-Thursday, August 23: Introduction of Course, Discussion of Syllabus, Class Structure, etc.

Readings:

1.    ALB: 1-34

2.    OR: “Archaeology, Texts, and History-Writing: Toward an Epistemology.” W. Dever, in Uncovering Ancient Stones. 1994.

   Reflection Questions:

1.    What is Archaeology?

2.    As mentioned in the course description, we will encounter and incorporate several disciplines. Some of these include Theology, Religion, and History. How would you define these?

3.    How can archaeology in combination with other disciplines assist in better understanding past cultures, lifeways, texts, etc.? If so, how?

4.    What has Archaeology to do with religion/theology? Can these disciplines relate to each other? If so, how?

-Tuesday, August 28: MAP QUIZ. Brief history of early archaeology, archaeological methods, and some archaeologists in Syro-Palestinian Archaeology. Geography of the land. Introduction of the Neolitihc Period.

Readings:

1. ALB: 35-38
2. OR: Chapters 11-12 in ASHL 169-204.

   Reflection Questions:

1. What are some of the defining characteristics of the Neolithic Period?
2. What do these characteristics possibly tell us about the people(s), cultures, and lifeways?

-Thursday, August 30: Some more Neolithic.

Readings:

1. OR: Chapter 13 in ASHL 205-221.

     Reflection Questions:

        1.     Imagining yourself in the world of the Neolithic “Holy Land,” how would you describe life in dealing with culture, climate, diet, etc.? How would you approach these living conditions at that time?

-Tuesday, September 4: End of Neolithic, introduction of the Chalcolithic.

     Readings:

1. ALB: 59-90.
2. OR: “The ‘Ghassulian’ Temple in Ein Gedi and the Origin of the Hoard from Nahal Mishmar” D. Ussishkin. Biblical Archaeologist 1971 24:33-39.

     Reflection Questions:

1. What do you think about the “advanced” use of copper, etc. during this period? Why did this happen?
2. How do you interpret the Nahal Mishmar hoard (“The Cave of the Treasure”)?

-Thursday, September 6: Chalcolithic continued.

Readings:

1. OR: Chapter 14 in ASHL 226-244.

     Reflection Questions:

1. Why do you think the Chalcolithic Period, a span of time so “progressive,” collapsed?
2. How would you interpret the “religious/cultic” Chalcolithic paraphernalia? Do you think it is “religious” at all?

-Tuesday, September 11: End of Chalcolithic, intro of Early Bronze Age.

Readings:

1. ALB: 91-150.
2. OR: “The Early Bronze Age.” S. Richard. Biblical Archaeologist March 1987.

     Reflection Questions:

1. What are some of the similarities and differences you see between the EBI and the previous Chalcolithic period?
2. What do you think EBI burial practices possibly say about persons living at this time? What are they possibly telling us about how they view life, and maybe an “afterlife?”

-Thursday, September 13: More Early Bronze Age.

Readings:

1. “The Early Bronze I and the Evolution of Social Complexity in the Southern Levant.” A. Joffe. Journal of Mediterranean Studies 4/1 (1991) 3-58.
2. “The Settlements and Population of Palestine During the EBA II-II.” M. Broshi and R. Gophna. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 253/1984: 41-53.

     Reflection Questions:

1. What are some of the impacts of urbanization?
2. How does life in Israel/Palestine change with the emergence of cities?
3. Why are there such elaborate fortifications in Israel/Palestine during this period?
4. Using the archaeological data regarding EB II-III temples, what kind of activities do you think took place in them?

-Tuesday, September 18: End of EBA, intro of MBA.

Readings:

1. ALB: 151-173.

     Reflection Questions:

1. Why did the Early Bronze Age collapse?
2. What does a “palace” possibly indicate about a culture? How would you interpret this?
3. There is a lot of “multi-culturalism” during this period with the existence of various groups (Hurrians, Amorites, Hittites, Canaanites, etc.). From what you’ve read and observed, how do you interpret the relationships between these groups?
4. How do you understand or interpret the Book of Genesis and the EBA archaeological record?

-Thursday, September 20: End of MBA, intro of LBA.

Readings:

1. ALB: 174-257.

     Reflection Questions:

1.    How does the Hebrew Bible present the Egyptians? Why? Are they ever presented favorably?

2.    Does this presentation affect our perception and understanding of the Egyptians in general, and LBA Egyptian Dynasties in particular?

-Tuesday, September 25: More of LBA

Readings:

1. ALB: 257-294.
2. OR: Chapter 19 I ASHL.

     Reflection Questions:

1. How do you interpret the end of the LBA?
2. What do you think may have happened? What interpretation would you offer? Why?

-Thursday, September 27: End of LBA, intro of Iron Age.

Readings:

1. ALB: 295-367.
2. OR: Chapters 20-21 in ASHL.

     Reflection Questions:

1. “Mulit-culturalism” continues. Several “new” groups are established within this geographical area, and they each have unique characteristics (e.g., language, religious beliefs, dress, etc.). How do you interpret or understand them? Are they “good,” “bad,” okay, or what? Why?
2. Most of us have heard of the Philistines or at least heard the term used. Who were the Philistines, and what do we really know about these people? What do Egyptian documents and the Hebrew text have to say about them?

-Tuesday, October 2: Continued discussion of the Iron Age

Readings:

1. ALB: 368-462.
2. OR: Chapters 22, 24 in ASHL.

     Reflection Questions:

1.    Who were the Assyrians? (Geographically, culturally, etc.)

2.    How is the Assyrian conquest viewed by the Northern Kingdom?

-Thursday, October 4: End of Iron Age

Fall Break March 6-14

-Tuesday, October 9: Archaeology, Bible, and Media

Readings?

     -How does archaeology contribute to our understanding and interpretation of the Bible and the world from which it comes?

   -(Possible movies from which to take excerpts: The Bible, The Ten Commandments, Sampson and Delilah, Solomon and Sheba, Indiana Jones, Laura Croft, etc.)

   -(Other forms of media: magazines? [Indiana Jones, Laura Croft?])

   ***How can I get film studies involved in this, or possibly get some input from them in how to make it an effective study?

-Thursday, October 11: Introduction of the Persian/Babylonian Period.

Readings:

1. ALB: 531-550
2. OR: Chapter 25 in ASHL.

     Reflection Questions:

1. How does the biblical text present the Babylonians?
2. What role(s) do religious/religion play for the Israelites and Babylonians in and during the Babylonian conquest?

-Tuesday, October 16: Continued discussion of the Babylonian Period.

Readings:

     Reflection Questions:

      1.  What does the archaeological record in Israel/Palestine possibly reflect regarding the Babylonians and Babylonian Conquest?

Midterm Review?

***BOOK REVIEW DUE:

-Thursday, October 18

MIDTERM

-Tuesday, October 23: Introduction of the Hellenistic Period.

Readings:

TBA.

     Reflection Questions:

1. Keeping in mind that the definition of culture, what is Hellenism? How would you describe it?

How would you describe Theology/Religion in Hellenism?

-Thursday, October 25: Introduction of the Hellenistic Period.

Readings:

1. ANT: 37-63.

     Reflection Questions:

2. Keeping in mind that the definition of culture, what is Hellenism? How would you describe it?

How would you describe Theology/Religion in Hellenism?    

GROUP A LEADS

-Tuesday, October 30: Continued discussion of the Hellenistic Period.

Readings:

1.        ANT: 65-88.

     Reflection Questions:

1.    What impact does Hellenism have on the rest of the world?

2.    How does Hellenism travel?     

GROUP B

LEADS

-Thursday, November 1: End of Hellenistic

Readings:

1.      ANT: 91-147.

2.      OR: Chapter 26 in ASHL.

GROUP C LEADS

-Tuesday, November 6: Introduction of the Roman Period (Film and Discussion)

Readings:

1.      ANT: 153-184.

     Reflection Question(s):

          2.   Keeping a focus on the existing cultures, time period, geographic region, who was Jesus?

How would you describe the world in which he lived?

-Thursday, November 8: Roman Period (Film and Discussion)

Readings

1.    ANT: 185-222.

     Reflection Questions:

          2.    What is the attitude toward Religion and Theology in Rome? Does it change over time?

What were some of the prevailing religions or “religious belief systems” during this period?

-Tuesday, November 13: Roman Period  (Film and Discussion) 

Readings:

ANT: 225-275.

     Reflection Questions:

       1.  Why is Rome so successful in its growth? Is this associated with religious beliefs? If so, how?

-Thursday, November15: Roman Period (Work Day)

Readings:

       ANT: 277-310.

THANKSGIVING BREAK

NOVEMBER 20-25

-Tuesday, November 27: Roman Period.

Readings:

       ANT: 311-350

GROUP A PRESENTS FINAL PROJECT

-Thursday, November 29: Roman Period. Presentations.

Readings:

      ANT: 351-375.

GROUP B PRESENTS FINAL PROJECT

-Tuesday, December 3: Roman Period

GROUP C PRESENTS FINAL PROJECT