Download ba_anes_Course Bkgrnd_FR rev_June 20

THE FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF O XFORD
THE FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES
B.A. in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies:
Ancient Near Eastern Studies Route
The Ancient Near Eastern Studies route in the B.A. in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies is a
three-year course covering the principal aspects of the Akkadian language, as well as the history and
material culture of Mesopotamia and neighbouring areas. The course ranges from the fourth
millennium BC to the last datable cuneiform tablet in the first century AD. The broad scope and
flexibility of the course allow specialization in areas of particular interest. While the core of the teaching
is in language and texts, the objective is to use written sources to illuminate the civilization as a whole,
and history, culture, and archaeology are integral to the course. A diverse range of second subjects
gives students the opportunity to develop their interests in related areas.
About Akkadian
What type of language is it?
Akkadian is a Semitic language in the Afroasiatic
Where was it spoken?
language family. Other Semitic languages
Akkadian was the principal language of ancient
include Arabic, Aramaic, and Hebrew. Akkadian
Mesopotamia (approximately corresponding to
is the principal member of the East Semitic
modern Iraq). It was mainly spoken by the
group. The structure of Akkadian is similar to
Assyrians in the north and the Babylonians in the
Arabic but the range of consonants is simpler.
south and survived as a written language until
Sumerian, an early isolate language of
the 1st century AD. Akkadian was an
Mesopotamia, influenced Akkadian resulting in
international diplomatic language in the Late
distinctive features. Akkadian varied over its
Bronze Age, spanning an area from modern
long history and across the wide area where it
Turkey to Egypt and Iran.
was used. Assyrian and Babylonian were the
main spoken dialects.
What is its history?
The cuneiform script used to write Akkadian
How is it written?
developed from a writing system first attested in
Akkadian was written in cuneiform (wedge-
the area in c. 3300 BC. Akkadian is the world’s
shaped) script, which developed from a pictorial
oldest written Semitic language and the first
forerunner. This script system was used to write
connected texts date from c. 2400 BC. The
Sumerian, an isolate language, before it was
Assyrian and Babylonian dialects of Akkadian
adapted to write Akkadian. Most cuneiform texts
developed in the second and first millennia BC.
were written with a reed stylus on clay tablets
Texts including the Epic of Gilgamesh were
but other media include stone, metal, and waxed
written in a literary dialect, Standard Babylonian.
writing boards. The script system combines
Peripheral Akkadian texts from Turkey to Egypt
syllabograms (signs for syllables), logograms
display local influences. In the latter half of the
(signs for words), and determinatives
first millennium BC Akkadian was replaced by
(classifiers, e.g. for place names and birds).
Aramaic as a spoken language but it continued
Consonants and vowels were indicated but the
to be written until the 1st century AD.
pronunciation is reconstructed.
1
THE FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF O XFORD
What is written in Akkadian?
An expanding field
There is an exceptionally rich textual record for
such an early period of history. Types of texts
The study of the ancient Near East through
include:
texts, material culture, and archaeology is a
Literature, e.g. Epic of Gilgamesh, Babylonian
dynamic and constantly evolving research area.
Epic of Creation, Ishtar’s Descent to the
Since the dramatic excavations and
Underworld, hymns, prayers, incantations,
decipherment of Akkadian and Sumerian in the
wisdom literature.
nineteenth century AD, the field has advanced
Historiographical texts, e.g. royal inscriptions,
and diversified into a range of modern scholarly
including annals of Sennacherib and
disciplines and approaches. Much remains to be
Ashurbanipal, chronicles of Babylonia under its
discovered about Mesopotamian civilization and
kings Nebuchadnezzar and Nabonidus.
tens of thousands of cuneiform tablets in the
Collections of laws, e.g. Laws of Hammurapi.
world's museums await study and publication.
Letters, private and royal, e.g. correspondence
of Babylonian and Assyrian kings with the
Modern Interest
Egyptian kings Amenhotep III and IV.
Legal and economic texts, e.g. divorce
Interest in the past and its cultural heritage have
settlements, adoptions, house sales, accounts.
an important role to play in the modern Middle
Religious and scholarly texts, e.g. ritual
East. Ancient influence can be seen in many
descriptions, witchcraft texts, omen collections,
facets of modern life, including architecture and
liver divination, astronomical and mathematical
literature. Ancient Iraq, often termed the cradle
texts, lexical lists, medical treatments.
of civilization, attracts widespread interest
because of its formative role in world history.
Unique Resources
Museum collections across the world include
ancient Near Eastern artefacts. The area is
The Ashmolean Museum is an exceptional
studied in a wide range of countries and there is
resource for the study of ancient Near Eastern
a vibrant international community of scholars.
material culture. Students are encouraged to
make use of its important collections of
Employment prospects
cuneiform tablets and other ancient Near Eastern
artefacts. During the second or third year
Ancient Near Eastern Studies involves a wide
students attend classes in the museum that are
range of skills and offers similar employment
designed to develop skills in working directly
prospects to other subjects in the humanities.
with a wide range of objects from the ancient
Graduates with this degree enter many different
Near East. Students have undertaken volunteer
careers, from marketing and banking to teaching
work experience in the Museum during their
and government service. A few students
degrees.
continue at graduate level with a view to
becoming professional ancient Near Eastern
The Griffith Institute at the University of Oxford
scholars in universities or museums. The number
houses the world’s most extensive archive of
of such positions is naturally limited, but general
Egyptological papers and records and also holds
employers welcome people with graduate as well
papers and records relating to the ancient Near
as undergraduate qualifications.
East. The Keeper of the Archive is Jaromir Malek.
The Griffith Institute publishes academic
Study abroad
research in both fields and is an international
academic hub.
Ancient Near Eastern Studies does not include a
2
THE FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF O XFORD
compulsory period abroad, but students are
Seton Lloyd, The archaeology of Mesopotamia:
encouraged to visit the Middle East and take part
from the Old Stone Age to the Persian Conquest,
in archaeological work. Currently it is not
rev. ed. London: Thames and Hudson, 1984.
possible to visit Iraq but recent opportunities
Useful introductory survey.
have included joining an excavation in Turkey.
Colleges often provide financial assistance for
Marc Van De Mieroop, History of the ancient
travel. Fieldwork in the UK or abroad is a
Near East, ca. 3000-323 BC, 2nd ed. Malden and
compulsory part of the Archaeology and
Oxford: Blackwell, 2007. Accessible overview of
Anthropology option.
the history of the region, good starting point.
Suggested General Reading
J. Nicholas Postgate, Early Mesopotamia: society
and economy at the dawn of history. London:
Jeremy Black and Anthony Green, Gods, demons
Routledge 1994. Great introduction to life in
and symbols of ancient Mesopotamia, 2nd ed.
ancient Iraq c. 3000-1500 BC.
London: British Museum Press 1998. Concise
reference guide to Mesopotamian religion.
Julian Reade, Mesopotamia, 2nd ed. London:
British Museum Press 2000. Well-illustrated
Dominique Collon, Ancient Near Eastern Art.
overview of material culture until 1500 BC.
London: British Museum Press 1995. Broad,
well-illustrated survey and a good introduction.
Julian Reade, Assyrian sculpture, 2nd ed.
London: British Museum Press 1998. Well-
Stephanie Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia:
illustrated introduction to Assyrian reliefs.
Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh and others, rev.
ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2000.
Michael Roaf, Cultural atlas of Mesopotamia and
Akkadian myths in English, good starting point.
the Near East. New York: Facts on File 1990.
Stimulating, well-illustrated survey of the area’s
Benjamin R. Foster, Before the Muses: an
history and culture from prehistory to c. 330 BC.
anthology of Akkadian literature, 3rd ed.
Bethesda: CDL Press 2005. Wonderful, wide
Christopher B.F. Walker, Cuneiform (Reading the
range of literature in English for further study.
Past), London: British Museum Press 1987.
Superb concise introduction to cuneiform script.
Andrew R. George, The epic of Gilgamesh: the
Babylonian epic poem and other texts in
Websites on the ancient Near East include:
Akkadian and Sumerian, rev. ed. London:
Penguin 2003. Superb English translation of the
ABZU, University of Chicago. Excellent gateway
masterpiece of Akkadian literature.
to a multitude of ancient Near Eastern sites.
Thorkild Jacobsen, The treasures of darkness: a
Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative, UCLA. Digital
history of Mesopotamian religion. New Haven:
images of cuneiform tablets and more.
Yale University Press 1976. Introduction to
Mesopotamian religion with a Sumerian focus.
Department of the Middle East, British Museum.
Superb website with many images in Highlights.
Mogens Trolle Larsen, The conquest of Assyria:
excavations in an antique land, 1840-1860.
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature,
London: Routledge 1996. Illuminating account of
University of Oxford. Editions of Sumerian
early travellers and excavators.
literature, including English translations.
3
THE FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF O XFORD
4