Writing and literacy, the war cart and pottery wheel, sculpting stone and smelting metal, all have their origins in the Early Bronze Age. These advancements did not occur slowly but exploded onto the scene with the brilliancy of a supernova. The Egyptians did not just begin building with stone, they built giant pyramids, the size and quality of which would never to be rivaled again in Egypt. Likewise, the gold and silver vessels, jewelry, and musical instruments discovered in the Royal Cemetery of Ur are not inferior to even the finest products of the Persian court produced several millennia later.
This course will look at the architecture, art, and literature of the Early Bronze Age with the goal of placing them in a historical context. We will not confine our study to the most famous works, but will look at some lesser known ones also, that add color to the period. We take a practical, hands-on approach, that delves into the nitty-gritty of history and archaeology. Our goal is to equip student with the knowledge they need to ask the right questions and form educated opinions.
By the end of the course, you will be able to…
place the rise and fall of civilizations in a chronological framework.
recognize the pottery, architecture, and artistic products of the Sumerians, Akkadians, Canaanites, Harappans, Egyptians, Dilmunites, Maganites, Eblaites, Hittites, Amorites, Cyclades, Kura-Araxes, etcetera.
watch a documentary on the pyramids and assess the various arguments made about their age and how they were (or were not!) constructed.
recognize a Scarlet Ware jar in a museum and know its provenance.
think through the potential historical and geographical settings for the first chapters of Genesis.
We will engage with some ancient controversies along the way, such as how C14 dating has tended to produce an overly long chronology, why the climate of the Ancient Near East must have been considerably wetter during the first half of the Early Bronze period, how many of the important developments which gave rise to complex societies appears to have emanated from Mesopotamia and Iran, and why some cultures traditionally classified as “chalcolithic” look more at home in the first half of the Early Bronze period.
There will be a review at the end of each entry and a quiz at the conclusion of each chapter and period. Here is a breakdown of how much each is worth and the number of redos allowed in total for each type of quiz or exam.
Review – not graded (green dot marks answered question)
Chapter Quizzes – 30% (3 redos)
Period Quizzes – 40% (1 redo)
Final Exam – 30%
When you answer the review question at the bottom of each entry, a green dot will appear in the course outline next to it, enabling you to track your progress through the course.
Uruk expands — the Ghassulian copper hoard — Egypt begins — the Gebel el-Arak knife — a silver bull from Iran — the desert kites of Harrat Kaybar — the earliest strata of Megiddo — the mountain civilization of Armenia — the first writing
the Great Temple of Megiddo — Tell Asmar Hoard — Menes and Gilgamesh — Puabi of the Euphrates — mining for copper in the Negev — Khasekhemwy makes peace with the Two Powers
the Stele of Vultures — the first pyramid — the Great Pyramid — Ebla learns to write — an island civilization in the Aegean — the first Trojans — Hittites or Hattians? — writing in the pyramids — Galilee of the nations — freedom reigns in Lagash
the god kings — Abraham in Canaan — the dancing girl and the priest king of Mohenjo-Daro — Mereruka and the fish — horror in the Ghor — Eden in Gulf — pious king Gudea and the new Sumerians — what happened to Canaan?