Module description 

This module introduces students to the diverse environments of language and script in the Nile Valley, accessible to us through the archaeological record. Starting from class discussion of our own languages, we will assess how different traditions have described language, and then meet the sounds and forms of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing through its African horizons in fauna, flora and material culture. The direct encounter with objects in the UCL Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology will provide inspiring ground for understanding the principles, materials and histories of Egyptian hieroglyphic and cursive scripts. The module will focus on language and script in both Egypt and Sudan, with two separate lectures on the Sudanese languages Meroitic and (Old) Nubian and their scripts, and other lectures to include examples of the ancient use of Egyptian language (Middle Egyptian, Napatan, Coptic) and script in Sudan. Alongside these, we will explore the archaeological evidence and later use of Greek and Arabic in the Nile Valley. 

Module Aims 

This module aims to introduce students to:

• the main languages and scripts encountered in the archaeology of Egypt and Sudan

• the distribution of those scripts in space and time, and the relations between them

• debates over relations between languages and population-groups

• debates over the relation of inscribed material to the rest of the archaeological record

• the research potential of provenanced inscribed objects in archaeological collections

Learning Outcomes 

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

• full appreciation of the distinction between history of language and history of script

• knowledge of the main languages and scripts in the archaeology of Egypt and Sudan

• understanding of the significance of archaeological sites in the history of script

• understanding and critical awareness of the research debates over script and identity

• critical understanding of methods for analysing inscribed objects

• critical appreciation of materiality and archaeological context in script studies