Archaeologies of the Greek Past

Christopher Witmore

Aims and scope
Beginning with the destruction and abandonment of the Bronze Age palaces, through the age of Greek art and architecture to the conquests of Alexander the Great, this course is a general survey of Greek archaeology. Outwardly, it will address questions of how archaeology helps (re)construct ancient Greek society. It will capitalize on the energies and mystique of the Greek past—the sites of Mycenae, Corinth, Olympia and Athens; the art, sculpture and mundane materials of the Classical period; the everyday architectures of the Greek household; the storied landscapes of the Peloponnesus. At the same time, it will engage questions of why the Greek past is important; in what ways are Greek pasts folded into the fabric of contemporary American culture and society?

Requirements
There will be a midterm and a final project that will draw upon a combination of the readings and lectures. The midterm will be predominately visual identification, multiple choice and short essay. In the final project students will have their choice of a multi-media presentation or a paper (750 words per credit hour). Class participation will be gauged in lecture, in the reading discussions in session and in the participation on the class wiki.

Assessment

Class schedule with readings

Class members

Course slides