Please note: This course description is provisional and still subject to changes.
Admission requirements
None.
Description
West Asia is a pivotal region for the emergence of the earliest farming and sedentary communities in Eurasia, and the impact of these developments spread far outside West Asia where these developments began and its agricultural products remain of central importance to world at present. How and why farming and sedentism first emerged therefore is one of the major research topics in the archaeology of West Asia and beyond.
The Neolithic (ca. 10,000-5,000 BC) is one of the most crucial periods in the history of West Asia, associated with major social, economic and material transformations and important changes in the archaeological record. In this course we will study the current archaeological views on this period of early farming and sedentism. Attention will be given to:
Epipalaeolithic forager communities;
The emergence of farming;
Neolithic Ritual Practices;
Neolithic Societies;
Neolithic expansions within West Asia;
The Central Anatolian Neolithic;
The colonization of Cyprus;
Transformations in Neolithic farming systems;
Genetics and demography.
Course set-up
Lectures, presentations by students, moderation by students, class discussions of presentations and literature.
Course objectives
Knowledge of cultural developments in Neolithic West Asia, on the basis of the assigned literature, lectures, assignments and discussions;
Knowledge of key literature, current debates and the archaeological approaches in it;
Ability to critically assess current research and assigned literature, and the ability to voice one’s well-argued opinion;
Ability to choose a research topic, find relevant literature, apply current views on one’s own research topic and present this in presentation, and the ability to handle a stimulating discussion afterwards;
Ability to critically assess the various presentations;
Ability to write a balanced and critical essay on one’s research topic, with expression of a critical assessment of the literature and one’s own well-argued opinion, making use of the feedback received with the presentation.
Timetable
Course schedule details can be found in MyTimetable.
Log in with your ULCN account, and add this course using the 'Add timetable' button.
Mode of instruction
For each sessions there are readings, on which a written assignment is due prior to the class session. After an introductory lecture there are a series of student presentations followed by discussions which are in part moderated by students.
The topics of research will be also addressed in the form of student of a final essay (1,800 words).
Assessment method
Student class presentation and moderation (20%);
Weekly assignments (20%);
Final essay of 1,800 words (60%).
Prior to each class students read literature and provide a summary with discussion points. These must be submitted the day before class. All essays, including the final essay, must be submitted through Turnitin.
A retake is only possible for the final essay, only in case of a fail, and only when all other requirements, including attendance, have been met.
Assessment deadlines
The dates of exams and retakes can be found in MyTimetable. The deadlines of papers, essays and assignments are communicated through Brightspace.
Log in with your ULCN account, and add this course using the 'Add timetable' button. To view the assessment deadline(s), make sure to select the course with a code ending in T and/or R.
The deadlines for the weekly assignments will be announced on Brightspace.
Reading list
The reading list will be given to participating students two weeks prior to the start of the course.
Registration
Enrolment for all components of your study programme through MyStudymap is mandatory. This applies to both compulsory elements and elective credits. If you are not enrolled, you may not participate.
General information about registration can be found on the Course and exam enrolment page.
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please contact the exchange coordinator for information on how to apply.
Contact
For more information about this course, please contact Prof.dr. Bleda S. Düring.