Culture and Civilization of the Near East and Ancient Egypt I

lglor1512  2020-2021  Louvain-la-Neuve

Culture and Civilization of the Near East and Ancient Egypt I
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information below is subject to change, in particular that concerning the teaching mode (presential, distance or in a comodal or hybrid format).
5 credits
30.0 h
Q1

  This biannual learning unit is not being organized in 2020-2021 !

Teacher(s)
Obsomer Claude; Tavernier Jan;
Language
French
Prerequisites
None.
Main themes
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.
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 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.
 
Content
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).
Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

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

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

An oral exam based on written preparation. The student will be questioned successively by the two teachers.
Online resources
The Moodle 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.
Bibliography
Un résumé écrit est fourni pour le Proche-Orient.
Pour l'Égypte, l'étudiant peut compléter les ppt du cours par la lecture de Cl. Traunecker, Les dieux de l'Égypte (Que sais-je ?, 1194), Paris, 1992.
Faculty or entity
GLOR
Force majeure
Teaching methods
In the event that the health crisis does not allow the course to be given face-to-face, the course will be given remotely, via Teams.
Evaluation methods
In the event that the health crisis does not allow the examination to take place face-to-face, it will take place remotely, via Teams.


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Minor in Literary Studies

Bachelor in Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies

Minor in Antiquity: Egypt, Eastern World, Greece, Rome