Material Culture and Museum Studies

• • A week-by-week guide to the topics you will explore in this subject will be provided in your study materials.

You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:

• MAQ-AHIX1250-The Archaeology of Egypt and Near East: Applying Lessons from the Past

• MAQ-AHIX2251-Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Art: Theory and Practice

Others

Pre-requisite: AHIX1250 and AHIX2251

Additional requirements

No additional requirements

An advanced level study of some of the most common categories of material in the ancient world, including metals, stones, clay, animal and plant based fibers, timber and ivory, and various genres of materials production such as architecture, ceramics, sculpture, weaponry and equestrian equipment, with particular emphasis on technology, manufacture, function, style, iconography, chronology and spatial distribution. Material will normally be drawn from a diverse range of cultures, with specific physical examples from the collections of the Museum of Ancient Cultures, and may vary from year to year. Relying on this background, and in parallel, students will also be introduced to the history of museums and museum collections, the illicit trade of antiquities, the manufacture of forgeries, the participation of public museums and private collectors and related repercussions for the reconstruction of the historical record.

• Quiz on weekly lectures and set readings (40%)
• Media presentation (20%)
• Research Essay (40%)

For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).