C IV 490: Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age

Instructor:                                  Office Hours:
W.E Hutton                                   MW 10-11 a.m.
Morton 326                                   TR 3:30 - 4:30
221-2993                                and by appointment.
wehutt@facstaff.wm.edu
http://www.wm.edu/CAS/classical_studies/wehutt

Time and Place of Class: M-W 3:00 - 4:20 p.m.   Morton 340

Required Text:
O.T.P.K. Dickinson, The Aegean Bronze Age

Course Description:
An overview of the development of civilizations in the Aegean area (including Mainland Greece, the Aegean
islands, Crete and western Anatolia) during the Bronze Age.  We will be considering a broad range of topics,
encompassing artifacts, sites, trends, controversies and the evidence and methods used by archaeologists to
approach them.

Components of your Grade:
     Class participation:               10%
     Research report                    10%
     Midterm Exam                  10%
     Class presentation            25%
     Term Paper:                   35%
     Final Exam (take-home):       10%


     Class Participation: Active participation is welcome and expected from all students in each class
session.  Poor attendance will affect this part of your grade negatively.  Research report: a brief written
report of the results of original research on topics introduced in class.  Class presentation: Each student will be
called on to lead a class period focusing on an individual site or problem in Aegean archaeology.   Term Paper: 
A substantial work (15-20 pp.) reflecting independent research into a specific site or problem.  The topic must
be approved by the instructor by the date given below, and may be the same as the student's class presentation.
Exams will be less threatening than the sort of exam you are used to.  They will be brief, and the format will be
mostly short-answer.  The Final exam will be of the take-home variety.  
     
     Your overall grade will be calculated on a percentage basis and  converted to a letter grade at the end of
the semester.  The conversion will operate as follows: 93-100% = A; 89 - 92% = A-; 85-88% = B+; 81-84% =
B; 78 - 80% = B-; 74-77% = C+; 70 - 73% = C; 66 - 69% = C-; 61-64% = D+ ; 57 - 60 = D; 53 - 56 = D-;
below 53% = F
     
Important Dates:
     WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8: Midterm Exam
     WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8: Deadline for choosing Class Presentation topic
     MONDAY, OCTOBER 20: Deadline for approval of term-paper topic
     WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3: Research Report Due
     MONDAY, DECEMBER 8: Term Papers Due
     THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18: Finals Due

Policy on Unusual Circumstances:
No make-ups or special arrangements for quizzes, assignments and exams will be granted without verifiable
evidence of severe personal affliction.  If circumstances prevent you from meeting deadlines, or writing tests or
quizzes, you must notify me of your situation within 48 hours of the deadline or the test/quiz, otherwise no
special arrangements will be made.

If I have not arrived at the classroom by ten minutes past the starting-time of the class, you may assume that
class is cancelled. 

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE:
This schedule is subject to change, so find some way to keep abreast of things if you can't make it to class. 
Changes will be posted to the class web page as soon as possible.  Reading assignments given here are the least
that will be required.  Additional assignments WILL be made in class.  Reading assignments are to be
completed BEFORE the class for which they are scheduled.

ABBREVIATION: ABA = Dickinson, Aegean Bronze Age

Aug  27   Introduction

PART I: Contexts of Aegean Civilization:

Sept 1    Basic concepts and methods; ABA, Intro., Ch. 1
     3    Geography and Ecology of The Aegean; ABA Ch 2.

     8    Pre-Bronze Age settlements; ABA Ch 3

Part II: Overview of Bronze Age Civilizations:

     10   The Major Civilizations; Patterns of Settlement and Economy; ABA Ch 4

     15   Architecture; ABA Ch 5
     17   Ceramics

     22   Metalworking and Decorative Arts
     24   Burial Customs & Mortuary artifacts; ABA Ch 6

     29   Contact and Trade; ABA Ch 7

Oct. 1    Religion; ABA Ch 8

     6    Bronze Age Society; Review
     8    MIDTERM EXAM
          DEADLINE for deciding on Class Presentation topic
 
     13   Fall Break, no class

Part III: Research Projects

     15   Linear B
     
     20   Research Assignments
          DEADLINE for approval of term paper topic (if different from class
          presentation)  

Part IV: Sites (includes student presentations):

     In seven sessions (Oct 22 to Nov 12) One individual site (or set of smaller sites)
     will be discussed in each session.  Sites to be discussed may include, among others,
     Troy, Lerna, Knossos, Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, Thebes.

Nov.      17   Progress report on research assignments

Part V: Problems and Controversies (includes student presentations):

     In five sessions (Nov. 19 to Dec. 3), each class will be devoted to a problem
     or controversy in Aegean studies.  Topics include: Chronology; The Destruction of Knossos,
     Contacts and Influence from the Near East & Egypt; The Destruction of the Mycenaean
     Palace sites; Homer and the Monuments; the Survival of Bronze Age Institutions.

Dec.      3 {Last day of Class} Research Reports due; Take-home Final handed out.

Dec.      8 {First Monday after Classes} Term Papers due.

Dec.      18: Take-home finals due