Admission requirements
None
Description
Akkadian was the Semitic language spoken in Ancient Mesopotamia by, among others, Babylonians and Assyrians. It is recorded almost uninterruptedly from c. 2300 BCE to 75 CE on clay tablets written in cuneiform script. This course will introduce students to the grammar and vocabulary of Akkadian, the basics of the cuneiform script, and the principal research tools in the field of Assyriology. We focus on the Old-Babylonian dialect of Akkadian and will use, among other samples, excerpts from the Code of Hammurabi as a means to practice and test reading skills.
Course objectives
At the end of the course, students will be able to read and analyse basic Akkadian texts in the original script (Neo-Assyrian sign forms). The Tutorial Akkadian is a crash-course that will equip students with no prior knowledge of Akkadian and cuneiform with the grammatical, orthographic and bibliographic tools required to proceed to more advanced language modules. In addition to participating in weekly seminars, students will work on their own project (pensum selected from Codex Hammurabi), which they will prepare independently and present during an oral exam.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Assessment method
Assessment
Written exam with closed and open questions (language and script): 50% (midterm and final combined);
Project (independent study of pensum selected from Code of Hammurabi): 50% (with oral examination).
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by (i) determination of the weighted average combined with (ii) the additional requirement that the project is concluded with at least 5.5.
Resit
The resit will consist of a written exam covering all sections of the course, including the project.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Huehnergard, A Grammar of Akkadian;
Caplice, Introduction to Akkadian;
Black, A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian;
Borger, Assyrisch-Babylonische Zeichenliste.
Students are advised to contact the teacher if they experience difficulty purchasing some of the books listed.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal.
Remarks
Not applicable.