Greek Archaeology and Art

CS AR 351
Credit hours 3
Contact hours 45

This course is a survey of Greek Art and Archaeology from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic Period. It is designed to provide familiarity with the material culture and specific cultural contexts of the principal periods of Greek History. The class will focus primarily on the Archaic and Classical Periods (ca. 700-323 BC), a time that corresponds with the rise and floret of the Greek polis, and the age that witnessed the most rapid and notable developments in architecture (including the rise of the Greek architectural orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian), sculpture (transition from stylized images into realistic portraits), coinage, and pottery. Accordingly, this course will chronicle the transformation of villages into planned cities, modest sanctuaries into monumental temples as well as the invention of coinage and the widespread dissemination of sculpture and pottery. Emphasis will be placed on the examination of cultural interactions in this time period as the Greek sphere of influence grew to encompass nearly the entire Mediterranean basin through the expansion of trade routes and by means of colonization. Sicily has long served as the "hub" of the Mediterranean and this course is designed to take advantage of our location in Sicily and will incorporate numerous fieldtrips and excursions in Sicily and around Syracuse.

Students will be expected to complete two significant research papers, site reports, a midterm and a final examination.

Prerequisites:
one class in ancient studies/Greek history. Note: This prerequisite may be satisfied by electing to also take CS AH 250 as a part of your program at MCAS

Sample Fieldtrips:
-Syracuse: Greek & Roman Syracuse; Neapolis Archaeological Park; Paolo Orsi Museum
-Agrigento
-Selinunte & Eraclea Minoa
-Segesta & Monte Iato

Required Texts:
1. Biers, W. R. (1996) The Archaeology Of Greece, Cornell University Press, Ithaca. (2nd ed.)