https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/details.php?id=V400-573
Ancient Egypt: an introduction (Online)
Key facts
| Type | Online and Distance Learning |
|---|---|
| Location | Online |
| Dates | Wed 16 Sep to Fri 27 Nov 2015 |
| Subject area(s) | Archaeology |
| CATS points | 10 |
| Fees | From £250.00 |
| Application status | Applications being accepted |
| Course code | O15P376AHV |
| Course contact | If you have any questions about this course, please email onlinecourses@conted.ox.ac.uk. |
Overview
This course introduces participants to the rich and vibrant civilization of ancient Egypt. From royal pyramids, court artisans and powerful pharaohs, to grandiose temples, mysterious gods and foreign invasions, participants will experience the world of ancient Egypt, its highs and lows, and the rich tapestry of its culture.For information on how the courses work, and a link to our course demonstration site, please click here.
Description
Who were the ancient Egyptians? Why did they create such monumental constructions and such magnificent works of art? The culture, history, art, architecture and religion of ancient Egypt has long captured the imagination of people across the world. Providing an overview of the ancient Egyptians, and combining archaeological, textual and pictorial evidence, this course will allow participants to delve into the world of ancient Egypt, to see how it developed and why it came to an end. As the weeks pass, we will read the words of ancient kings, priests, courtiers, and artisans, witness the great artistic triumphs from across 3,000 years of history, explore the beliefs of people from different ends of society's spectrum, and learn how they lived in a world that though familiar, was quite different from our own. Through guided reading, web pages, and interactive media, participants will experience ancient Egypt like never before.Programme details
This course covers the following topics:1. Worldview, Geography and Resources (introduction; the importance of the Nile and the inundation; Egypt's environment; major cities and resources; shaping the Egyptian worldview; the development of Egyptology; further reading)
2. Historical Overview (introduction; ancient Egyptian history; creating 'history'; the Predynastic Period to the Early Dynastic Period; from Old Kingdom to Middle Kingdom; From Second Intermediate Period to Alexander the Great; the Battle of Megiddo: analysing written evidence; further reading)
3. The Gods, their Cults and Religious Practice (introduction; the gods; depicting the gods; creation myths; the mythic environment; Egyptian temples; Egyptian priests; dealing with the invisible in daily life: household religion; magic spells; further reading)
4. Burial Customs, Afterlife Beliefs and Mummification (introduction; death and aspects of the soul; afterlife destinations; mummification; private tombs; royal tombs: pyramids; royal tombs: the Valley of the Kings and later; further reading)
5. Art: Craftsmen, Conventions and Development of Art (introduction; artisans and art; materials and working methods; Predynastic and Early Dynastic art; the conventions of Egyptian art, changing art over time; interpreting King Amenemhat III; further reading)
6. Pharaoh, Politics and Government (introduction; the social pyramid; the ideal pharaoh; the king's daily life and duties; the royal family; government organisation and courtiers; female pharaohs; further reading)
7. Palaces, Cities and Settlements (introduction; Egyptian settlements; problems of preservation; royal palaces; domestic architecture; exploring Deir el-Medina; further reading)
8. Living in Ancient Egypt (introduction; the household and social status; occupation and crafts; morality and education; marriage, adultery and divorce; entertainment; crime and punishment; further reading)
9. Language, Writing and Literature (introduction; evolving language: writing systems; the basics of Middle Egyptian language; scribes, writing equipment and surfaces; Egyptian literature; the earliest hieroglyphs; further reading)
10. Warfare, Trade and Diplomacy (introduction; foreigners and Egyptianisation; trade and diplomacy; pre-New Kingdom warfare; New Kingdom warfare; further reading)
We strongly recommend that you try to find a little time each week to engage in the online conversations (at times that are convenient to you) as the forums are an integral, and very rewarding, part of the course and the online learning experience.
Course aims
This course aims to: provide students with an introduction to ancient Egypt, from approximately 5000 BC to 30 BC, covering social life, burial customs, religion, art and architecture, language, history and chronology.This course will enable participants to:
1. Gain a general knowledge of all aspects of ancient Egyptian culture;
2. Examine, understand and assess ancient Egyptian civilisation in its social and cultural context;
3. Develop their skills in historical analysis and their use of evidence based argumentation;
4. Learn to critically assess evidence of different kinds - textual, pictorial, archaeological;
4. Discuss current topics in Egyptology.
Certification
This course is accredited and you are expected to take the course for credit. To be awarded credit you must complete written contributions satisfactorily. Successful students will receive credit, awarded by the Board of Studies of Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. The award will take the form of 10 units of transferable credit at FHEQ level 4 of the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). A transcript detailing the credit will be issued to successful students. Assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.Assessment methods
Assessment for this course is based on two written assignments - one short assignment due half way through the course and one longer assignment due at the end of the course. Students will have about two weeks to complete each assignment.Level and demands
FHEQ level 4, 10 weeks, approx 10 hours per week, therefore a total of about 100 study hours.Recommended reading
To participate in the course you will need to have regular access to the Internet and you will need to buy the following textbook: Ikram, S., Ancient Egypt, An Introduction (2011).(Canbridge University Press, Cambridge, 2009)Teaching methods
- Guided reading of texts- Group discussions of particular issues
- Questions to be answered in personal folders
Teaching outcomes
By the end of this course students will be expected to understand:• The general character of Egyptian civilisation from approximately 5000 BC to 30 BC, including the features of each chronological period, covering art, architecture, beliefs, language, burial customs and social life;
• How scholars have assembled our understanding of ancient Egypt, as well as the limits of the evidence available to Egyptologists and the difficulties inherent in historical interpretation;
• The importance of understanding the nature of the different types of evidence and their context;
• Current thinking on Egyptian civilisation.
By the end of this course students will be expected to have gained the following skills:
• The ability to approach evidence of different kinds (archaeological, textual, pictorial) with a critical eye and to form evidence based conclusions, while acknowledging that there are potentially many different ways of approaching the data available;
• The ability to evaluate different approaches to solving problems and to communicate the results through accurate argumentation;
• Transferable skills, such as attention to detail, lateral thinking and reasoned argumentation;
• An overall understanding of ancient Egyptian civilisation.
Apply for this course
If you are unsure whether you are eligible to pay `Home/EU` or `Non-EU/overseas` fees, please read the UKCISA guidance notes to help establish your fee status.
- Apply online
to secure your place on this course now- Apply by post, email or fax
- Download a PDF application form
.
All the Department's Online Short Courses are developed by our Technology-Assisted Lifelong Learning (TALL) unit. To learn more, please see the TALL website.
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