: The Origins of Cities in Dry-Farming Syria
and Mesopotamia in the Third Millennium B.C. pp,. 129-156. New
Haven: Four Quarters Publishing. |
| Feb 4 |
Ebla and Late Early Bronze Syria |
| |
• |
Milano, Lucio |
| |
1995 |
“Ebla: A third-millennium city-state in ancient
Syria.” In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson,
eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp. 1219-1230.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| |
• |
Matthiae, Paolo |
| |
1981 |
Ebla. An Empire Rediscovered. New
York: Doubleday. Read Chapter 5, pp. 150-189. |
| Feb 6 |
Indus Civilization |
| |
• |
Fairservis, W.A. |
| |
1989 |
“An Epigenetic View of Harappan Culture”.
In C.C.Lamberg-Karlovsky, ed.: Archaeological Thought in America,
pp. 205-217. |
| |
• |
Miller, Daniel |
| |
1985 |
“Ideology and Harappan Civilization”.
Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 4: 34-71. |
| Feb 11 |
3rd millennium Iran, Baktria |
| |
• |
Roaf, pp. 96-108. |
| |
• |
Kohl, Philip |
| |
1978 |
“The Balance of Trade in Southwestern
Asia in the Third Millennium B.C.” Current Anthropology 19
(3): 463-492. |
| Feb 13 |
Ur III |
| |
• |
Oates, pp. 42-54. |
| |
• |
Klein, Jacob |
| |
1995 |
“Shulgi of Ur: King of a Neo-Sumerian
Empire”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S.
Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp.
843-858. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Feb 18 |
Amorites |
| |
• |
Oates, pp. 52-58. |
| |
• |
Whiting, Robert M. |
| |
1995 |
“Amorite Tribes and Nations of Second
Millennium Western Asia”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman
and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East,
vol. 2., pp. 1231-1242. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Feb 20 |
Persian Gulf Archaeology |
| |
• |
Boucharlat, Rémy |
| |
1995 |
“ Archaeology and Artifacts of the
Arabian Peninsula”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman
and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East,
vol. 2., pp. 1335-1353. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Feb 25 |
Old Assyrian Trade |
| |
• |
Veenhof, Klaas R. |
| |
1995 |
“Kanesh: an Assyrian Colony in Anatolia”.
In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds.,
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp. 859-872. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| |
• |
Larsen, Mogens T. |
| |
1982 |
“Your Money or Your Life! A Portrait
of an Assyrian Businessman”. In J.Nicholas Postgate, ed.: Societies
and Languages of the Ancient Near East: Studies in Honour of I.M.
Diakonoff, pp. 214-244. Warminster: Aris & Phillips Ltd. |
| Feb 27 |
*********** FIRST TAKE HOME DISTRIBUTED
*********** |
| |
The City of Mari |
| |
• |
Gates, Marie-Henriette |
| |
1984 |
“The Palace of Zimri-Lim at Mari”.
Biblical Archaeologist 47 (2): 70-87. |
| |
• |
Dalley, Stephanie |
| |
1984 |
Mari and Karana. Two Old Babylonian
Cities. London: Longman. Read pp. 78-111. |
| March 4 |
The Hammurapi Dynasty |
| |
• |
Oates, Chapter 3 |
| |
• |
Sasson, Jack M. |
| |
1995 |
“King Hammurapi of Babylon.”
In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds.,
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp. 901-916. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Mar 6 |
*********** FIRST TAKEHOME DUE *********** |
| |
The Kassite Empire |
| |
• |
Oates, Chapter 4 |
| |
• |
Sommerfeld, Walter |
| |
1995 |
“The Kassites of Ancient Mesopotamia:
Origins, Politics and Culture”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G.
M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient
Near East, vol. 2., pp. 917-930. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Mar 18 |
The Hittite Empire: History and Structure |
| |
• |
Mc Mahon, G. |
| |
1989 |
“The History of the Hittites”.
Biblical Archaeologist 52: 62-77. |
| |
• |
Beckman, Gary |
| |
1995 |
“Royal Ideology and State Administration
in Hittite Anatolia”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman
and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East,
vol. 1., pp. 529-544. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Mar 20 |
The Hittite Empire: Religion, Witchcraft, Magic |
| |
• |
Imparati, Fiorella |
| |
1995 |
“Private Life among the Hittites”.
In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds.,
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 1., pp. 571-586. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| |
• |
Frantz-Szabo, Gabriella |
| |
1995 |
“Hittite Witchcraft, Magic, and Divination”.
In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds.,
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 3., pp. 2007-2020. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Mar 25 |
Mitanni and Hurrites |
| |
• |
Roaf, pp. 132-150 |
| |
• |
Wilhelm, Gernot |
| |
1995 |
“The Kingdom of Mitanni in Second
Millennium Upper Mesopotamia”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G.
M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient
Near East, vol. 2., pp. 1243-1254. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Mar 27 |
The Middle Assyrian Period |
| |
• |
Akkermans, P.M.M.G und I. Rossmeisl |
| |
1990 |
“Excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad, Northern
Syria: A Regional Centre on the Assyrian Frontier". Akkadica
66: 13-60. |
| |
• |
Liverani, M. |
| |
1988 |
“The Growth of the Assyrian Empire
in the Habur/ Middle Euphrates Area: A New Paradigm”. State Archives
of Assyria Bulletin 2(2): 81-101. |
| Apr 1 |
The Middle Elamite Kingdom |
| |
• |
Carter, E. und M.W. Stolper |
| |
1984 |
Elam. Surveys of Political History
and Archaeology, pp. 32-43: 156-178. Berkeley: University of California
Press. |
| |
• |
Vallat, Francois |
| |
1995 |
“Susa and Susiana in Second-Millennium
Iran”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson,
eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp. 1023-1034.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Apr 3 |
The Port of Ugarit |
| |
• |
Van Soldt, Wilfred H. |
| |
1995 |
“Ugarit: a Second Millennium Kingdom
on the Mediterranean Coast”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M.
Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near
East, vol. 2., pp. 1255-1266. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| |
• |
Pope, Marvin |
| |
1981 |
“The Cult of the Dead at Ugarit”.
In Gordon D. Young, ed.: Ugarit in Retrospect, pp. 159-182.
Winona: Eisenbrauns |
| Apr 8 |
“Dark Ages”in the Eastern Mediterranean |
| |
• |
Roaf, pp. 158-175. |
| |
• |
Dothan, Trude |
| |
1995 |
“The Sea Peoples and the Philistines
of Ancient Palestine”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman
and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East,
vol. 2., pp. 1267-1280. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Apr 10 |
The Neo-Assyrian Empire: Imperial Structure |
| |
• |
Roaf, pp. 176-191. |
| |
• |
Grayson, Kirk A. |
| |
1995 |
“Assyrian Rule of Conquered Territories
in Ancient Western Asia”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman
and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East,
vol. 2., pp. 959-968. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| Apr 15 |
Neo-Assyrian Art |
| |
• |
Reade, Julian |
| |
1983 |
Assyrian Sculpture. London: British
Museum. (Read the text of this booklet, and look especially carefully
at illustrations). |
| |
• |
Davis, Whitney |
| |
1996 |
Replicatins. Archaeology, Art History,
Psychoanalysis. Penssylvania Park: Pennsylvania State University
Press. Read Chapter 10, Pleasure and its Contents, pp. 266-285. |
| Apr 22 |
Neo-Hittite Kingdoms |
| |
• |
Hawkins, David J. |
| |
1995 |
“Karkamish and Karatepe: Neo-Hittite
City-States in North Syria”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M.
Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near
East, vol. 2., pp. 1295-1308. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| |
• |
Zimansky, Paul |
| |
2002 |
“The 'Hittites' at Ain Dara”.
In K. Aslihan Yener and Harry A. Hoffner, eds.: Recent Developments
in Hittite Archaeology and History, pp. 177-192. Winona Lake:
Eisenbrauns. |
| Apr 22 |
Neo-Hittite Kingdoms |
| |
• |
Hawkins, David J. |
| |
1995 |
“Karkamish and Karatepe: Neo-Hittite
City-States in North Syria”. In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M.
Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near
East, vol. 2., pp. 1295-1308. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| |
• |
Zimansky, Paul |
| |
2002 |
“The 'Hittites' at Ain Dara”.
In K. Aslihan Yener and Harry A. Hoffner, eds.: Recent Developments
in Hittite Archaeology and History, pp. 177-192. Winona Lake:
Eisenbrauns. |
| Apr 24 |
Urartu |
| |
• |
Zimansky, Paul |
| |
1995 |
“Urartian Material Culture as State
Assemblage: An Anomaly in the Archaeology of Empire”. Bulletin
of the American Schools of Oriental Research 299/300: 103-115. |
| |
• |
Smith, Adam |
| |
2000 |
“Rendering the Political Aesthetic:
Political Legitimacy in Urartian Representations of the Built Environment”.
Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 19: 131-163. |
| Apr 29 |
********* PAPER DUE ******** |
| |
Phrygia |
| |
• |
Sams, Kenneth G |
| |
1995 |
“Midas of Gordion and the Anatolian
Kingdom of Phrygia”. In Jack M. Sasson, John Baines, Gary Beckman
and Karen S. Rubinson, eds.: Civilizations of the Ancient Near East,
Vol. II, pp. 1147-1160. New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan. |
| |
• |
De Vries, Keith |
| |
1980 |
“Greeks and Phrygians in the Early
Iron Age”. In Keith de Vries , ed.: From Athens to Gordion,
pp. 33-50. Philadelphia: The University of Pennsylvania Museum. |
| Apr 1 |
Neo-Babylonian Dynasty |
| |
• |
Oates, Chapter 5 |
| |
• |
Beaulieu, Paul-Alain |
| |
1995 |
“King Nabonidus and the Neo-Babylonian
Empire:”In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson,
eds., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp. 969-980.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| May 6 |
******** SECOND TAKE HOME DISTRIBUTED ******** |
| |
|
Achaemenids |
| |
• |
Roaf, pp. 198-219. |
| |
• |
Sancisi-Weerdenburg, Helen |
| |
1995 |
“Darius I and the Persian Empire”.
In J. M. Sasson, J. Baines, G. M. Beckman and K. S. Rubinson, eds.,
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, vol. 2., pp. 1035-1050. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons. |
| May 8 |
******** SECOND TAKE HOME DUE ******** |
| |
Final Discussion |
|