From 900 to 609 BCE, the Assyrian Empire dominated the ancient Near Eastern world, stretching from western Iran to the Mediterranean and Egypt. In concert with imperial expansion came an explosion of artistic production ranging from palace wall reliefs to small-scale luxury objects. This course provides an integrated picture of the imperial arts of this first world empire, situating it within the broader social and political contexts of the first millennium BCE. In its conquest of foreign lands, this powerful state came in contact with and appropriated a diversity of cultures, such as Phoenicia, Egypt, and Greece, which we will also study.
×
Art of the Assyrian Empire, 1000-600 BCE AS.010.315 (01)
From 900 to 609 BCE, the Assyrian Empire dominated the ancient Near Eastern world, stretching from western Iran to the Mediterranean and Egypt. In concert with imperial expansion came an explosion of artistic production ranging from palace wall reliefs to small-scale luxury objects. This course provides an integrated picture of the imperial arts of this first world empire, situating it within the broader social and political contexts of the first millennium BCE. In its conquest of foreign lands, this powerful state came in contact with and appropriated a diversity of cultures, such as Phoenicia, Egypt, and Greece, which we will also study.
Days/Times: MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Feldman, Marian
Room: Gilman 177
Status: Open
Seats Available: 15/25
PosTag(s): ARCH-ARCH, HART-ANC
AS.010.398 (01)
Tombs for the Living
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Deleonardis, Lisa
Hodson 216
Spring 2024
Drawing on case studies from North America, Mesoamerica, and the Andes this course considers various approaches to entombment and funerary ritual. Our analyses bear upon beliefs about death and the afterlife, ancestor veneration, fear of the dead, and the body as a site of embodied values. Tombs provide a specific context for interpreting object offerings and their attendant meanings. Collections study in regional museums.
×
Tombs for the Living AS.010.398 (01)
Drawing on case studies from North America, Mesoamerica, and the Andes this course considers various approaches to entombment and funerary ritual. Our analyses bear upon beliefs about death and the afterlife, ancestor veneration, fear of the dead, and the body as a site of embodied values. Tombs provide a specific context for interpreting object offerings and their attendant meanings. Collections study in regional museums.
Days/Times: TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Instructor: Deleonardis, Lisa
Room: Hodson 216
Status: Waitlist Only
Seats Available: 0/29
PosTag(s): ARCH-ARCH, HART-ANC, MSCH-HUM
AS.040.420 (04)
Classics Research Lab: Race in Antiquity Project (RAP)
W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Pandey, Nandini
Greenhouse 000
Spring 2024
How did ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean basin (Greece, Rome, Egypt, Persia, Carthage) understand and represent their own and others’ identities and ethnic differences? How did notions and practices around race, citizenship, and immigration evolve from antiquity to the present? How have culture and politics informed artistic, literary, and museum representations of ethnic ‘others’ over time, along with the historical development of ethnography, biological science, and pseudo-sciences of race? What role did “Classics” (the study of Greco-Roman cultures) play in modern colonialism, racecraft, and inequality? And what role can it play in unmaking their legacies, through the ongoing Black Classicism movement, the practice of Critical Race Theory, and the development of more global and interconnective approaches to premodern cultures? RAP provides an opportunity for Hopkins undergraduates and graduate students from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds to engage in project-based research toward building an open-access, grant-winning educational resource (OER) on “Race in Antiquity.” Participants learn, share, and practice advanced research methods; examine and discuss the history and modern implications of the teaching and study of their fields; test-drive and collaboratively edit OER pilot materials; and create new content based on their own research, for eventual digital publication.
×
Classics Research Lab: Race in Antiquity Project (RAP) AS.040.420 (04)
How did ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean basin (Greece, Rome, Egypt, Persia, Carthage) understand and represent their own and others’ identities and ethnic differences? How did notions and practices around race, citizenship, and immigration evolve from antiquity to the present? How have culture and politics informed artistic, literary, and museum representations of ethnic ‘others’ over time, along with the historical development of ethnography, biological science, and pseudo-sciences of race? What role did “Classics” (the study of Greco-Roman cultures) play in modern colonialism, racecraft, and inequality? And what role can it play in unmaking their legacies, through the ongoing Black Classicism movement, the practice of Critical Race Theory, and the development of more global and interconnective approaches to premodern cultures? RAP provides an opportunity for Hopkins undergraduates and graduate students from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds to engage in project-based research toward building an open-access, grant-winning educational resource (OER) on “Race in Antiquity.” Participants learn, share, and practice advanced research methods; examine and discuss the history and modern implications of the teaching and study of their fields; test-drive and collaboratively edit OER pilot materials; and create new content based on their own research, for eventual digital publication.
Days/Times: W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Pandey, Nandini
Room: Greenhouse 000
Status: Open
Seats Available: 3/15
PosTag(s): MSCH-HUM
AS.040.420 (05)
Classics Research Lab: A world of orators: speaking in public in the Roman empire
M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Roller, Matthew
Gilman 108
Spring 2024
This research-based Lab course will involve careful reading of a variety of Roman texts of the early empire, aiming to catalogue every instance of public speech and of the orators who speak in public. This cataloguing project, perhaps eventually resulting in an online database, will include historical and comparative readings about public speech as a feature of society.
×
Classics Research Lab: A world of orators: speaking in public in the Roman empire AS.040.420 (05)
This research-based Lab course will involve careful reading of a variety of Roman texts of the early empire, aiming to catalogue every instance of public speech and of the orators who speak in public. This cataloguing project, perhaps eventually resulting in an online database, will include historical and comparative readings about public speech as a feature of society.
Days/Times: M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Roller, Matthew
Room: Gilman 108
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/10
PosTag(s): MSCH-HUM
AS.130.177 (01)
World Prehistory: An Anthropological Perspective
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Harrower, Michael James
Bloomberg 168
Spring 2024
How and why did our nomadic hunting and gathering ancestors become farmers? What led agricultural societies to build cities, develop writing, religious institutions, wage war, and trade for exotic goods? This course surveys prehistory and ancient history from the origins of human culture to the emergence civilization. Although prehistory and ancient history yield evidence of tremendous cultural diversity this course emphasizes common elements of past human experience, culture, and culture change. These include the origins of modern humans and their adjustment to a variety of post-ice age environments, shifts from hunting and gathering to agricultural lifeways, and the initial development of the world’s earliest cities and civilizations.
×
World Prehistory: An Anthropological Perspective AS.130.177 (01)
How and why did our nomadic hunting and gathering ancestors become farmers? What led agricultural societies to build cities, develop writing, religious institutions, wage war, and trade for exotic goods? This course surveys prehistory and ancient history from the origins of human culture to the emergence civilization. Although prehistory and ancient history yield evidence of tremendous cultural diversity this course emphasizes common elements of past human experience, culture, and culture change. These include the origins of modern humans and their adjustment to a variety of post-ice age environments, shifts from hunting and gathering to agricultural lifeways, and the initial development of the world’s earliest cities and civilizations.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Harrower, Michael James
Room: Bloomberg 168
Status: Open
Seats Available: 24/40
PosTag(s): ARCH-ARCH
AS.130.216 (01)
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Katz, David
Smokler Center Library
Spring 2024
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
×
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789 AS.130.216 (01)
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
Days/Times: TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 3/19
PosTag(s): NEAS-HISCUL, INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
AS.130.441 (01)
Elementary Biblical Hebrew II
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Mandell, Alice H
MSE Library D1
Spring 2024
Survey of grammar and reading of simple texts. May not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A continuation of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I.
×
Elementary Biblical Hebrew II AS.130.441 (01)
Survey of grammar and reading of simple texts. May not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A continuation of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
Room: MSE Library D1
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.443 (01)
Readings - Hebrew Prose and Poetry
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Lewis, Ted
Gilman 130G
Spring 2024
Reading of Biblical Hebrew Prose, from texts such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
×
Readings - Hebrew Prose and Poetry AS.130.443 (01)
Reading of Biblical Hebrew Prose, from texts such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Lewis, Ted
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.120 (01)
Modern Hebrew for Beginners I
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Scott, Cameron David
Smokler Center Library
Spring 2024
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
×
Modern Hebrew for Beginners I AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Scott, Cameron David
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.121 (01)
Modern Hebrew for Beginners II
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center 301
Spring 2024
Hebrew for Beginners 121 is a continuation of Hebrew 120 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons too
×
Modern Hebrew for Beginners II AS.210.121 (01)
Hebrew for Beginners 121 is a continuation of Hebrew 120 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons too
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/15
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.221 (01)
Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center Library
Spring 2024
Please change description to: Intermediate Hebrew level II is a continuation of the course Hebrew 220 and as such is a requirement for entry. In the course, grammatical aspects of the language will be introduced in the focus of past and future tenses. Combined and complex sentences with proper syntax and reading comprehension and writing skills will be required. Modern Israeli cultural aspects of the Hebrew language will be introduced as well and will be part of the holistic understanding of the modern language.
×
Intermediate Modern Hebrew II AS.210.221 (01)
Please change description to: Intermediate Hebrew level II is a continuation of the course Hebrew 220 and as such is a requirement for entry. In the course, grammatical aspects of the language will be introduced in the focus of past and future tenses. Combined and complex sentences with proper syntax and reading comprehension and writing skills will be required. Modern Israeli cultural aspects of the Hebrew language will be introduced as well and will be part of the holistic understanding of the modern language.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 7/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.270.205 (01)
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Analysis
M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Chen, Xin
Krieger 108
Spring 2024
The course provides a broad introduction to the principles and practice of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related tools of Geospatial Analysis. Topics will include history of GIS, GIS data structures, data acquisition and merging, database management, spatial analysis, and GIS applications. In addition, students will get hands-on experience working with GIS software.
×
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Analysis AS.270.205 (01)
The course provides a broad introduction to the principles and practice of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related tools of Geospatial Analysis. Topics will include history of GIS, GIS data structures, data acquisition and merging, database management, spatial analysis, and GIS applications. In addition, students will get hands-on experience working with GIS software.
Days/Times: M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Chen, Xin
Room: Krieger 108
Status: Open
Seats Available: 15/24
PosTag(s): ARCH-RELATE, ENVS-MINOR
AS.360.305 (01)
Introduction to Computational Methods for the Humanities
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Lippincott, Tom; Sirin Ryan, Hale
Gilman 55
Spring 2024
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.
×
Introduction to Computational Methods for the Humanities AS.360.305 (01)
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: Gilman 55
Status: Open
Seats Available: 15/20
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.360.306 (01)
Computational Intelligence for the Humanities
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Backer, Samuel Ehrlich; Messner, Craig A
Gilman 195
Spring 2024
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.
×
Computational Intelligence for the Humanities AS.360.306 (01)
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: Gilman 195
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.153 (01)
A (Virtual) Visit to the Louvre Museum: Introduction to the Material Culture of Ancient Egypt
MW 4:30PM - 5:45PM
Arnette, Marie-Lys
Gilman 130G
Fall 2023
This course will present the Egyptological collections of the musée du Louvre in Paris, room by room, as in a real visit. From the Predynastic period, in the 4th millennium BC, to Roman time, the iconic “masterpieces” of this world-renowned art museum, as well as its little-known artifacts, will allow us to explore the history and material culture of ancient Egypt. We will also learn to observe, describe and analyze archaeological objects, in a global manner and without establishing a hierarchy between them, while questioning their place in the museum and its particular language.
The objective will be to go beyond the objects themselves and answer, in fine, the following questions: What do these objects tell us about the men and women who produced them, exchanged them, used them, and lived among them in antiquity? What do they also reveal about those who discovered them in Egypt, several millennia later, about those who collected them and sometimes traded them, and what does this say about the relations between Egypt and the Western countries over time?
The courses will be complemented by one visit to the JHAM and one visit to the Walters Art Museum; Dr. Aude Semat, curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) will also give a lecture about the Egyptian Collections at the MET.
×
A (Virtual) Visit to the Louvre Museum: Introduction to the Material Culture of Ancient Egypt AS.130.153 (01)
This course will present the Egyptological collections of the musée du Louvre in Paris, room by room, as in a real visit. From the Predynastic period, in the 4th millennium BC, to Roman time, the iconic “masterpieces” of this world-renowned art museum, as well as its little-known artifacts, will allow us to explore the history and material culture of ancient Egypt. We will also learn to observe, describe and analyze archaeological objects, in a global manner and without establishing a hierarchy between them, while questioning their place in the museum and its particular language.
The objective will be to go beyond the objects themselves and answer, in fine, the following questions: What do these objects tell us about the men and women who produced them, exchanged them, used them, and lived among them in antiquity? What do they also reveal about those who discovered them in Egypt, several millennia later, about those who collected them and sometimes traded them, and what does this say about the relations between Egypt and the Western countries over time?
The courses will be complemented by one visit to the JHAM and one visit to the Walters Art Museum; Dr. Aude Semat, curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) will also give a lecture about the Egyptian Collections at the MET.
Days/Times: MW 4:30PM - 5:45PM
Instructor: Arnette, Marie-Lys
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/15
PosTag(s): NEAS-ARTARC, ARCH-ARCH
AS.010.444 (01)
Classics/History of Art Research Lab
W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Stager, Jennifer M S
Greenhouse 000
Fall 2023
This research-driven course focuses on joining together and mapping the largest known corpus of mosaic fragments (1st-6th centuries CE) from the heterogenous ancient city of Antioch at the mouth of the Orontes river (modern Antakya, Turkey). These mosaic fragments have been dispersed to institutions and museums across the globe, and their reunifications tell a series of stories about ancient Mediterranean diversity, early 20th century archaeology, and contemporary collection histories. Building from work completed in Phase I (Spring 2020) and Phase II (Fall 2021) and in conversation with a global network of Antioch researchers, students in this course will continue to research and digitally reunite mosaic fragments, including those in the collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art, delve deeper into the archival record associated with the early 20th century excavations, of which Baltimore was among the sponsors, and explore contemporary object biographies of the corpus, part of which remains in the region devastated by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in Spring 2023. Our research will center questions of craft, trade, materials and labor in ancient Antioch, modern archaeological practice, and contemporary museums. No prerequisites required and students from all majors welcome.
×
Classics/History of Art Research Lab AS.010.444 (01)
This research-driven course focuses on joining together and mapping the largest known corpus of mosaic fragments (1st-6th centuries CE) from the heterogenous ancient city of Antioch at the mouth of the Orontes river (modern Antakya, Turkey). These mosaic fragments have been dispersed to institutions and museums across the globe, and their reunifications tell a series of stories about ancient Mediterranean diversity, early 20th century archaeology, and contemporary collection histories. Building from work completed in Phase I (Spring 2020) and Phase II (Fall 2021) and in conversation with a global network of Antioch researchers, students in this course will continue to research and digitally reunite mosaic fragments, including those in the collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art, delve deeper into the archival record associated with the early 20th century excavations, of which Baltimore was among the sponsors, and explore contemporary object biographies of the corpus, part of which remains in the region devastated by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in Spring 2023. Our research will center questions of craft, trade, materials and labor in ancient Antioch, modern archaeological practice, and contemporary museums. No prerequisites required and students from all majors welcome.
Days/Times: W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Stager, Jennifer M S
Room: Greenhouse 000
Status: Open
Seats Available: 3/12
PosTag(s): HART-ANC
AS.130.101 (01)
Ancient Middle Eastern Civilizations
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Schwartz, Glenn M
Shaffer 304
Fall 2023
Review of important issues in ancient Near Eastern history and culture from the Neolithic era to the Persian period. Included will be an examination of the Neolithic agricultural revolution, the emergence of cities, states and writing, and formation of empires. Cultures such as Sumer and Akkad, Egypt, the Hittites, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians will be discussed.
×
Ancient Middle Eastern Civilizations AS.130.101 (01)
Review of important issues in ancient Near Eastern history and culture from the Neolithic era to the Persian period. Included will be an examination of the Neolithic agricultural revolution, the emergence of cities, states and writing, and formation of empires. Cultures such as Sumer and Akkad, Egypt, the Hittites, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians will be discussed.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
Room: Shaffer 304
Status: Open
Seats Available: 18/30
PosTag(s): ARCH-ARCH
AS.130.216 (01)
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 301
Fall 2023
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
×
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789 AS.130.216 (01)
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
Days/Times: TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/19
PosTag(s): INST-GLOBAL
AS.130.250 (01)
Clapping Rivers, Talking Snakes: Nature in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Middle East
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Gilman 381
Fall 2023
How did ancient people relate to their environment—the animals, plants, landscapes, and weather with which they interacted? How have modern binary conceptions of ‘nature’ and ‘culture’ or ‘human’ and ‘animal’ influenced our interpretation of ancient texts (along with ancient societies)? What is “the zoological gaze?” This course will focus on these questions and more as it investigates conceptions of nature in the texts of the Hebrew Bible, as well as texts and material culture from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan). We will interrogate various interpretive lenses, including Posthumanism, Animal Studies, and Metaphor Theory, as we explore themes such as creation, nature and divinity, and animals in rituals, legal texts, and prophecies, among others. No previous familiarity with Hebrew language or the Hebrew Bible is needed.
×
Clapping Rivers, Talking Snakes: Nature in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Middle East AS.130.250 (01)
How did ancient people relate to their environment—the animals, plants, landscapes, and weather with which they interacted? How have modern binary conceptions of ‘nature’ and ‘culture’ or ‘human’ and ‘animal’ influenced our interpretation of ancient texts (along with ancient societies)? What is “the zoological gaze?” This course will focus on these questions and more as it investigates conceptions of nature in the texts of the Hebrew Bible, as well as texts and material culture from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan). We will interrogate various interpretive lenses, including Posthumanism, Animal Studies, and Metaphor Theory, as we explore themes such as creation, nature and divinity, and animals in rituals, legal texts, and prophecies, among others. No previous familiarity with Hebrew language or the Hebrew Bible is needed.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Room: Gilman 381
Status: Open
Seats Available: 7/15
PosTag(s): NEAS-HISCUL, ENVS-MAJOR, ARCH-RELATE
AS.130.314 (01)
Introduction To Middle Egyptian
MW 4:30PM - 5:45PM
Bryan, Betsy Morrell
MSE Library D1
Fall 2023
Introduction to the grammar and writing system of the classical language of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (ca. 2055-1650 B.C.). In the second semester, literary texts and royal inscriptions will be read. Course meets with AS.133.600.
×
Introduction To Middle Egyptian AS.130.314 (01)
Introduction to the grammar and writing system of the classical language of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (ca. 2055-1650 B.C.). In the second semester, literary texts and royal inscriptions will be read. Course meets with AS.133.600.
Days/Times: MW 4:30PM - 5:45PM
Instructor: Bryan, Betsy Morrell
Room: MSE Library D1
Status: Open
Seats Available: 2/6
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.338 (01)
The Talmud as Read in the Middle Ages: The Sugya of Kavod HaBriot (Human Dignity)
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 301
Fall 2023
In the early Middle Ages the Talmud emerged as the defining document of official Jewish religion and culture, and remained so until the dawn of the Modern Era. Jewish scholars in many different countries, and in a wide variety of cultural contexts, developed certain ways of reading, interpreting, and applying the Talmud. In the process, they produced an immense corpus of commentary and law. This course will examine how and why the Talmud was studied in these centuries by Jews who mined it, subject by subject, for emotional, philosophical, and legal meaning.
×
The Talmud as Read in the Middle Ages: The Sugya of Kavod HaBriot (Human Dignity) AS.130.338 (01)
In the early Middle Ages the Talmud emerged as the defining document of official Jewish religion and culture, and remained so until the dawn of the Modern Era. Jewish scholars in many different countries, and in a wide variety of cultural contexts, developed certain ways of reading, interpreting, and applying the Talmud. In the process, they produced an immense corpus of commentary and law. This course will examine how and why the Talmud was studied in these centuries by Jews who mined it, subject by subject, for emotional, philosophical, and legal meaning.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 11/19
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.346 (01)
Introduction to the History of Rabbinic Literature
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 301
Fall 2023
Broadly surveying classic rabbinic literature, including the Talmud and its commentaries, the legal codes and the response, this seminar explores the immanent as well as the external factors that shaped the development of this literature, the seminal role of this literature in Jewish self-definition and self-perception, and the role of this literature in pre-modern and modern Jewish culture.
×
Introduction to the History of Rabbinic Literature AS.130.346 (01)
Broadly surveying classic rabbinic literature, including the Talmud and its commentaries, the legal codes and the response, this seminar explores the immanent as well as the external factors that shaped the development of this literature, the seminal role of this literature in Jewish self-definition and self-perception, and the role of this literature in pre-modern and modern Jewish culture.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 9/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.440 (01)
Elementary Biblical Hebrew
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Mandell, Alice H
Hodson 203
Fall 2023
Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew.
×
Elementary Biblical Hebrew AS.130.440 (01)
Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
Room: Hodson 203
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.100.221 (01)
From Mass Conversion to Mass Incarceration: The History of the Uyghurs from the 10th Century to the Present Day
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Kind, Kevin William
Krieger 300
Fall 2023
This course offers an overview of the history of the Uyghur people from their conversion to Islam in the tenth century to the present-day human rights crisis in Xinjiang, China.
×
From Mass Conversion to Mass Incarceration: The History of the Uyghurs from the 10th Century to the Present Day AS.100.221 (01)
This course offers an overview of the history of the Uyghur people from their conversion to Islam in the tenth century to the present-day human rights crisis in Xinjiang, China.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Kind, Kevin William
Room: Krieger 300
Status: Open
Seats Available: 11/20
PosTag(s): HIST-ASIA, HIST-MIDEST, INST-GLOBAL
AS.130.442 (01)
Readings - Hebrew Prose
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Lewis, Ted
Gilman 130G
Fall 2023
Reading of biblical Hebrew prose, especially from the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
×
Readings - Hebrew Prose AS.130.442 (01)
Reading of biblical Hebrew prose, especially from the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Lewis, Ted
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.134.408 (01)
The Book of Ezekiel
Th 3:00PM - 5:30PM
Lewis, Ted
Gilman 130G
Fall 2023
A rapid reading course aimed at increasing proficiency in reading the Hebrew text of the book of Ezekiel. Various aspects of translation and interpretation will be studied (e.g., grammar,
textual criticism, Philology) including literary, historical, and theological questions.
×
The Book of Ezekiel AS.134.408 (01)
A rapid reading course aimed at increasing proficiency in reading the Hebrew text of the book of Ezekiel. Various aspects of translation and interpretation will be studied (e.g., grammar,
textual criticism, Philology) including literary, historical, and theological questions.
Days/Times: Th 3:00PM - 5:30PM
Instructor: Lewis, Ted
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/5
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.270.205 (01)
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Analysis
M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Chen, Xin
Krieger 108
Fall 2023
The course provides a broad introduction to the principles and practice of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related tools of Geospatial Analysis. Topics will include history of GIS, GIS data structures, data acquisition and merging, database management, spatial analysis, and GIS applications. In addition, students will get hands-on experience working with GIS software.
×
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Analysis AS.270.205 (01)
The course provides a broad introduction to the principles and practice of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related tools of Geospatial Analysis. Topics will include history of GIS, GIS data structures, data acquisition and merging, database management, spatial analysis, and GIS applications. In addition, students will get hands-on experience working with GIS software.
Days/Times: M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Chen, Xin
Room: Krieger 108
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/24
PosTag(s): ENVS-MINOR, ARCH-RELATE, ENVS-MAJOR
AS.136.101 (01)
Introduction To Archaeology
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Schwartz, Glenn M
Gilman 50
Spring 2024
An introduction to archaeology and to archaeological method and theory, exploring how archaeologists excavate, analyze, and interpret ancient remains in order to reconstruct how ancient societies functioned. Specific examples from a variety of archaeological projects in different parts of the world will be used to illustrate techniques and principles discussed.
×
Introduction To Archaeology AS.136.101 (01)
An introduction to archaeology and to archaeological method and theory, exploring how archaeologists excavate, analyze, and interpret ancient remains in order to reconstruct how ancient societies functioned. Specific examples from a variety of archaeological projects in different parts of the world will be used to illustrate techniques and principles discussed.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Schwartz, Glenn M
Room: Gilman 50
Status: Open
Seats Available: 10/40
PosTag(s): ARCH-ARCH
AS.360.111 (05)
SOUL: Sacred Manuscripts, Scholarly Methods - Hebrew Bible in Academic Study
M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
MSE Library D1
Spring 2024
"Hebrew Bible, Old Testament…what’s the difference? Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha—what are those? Why is LORD in all caps? Why do Bible translations differ? How do scholars study religious texts? This course will introduce students to the Hebrew Bible as a subject of scholarly inquiry and discuss its contexts, formation, history, and several current approaches to these texts. The Hebrew Bible has been studied across time and space for two millennia—and yet, scholars reach new insights still today. Beyond acting as a springboard into further academic study of the Hebrew Bible, this course will teach students necessary skills in research design that would be applicable across the broader humanities disciplines. Rather than completing a research project, students will workshop a research proposal utilizing the background, resources, and scholarly approaches we cover in class.
No previous familiarity with Hebrew language or the Hebrew Bible is needed. This course has no prerequisites and is open to all students and majors, but it may be especially interesting to first-year and second-year students considering/pursuing majors in Near Eastern Studies, Jewish Studies, or other humanities departments, or to any students who wish to learn about the academic study of both religion and ancient textual witnesses. No book purchases are required."
×
SOUL: Sacred Manuscripts, Scholarly Methods - Hebrew Bible in Academic Study AS.360.111 (05)
"Hebrew Bible, Old Testament…what’s the difference? Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha—what are those? Why is LORD in all caps? Why do Bible translations differ? How do scholars study religious texts? This course will introduce students to the Hebrew Bible as a subject of scholarly inquiry and discuss its contexts, formation, history, and several current approaches to these texts. The Hebrew Bible has been studied across time and space for two millennia—and yet, scholars reach new insights still today. Beyond acting as a springboard into further academic study of the Hebrew Bible, this course will teach students necessary skills in research design that would be applicable across the broader humanities disciplines. Rather than completing a research project, students will workshop a research proposal utilizing the background, resources, and scholarly approaches we cover in class.
No previous familiarity with Hebrew language or the Hebrew Bible is needed. This course has no prerequisites and is open to all students and majors, but it may be especially interesting to first-year and second-year students considering/pursuing majors in Near Eastern Studies, Jewish Studies, or other humanities departments, or to any students who wish to learn about the academic study of both religion and ancient textual witnesses. No book purchases are required."
Days/Times: M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Room: MSE Library D1
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center Library
Fall 2023
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
×
Elementary Modern Hebrew AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/15
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.360.111 (15)
SOUL: Curatorial Confessions - The Secret Lives of Ancient Art in Baltimore Museums
Th 5:30PM - 8:00PM
Shippelhoute, Karlene Dee Ann
Gilman 130G
Spring 2024
"Baltimore museums house over 15,000 objects from the Ancient Near East and North Africa. How did these ancient objects arrive in Charm City? What can their stories teach us about ethics and curatorial practices in the past, present, and future? Increasingly the public, academics, and foreign stakeholders have been advocating for more institutional transparency of museum collections, with a particular focus on museums and social justice. This course offers students an opportunity to engage with ongoing debates between archaeologists, museums, cultural heritage experts, and social justice advocates, while gaining archival research and critical thinking skills.
The course will consist of seminar-style discussions hosted in several Baltimore museums with guided tours of select objects and collections in the Walters Art Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum. During these museum visits we focus on two main goals: introducing the art of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Africa and learning to untangle the complex histories associated with these objects' arrival into Baltimore Museum collections."
×
SOUL: Curatorial Confessions - The Secret Lives of Ancient Art in Baltimore Museums AS.360.111 (15)
"Baltimore museums house over 15,000 objects from the Ancient Near East and North Africa. How did these ancient objects arrive in Charm City? What can their stories teach us about ethics and curatorial practices in the past, present, and future? Increasingly the public, academics, and foreign stakeholders have been advocating for more institutional transparency of museum collections, with a particular focus on museums and social justice. This course offers students an opportunity to engage with ongoing debates between archaeologists, museums, cultural heritage experts, and social justice advocates, while gaining archival research and critical thinking skills.
The course will consist of seminar-style discussions hosted in several Baltimore museums with guided tours of select objects and collections in the Walters Art Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum. During these museum visits we focus on two main goals: introducing the art of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Africa and learning to untangle the complex histories associated with these objects' arrival into Baltimore Museum collections."
Days/Times: Th 5:30PM - 8:00PM
Instructor: Shippelhoute, Karlene Dee Ann
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Waitlist Only
Seats Available: 0/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.121 (01)
Modern Hebrew for Beginners II
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Scott, Cameron David
Smokler Center 214
Fall 2023
Hebrew for Beginners 106 is a continuation of Hebrew 105 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons as well.
×
Modern Hebrew for Beginners II AS.210.121 (01)
Hebrew for Beginners 106 is a continuation of Hebrew 105 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons as well.