Course Descriptions

This course introduces students to the material culture of Ancient Egypt. The lectures in this course will be organized chronologically, covering archaeological remains from the Predynastic Period through the early Islamic period. Although the great funerary monuments of Egypt – the pyramids and the temples – garner much public attention, Egyptian settlements also provide a wealth of information about life in the Nile Valley; this course will integrate highlights from Egypt’s unique art and architecture with the evidence of daily life from settlement excavations. In addition to the great discoveries of Egyptian archaeology, the lectures will also explore the development of complex society, Egyptian technological advances, the state-managed redistributive economy, the impact of Egypt’s empire on the Near East, and the social effects of climate change in the Nile Valley.