History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East

The main objective of the class is offering an analysis of the Bronze Age Mesopotamian cultures in their historical development, from 4th to the end of the 2nd millennium BC, through the combined evaluation of archaeological and textual sources.

Knowledge and understanding: achievement of a basic knowledge of the history and archaeology of ancient Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age. General understanding of the cultural interactions and exchange patterns in relation with the various historical contexts, the methodology of analysis and interpretation of the textual and archaeological sources.
Applying knowledge and understanding: achievement of applying knowledge for a critical analysis of the historic and archaeological evidence from ancient Mesopotamia, with a systematic evaluation of the interaction modes and exchange patterns. Applying understanding of the analytical methodology for the reconstruction of the main elements of the ancient Mesopotamian cultures. Applying knowledge of bibliographical research and thematic analysis achieved during the class.