Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 6/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 7/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Delnero, Paul
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 6/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 7/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 5/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Independent summer research

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Feldman, Marian
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Topic varies but can include the archaeology of Mesopotamia, Syria, or Palestine, or thematic discussions (e.g., on ideology, state collapse, etc.). In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: W 10:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

Climate change, population growth, war - what questions do archaeologists ask about the ancient past, how do they collect relevant evidence, and how do they arrive at satisfying answers to their questions? This course will review major theoretical currents in archaeology including evolutionary, cultural-historical, processual and post-processual approaches and discuss the future of archaeology as a scientific and humanistic discipline. Basic techniques for analyzing major categories of artifacts such as lithics, ceramics, archaeobotanical, and zooarchaeological materials will also be introduced.

• Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 6/7
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Delnero, Paul
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Feldman, Marian
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 7/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Arnette, Marie-Lys
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Delnero, Paul
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Feldman, Marian
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Students read texts in the original Akkadian cuneiform with attention to their philological, archaeological, historical, and literary features. The seminar topic varies from semester to semester but usually consists either of texts of various genres from a single period (e.g., Neo-Assyrian) or texts of various period from a single genre (e.g., letters). In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: F 12:00PM - 2:00PM
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 3/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

We will read Letter Collection B and related materials in the original cuneiform. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: F 10:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Russell, Ishbel Sophie
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 5/7
• PosTag(s): n/a

Research and discussion on topics of current interest.

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James; Lauinger, Jacob; Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 16/20
• PosTag(s): n/a

In this course we read a variety of Middle Egyptian hieroglyphic compositions and documents. Knowledge of Middle Egyptian Required.

• Days/Times: Th 9:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

This course is dedicated to the study of the art and material culture of ancient Egypt, spanning from the 5th millennium BCE to the Roman period. The objective of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Egyptian art, with a focus on materiality, effective methods of description and analysis, and a command of bibliography. It will also enable students to practice two fundamental aspects of their future professional life: presenting a paper at a conference and submitting an article to an academic journal. In the initial sessions, we will examine the fundamental principles and conventions that define Egyptian art. We will then investigate the natural resources available to Egyptian craftsmen and artists, including nature, origin, networks, and uses. We will analyze the production of works of art through several case studies, focusing on materiality. Finally, we will reflect on the presence of Egyptian works of art in museums around the world. Moreover, the course will provide an opportunity for discourse on professional matters pertaining to engagement with Egyptian antiquities and works of art. The course will be structured around: lectures by the professor or by guest researchers, with the students participating in a dialogue with the lecturers; sessions dedicated to discussions of articles to be read (with two/three articles per session); oral presentations by the students, with the aim of reproducing the conditions of a colloquium or conference. These will include formal presentations and question-and-answer sessions, with all students taking part. At the conclusion of the semester, students will be required to submit a paper in connection with the oral presentation they have prepared. This paper will be presented as a scientific article, and the instructor will evaluate it in the same manner as an anonymous referee. Restricted to: Near Eastern Studies, Museum Studies, History of Art, or Archaeology students.

• Days/Times: MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
• Instructor: Arnette, Marie-Lys
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 12/15
• PosTag(s): n/a

An introduction both to the stage of Ancient Egyptian language from ca. 750 BCE-400 CE and the cursive script associated with this stage. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: T 3:00PM - 5:00PM
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

This class will introduce students to “The Deuteronomistic History,” which comprises the biblical books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings. The narrative arc of this “history” spans the giving of the law to Moses to the rise and fall of the monarchies of Israel and Judah, respectively in the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods. During this course we will examine the reasons why biblical scholars have argued in varying ways that this body of text represents the work of a group of ideologically driven scribes, the Deuteronomists; we will also investigate the primary texts themselves for evidence for divergent views about the need for a king in Israel and the role and fate of the royal house of David. We will also explore the relationship between the books of the former prophets (Joshua>2 Kings) and Deuteronomy, which is a book that concludes the Pentateuch. This course requires students to engage with the biblical text in the original Hebrew language at an advanced level. We will also engage with biblical scholarship regarding the scope, purpose, and nature of a cohesive Deuteronomistic History, as well as with dissenting voices that probe the unity of these biblical books.

• Days/Times: Th 2:00PM - 4:30PM
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room: Gilman 140
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Canaan, including Ancient Israel.

• Days/Times: F 2:00PM - 4:30PM
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Topic varies but can include the archaeology of Mesopotamia, Syria, or Palestine, or thematic discussions (e.g., on ideology, state collapse, etc.). In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: W 10:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 12/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Arnette, Marie-Lys
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Delnero, Paul
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Applications of GIS in archaeology have recently expanded dramatically and GIS has now become an indispensible tool for archaeological research worldwide. This course will introduce the major applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in archaeology. These include the history of GIS in archaeology, air photography and satellite imagery, predictive modeling, hydrological modeling, viewsheds, and least-cost routes. It will grapple with theoretical issues manifest in archaeological GIS including conflicts between environment and social understandings of the ancient past, and will foster discussion of issues that affect outcomes of analyses including spatial scale and boundary delineation choices that can dramatically influence results. Students will learn the basics of ESRI’s ArcGIS software. Taught with AS.130.357.

• Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
• Room: Krieger 108
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 3/3
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Delnero, Paul
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 5/5
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

In this course a selection of Sumerian texts from different periods and genres will be read and discussed from a linguistic, philological, historical, and literary perspective. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: F 10:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Russell, Ishbel Sophie
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

In this course a selection of intermediate level Akkadian texts from different genres and period will be read, analyzed and discussed. To build on skills learned in Introduction to Akkadian, specific emphasis will be placed on understanding more advanced grammatical forms and learning how to critically use research tools like the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary and von Soden's Akkadisches Handwoerterbuch. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: W 2:00PM - 4:00PM
• Instructor: Grassi Freire, Lucas
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.

• Days/Times: M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
• Instructor: Qi, Grace
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Research and discussion on topics of current interest.

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Harrower, Michael James; Lauinger, Jacob; Schwartz, Glenn M
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 20/20
• PosTag(s): n/a

This course introduces basic computational techniques in the context of empirical humanistic scholarship. Topics covered include the command-line, basic Python programming, and experimental design. While illustrative examples are drawn from humanistic domains, the primary focus is on methods: those with specific domains in mind should be aware that such applied research is welcome and exciting, but will largely be their responsibility beyond the confines of the course. Students will come away with tangible understanding of how to cast simple humanistic questions as empirical hypotheses, ground and test these hypotheses computationally, and justify the choices made while doing so. No previous programming experience is required.

• Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
• Instructor: Lippincott, Tom; Sirin Ryan, Hale
• Room: Krieger 304
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 7/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 9/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Reading portions of the Book of Job in Hebrew. In addition to increasing proficiency in biblical Hebrew, the course also involves critical exegesis including grammatical analysis and textual criticism. Students will interact with various aspects of interpretation for the Book of Job (e.g., philology, text history, structure, literary history, message, poetics, rhetoric, philosophy, theology and reception history)

• Days/Times: T 3:00PM - 5:30PM
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 7/8
• PosTag(s): n/a

This course introduces substantial machine learning methods of particular relevance to humanistic scholarship. Areas covered include standard models for classification, regression, and topic modeling, before turning to the array of open-source pretrained deep neural models, and the common mechanisms for employing them. Students are expected to have a level of programming experience equivalent to that gained from AS.360.304, Gateway Computing, AS.250.205, or Harvard’s CS50 for Python. Students will come away with an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different machine learning models, the ability to discuss them in relation to human intelligence and to make informed decisions of when and how to employ them, and an array of related technical knowledge.

• Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
• Instructor: Backer, Samuel Ehrlich; Messner, Craig A
• Room: Maryland 114
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 3/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Feldman, Marian
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

Students read texts in the original Akkadian cuneiform with attention to their philological, archaeological, historical, and literary features. The seminar topic varies from semester to semester but usually consists either of texts of various genres from a single period (e.g., Neo-Assyrian) or texts of various period from a single genre (e.g., letters). In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: F 12:00PM - 2:00PM
• Instructor: Lauinger, Jacob
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Approval Required
• Seats Available: 12/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

• Days/Times:
• Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
• Room:  
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

The course is devoted to the study of Egyptian art from the Predynastic period to the Roman era. The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of art history, with a particular focus on the evolution of style, iconography and artistic practices across time. Several thematic sessions will also be dedicated to specific aspects of ancient Egyptian culture (notably related to religion). The course will be primarily based on several key Egyptological collections, including the musée du Louvre, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum. Additionally, the course will include visits to the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum and the Walters Art Museum. The course will comprise lectures delivered by the professor, which will be structured chronologically, and discussion sessions with students on the mandatory readings. The examinations will be divided into three sections: an oral presentation of an object selected by the students; an oral presentation of a theme chosen by the students; and the composition of an essay of substantial length on the theme and the object.

• Days/Times: MW 4:30PM - 5:45PM
• Instructor: Arnette, Marie-Lys
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 20/20
• PosTag(s): n/a

The ancient Egyptians played many games, as we do today. Board games, ball games, games of skill, etc., were not only part of daily life, but also had a role to play in religious practices and beliefs. Although the rules of the games are largely unknown to us, archaeological objects, funerary images, and texts help us to better understand their roles and meanings in ancient Egyptian culture. These various sources also show how games reflect (or contradict) some facets of the organization of the society, and reveal how the ancient Egyptians perceived some aspects of their world - social hierarchy, gender division, representation of death, relationship to chance/fate/divine will, etc. This course will present the evolution of games and play in Ancient Egypt from the 4th millennium BCE, with the first board game discovered in the tomb of a woman, through those deposited in the tomb of Tutankhamun, and up to the Roman period. By replacing the games in their archaeological, historical and cultural contexts, the course is also intended as an original introduction to the civilization of ancient Egypt. The course will consist mainly of lectures given by the professor, with several guest researchers. Examinations will be divided into three parts: two knowledge quizzes during the semester; at the end of the semester, an essay on an Egyptian game of the student's choice.

• Days/Times: MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
• Instructor: Arnette, Marie-Lys
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

Continuation of the study of Demotic as introduced in AS.133.646. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: M 10:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Jasnow, Richard
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a

A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Cannan, including Ancient Israel.

• Days/Times: Th 3:00PM - 5:30PM
• Instructor: Lewis, Ted
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 8/8
• PosTag(s): n/a

Continuation of the study of this stage of Ancient Egyptian, introduced in AS.133.630. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.

• Days/Times: Th 9:00AM - 12:00PM
• Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
• Room: Gilman 130G
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 11/12
• PosTag(s): n/a

Introduction to the grammar and writing system of the classical language of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (ca. 2011-1700 B.C.). Co-listed with AS.130.315

• Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
• Instructor: Wilkinson, Alison Michelle
• Room: Gilman 238
• Status: Open
• Seats Available: 10/10
• PosTag(s): n/a