FF:PAPVB_30 Archaeology and Religion - Course Information

PAPVB_30 Archaeology and Religion

The course is not taught in Spring 2023

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).

Teacher(s)

Dr. Stefano Valentini (lecturer), Mgr. Inna Mateiciucová, Ph.D. (deputy)

Guaranteed by

doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

Religion is based on a combined system of beliefs and practices that allows people to answer fundamental questions regarding human life (e.g., Who are we? Where are we coming from? Is there any life after death?). The creation of a direct link between practices and beliefs is even more evident in ancient societies where the construction of large religious structures (the temple) appears to be pivotal in the evolution of mankind.

This course aims at following these foregrounds using archaeological and anthropological data and historical sources to understand the evolution of religious beliefs and practices in the Old world. In so doing, the course will foresee what archaeology can tell us about religion and, more specifically, in defining theoretical and methodological answers to general questions, in understanding how architecture was used by ancient societies in creating their cosmological landscape.

Moreover, the course will explain all the questions regarding the role of religious beliefs and practices through a coherent analysis of the archaeological remains of ancient religious material culture from prehistoric societies until the beginning of the classical period using archeological evidences of religious beliefs and practices in particular across the Mediterranean and the Ancient Near East.

The course will be thus divided into an initial section dedicated to theoretical, methodological and anthropological issues related to the study of religious thoughts, whereas the second part will be dedicated to a direct analysis of ancient religious architectures, and other examples of material culture, as the ritual objects, that will contribute to a better understanding of the theoretical themes and topics encountered in the first part.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students should be able to demonstrate:

• general knowledge of the key concepts drawn from anthropology that archaeologists use to help define and explain past religions and rituals.
• capacity to find common ground between archeological methods and theories of religious and cultural interpretation.
• concrete knowledge of the methodologies and sources used to interpret evidence of religious belief and practices, and to clarify relationships between material contexts and rituals, cults and religious traditions.
• familiarity with some case studies from different periods and areas of study, which illustrate religion and ritual.

Syllabus

• The contents of individual classes may be changed throughout the course or readjusted according to the class's progress. Students will be notified of changes at least one week before the course begins.
• 1. Introduction
• - Introduction to the theme.
• - Problem of defining and theorizing Religion, Ritual and Cult in archaeology.
• - History of research: Antiquarian, evolutionary, and early archaeological approaches until the “New Archaeology”; Contemporary approaches: postprocessual approaches and cognitive processualism.
• 2. Theory and Method
• - Basic genres of ritual activities: Rites of passage; Calendrical Rites; Rites of Exchange and Communion; Rites of Affliction; Feasting, Fasting, and Festivals.
• - The beginning of the Archaeology of Cult
• 3. Sources for the study of the Archaeology of Religion
• - Ritual Objects.
• - The “Architectural Language” of Sacred Space I: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary space; Principles of Organization.
• - The “Architectural Language” of Sacred Space II: Orientation and Alignment; Scale and Proportion).
• 4. The World of the Shaman (1st case study)
• - Rituals in Cave: Art, Mythology and Religion of the complex paintings of the Deer Cave of Porto Badisco (Apulia, Italy).
• 5. “Architecture” of Religion (2nd case study)
• - From Cave to Village: the oldest human-made places of worship.
• - Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic Anatolia: Cult Buildings and Ceremonial centre at Göbekli, Nevalı Çorı and Çatalhöyük.
• 6. “Architecture” of Religion (3rd case study)
• - Sacred Mountains and Houses of Eternity: Ziqqurats and Temple in Mesopotamia.
• 7. “Architecture” of Religion (4th case study)
• - Small scale Temples. A rural approach to the complex Ancient Near Eastern religious architecture.
• - Sacred Spaces in Upper Mesopotamia during the Early Bronze Age (3000-2500 B.C.).
• - Ceremonial Places in East Anatolia during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 B.C.)
• 8. Archaeology of Cult and Death
• - Contextualized analysis of the archaeological remains of architecture, furnishings and death cult.

Literature

recommended literature
• S. R. Steadman 2009. Archaeology of Religion. Cultures and their Beliefs in Worldwide Context. Walnut Creek (California): Left Coast Press
• E. Kyriakidis (ed.), 2007. The Archaeology of Ritual. Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute Publications.
• The Oxford handbook of the archaeology of ritual and religion. Edited by Timothy Insoll. First published. Oxford: Oxford University Press. xxvi, 1108. ISBN 9780198858058. 2011. info

Teaching methods

Teaching methods include: lectures, In-class discussion and group activities, and to a lesser extent seminars. Preparation through assigned readings, and participation in class, are essential elements of the course and will impact on the Final Grade.

Assessment methods

Participation/Discussion: the active interest in the subject matter, the intensity of individual research and reading, the quality of discussion and question/answer sessions will be evaluated throughout the entire course. Such relevance can only be assured through intense and regular pre-reading activity, study and research.

Research Papers: students will have to complete 1 written assigned research paper containing a minimum of 1.000 words. The paper will have to be handed before the exam. In the paper students can also discuss one of the case studies examined in class. Papers must follow standards for college research papers in terms of format, citation system, and so forth; further instructions will be dispensed during the lessons.

Final Exam (written): list of essay questions based on reading assignments, and in-class lectures.

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: in blocks.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2023, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2023/PAPVB_30