75732 - Egyptology (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students knows the general lines of Egyptology. They are also able to recognize and interpret some aspects of Egyptian civilization and learn the methodologies for dealing with a research.

Course contents

The course is divided into two parts.

The first part of the course is an introduction to the language and hieroglyphic writing of ancient Egypt. In particular, it will focus on the following aspects;
- the hieroglyphs (phonetic signs, determinatives, ideograms);
- the noun;
- the personal pronouns;
- introduction to the non-verbal and verbal sentences

Translation and commentary of a hieroglyphic text in Middle Egyptian.

The second part of the course focuses on the study and analysis of some important aspects of the ancient Egyptian religion, in particular the identities, images and functions of the gods; some key figures of the Egyptian pantheon, such as Osiris, Horus, Isis, Seth, Sobek, Ra and Amon; the strong connections between the divine world and kingship; the rituals performed in the temples and the personal forms of piety, through which Egyptians were able to establish a direct relation with the divine; cosmogonies and the afterlife; architecture and function of the temples in the dynastic and Greco-Roman Period.

Readings/Bibliography

First part:
P. Allen, Middle Egyptian. An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, Cambridge University Press 2014;

Second part:

two of the following books:

J. Assmann, The Mind of Egypt. History and Meaning in the Time of the Pharaos, New York 2002;

N. Billing, Nut,the goddess of life: in text and iconography, Uppsala 2002;

L. Coulon (ed.), Le culte d'Osiris au Ier millénaire av. J.C. Découvertes et travaux récents, Cairo 2010;

F. Dunand - C. Zivie-Coche, Dei e uomini nell'Egitto antico, Roma 2003;

E. Hornung, Gli dei dell’antico Egitto, Roma 1992;

M. Kemboly, The question of evil in ancient Egypt, London 2002;

D. O'Connor, Egypt's First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris, London 2009;

S. Quirke, Exploring religion in Ancient Egypt, Oxford 2015;

B. E. Shafer (ed.), Temples of Ancient Egypt, Cairo 2005;

H. Te Velde, Seth. God of Confusion, Leiden 1977;

L. Weiss, Religious practice at Deir el-Medina, Leuven 2015;

M. Zecchi, Inni religiosi dell'Egitto antico, Brescia 2004;

M. Zecchi, Sobek of Shedet. The Crocodile God in the Fayyum in the Dynastic Period, Todi 2010.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Assessment methods

First part of the course: students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on some aspects of the grammar of the Egyptian language (Middle Egyptian): different typologies of hieroglyphs; the noun; personal pronouns and non-verbal and verbal sentences. Students who demonstrate a solid command of the Egyptian language and an equally good awareness of its grammatical aspects receive an excellent mark. Students with a lesser degree of linguistic competence receive a lower mark. Students who apply their grammatical knowledge mechanically, without showing an adequate awareness of the connections between grammar, meaning and context, who have not acquired the capacity to analyze a text do not pass the exam.

 

Second part: students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on different aspects of the ancient Egyptian religion: identities and functions of the gods; templar rituals and liturgies and personal forms of piety; cosmogonies and afterlife; religious literature; architecture and functions of the Egyptian temples.

Students with a high capability to comment on aspects of ancient Egyptian religion and who demonstrate good critical abilities and an understanding of the chosen bibliography and who express themselves with a language accurate and appropriate to the discipline will receive an excellent mark. Students with a capability to comment on aspects of ancient Egyptian religion and who demonstrate critical abilities and an understanding of the chosen bibliography and who express themselves with a language appropriate to the discipline will receive a good mark. Students who show to have memorized the main points of the subject, not accompanied by a particular critical ability and who will use a language not always appropriate to the discipline will pass the exam.

Students with a lack of knowledge of the discipline and who have not acquired the capacity to analyse the bibliography will not pass the exam.

Teaching tools

Power point.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Zecchi