Themes and Topics 1: Hunter-Gatherers and Early Farmers in the Middle East

This course provides students with an overview of the prehistoric societies of southwest Asia from the Palaeolithic to the end of the Pottery Neolithic. It covers some of the key debates in these periods, such as the demise of the Neanderthals, the origins of farming and the invention of pottery.

Knowledge:

At the end of the course, the student is expected to have developed:

•An understanding of the questions and central discussions in the early prehistory of the Middle East

•An appreciation of the material culture, chronology and settlements of the early prehistoric periods in the Middle East

Skills:

At the end of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

•Explain the relationship between different analytical frameworks and current discussions in the field

• critically and reflexively analyse research problems

•Apply knowledge gained to the study of archaeological materials and/or problems

Competencies:

At the end of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

•Recognize and identify the material culture of the periods covered in the course and use it to analyze relevant questions or problems

•Formulate a defined research question independently and describe it in writing

•Apply the theoretical literature in conjunction with archaeological material

The course will be taught by means of lectures and seminars. Students will independently work on a research topic as part of the course, as part of which they will produce a short mid-semester essay that will form the basis of an in-class presentation. This paper will form the basis of the course exam, which will be in essay format.