Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian Humanities HUMN 2011A2

Summer 2014

Professor Evans

[email protected]

In this independent study Humanities course you must take the initiative to learn the material on your own. Success in the course will require discipline and commitment. Normally there will be two exam periods every week; you need only show up six times for exams. These will be the only times you need to schedule specifically for this Humanities class. There may be some amendments to the following syllabus, but there should not be many. The Board of Regents mandates that for each semester hour of academic credit a student should have one hour a week (for fifteen weeks; or about three hours a week for about four and a half weeks during the summer) of lecture; the videotapes you will watch for the course are to be considered the equivalent of class lectures. The course will abide by the principle that students should work about two hours out of class for every hour spent in class. Obviously individuals vary enormously in reading speeds, but the course has been designed so that, in addition to the time spent with videotapes and DVDs (readings, listening examples, review, etc.) the course should occupy a hypothetical average student somewhere around thirty hours. In sum, over the course of the semester, a hypothetical average student should devote something like forty-five hours total to the course; certainly some will devote more time, some less. During the summer term this should mean about ten hours a week. Make sure you schedule your time prudently. GRADING All exams will be multiple choice. There will be six exams, one for each unit of the course. Each exam will consist of 50 questions. There will be 300 points possible for the course; a student who earns 90% (270 points) will earn an A; a score of 80% (240 to 269 points) earns a B; 70% (210 to 239 points) earns a C; 60% (180 to 209 points) earns a D; a student who earns 179 points or fewer will fail the course. If you decide to drop the course you should fill out a withdrawal form at Student Records. If you have not taken at least two exams by midterm you should expect to receive an F or WF. If you take at least two exams by midterm, but don’t take all six by the end of the semester and don’t withdraw, you should expect to receive an F. REQUIREMENTS You must pay careful attention to what you hear, see, and read, and you must take copious notes. For example, you should rarely let 60 seconds of video pass without writing several words of notes. If you merely read the reading assignments you will do poorly on the tests; take good, detailed notes. Actually writing down dates, names of individuals, titles of artworks, etc. will help you remember and will provide excellent review material when you’re preparing for tests. For artworks on video or in the Stokstad textbook you would be wise to make a quick sketch to help implant the image in your mind in case you need to identify the artwork on an exam.

All the videos and DVDs will be available at the front desk of the library; you should plan to watch these on monitors there. Be polite and respectful when dealing with the library staff. As soon as you get this syllabus you should immediately e-mail me the following information: 1. that you are enrolled in Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian Humanities 2. your name 3. mailing address 4. phone number 5. a nickname or pseudonym I can use to post your exam scores near my office door 6. your e-mail address E-mail any questions you may have and I will e-mail a response. I will post on my door or on the wall near my door update information about the course and, by nickname or pseudonym, your exam scores. The course will be divided into six units: Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian 1 Mesopotamian Myth Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian 2 Mesopotamian History and Art Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian 3 Mesopotaminan Art, Music, Literature Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian 4 Egyptian Culture and Mythology Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian 5 Egyptian History, Literature and Music Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian 6 Egyptian Art EXAMS You do not need to take the exams in order (in other words, you may take the exam for Unit Six before taking the exam for Unit One). All exams will take place in Allgood Hall, room E 253. There are nine exam periods and you may take a maximum of two exams in any exam period. If at all possible you should try to finish the course well before the end of the semester. Pay close attention to the exam schedule and plan carefully. If the semester ends before you’ve taken all six exams you will receive a zero for any exams you have not taken. Plan ahead! Do not trap yourself into needing to take exams on the last exam day! If you have given me a nickname or pseudonym to use, your exam scores will be posted outside my office in Allgood E 244 as soon

as I’ve graded your exams. Be sure to bring to the exam two sharpened number two pencils and your completed study questions to turn in to me. You may not take the exam unless you first hand in your completed study questions. Cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off during the exam and may not be accessed during the exam or the student will receive a zero for the exam!!! Make no marks on the exam booklet. If you receive an exam booklet which has marks, bring it to me immediately to exchange for an unmarked copy; otherwise you will be held responsible for the marks. I will deduct one point for each mark on your exam booklet.

Allgood Hall E 253 When Exams May Be Taken Tuesday 12:00 - 12:50 pm May 27 June 3 June 10 June 17

Friday 5:00 - 5:50 pm May 23 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 20

STUDY QUESTIONS You must do all the work for this independent study course yourself, not relying on others for help with answers to study questions. For each segment you should write out answers on the pages which contain the study questions. When you take an exam for a unit you MUST bring your study questions and turn them in PRIOR to taking the exam. If you don't have study questions to hand in, written in your own handwriting, there's no point in showing up for the exam. Do not borrow study questions from another student and do not lend your study questions to another student. If you are in possession of another student's answers to study questions or if another student is in possession of your answers to study questions you both will be considered guilty of cheating and should expect to flunk the course and to be remanded to the dean for academic dishonesty. Important: Remember to take notes on material not in the study questions; the majority of questions on the exam (about two-thirds) will come from those, but many other exam questions (about a third) will be new. If you use any primary materials in the library, do not mark in any of the books! If you are found to have defaced any of these materials you should expect to receive an F for the course and to be remanded to the dean for further disciplinary action!

ONLINE STUDY MATERIALS Some of the reading materials will be made available online. 1. Log into the GRU Website and click on Desire 2 Learn. 2. Click on the course title. 3. It will probably take you a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the site, but you will be able to do it. If you encounter any problems, contact the student help desk at 721-4000. ==================================================================== STUDY UNITS Unit One: Mesopotamian Myth “Mesopotamia: Return to Eden” (videotape, VCT 2189, 50 minutes) “Mythology of Sumer and Akkad,” Samuel Noah Kramer, Mythologies of the Ancient World (Doubleday/Anchor: 1961) The videotape will be available in the library.

Unit Two: Mesopotamian History & Art Peter Stearns, World History, second edition, pages 6 - 31. Sokstad: Art History, “Art of the Ancient Near East” (pages 60-90) [be able to identify images] The Stokstad pages are available online. Some multiple choice questions—not included in the study questions—will have photocopied images from the textbook and you must be able to identify these images and answer questions about them (title, culture or city, medium).

Unit Three: Mesopotamian Art, Music, Literature “Sumer, Babylon, Assyria: The Wolves” (videotape, VCT 2687, 26 minutes; also available online through Galileo>Films on Demand (item #2782); contact Reese Library if you need the offcampus password. “Mesopotamian Music,” The New Grove Dictionary of Music And Musicians, ed. by Stanley Sadie (Macmillan 1980) “The Invention of Writing and the Earliest Literatures & Gilgamesh,” The videotape will be available in the library. Unit Four: Egyptian Culture and Mythology “Ancient Egypt” (videotape, VCT 2690, about 45 minutes) “Mythology in Ancient Egypt,” by Roland Anthes, in Mythologies of the Ancient World, ed. by Samuel Noah Kramer (Doubleday: 1961)

The videotape will be available in the library.

Unit Five: Egyptian History, Literature, and Music “Egypt, The Sands of Time” (videotape, VCT 2696, 41 minutes) “The Story of Sinuhe,” The Literature of Ancient Egypt, ed. by William Kelly Simpson (57-74). “Ancient Egyptian Poetry,” Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Expanded Edition, Volume One [of the two-volume edition, 1995], pages 42-59. “Egyptian Music,” THE NEW GROVE DICTIONARY OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS, ed. by Stanley Sadie [From photocopies of images be able to identify musical instruments in this section.] The videotape is available in the library. _____________________________________________________________________________

Unit Six: Egyptian Art “Pyramid: The Resurrection Machine” (Egypt Uncovered, videotape, VCT 2707.2; about 50 minutes) “Art of Ancient Egypt,” Marilyn Stokstad, Art History (pages 90-125) [identify artworks from photocopies] The videotape is available in the library. Some multiple choice questions—not included in the study questions—will have photocopied images from the textbook and you must be able to identify these images and answer questions about them (title, dynasty or year, medium; for temples, pyramids, and other monumental works of art be able to identify the location by city or area). =================================================================== E-mail or phone me (729-2167) if you have any questions or encounter any problems. Good luck!

Ancient Egyptian-Mesopotamian Humanities

HUMN 2011A2

Study Packet

Summer 2014

Dr. Evans