Admission requirements
None
Description
The documents written in the Old Assyrian dialect that have been excavated at Kültepe (ancient Kanesh) and a few other sites in Central Anatolia, dating to the 19th-18th c. BC, contain the earliest direct evidence of life and politics in pre-Hittite Anatolia. In this course, a number of these texts will be read and contextualized. The evidence consists of letters exchanged between kings and other high ranking persons, but also of private archives dealing with commerce and the transfer of ownership. Data from these Anatolian sources will be supplemented by information from Assyrian documents.
Course objectives
Students following this course will acquire:
Knowledge
of Anatolian history and society during the Old Assyrian period
of the Akkadian language and cuneiform used in documents
Insight in
the political development of Anatolia and adjacent areas
the use of Akkadian as vehicle of local and international communication
Skills in
reading cuneiform texts from this period
presenting research results to peers
presenting research results in writing
the use of relevant web sites
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Assessment method
Assessment
Oral presentation on a specific text or topic in April/May
Paper in June
Weighing
Oral presentation: 20%
Paper: 80%
Resit
The resit assignment will be determined in consultation with the lecturer.
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
M.T. Larsen, Ancient Kanesh. A Merchant Colony in Bronze Age Anatolia (2015 or later)
F. Kulakoglu/S. Kangal (eds.), Anatolia’s Prologue, Kültepe Kanesh Karum, Assyriens in Istanbul (2010)
C. Günbatti, Anadolulu Tüccarlar Sarabunuwa ve Peruwa’nin Arsivleri. Kültepe Tabletleri 10 (2016)
A. Kloekhorst, Kanišite Hittite. The Earliest Attested Record of Indo-European (2019)
(These publications can be consulted in the NINO library)
The texts and articles studied in class will be distributed by the instructor.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration À la carte education en Exchange
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
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.