Culture and Civilization of the Near East and Ancient Egypt I [ LGLOR1512 ]

The iCampus server allows one to obtain:
- the syllabus on the history of the Ancient Near East, as well as the ppt of the course.
- the ppt of the part of the course on Egypt, as well as a bibliography.

None.

An introduction to the cultures and beliefs of the Ancient Near East and pharaonic Egypt.

Alternately with LGLOR 1511, this course deals with the following themes:

1. The natural surroundings and the symbolism connected to them;
2. The founding literary works of the civilisations envisaged;
3. The beliefs of the Ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian peoples.

At the end of this course the student will be capable of a better understanding of the ways of thinking of these antique civilisations. In order to achieve this goal, he will have been initiated into the great literary works of the Ancient Near East, and to the fundamental principles of the Egyptian religion.

An oral exam based on written preparation. The student will be questioned successively by the two teachers.

The course is given by means of ppt that are well illustrated, including maps, texts and pictures.

This course has two successive parts.

1. For the Ancient Near East, it focuses on:
- to give a general overview of the literatures of Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Ugarit;
- to discuss the different genres of this literature, including an analysis of the main works (Gilgamesh, Enuma Elish, Kumarbi, the myths of Ugarit).

2. For pharaonic Egypt, it focuses on:
- the natural surroundings of the Double Country and its symbolism;
- Egyptian man (human nature, his conception of the afterlife, the tombs);
- the gods (mythological stories, the temples, rituals and feasts)

A written resume, including bibliography, will be provided for the Ancient Near East.

For Egypt, the student can complement the ppt of the course by reading Cl. Traunecker, Les dieux de l'Égypte (Que sais-je ?, 1194), Paris, 1992.

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