Aim of the course is to introduce the students to the archaeology of western Asia, and to the critical discussion of the analysis of the archaeological evidence. The ultimate goal is to become aware of an early cultural tradition and become able to integrate this tradition in the wider discourse on memory and identity connected with the ancient Mediterranean and the study of the Ancient World
Teaching Methods
Lectures and seminars
Assessment Methods
Participation in class and oral exam on the topics covered during the course and on the assigned readings.
Texts
For the exam students are required to prepare two hndbooks: Z. Bahrani, Mesopotamia : anceint art and architecture, 2017 Thames & Hudson; chapters 2, 6, and 7 from the book of T.J. Wilkinson, Archaeological Landscape of the Near East (2003) A ppt for visua support to the discussion during the exam will be presented during the classes and shared with students for the exam.
Contents
Art history and archeology of ancient West Asia from the Neolithic to the formation of the empires of teh 1st millennium BCE From the Renaissance, the art of the ancient Near East has been considered the cradle of the artistic manifestations of the Mediterranean and of the West, in broader sense. This vision is a flattering, but it imposes on an artistic tradition an evolutionary path non respective of its own. The vision soul be overcome through the study of near-eastern artistic manifestations within the historical context in which they were produced and a reassessment of the contributions to subsequent artisan traditions. The course aims to introduce students to the artistic production of ancient western Asia based mainly on architecture and monumental art. Basic elements of western Asian landscape archaeology will be discussed in the course to provide the participants with a sense of the contexts of the ancient remains. After a brief introduction on the Neolithic and Chalcolithic premises, the course will focus on the artistic production that emerged over three millennia in Mesopotamia and neighboring regions.
