Seminar :Written Sources from the Near East and Egypt

Teacher(s)

Lurson Benoît;

Language

French
> English-friendly

Prerequisites

A good knowledge of one or more languages of the textual sources addressed in the course, i.e. Egyptian, Akkadian, Hittite, and/or other Ancient Near Eastern languages.

Main themes

The seminar addresses specific topics on the history and societies of Egypt and the Ancient Near East by examining the primary textual sources from a scientific perspective.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	analyse textual sources and use them in reconstructing Egyptian & Near Eastern history and societies;
2	master comparative analyses (on texts and regions);
3	compare the textual corpus with iconographic and/or archaeological sources.

Content

Everybody needs good advisors, and the Pharaoh of Egypt, the king of Assyria or the king of Elam were no exceptions. This seminar focuses on the king's highest officials of Egypt and the Near Eastern kingdoms, with the aim of uncovering their roles in the administration as well as the ethics of their action. The top-ranking figures of the central administration, many of whom were also directly involved in provincial administration, are examined closely by a study of the textual sources presenting their responsibilities and the ethical foundations of their action. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern sources allows for exposing the respective fields of competences of these high officials as well as the common points and the differences in the ethics of their action.

Teaching methods

Weekly seminars in person or online (via Teams). The teachers present, translate and analyze the texts, before discussing with the students. Active student participation is expected, i.e. regular course attendance and preparations.

Evaluation methods

Written exam. The exam consists of two questions; one on Egypt and the other on the ancient Near East. Each question will be attributed 50% of the mark.

Other information

English-friendly course: course taught in French and in English.

Online resources

http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/corpus(Ancient Near East)

Bibliography

- E. Frood (2007). Biographical Texts from Ramessid Egypt(WAW, SBL 26), Leiden/Boston.
- S. Gaspa (2019). Administrative texts and their “Sitz im Leben”: Text Production and Bureaucratic Contexts, in : G.B. Lanfranchi, R. Mattila and R. Rollinger (ed.), Writing Neo-Assyrian History: Sources, Problems and Approaches (SAAS XXIX), Helsinki: 275-299.
- E. Gorris (2020). Power and Politics in the Neo-Elamite Kingdom (Acta Iranica 60), Leuven.
- F. W. König (1977). Die elamischen Königsinschriften(AfO 16), Osnabrück. [EKI]
- M. Luukko (2019). Letters as a Historical Source: How to Use and Deal with Them, in : G.B. Lanfranchi, R. Mattila and R. Rollinger (ed.), Writing Neo-Assyrian History: Sources, Problems and Approaches (SAAS XXIX), Helsinki: 229-248.
- R. Matti (2000). The King's Magnates: A Study of the Highest Officials of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (SAAS XI), Helsinki.
- J. C. Moreno García, éd. (2013). Ancient Egyptian Administration(HdO 1,104), Leiden/Boston.
- G. P. F. van den Boorn (1988).The duties of the vizier: civil administration in the early New Kingdom(Studies in Egyptology), London/New York.
La bibliographie est susceptible d’être complétée au fil du séminaire.
Additional reference works will be communicated in the course of the seminar.

Teaching materials

• Le serveur Moodle permet d’obtenir les documents nécessaires. Moodle platform provides access to all necessary course materials.

Faculty or entity

EHAC