Department website: http://neareast.jhu.edu/
The Department of Near Eastern Studies offers programs in four main areas: Egyptology, Assyriology, Northwest Semitic languages and literatures (including the Hebrew Bible), and Near Eastern Archaeology and art. The department approaches Near Eastern civilizations primarily through their own records, and language study is therefore an important part of the curriculum. However, many undergraduate courses require no knowledge of foreign languages and any interested student may take them.
Facilities
The University’s Milton S. Eisenhower Library contains an outstanding collection of books and journals in the branches of Near Eastern studies pursued by the department. The Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum has a collection of Near Eastern antiquities, including excellent study collections of Egyptian artifacts and Palestinian pottery. The Baltimore-Washington area is especially rich in library and museum facilities. Of special interest to students of the Near East are the Walters Art Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Library of Congress.
For current course information and registration go to https://sis.jhu.edu/classes/
Courses
AS.130.101. Ancient Middle Eastern Civilizations. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Democracy (FA4.1)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.119. Medicine in Ancient Egypt. 3 Credits.
A survey of medicine and medical practice in Egypt and, to a much lesser extent, the ancient Near East in general. The abundant sources range from magical spells to surprisingly "scientific" treatises and handbooks. Readings are mainly selected from translations of primary sources in the writings of ancient Egypt. Topics will include the sources of our knowledge; the nature and position of medical practitioners, medical treatment, and surgery; beliefs about disease and the etiology of illness; concepts of contagion and ritual purity.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.126. Gods and Monsters in Ancient Egypt. 3 Credits.
A basic introduction to Egyptian Religion, with a special focus on the nature of the gods and how humans interact with them. We will devote particular time to the Book of the Dead and to the "magical" aspects of religion designed for protective purposes.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.136. History of Hasidism. 3 Credits.
Although it appears to be a relic of pre-modern Judaism, Hasidism is a phenomenon of the modern era of Jewish history. This course surveys the political and social history of the Hasidic movement over the course of the last three centuries. Students will also explore basic features of Hasidic culture and thought in their historical development. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.153. A (Virtual) Visit to the Louvre Museum: Introduction to the Material Culture of Ancient Egypt. 3 Credits.
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?
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.130.154. Giving Birth and Coming to Life in Ancient Egypt: The Tree and the Fruit. 3 Credits.
Childbirth is an event that is highly cultural, and is accompanied by gestures and beliefs that say a lot about the society in which they can be observed. This class will be based on Ancient Egyptian texts (translated), images and objects related to beliefs and practices surrounding pregnancy, birth-giving and the first moments of human life. We will discover the Egyptian views on procreation, the objects, the spells and the formulas used to protect pregnancy and childbirth – one of the most dangerous moments in a woman’s life –, the divine entities invoked, the reactions caused by non-ordinary births (for example, twins), and the purification rites that punctuate the post-partum period. Finally, we will see that the first biological birth is a model on which many beliefs about life after death are based. Several guest researchers will present birth and childbirth in other ancient societies in order to broaden the discussion and establish comparisons.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.155. Sacred Signs: The History and Mystery of Egyptian Hieroglyphs. 3 Credits.
Everybody has heard of the hieroglyphs, but few know much about them. In this class we will begin by learning how the hieroglyphic writing system works. We will then think about the role that hieroglyphs and writing itself plays in Ancient Egypt. Knowledge of the hieroglyphs died out about 450 CE, but Renaissance and Early Modern scholars were still intensely interested in them. Why? Progress in true decipherment began about 1800 CE, the time of Napoleon. We will devote time to the fascinating story of the brilliant scholars (e.g., Champollion) who competed for the honor of decipherment and the different theories which they offered. No prior knowledge of Ancient Egypt or the Ancient Egyptian Language required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.156. It's Pharaonic Egypt, hon! Intro to Anc Egyptian Culture, Society & Art at the Walters Art Museum. 3 Credits.
The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore is home to one of the finest collections of Egyptian art in the United States. This course will provide an introduction to the culture and society of pharaonic Egypt and ancient Egyptian art based upon this collection. Most of the sessions will take place in the museum’s galleries, in front of the objects.The course will be divided into thematic sessions: Living in Ancient Egypt; Believing and Worshipping; Writing and Creating Art; Dying in Ancient Egypt. One session will also be devoted to the history of the Walters Art Museum and its Egyptian department, with a “behind-the-scenes experience” provided by the museum's curators.The goal of this course is not only to provide a general introduction to ancient Egypt to the students, but also to educate them in the observation, description, and analysis of ancient art and daily life objects. In this way, students will be able to place them in a broader context and understand how objects and artworks contribute to our knowledge and understanding of societies of the past.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
AS.130.177. World Prehistory: An Anthropological Perspective. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.202. Ancient Mythology. 3 Credits.
This course explores the mythology of the ancient Near East from the invention of writing in Sumer in 3000 B.C. until the conquest of Alexander the Great near the end of the first millennium B.C. Mythological texts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, the Levant, and the Bible will be read from a comparative perspective. Special attention is paid to the origin and development of the epic, culminating in the great Epic of Gilgamesh, but considerable time is also given to the vast mythological and historical literature, and such diverse genres as love poetry, proverbs, humorous dialogues, Omens, and legal and medical texts. All readings are in English translation.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.207. Covenant, Crown, and Conquest: The Making and Breaking of Kings in the Ancient Middle East. 3 Credits.
This undergraduate course will examine how kingship was imagined, performed, and ultimately undone across the ancient Middle East. Students will use a range of ancient sources including royal inscriptions, material culture, and biblical texts to explore how ancient rulers constructed authority and how those claims to power were challenged by resistance and rebellion. The course also traces the afterlives of ancient kings in the modern world, addressing the destruction and preservation of cultural heritage, the global antiquities market, and debates surrounding museum acquisition and repatriation. No prior knowledge of the ancient world is required—just a curiosity about power, ancient politics, and how authority was built (and broken).
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.209. Ancient Economies. 3 Credits.
Humans have recorded economic transactions since the invention of writing, but only recently have historians, text specialists, and social theorists joined forces to ask: can modern economic models explain ancient interactions? What roles did political and legal institutions play in shaping economic life? How did early records reflect trade, contracts, and the emergence of credit markets? What norms ensured trust, and how were scribes trained to document disputes and inheritance? This course explores these questions through case studies from Mesopotamia, Anatolia, the Biblical world, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. We’ll examine ancient documents alongside social theory, digital tools, and hands-on activities. Topics include trade, taxation, entrepreneurship, and the broader debate over applying modern theories to ancient economies.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.214. The Origins of Civilization: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. 3 Credits.
One of the most significant transformations in human history was the “urban revolution” in which cities, writing, kingdoms, and social classes formed for the first time. In this course, we compare five areas where this development occurred: China, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, Egypt, and Mesoamerica (Mexico/Guatemala/Honduras/Belize). In each region, we review the archaeological and textual evidence and consider how and why these complex societies emerged – and, often, failed. We will also consider the concept of “civilization” and how it has been used (and abused) in the contemporary world.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4),
Democracy (FA4.1),
Ethics and Foundations (FA5)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.216. History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789. 3 Credits.
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval and Early Modern eras.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.247. Digging for Legitimacy Archaeology, Museums, and Ideology. 3 Credits.
Archaeology was born out of Western Colonial endeavors into Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. Large scale excavations conducted by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States resulted in the removal and transfer of valuable (culturally and monetarily) material culture from local stewards and stakeholders to the West. To this day the discipline of archaeology is still saddled by its colonial past and the Hollywood interpretation of archaeologists as saviors of ancient treasures. Today, most interaction between people and ancient objects is facilitated via the museum. In this course we will explore 19th- 21st century archaeological and museum practices and the role they play in modern narratives of identity and representation in the America and the Middle East. Students will engage with the historical, legal, economic, and ethical implications of archaeology and analyze how political, religious, cultural, and academic institutions have leveraged archaeology and cultural artifacts to reify and legitimize their pursuits and ideologies.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.130.271. Scribes, Scribal Education, and Literacy in the Ancient Middle East. 3 Credits.
In the ancient Middle East, the term “scribe” refers to individuals skilled in writing cuneiform, the writing system developed in Mesopotamia. Their intellectual work, preserved primarily on clay tablets, is associated with various aspects of society, including politics, administration, trade, law, religion and culture. This course will introduce students to the core subjects that junior scribes learned to read and write in school. We will also explore scribes’ diverse roles within specific social and historical contexts and understand how these skilled writers engaged in social activities and preserved and shaped their past.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.300. History of Ancient Mesopotamia. 3 Credits.
A survey of the history of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.301. History of Ancient Syria-Palestine. 3 Credits.
A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Canaan, including Ancient Israel.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.302. History: Ancient Syria-Palestine II. 3 Credits.
A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Cannan, including ancient Israel. Taught with AS.134.661. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.314. Introduction To Middle Egyptian. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.315. Introduction To Middle Egyptian. 3 Credits.
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.133.601.
Prerequisite(s): AS.130.314
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.317. Akhenaten, Nefertiti and the Armana Period. 3 Credits.
This course examines the visual expressions of the revolutionary pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti. The artistic changes that this reign introduced will be discussed through art historical, religious, political, and sociological lenses. Who was the king's sole god Aten and how did he and his visual appearance impact Egypt and the ancient world 1350 to 1330 BCE?
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.338. The Talmud as Read in the Middle Ages: The Sugya of Kavod HaBriot (Human Dignity). 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4),
Ethics and Foundations (FA5)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.339. Archaeological Sciences: An Introduction to the Principles and Applications of Archaeometry. 3 Credits.
Over the past 50 years, archaeological science (or Archaeometry) has become an increasingly important subfield within the wider discipline of anthropological archaeology. Analytical approaches to archaeological materials including ceramic, stone, metal, bone, and plant remains have proven to be vital in archaeologists’ pursuit of piecing together the human past. This course is designed to familiarize students with the foundational principles of archaeological sciences including dating techniques, conservation sciences, and materials science approaches to artifact studies including optical petrography, X-ray fluorescence, mass spectrometry, stable isotope geochemistry, neutron activation analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Students will learn the fundamental science behind archaeometric techniques and their applications to anthropological and historical questions. Students will also obtain hands-on laboratory experience through required labs and an optional final project.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.346. Introduction to the History of Rabbinic Literature. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.348. Survey Jewish History as Relected in Responsa Literature: How Immutable Judaism Wrestles with Change. 3 Credits.
How does a religious system which defines its ancient laws as God-given and unchangeable apply them to radically different and changing social, political and intellectual situations? This course explores the literature of "Questions and Answers"(She'elot u-Teshuvot), the Jewish legal responsa which have struggled to match Jewish religious law to modern life for fifteen centuries. A sweeping survey of Jewish history as revealed by one of its most impenetrable yet fascinating sources.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.352. History of Hasidism. 3 Credits.
Although it appears to be a relic of pre-modern Judaism, Hasidism is a phenomenon of the modern era of Jewish history. This course surveys the political and social history of the Hasidic movement over the course of the last three centuries. Students will also explore basic features of Hasidic culture and thought in their historical development. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
AS.130.354. Archaeological Method and Theory. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.357. Geographic Information Systems in Archaeology. 3 Credits.
Applications of GIS in archaeology have recently expanded dramatically and GIS has now become an indispensable 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.131.657.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Natural Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.364. Archaeology of Arabia. 3 Credits.
This course examines the archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula from the earliest Paleolithic in the region (ca. 1.5 million years ago) through the first millennium of the Islamic era (ca. AD 1600). We will review basic geology and environmental conditions, examine the development of animal herding and crop cultivating lifeways, and study the rise of ancient complex societies and civilizations.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.366. Reading Talmud Pre-Modern Jewish Culture: Marital Abuse/Marriage Annulment Post-Talmudic Rabbinic Li. 3 Credits.
The evolution of Talmudic thinking resulted in laws which made marriage too easy, divorce too difficult. This generated centuries of attempts to grapple with the consequences of this conundrum in real-life situations. This course analyzes the literature produced by these attempts. Students will read texts in original Hebrew. Knowledge of Hebrew required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.369. Law in the Ancient Middle East. 3 Credits.
The Middle East offers the earliest and most abundant source material for reconstructing ancient legal systems. From stone monuments like the Code of Hammurabi to clay tablets the size of postage stamps, the cuneiform record provides a window into not just legal thought but actual legal practice in the ancient Middle East. Surveying a span of more than two thousand years, we will explore the law in both its deep structure and its regional and temporal diversity. Specific topics will include homicide and personal injury law, family law, the legal status of women, codes and codification, and ancient Israelite law in its Middle Eastern context. No background is required and all texts are read in translation, but every enrolled student is expected to actively participate in this seminar-style course.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4),
Ethics and Foundations (FA5)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.381. Elementary Akkadian. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language. Co-listed with AS.132.600
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
AS.130.382. History of Mesopotamia II. 3 Credits.
A survey of the history of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.383. Elementary Akkadian II. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the paleography, grammar, and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.Continues AS.130.381
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
AS.130.388. Elementary Sumerian. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Sumerian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.
Prerequisite(s): Students who are currently enrolled in, or have already completed AS.132.700, are not eligible to take AS.130.388
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
AS.130.396. Readings in a Talmudic Sugya ("Zonah" and "Lav"-Struggling to Define Prohibited Sexual Relationships in pre-Modern Jewish Thought). 3 Credits.
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. The problem was that the texts were not easily understandable, and the norms unclear. In premodern times, certain literary-approaches evolved which were taken by contemporaries as yielding significant meaning. Among the most interesting of these was the broad-sugya. In this course, students will follow the reasoning-process of a broad-sugya as they read a guided-series of passages and commentaries located throughout the Babylonian Talmud on the subject of the valence of human-life. All readings will be in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.Ability to read Hebrew and Aramaic required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.420. Research Methods: Arts of the Mesopotamian World: Crafters & Consumers. 3 Credits.
This hybrid seminar examines in depth a series of artistic case studies over a 3000 year period in the region of what is today Iraq, Syria, and southeastern Turkey, from c, 3500-500 BCE. Discussion will focus on processes of making and contexts of using myriad forms of art and architecture. Topics will include the invention of writing and complex imagery; portraiture and ritual practice; the symbolic value of materials; visual narration; and the uses of space for expressive purposes. We will approach these and other topics through critical engagement with existing scholarship, as well as by direct study of objects in nearby museum collections.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.440. Elementary Biblical Hebrew. 3 Credits.
Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.441. Elementary Biblical Hebrew II. 3 Credits.
Survey of grammar and reading of simple texts. May not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A continuation of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I.
Prerequisite(s): AS.130.440
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.442. Readings - Hebrew Prose. 3 Credits.
Reading of biblical Hebrew prose, especially from the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.443. Readings - Hebrew Prose and Poetry. 3 Credits.
Reading of Biblical Hebrew Prose, from texts such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.130.504. Independent Study. 1 - 3 Credits.
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
AS.130.520. Near Eastern Studies Major Honors Thesis. 3 Credits.
Thesis writing related to Near Eastern Studies major.
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.521. Near Eastern Studies Major Honors Thesis. 3 Credits.
Thesis writing related to Near Eastern Studies major.
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.130.666. Reading Talmud Pre-Modern Jewish Culture: Marital Abuse/Marriage Annulment Post-Talmudic Rabbinic Li. 3 Credits.
The evolution of Talmudic thinking resulted in laws which made marriage too easy, divorce too difficult. This generated centuries of attempts to grapple with the consequences of this conundrum in real-life situations. This course analyzes the literature produced by these attempts. Students will read texts in original Hebrew. Knowledge of Hebrew required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.131.600. Seminar Near Eastern History. 3 Credits.
Seminar in Near Eastern History.
AS.131.601. Seminar Near Eastern History:. 3 Credits.
A three-year history cycle required of all graduate students and forming the core of our graduate program. One year each will be devoted to Egyptian history, Mesopotamian history, and Syro-Palestinian history.
AS.131.634. Seminar: Near Eastern Archaeology. 3 Credits.
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.
AS.131.635. Seminar: Near East Archaeology. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS.131.654. Advanced Archaeological Method and Theory. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS.131.657. Geographic Information Systems in Archaeology. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Natural Sciences
AS.131.664. Archaeology of Arabia. 3 Credits.
This course examines the archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula from the earliest Paleolithic in the region (ca. 1.5 million years ago) through the first millennium of the Islamic era (ca. AD 1600). We will review basic geology and environmental conditions, examine the development of animal herding and crop cultivating lifeways, and study the rise of ancient complex societies and civilizations.
AS.131.800. Readings & Research. 3 Credits.
AS.131.801. Readings And Research. 3 Credits.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.131.848. Dissertation Research. 9 Credits.
AS.131.849. Dissertation Research. 9 Credits.
AS.131.850. Summer Independent Research. 6 Credits.
Independent summer research
AS.132.600. Elementary Akkadian. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.132.601. Elementary Akkadian II. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.132.607. Intermediate Akkadian Texts. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.132.609. Research Methods: Arts of the Mesopotamian World: Crafters & Consumers. 3 Credits.
This hybrid seminar examines in depth a series of artistic case studies over a 3000 year period in the region of what is today Iraq, Syria, and southeastern Turkey, from c, 3500-500 BCE. Discussion will focus on processes of making and contexts of using myriad forms of art and architecture. Topics will include the invention of writing and complex imagery; portraiture and ritual practice; the symbolic value of materials; visual narration; and the uses of space for expressive purposes. We will approach these and other topics through critical engagement with existing scholarship, as well as by direct study of objects in nearby museum collections.
Distribution Area: Humanities
Writing Intensive
AS.132.612. Comparative Semitic Grammar. 3 Credits.
This course introduces the phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon of the Semitic languages from the perspective of historical and comparative linguistics. It situates the Semitic language family within its broader Afroasiatic context and explores the methods used to compare related languages, identify shared linguistic features, reconstruct proto-languages, and trace the diachronic evolution of linguistic change. Particular attention will be given to the comparison of the five major Semitic languages: Akkadian, Aramaic, Hebrew, Arabic, and Ethiopic (Ge?ez). Other ancient and modern Semitic languages—such as Phoenician, Sabaic, and Mehri—will be discussed in passing. Prerequisite: A basic knowledge of one Semitic language is required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.132.630. Akkadian Literary & Religous Texts. 3 Credits.
Students will read a variety of Akkadian texts commonly described as literary 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.
AS.132.700. Elementary Sumerian. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Sumerian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.
Prerequisite(s): Students who are currently enrolled in, or have already taken AS.130.388, are not eligible to take AS.132.700.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.132.701. Elementary Sumerian II. 3 Credits.
In this course, students will continue to learn the fundamental aspects of Sumerian grammar and lexicography needed to read Sumerian texts. To review and develop the basics of the languages that were learned in the first semester of this course, intermediate texts like the Cylinders of Gudea and Inana's Descent to the Netherworld will be studied. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.132.710. Advanced Sumerian. 3 Credits.
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.
AS.132.711. Advanced Sumerian. 3 Credits.
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.
AS.132.800. Mesopotamian Seminar. 3 - 9 Credits.
Research and discussion on topics of current interest.
AS.132.801. Mesopotamian Seminar. 3 - 9 Credits.
Research and discussion on topics of current interest.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.304. Let's Play! Games from Ancient Egypt and Beyond. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.133.418. Egyptian Art & Material Culture: Principles, Materiality and Challenges. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
AS.133.451. Workshop: Egyptian Objects from Eton College Myers Collection at the JHU Arch Museum. 3 Credits.
This course is designed as a workshop in which students will actively participate in the study of unpublished Egyptian objects currently housed at the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum. In small groups, students will work in particular on supposedly ludic objects (dice, ball models, pawns, "dolls", etc.) from the Eton College Myers Collection. They will participate in cataloguing objects in the museum's database, conduct personal research on a selected set of objects, and produce an exhibit (online/in one of the museum's display cases) that will showcase their research outcomes.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
Writing Intensive
AS.133.600. Introduction To Middle Egyptian. 3 Credits.
Introduction to the grammar and writing system of the classical language of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (ca. 2135-2000 B.C.). In the second semester, literary texts and royal inscriptions will be read.
AS.133.610. Middle Egyptian Texts. 3 Credits.
In this course we read a variety of Middle Egyptian hieroglyphic compositions and documents. Knowledge of Middle Egyptian Required.
AS.133.611. Middle Egyptian Texts. 3 Credits.
In this course we read a variety of Middle Egyptian hieroglyphic compositions and documents. Knowledge of Middle Egyptian Required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.616. Let's Play! Games from Ancient Egypt and Beyond. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.617. Workshop: Egyptian Objects from Eton College Myers Collection at the JHU Arch Museum. 3 Credits.
This course is designed as a workshop in which students will actively participate in the study of unpublished Egyptian objects currently housed at the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum. In small groups, students will work in particular on supposedly ludic objects (dice, ball models, pawns, "dolls", etc.) from the Eton College Myers Collection. They will participate in cataloguing objects in the museum's database, conduct personal research on a selected set of objects, and produce an exhibit (online/in one of the museum's display cases) that will showcase their research outcomes.
Distribution Area: Humanities
Writing Intensive
AS.133.618. Egyptian Art & Material Culture: Principles, Materiality, and Challenges. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.619. Ancient Egyptian Art, A Journey Through Time. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.621. Hieratic. 3 Credits.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.622. Ancient Egyptian Art, A Journey Though Time II: From the New Kingdom to the Roman Period. 3 Credits.
The course is devoted to the study of Egyptian art from the Predynastic period to the Roman era. This semester follows on from the first part of the course, given in the Spring Semester 2025: we will study works from the New Kingdom to the end of the Roman period. 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, history, and archaeology.The course will be primarily based on the collection of the musée du Louvre, complemented with several other key Egyptological collections, including the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the Metropolitan Museum of The course will comprise lectures delivered by the professor, which will be structured chronologically; lectures delivered by guest lecturers; and discussion sessions with students on the mandatory readings.
Prerequisite(s): AS.133.619
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.631. Old Egyptian. 3 Credits.
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.
AS.133.646. Demotic Texts. 3 Credits.
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.
AS.133.647. Demotic Texts. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.133.648. Intro To Coptic. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the stage of Ancient Egyptian language in use from ca. 300 CE onward; still the liturgical language of the Coptic Church.
AS.133.649. Advanced Coptic. 3 Credits.
In this class we will read Coptic texts of various genres.
AS.133.717. Akhenaten, Nefertiti and the Armana Period. 3 Credits.
This course examines the visual expressions of the revolutionary pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti. The artistic changes that this reign introduced will be discussed through art historical, religious, political, and sociological lenses. Who was the king's sole god Aten and how did he and his visual appearance impact Egypt and the ancient world 1350 to 1330 BCE?
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.101. GOD 101: The Early History of God - Origin, Character, Practice. 3 Credits.
In a world of big ideas, there is none larger than that of God. Divinity is an ever-present topic for both religious devotees and hard core secularists—for anyone who embraces the humanities or ponders what makes us human. Humans are, for better and worse, homo-religiosus (humans who practice religion) as much as homo-sapiens. But what do we know of God historically? How do we go about reconstructing divinity from ancient texts and archaeology? How do we best walk back in time to understand ancient Middle Eastern cultures that gave birth to notions of the divine that have come down to today’s Judaism, Christianity and Islam? This course looks synthetically at the vast topic of God—exploring questions of historical origin, how God was characterized in literature (mythic warrior, king, parent, judge, holy, compassionate) and how God was represented in iconography, both materially and abstractly. Secondly, how did belief intersect with practice? Using the indow of divinity, this course will peer into the varieties of religion experience, exploring the royal use of religion for power, prestige and control balanced against the intimacy of family and household religion. It will probe priestly prerogatives and cultic status, prophetic challenges to injustice, and the pondering of theodicy by poetic sages.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.134.209. The Bible as/in Media. 3 Credits.
This course offers an introduction to the history of the Bible, and its evolution from the perspective of ancient media studies. Student will learn about the Bible's composition, reception, and its use in pre-modern and modern media. Students will read biblical passages, learn about the ancient scribal practices underlying its composition, copying, and editing, and its translation into different languages and scripts. And, we will also study the people who used and preserved it. During the course, we will also learn about the different ways that the Bible has been used and reinterpreted in other media forms. We will experience retellings, reinterpretations, and/or other forms of interaction with the Bible in 20th and 21st century literature, art, and film.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
Writing Intensive
AS.134.402. Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible: The Book of Qoheleth. 3 Credits.
This course aims to increase students’ proficiency in Biblical Hebrew by reading the entire book of Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) in Hebrew. In addition, students will practice the art of critical exegesis including grammatical analysis and textual criticism. They will interact with various aspects of interpretation for this representation of Hebraic wisdom literature (e.g., philology, text history, structure, literary history, message, poetics, rhetoric, philosophy, theology, ancient Near Eastern comparanda).
Prerequisite(s): AS.130.443
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.134.404. The Book of Job. 3 Credits.
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).
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.134.406. Kings, Prophets, and Scribes: The Creation of "Israel" in the Deuteronomistic History. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Democracy (FA4.1)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.134.408. The Book of Ezekiel. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.134.409. Prophets and Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible. 3 Credits.
From thundering voices of social justice to apocalyptic visionaries, biblical prophets have been revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims for thousands of years. They have inspired civic leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. yet also provided fodder for modern charlatans promising a utopian future. Yet who were these individuals (orators? politicians? diviners? poets?) and what was the full range of their message as set against the Realpolitik world of ancient Israel, Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Jordan?"
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.134.450. Seminar in Hebrew: Archaic Biblical Poetry. 3 Credits.
Translation and analysis of selected texts in Biblical Hebrew giving attention to advanced features of grammar and syntax. Topic: "Archaic Biblical Poetry".
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
AS.134.602. Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible: The Book of Qoheleth. 3 Credits.
This course aims to increase students’ proficiency in Biblical Hebrew by reading the entire book of Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) in Hebrew. In addition, students will practice the art of critical exegesis including grammatical analysis and textual criticism. They will interact with various aspects of interpretation for this representation of Hebraic wisdom literature (e.g., philology, text history, structure, literary history, message, poetics, rhetoric, philosophy, theology, ancient Near Eastern comparanda).
Distribution Area: Humanities
Writing Intensive
AS.134.604. The Book Of Job. 3 Credits.
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)
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.606. Kings, Prophets, and Scribes: The Creation of "Israel" in the Deuteronomistic History. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.608. The Book of Ezekiel. 3 Credits.
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. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
AS.134.609. Prophets and Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible. 3 Credits.
From thundering voices of social justice to apocalyptic visionaries, biblical prophets have been revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims for thousands of years. They have inspired civic leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. yet also provided fodder for modern charlatans promising a utopian future. Yet who were these individuals (orators? politicians? diviners? poets?) and what was the full range of their message as set against the Realpolitik world of ancient Israel, Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Jordan?"
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.613. Seminar in the Minor Prophets. 3 Credits.
This course surveys the group of 12 prophetic works known as the "minor" prophets. In addition to reading the Hebrew text, we will also engage with scholarly readings about the socio-political, religious, and historical backdrop of this group of writings.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.623. Pentateuch. 3 Credits.
This course surveys the linguistic and literary structure of the Pentateuch. A second and equally important focus will be the history of scholarship and its broader impact on the study of the history and religion of ancient Israel and Judah. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.624. The History of Hebrew. 3 Credits.
This course offers an introduction to the history of the Hebrew language , with a focus on its linguistic development and also its changing sociolinguistic contexts.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.650. Seminar in Hebrew: Archaic Biblical Poetry. 3 Credits.
Translation and analysis of selected texts in Hebrew Bible giving attention to advanced features of grammar and syntax. Topic: "Archaic Biblical Poetry".
AS.134.652. Seminar in Ancient Israelite Religion. 3 Credits.
Topics include history of scholarship, methodology, representations of deity, the aniconic tradition, solar Yahwism, sacred space, blood rituals, passover, royal cult, family religion, divination, prophecy, incantations, etc. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
AS.134.660. History of Ancient Syria/Palestine. 3 Credits.
A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Canaan, including Ancient Israel.
AS.134.661. History: Ancient Syria-Palestine II. 3 Credits.
A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Cannan, including Ancient Israel.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.700. Northwest Semitic Epigraphy. 3 Credits.
This course will provide an introduction to West Semitic dialects as reflected in inscriptions from the first millennium BCE. We will survey the grammar (phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon) of epigraphic Hebrew, Phoenician, and known Transjordanian languages (Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite). We will also discuss the methodological challenges inherent to the study of script evolution, scribalism, and the reconstruction of NWS languages through the study of inscriptions. This course will also introduce students to scholarship outside of the field of NWS and Hebrew Bible on literacy, the study of visual grammar, and the socio-semiotic approach to the study of writing. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
AS.134.721. Advanced Ugaritic. 3 Credits.
A continuation of AS.134.720 with emphasis on the mythological and ritual texts from Ugarit. A digital epigraphy lab will also form part of the course. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.134.747. Archaic Aramaic. 3 Credits.
An advanced course in Aramaic devoted to the study of Old Aramaic inscriptions. We will be translating and analyzing a selection of texts from Northern Syria (e.g. Bar-Rakib; Hadad; Kuttamuwa, Nerab, Panamuwa, Sefire, Zakkur), Southern Syria (e.g. Bar-Hadad/Melqart Stela, Hazael, Tel Dan) and Northern Mesopotamia (e.g. Tell Fakhariyah). Students will be expected to vocalize such texts as a study in historical and comparative linguistics and to clarify their understanding of the morphology and syntax. In addition to seminar times, students are expected to complete online discussions, supplemental readings and assignments, and attend several guest lecture events.
Distribution Area: Humanities
Cross Listed Courses
Archaeology
AS.136.101. Introduction To Archaeology. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4),
Ethics and Foundations (FA5)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.136.505. Archaeology Fieldwork. 1 Credit.
Fieldwork associated with Archaeology major
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
AS.136.506. Independent Study-Archaeology Fieldwork. 1 - 3 Credits.
Fieldwork associated with Archaeology major
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
AS.136.510. Archaeology Major Honors Thesis I. 3 Credits.
Thesis writing related to Archaeology major
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
Writing Intensive
AS.136.511. Archaeology Major Honors Thesis II. 3 Credits.
Thesis writing related to Archaeology major
Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms.;AS.136.510
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
Writing Intensive
Classics
AS.040.137. Archaeology at the Crossroads: The Ancient Eastern Mediterranean through Objects in the JHU Archaeological Museum. 3 Credits.
This seminar investigates the Eastern Mediterranean as a space of intense cultural interaction in the Late Bronze Age, exploring how people, ideas, and things not only came into contact but deeply influenced one another through maritime trade, art, politics, etc. In addition to class discussion, we will work hands-on with artifacts from the JHU Archaeological Museum, focusing on material from Cyprus.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.040.216. Exploring the Ancient Astronomical Imagination. 3 Credits.
This course takes us on an exploratory journey through the ancient astronomical imaginary. We will focus on ancient Greek and Roman ideas about the structure of the cosmos, the substance and nature of the stars, the Earth’s place and role in the universe, ancient attempts to map the stars, and ancient beliefs about the significance of cosmic phenomena for events in the human world. The course will culminate in the extraordinary ancient tradition of lunar fictions, which are our earliest imaginative accounts of life on other worlds. Come join us for a voyage to the stars!
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
Writing Intensive
AS.040.313. Craft & Craftspersons of the Ancient World: Status, Creativity and Tradition. 3 Credits.
This course explores the dynamic work, lived contexts and social roles of craftspersons in early Greece, the eastern Mediterranean and Near East. Readings and discussion will query the identities and contributions of these people—travelers, captives, lauded masters, and even children—through topics including gender, class and ethnicity. Special focus on late third–early first millennia BCE; local field trips.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
Earth & Planetary Sciences
AS.270.205. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Analysis. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Engineering, Natural Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2)
First Year Seminars
AS.001.107. FYS: Who Wrote the Bible? A Story of Scribes, Priests, Prophets, and Scholars. 3 Credits.
This First-Year Seminar offers an introduction to the history of the Bible's composition, reception, and its use, with a focus on the different people who wrote, edited, and preserved it. Students will read biblical passages, and learn about the ancient scribal communities and the different people who created and preserved the texts that we today call the Bible (priests, prophets, and scholars). Students will also learn about and research the very different religious communities who valued and transmitted these texts, forming their own bodies of authoritative scripture. As part of this work, students will gain experience developing research questions and critical thinking as they work towards a final project on a facet of biblical text. Together, we will also go on field trips and examine ancient and modern objects and art inspired by the history of the Bible, and the people involved in its creation and transmission.
AS.001.147. FYS: Reading Ancient Middle Eastern Literature. 3 Credits.
The Middle East is home to some of the world’s earliest and most important literature. In this First-Year Seminar, students will read in translation a selection of texts from different traditions that flourished in the pre-Islamic Middle East. Sample readings include the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Descent of Ishtar to the Netherworld, and the battle between David and Goliath from the Hebrew Bible. As we read, we will consider why ancient Middle Eastern literature may be more relevant to our own present moment than ever before.
AS.001.193. FYS: Diplomacy and Conflict in the Ancient Middle East. 3 Credits.
This First-Year Semianr offers an introduction to the changing paradigms of diplomacy and conflict in the pre-modern Middle East (ca. 3100-323 BC). From Hammurabi of Babylon (and earlier!) to Alexander the Great, students will be introduced to the history and culture of the pre-modern Middle East and will study in translation primary sources such as royal inscriptions, law collections, treaties, and diplomatic correspondence. We will consider issues such as how diplomacy and conflict both reflect and constrain political structures; what aspects of diplomatic life are found throughout the early Middle East and what are particular to various cultures; similarly, what aspects of diplomatic life change over the millennia and what aspects endure; and even how we can talk about international relations in a pre-modern world without “nations.”
History
AS.100.245. Islam East of the Middle East: The Interconnected Histories of Islam in Asia. 3 Credits.
Challenging the conception that Islam is synonymous with the Middle East, this course considers Muslim populations across Asia and interrogates how Islam and these regions have shaped one another.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3)
History of Art
AS.010.205. Art and Architecture of Mesoamerica. 3 Credits.
This course surveys the art and architecture of Mesoamerica, from the ancestral Puebloans in what is today the Southwestern United States, through the homelands of the Mexica, Maya, and Zapotec in Central America, to the Taíno and Chiriquí in the Circum-Caribbean. After first discussing the concept of “Mesoamerica,” we will then explore the material and spatial productions of these Indigenous groups. Each week we will focus on a different urban setting, examining the works communities made and used there, which included sculpture, ceramics, murals, manuscripts, textiles, metalwork, and earthen architecture. Course themes will include—but are not limited to—the portrayal of humans, animals, and sacred figures; urban design, construction, and monumentality; as well as how materials and spaces were used for religious and political purposes.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.010.239. Art in Motion: The Interconnected Mediterranean in the 1st mill. BCE. 3 Credits.
The Mediterranean Sea has long connected the lands that surround it, from western Asia to North Africa, southern Europe and Iberia. The first millennium BCE, from the collapse of the Bronze Age (1200/1100 BCE) to the conquests of Alexander the Great (334-323 BCE), witnessed an especially vibrant period of interactions and exchanges that led to dramatic local developments. This class examines artworks that moved around the Mediterranean during this time, as well as those that arose from these interactions. Impacted by the large, emerging empires of Assyria, Persia, and Macedonia, and inheritors of older traditions such as Egypt, the arts of the 1st millennium BCE Mediterranean encourage us to ask questions about cultural interactions, mobile technologies, and the effect of globalizing forces on local regions. No previous experience in art history, archaeology, or the ancient Mediterranean is required.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
Writing Intensive
AS.010.240. Art and the Environment in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean. 3 Credits.
What is the relationship between art and the environment? What are “geoaesthetics?” This course explores the interrelationships between ecosystem and creative responses and practices in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean. Specifically, the class will examine the intersections between artistic and architectural practices and the natural environment during the New Kingdom in ancient Egypt, the Neo-Assyrian period in ancient Mesopotamia, and the Minoan Bronze Age in the ancient Aegean.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS.010.301. Michelangelo: Religion, Sexuality, and the Crisis of Renaissance Art. 3 Credits.
The course will focus on the controversies surrounding the representation of the body in the writings and figurative art of Michelangelo and his contemporaries, the historical circumstances under which the most admired artist in Europe was attacked as a blasphemer and an idolator, and the effect of widespread calls for censorship on his later production. The writings of Michelangelo, Pietro Aretino, Benvenuto Cellini and own writings will be considered with a focus on their staging of an ambivalent and transgressive eroticism.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Ethics and Foundations (FA5)
Writing Intensive
AS.010.307. Diplomats, Dealers, and Diggers: The Birth of Archaeology and the Rise of Collecting from the 19th c. to Today. 3 Credits.
This course investigates the confluence of archaeology as a discipline, collecting of cultural heritage, and their ongoing roles in the socio-politics of the Western world and Middle East. It focuses primarily on the Middle East, first tracing a narrative history of archaeology in the region during the 19th and early 20th centuries, with its explorers, diplomats, missionaries and gentlemen-scholars. It then examines the relationship of archaeology to the creation of the encyclopedic museum and collecting practices more generally, considering how these activities profoundly shaped the modern world, including the antiquities market and looting. A central theme is the production of knowledge through these activities and how this contributes to aspects of power and (self-)representation.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.010.315. Art of the Assyrian Empire, 1000-600 BCE. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.010.364. Babylon: Myth and Reality. 3 Credits.
Babylon – the name resonates even today, from the biblical whore of Revelation to sci-fi. It evokes exotic places and time long past. But what do we really know about the ancient city and the civilization that flourished there thousands of years ago? This course examines the archaeological city of Babylon, located in the modern state of Iraq, and considers its artistic and architectural achievements in the context of Mesopotamian history. The class will also survey the legacy of Babylon and its continuing relevance in contemporary society.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.010.398. Tombs for the Living. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2),
Culture and Aesthetics (FA3)
AS.010.444. Classics/History of Art Research Lab. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.010.680. Craft and Interaction in the Near East and Aegean during the Bronze and Iron Ages. 3 Credits.
This graduate seminar investigates the intersection of crafting and cultural interaction among the regions of the Aegean, eastern Mediterranean and Near East from 3000-500 BCE (Bronze and Iron Ages).
Interdepartmental
AS.360.305. Introduction to Computational Methods for the Humanities. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Quantitative and Mathematical Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.360.306. Computational Intelligence for the Humanities. 3 Credits.
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.
Distribution Area: Humanities, Quantitative and Mathematical Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2),
Citizens and Society (FA4),
Projects and Methods (FA6)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.360.411. Trade Networks of the Ancient Near East: Laboratory Analysis. 3 Credits.
Trade and exchange, and the social interactions they foster, are long-standing center-points of interest to archaeologists. For the ancient Near East, trade has been proposed as a key factor in the rise of the world’s earliest cities in southern Mesopotamia. During their earliest stages of development, cities in southern Mesopotamia were destination points for exotic raw materials and high-value trade goods, including copper and softstone (chlorite) from ancient Magan (present day Oman and the United Arab Emirates). This course will examine theories and methods for studying ancient trade, with a specific focus on copper and chlorite from Oman. Students will learn some of the key methods archaeologists use to analyze ancient metal and stone, and will conduct some of their own analysis in laboratories at Johns Hopkins, including the Spatial Observation Lab for Archaeological Research (SOLAR) in Gilman Hall 135.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.360.605. Introduction to Computational Methods for the Humanities. 3 Credits.
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.
AS.360.606. Computational Intelligence for the Humanities. 3 Credits.
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.
Modern Languages and Literatures
AS.210.120. Modern Hebrew for Beginners I. 3 Credits.
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.
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.210.121. Modern Hebrew for Beginners II. 3 Credits.
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
Prerequisite(s): AS.384.115 OR AS.210.120
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.210.221. Intermediate Modern Hebrew II. 3 Credits.
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.
Prerequisite(s): AS.384.215 OR AS.210.220
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
AS.211.315. The Meanings of Monuments: From the Tower of Babel to Robert E. Lee. 3 Credits.
As is clear from current events and debates surrounding monuments to the Confederacy, monuments play an outsize role in the public negotiation of history and identity and the creation of communal forms of memory. We will study the traditions of monuments and monumentality around the world – including statues and buildings along with alternative forms of monumentality – from antiquity to the present day. We will examine the ways that monuments have been favored methods for the powerful to signal identity and authorize history. This course will also explore the phenomenon of “counter-monumentality”, whereby monuments are transformed and infused with new meaning. These kinds of monuments can be mediums of expression and commemoration for minority and diaspora communities and other groups outside the economic and political systems that endow and erect traditional public monuments. The first half of the course will examine the theoretical framework of monumentality, with a focus on ancient monuments from the ancient Near East (e.g., Solomon’s temple). More contemporary examples will be explored in the second half of the course through lectures and also field trips. We will view contemporary debates around monuments in America in light of the long history of monuments and in comparison with global examples of monuments and counter-monuments. All readings in English.
Distribution Area: Humanities
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)
Program in Museums and Society
AS.389.315. Ancient Color: The Technologies and Meanings of Color in Antiquity. 3 Credits.
What role did the colorful surfaces of sculptures, vessels and textiles play in the ancient world? We examine historical texts and recent scholarly and scientific publications on the technologies and meanings of color in antiquity, and use imaging and analytical techniques to study polychromed objects from the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum
Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences
AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3),
Citizens and Society (FA4)
EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3),
Engagement with Society (FA4)