The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the archaeology of Egypt and the Near East, from the beginning of the Holocene (about 12,000 years ago) to the end of the Iron Age (330 BC). The module also explores how this time range has been interpreted in later periods, including the 21st century AD. Some of the specific aims of the module are:

To provide an introduction to the archaeology and early history of the Near East, with emphasis on the civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Levant, Anatolia, and Iran.
	To consider the nature and interpretation of archaeological and textual sources in approaching the past of Egypt and the Near East.
	To consider major issues in the development of human society in Egypt and the Near East, including the origins and evolution of sedentism, agriculture, complex societies, urbanism, literacy, and early empires.
Major issues include the history of exploration of Egypt and the Near East; and the impact of these early cultures on other regions.

Module description

The module offers an introduction to the archaeology of the Nile Valley and the Near East from prehistory to the Islamic period, with a focus on Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Levant, Anatolia, and Iran in the time between 10,000 BCE and 300 CE.

Classes will consider the nature and interpretation of archaeological and textual sources in approaching the history of these regions, focusing on key sites and key issues, including the origins and trajectory of sedentism, agriculture, complex societies, urbanism, literacy, interaction and trade, and empires.

Module aims

On successful completion of the module, students will:

• understand the outlines of Egyptian and Near Eastern history from prehistory to the Islamic period

• be familiar with archaeological key sites in Egypt and the Near East and be able to relate them to

individual periods of the history of ancient Egypt and the Near East

• understand the geographical, historical and social contexts of a range of material and non-material

cultural expressions of the Egyptian and Near Eastern past

• have a broad overview of specific themes that shaped the history of the study region

• understand the disciplinary underpinnings of Egyptian and Near Eastern Archaeology, and what it

contributes to World Archaeology.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students should be able to demonstrate:

• appreciation of and ability to apply source-critical approaches to archaeological and textual data

• the ability to assess and integrate different research resources, including research literature,

objects, archives and databases

• critical engagement with disciplinary reconstructions of the past

• independent problem solving based on real data sets

• written and oral skills in analysis and presentation.