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INTERDISCIPLINARY ARCHAEOLOGY COURSES

INTERDISCIPLINARY ANTHROPOLOGY COURSES

INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSICAL STUDIES COURSES 

INTERDISCIPLINARY ART AND ART HISTORY COURSES

INTERDISCIPLINARY GEOLOGY COURSES

MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE COURSES

CURRENT SEMESTER SYLLABI


 

 

INTERDISCIPLINARY ARCHAEOLOGY COURSES

 

 

ARCH 120. Greek Art and Archaeology. A general introduction to the art and archaeology of ancient Greece from Prehistoric to Hellenistic times: Bronze Age civilizations (Cycladic, NE Aegean and Trojan, Minoan, Helladic/Mycenaean); Protogeometric, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Greece. A survey of architecture (temple, secular, funerary), sculpture, vase-painting, monumental painting, metalwork, and minor arts of these periods, both on mainland Greece and in the Greek colonies (Asia Minor, Pontus, Syria, Phoenice, Egypt, S. Italy and Sicily); comparative study of typological, iconographical, stylistic, and technical aspects and developments; styles and schools, regional trends. Historical contextualization of ancient Greek art and brief consideration of socio-economic patterns, political organization, religion, and writing. Evaluation of the ancient Greek artistic legacy and contribution to civilization. Field trips to archaeological collections and Museums. Offered every fall. Cross-listed as CLCIV 221.

 

ARCH 130. Roman Archaeology. A survey of the archaeology of ancient Italy ca. 800 BC to AD 400. Particular attention is devoted to the study of the development of civilization and culture at Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia and Britain. Offered every other spring. Cross-listed as CLCIV 224.

 

ARCH 201. Fundamentals of Archaeology: Theory and Field Archaeology. Intro-duction to archaeology: a survey of the history, aims, methodology, theory and practice of archaeology. The evolution of archaeology from amature treasure quest and collecting to a complicated science, dedicated to the discovery and study of material remains as well as the exploration and theoretical reconstruction of the past; great discoveries, persons and factors that shaped this transformation in the 19th and 20th century; theories, issues, and trends in archaeological interpretation; applications of archaeology towards a greater understanding of our past and present. An introduction to field archaeology and practice: site location, topographical and survey techniques, archaeological excavation techniques for different types of sites; stratigraphy, spatial distribution, seriation; correlation, phasing, absolute and relative chronology; data recording, archaeological drawing (sections, plans, artifacts) and photography; computer applications (including artifact data-base, archaeological matrix, plans and maps, 3-D monument and site reconstructions); relationships between archaeology and related sciences, between material and non-material culture, evidence interpretation and theoretical reconstruction of material remains. Simulated Excavation Field (SEF) practical training; summer field training opportunity at Mycenae (excavation and Museum research) and Scotland. Prerequisite: one Archaeology course (ARCH 120, 130, 210) or previous field experience. Cross-listed as ANTH 220. Offered every spring.

 

ARCH 210. Prehistoric Aegean Art and Archaeology. A general introduction to the art and archaeology of the Prehistoric Aegean, including the Neolithic, Cycladic, NE Aegean and Trojan, Minoan, Helladic and Mycenaean civilizations, with consideration of both the Aegean sites and the Minoan/Mycenaean tradeposts and colonies in Asia Minor, Cyprus, Syropalestine and Egypt. A survey of architecture (palatial, secular, temple and funerary), pottery, sculpture, frescoes, sealstones, metalwork (metallic vases, weapons, jewelry), stone- and ivory-carving; comparative study of typological, iconographical, stylistic, and technical aspects and developments. Cultural contextualization and brief consideration of the historical framework, socio-economic, political and administrative context, writing and religion. Major interpretative issues and problems in Aegean Prehistory, including relative and absolute chronology, emergence and formation process, collapse and fall of the Minoan palaces and the Mycenaean citadels, spatial definition and multiple function of the palatial networks, military power and expansionism, international dynamics and contacts. Evaluation of the Prehistoric Aegean legacy and contribution to ancient Greek and Western Civilization. Visits to archaeological collections and Museums. Offered every fall.

 

ARCH 221. Ancient Greek Architecture. A survey of ancient Greek architecture from the 11th century BC to the 1st century BC, on mainland Greece and the Greek colonies. Temple architecture, altars and sanctuaries; secular architecture (houses, villas, and palaces); public architecture (agoras, stoas, prytaneia, propyla, theaters, gymnasia, stadiums, fountains and aqueducts, fortifications, roads, bridges); poleodomy or city-planning; funerary architecture (tombs, heroa, mausoleums and other funerary buildings). Building materials and techniques; orders and principles of ancient Greek architecture; ancient theory and techniques, typological developments and technological advances, architectural masterpieces; ancient Greek masters. Consideration of epigraphical and ancient literary sources (including readings from Vitruvius, Pliny the Elder, Pausanias). Offered every third year.

 

ARCH 222. Ancient Greek Sculpture. A thorough survey of ancient Greek sculpture from 1050 BC to 31 BC, with consideration of both mainland Greece and the Greek colonies (Asia Minor, Pontus, Syria, Phoenice, Egypt, S. Italy and Sicily). Daedalic, Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods; sculpture in the round and architectural sculpture, monumental and small-scale sculpture. Materials, techniques, and principles; subject matter and iconography, stylistic and technical developments; styles and regional trends; ancient Greek masters and their schools, legendary contests; consideration of ancient literary sources (including readings from Pausanias and Pliny the Elder) and Roman copies of Greek originals. Visits to archaeological collections and Museums; hands-on examination of selected important sculptures (prospective cast collection on-campus). Offered every third year. 

 

ARCH 223. Ancient Greek Painting. A survey of ancient Greek vase-painting (Protogeometric, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, from 1050 BC to 31 BC) with consideration of both mainland Greece and the Greek colonies, and study of ancient Greek (with special emphasis on recently discovered large-scale frescoes in Macedonian tombs), Etruscan, and Roman monumental painting (including selective mosaics). Materials, techniques, and principles; iconography, stylistic and technical developments; styles and regional trends; ancient Greek and Roman masters and their schools; consideration of ancient literary sources (including readings from Pausanias, Pliny the Elder, Cicero). Visits to archaeological collections and Museums. Offered every third year.

 

ARCH 250. Ancient Greek Religion and Sanctuaries. A survey of the origins, history, structure, and evolution of ancient Greek religion and sanctuaries from Mycenaean to Hellenistic times. A comparative study of official religion vs folk religion, pantheon of gods and heroes vs daemonic cults and magic (ritual binding, cursing, charming), myths, oracles, festivals and games vs house cult; an insight into mysteries and chthonic cults, burial customs and eschatology, soul and the Homeric underworld, the mnemoscape of death and reincarnation. A review of loci of worship (caves, shrines, temples, sanctuaries); analysis and meaning of the worship ritual, offerings, dedications, animal and human(?) sacrifices; interpretation of sacred symbols, ritual implements and paraphernalia: idols and figurines, large-scale anthropomorphic concretions, cult statues. A comparative study of the history and development, organization and lay-out, architecture, portable finds and dedications of the most prominent Mycenaean and ancient Greek sanctuaries (Mycenae Cult Center, Tiryns shrines, Aghia Irene temple; Olympia, Delphi, Eleusis, Delos, Nemea, Dodone, Kos, Samos, Priene, Pergamon) involving a synthesis of archaeological and iconographical evidence, Linear B documents, epigraphic evidence, and ancient literary sources. Additional issues to be addressed include: Greek anthropomorphism and polytheism; the power of religion as collective memory; the sociopolitical role of organized religion; priesthood and the gradual appropriation of religion by the ruling hierarchy and the state (polis); chronological development of ritual vs unchanging core of beliefs; patterns of uniformity and regional variation; survival of ancient Greek religious elements in Christianity. Offered every third year.

 

ARCH 301. Fieldwork in Classical Archaeology. Archaeological excavation and/or survey for four to six weeks in selected locations of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, which include Mycenae in Greece (DEPAS Project) and Scotland, Great Britain (joint Project with the University of Durham, England). The dig provides training for students in the techniques and methods of field archaeology. Admission by permission of the instructor; ARCH 201 recommended. Cross-listed as CLCIV 301. Offered every summer. 

 

ARCH 390. Advanced Studies in Archaeology. This course undertakes special topics, issues, and problems in Old World and New World Archaeology ranging from prehistory and classical antiquity (e.g. Problems in Aegean Prehistory, In Search of the Trojan War, Ancient Cities, Olympic Games, Archaeology of Writing: Greek Texts and Contexts) to modern era archaeology (19th/20th century AD) and modern applications of the discipline. Prerequisite: at least one 200-level archaeology course. Offered occasionally.

 

ARCH 500. Independent Study in Archaeology. Independent study must involve an interdisciplinary research topic in Archaeology. No more than two independent studies may be counted toward the major. Topic proposal and program of work must be approved by the instructor. Offered occasionally.

 

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INTERDISCIPLINARY ANTHROPOLOGY COURSES

 

 

ANTH 100. Introduction to Biological Anthropology. Neo-Darwinian theory guides an overview of paleoanthroplogy, primate evolution and behavior, human genetics, microevolution, macroevolution and human growth and development. Includes human osteology labs and computer simulations. Open to freshmen and sophomores only; others by permission. Offered every semester.

 

ANTH 101. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. A cross-cultural perspective on the human experience. Institutions such as the family, law, religion, and warfare are examined using examples from contemporary societies from around the globe. Also includes an overview of major approaches to cultural analysis, as well as the practice and ethics of anthropological research. Open to freshmen and sophomores only; others by permission. Offered every semester.

 

ANTH 214. Ecological Anthropology. An examination of human adaptation to changing environments with an emphasis on systems analysis. Special attention to development and current environmental problems. Cross-listed as ENVST 214. Offered every other year. 

 

ANTH 223. Native Peoples of Eastern North America. A survey of major development among Native Americans east of the Mississippi River from approximately A.D. 1500 to the present, using the interdisciplinary methodologies of ethnohistory. Topics to be addressed include 16th and 17th century demographic, economic, and social consequences of contact with European peoples, 18th century strategies of resistance and accommodation, 19th century government removal and cultural assimilation policies, and 20th century cultural and political developments among the regions surviving Indian communities.

 

ANTH 225. Human Osteology. This course offers an intensive examination of human biological and genetic diversity as revealed through human and other primate skeletal remains. The course focuses on adaptation to the environment as the major source of changes in the human skeleton and in other primates. It also explores human growth and development, through sexual differentiation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and senescence. Prerequisite: ANTH 100 or 229, or permission of instructor. Offered every other year.

 

ANTH 233. Anthropology of Religion. Survey of religion, myth, and ritual in different cultural contexts. Course begins with a study of ideas about religion in Western thought and the implications of these ideas for how anthropologists view religion in other societies. We examine alternatives to Western ways for thinking about the spiritual, the supernatural and the cosmos. Offered every other year.

 

ANTH 243. The Human Story: Narratives of Human Evolution This course offers a critical examination of the applications of evolutionary theory within the discipline of anthropology. We first examine the central tenets of biological evolutionary theory. We then critique how anthropologists over the last century have used evolutionary theory to explain the origins of human biology, behavior, and culture. Offered every other year.

 

ANTH 245. Selected Topics in Anthropology Courses offered on an occasional basis that cover special topics such as African women in development, theories of civilization, anthropology and demography, or anthropological genetics.

 

ANTH 331. Principles of Human Evolution This course offers an intensive examination of the evolution of the human family, from our earliest ancestors to the origin and dispersal of modern humans. We use skeletal biology, geology, and archaeology to understand the human evolutionary record. Prerequisite: Any of the following: 100, 216, 218, 229 or Biology 100-level course. Offered every spring.

 

ANTH 395. Archaeological Field Studies. Application of the fundamentals of excavation and the analysis of artifactual materials from the excavation of a site in the Carlisle area. Sites will be located within daily commuting distance of the College. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor and one previous course in Anthropology. Offered in summer school only. 

 

 

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INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSICAL STUDIES COURSES 

 

 

CLCIV 100. Greek and Roman Mythology A general introduction to the texts and narratives of the chief myths of Greece and Rome and their impact on Western civilizations with special reference to the fine arts: music, sculpture, painting, and literature.

 

CLCIV 200. Special Topics in Classical Civilization. This course undertakes topics, issues, and texts in Classical Civilization which are not otherwise offered in the Classical Studies Curriculum. The areas may include literary, historical, or philosophical topics from Bronze Age Greece to Christian Rome (e.g. Archaeology of Writing: Greek Texts and Contexts, Athenian Democracy, Olympic Games). Will meet either Division I or Division II distribution requirement depending upon topic. Prerequisite: one other class in Classical Studies or permission of the instructor. 

 

CLCIV 251. Ancient Greek History. A survey of the history of ancient Greece from 700 BC to 400 BC. Particular attention is devoted to the relationship of Sparta and Athens, the development of democracy and the cultural achievements of the 5th century BC. Offered every other fall.

 

CLCIV 253. Roman History. A survey of the history of ancient Rome from 133 BC to AD 69. Particular attention is devoted to issues and men who brought about the fall of the Republic and the creation of the Empire of Rome. Offered every other fall.

 

 

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INTERDISCIPLINARY ART AND ART HISTORY COURSES

 

 

A&AH 101. An Introduction to the History of Art. A survey of painting, sculpture, and architecture of western civilizations. 101 surveys art from the ancient Near East through medieval European. 102 surveys art of the European renaissance through the contemporary period.

 

A&AH 202. Ancient Art and Art History. This course will examine major monuments in the history of ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture from the variety of interpretive perspectives with which they have been addressed in the scholarly literature. Students will study and analyze art-historical "readings" of these monuments and compare the strengths and weaknesses of the authors' arguments in terms of methodological approach and use of both textual and archaeological evidence. In addition, the authors' cultural assumptions, interpretive premises, and ideological goals (if any) will also be addressed in attempting to understand how these works of art acquired meaning over time and what constitutes that meaning. Offered every other year.

 

A&AH 302. Roman Painting. This course will address the antecedents of Roman wall painting in ancient Greek sources, as well as issues related to classification, genre, style, function, and artistic practice. The traditional "four styles" of Roman painting first outlined by Vitruvius and more recent proposals for reconstructing these traditional stylistic categories will be addressed, as well as questions surrounding the many purposes and effects of painting in Roman culture and society. The relationship of pictorial imagery to specific literary structures and styles during the Imperial period will also be considered along with more theoretical artistic principles such as optics, illusionism, and visual imagination in the Roman world. A variety of ancient literary sources as well as scholarly studies and critiques will form the textual basis for the course, while digital reconstructions and "virtual" movement through ancient pictorial spaces will augment the visual sources we use. 

 

A&AH 303. Roman Portraiture. Of all visual and literary genres, portraiture is undoubtedly the most specific and elusive in western culture. Its history is as old as the ancient Greek myths about the origins of painting itself, and as recent as the current pseudo-journalistic television program entitled "Intimate Portraits." This course will examine the tradition and evolution of ancient Roman portraiture as the most prolific and enduring source of the genre from its Etruscan and Hellenistic foundations through the dissolution of the Empire in the mid-fourth century AD. Republican and Imperial iconographies, funerary genres, and contextual considerations such as the public, private, and political realms will be considered. The notion of constructing a visual identity and historical legacy through portraiture as part of Roman culture, and more specific conceptual qualities such as "realism" and "idealism," "youth" and "age" will be discussed together with more technical issues such as dating, identifying physiognomic types, sculpting techniques. At least one trip to a regional museum or gallery will be required.

 

A&AH 391. Studies in Art History. Studies in selected topics of the history of art and architecture. The content of each course will be altered periodically. Prerequisite: A&AH 101 and 102 or permission of the instructor. 

 

 

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INTERDISCIPLINARY GEOLOGY COURSES

 

 

GEOL 101. History of Life. An overview of life from its origin on this planet to its present diversity of species. Topics will include the origin of life, evolutionary processes, the expansion of biodiversity, the radiation of organisms in the oceans, the conquest of land, mass extinctions, dinosaurs, and the rise of humans. Various hypotheses concerning the history of the biosphere will be tested using data collected in lab and on field trips. This course fulfills the lab-science distribution requirement.

 

GEOL 103. Planet Earth. A study of plate tectonics with emphasis on ancient and modern geological processes associated with mountain building. The course builds knowledge through field and classroom studies of Appalachian geology, and by comparison of the Appalachians with active mountain belts in South America, Indonesia, and Asia. The course also develops a geologic understanding of the seismic and volcanic hazards associated with mountain building. The overall aim of the course is to illustrate the historical, predictive, and practical aspects of geologic principles and reasoning in scientific and societal contexts. This course fulfills the lab-science distribution requirement.

 

GEOL 104. Global Climate Change. An overview of our present understanding of atmospheric processes and their interaction with the land, oceans and biosphere leading to an in-depth study of ancient climates and climate change in earth history. Topics include the tools used to decipher ancient climate change on various time scales, major climate events such as the ice ages, and the causes of climate change. Past and present knowledge will be used to explore the potential for future climate change and its socioeconomic and political implications. The laboratory component will use climate data and field experiences to interpret climate change over the past 3 billion years in the context of earth materials and plate tectonics. This course fulfills the lab-science distribution requirement.

 

GEOL 131. Earth Systems Science. Examines our dynamic, ever-changing planet past and present through the theory of plate tectonics, and the physical processes that transform the earth's surface including weathering and erosion, flooding, and landslides. Groundwater, volcanoes, and earthquakes are discussed. The nature of geologic materials and structure of the earth are also examined using continental wanderings, mountain building, ocean basin evolution, and climate changes as context. The geology of the local area is examined through numerous field trips. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week. This course fulfills the lab-science distribution requirement.

 

GEOL 205. Mineralogy. A study of minerals with emphasis on their crystal structure, chemical composition, geologic occurrence, and physical and optical properties. The course focuses on observing and understanding minerals at the macroscopic, microscopic, and sub-microscopic levels. Emphasis is on inquiry and active learning in a laboratory setting. Prerequisite: any 100-level Geology course, or permission of the instructor.

 

GEOL 206. Petrology. A study of the solid-earth with emphasis on the processes that have shaped the large-scale evolution of the earth from its origin to the present. Lecture topics include meteorites and formation of the terrestrial planets, origin of the moon, the deep earth, chemical equilibria in magmatic systems, geochemical cycling in the solid earth, and isotope dating. The important magmatic and metamorphic systems of the earth are presented in a plate tectonic context. Prerequisite: 205, or concurrent enrollment. NOTE: Completion of both 206 and 209 fulfills the WR requirement.

 

GEOL 207. Paleontology. A systematic study of the invertebrate and vertebrate fossil groups, plants, and their evolution and relationships to living forms. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: any 100-level Geology course or any Biology course numbered between 120 and 128.

 

GEOL 209. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. A study of the processes and patterns of sedimentation as well as the spatial and temporal distribution of rock strata. This includes the origin, transportation, deposition, lithification, and diagenesis of sediments. Lithology, geochemistry, paleontology, geochronology, and seismology will be used to understand the history of rock strata. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week.

 

GEOL 301. Field Geology. A course in some of the basic geological field techniques, with the preparation of topographic and geologic maps and reports from data obtained by the student in the field. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: any two 100-level Geology courses.

 

ENVST 313. Geographic Information Systems Geographic Information Systems (GIS) involves the collection, analysis, and display of spatially referenced information. It is used in a wide variety of fields involving the natural and social sciences. This course will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of computerized geographic information systems. It will combine an overview of the general principles of GIS and spatial data management with training on one of the most widely used GIS software packages, ArcView (Environmental Systems Research Institute). Students will work on independent problem-based projects related to environmental issues throughout the semester. Three hours of classroom and three hours of laboratory per week. This course will count as an elective for Geology majors.

 

 

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MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE COURSES

 

 

GREEK 107. Modern Greek for Archaeologists. An intensive introductory course aimed at preparing archaeology students to work, live, and travel in Greece, and function at a Greek excavation. The focus is on professional vocabulary used in archaeology and on basic oral interactions (speaking and listening comprehension) as well as reading, writing and recording finds in Greek. Offered every spring, and supplemented with non-credit summer instruction on site in Greece with Archaeology 301: Fieldwork in Classical Archaeology. This course will NOT fulfill the language requirement.

 

GREEK 103. Introduction to Modern Greek. This course is an introduction to Modern Greek language and literature, designed for students with no previous knowledge of Modern Greek language. The course focuses on the development of the students' ability to speak, understand, read and write in Modern Greek; special emphasis is placed on grammar, syntax, and acquisition of vocabulary. Furthermore, through a wide variety of themes and material, ranging from everyday situations, conversations, newspapers and magazines to Modern Greek songs, movies, theatrical performances, poetry and prose, the students will be also familiarized with every basic aspect of Modern Greek culture and civilization.

 

GREEK 104. Elementary Modern Greek. This course is a continuation of the study of Modern Greek language and literature on an elementary level, and focuses on the development of the students' ability to speak, understand, read and write in Modern Greek; review of grammar and syntax, and expansion of vocabulary. Furthermore, through a wide variety of themes and material, ranging from everyday situations, conversations, newspapers and magazines to Modern Greek songs, movies, theatrical performances, poetry and prose, the students will be also familiarized with every basic aspect of Modern Greek culture and civilization. Prerequisite: GREEK 103.

 

GREEK 116. Intermediate Modern Greek. This course is a continuation of the study of Modern Greek language and literature on an intermediate level, designed for students with a solid background of Modern Greek. The course focuses on the development of the students' ability to fluently speak, understand, read and write in Modern Greek. Furthermore, through a wide variety of themes and material, ranging from everyday situations, conversations, newspapers and magazines to Modern Greek songs, movies, theatrical performances, poetry and prose, the students will indulge in every basic aspect of Modern Greek culture. Prerequisite: GREEK 104.

 

 

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CURRENT COURSE SYLLABI

 

ARCH 120 / CLCIV 221: Greek Art and Archaeology

 

ARCH 210: Prehistoric Aegean Art and Archaeology

 

ARCH 201 / ANTH 220: Fundamentals of Archaeology: Theory and Field Archaeology

 

ARCH 222 / A&AH 205: Ancient Greek Sculpture

 

ARCH 223 / A&AH 205: Ancient Greek Painting

 

ARCH 221 / A&AH 205: Ancient Greek Architecture

 

ARCH 250: Ancient Greek Religion and Sanctuaries

 

ARCH 390: Advanced Studies in Archaeology: Ancient Cities - Athens

 

ARCH 390 / CLCIV 200: In Search of the Trojan War: Myth, History, and Archaeology

 

 ARCH 390 / GREEK 393: Advanced Studies in Archaeology: Archaeology of Writing - Greek Texts and Contexts

 

FRSEM 100-20: Ancient Democracy: A Modern View

 

CLCIV 200E-01: The Olympic Games

 

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