Interpreting Ancient Art and Archaeology
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| CLAR1013 | Classics and Archaeology | 1 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- CLAR1013
- School
- Classics and Archaeology
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
This module complements and builds on the broad survey modules CLAR1009 (Studying the Greek World) and CLAR1011 (Studying the Roman World) by exploring Greek and Roman art and archaeology in more detail through a combination of lectures and seminars. Its general aim is to give students a broad overview of the visual and material culture offrom classical antiquity, whilst concentrating on a cross-section of the most famous and talked about objects and monuments of Greek and Roman culture. More specifically, it offers an introduction to sculpture in the public and private sphere, vase-painting and wall painting, numismatics, architecture and urban structures from 8th-century BC Greece to 4th-century AD Rome.
The module covers the Greek world in Autumn and the Roman world in Spring. Rather than proceeding chronologically, the material is organised by themes and/or media, starting with topography, then sculpture, vase painting etc. This is meant to give students a grasp of formal and stylistic developments within each of these media through the centuries, along with the meanings attached to them.
Target Students
Available to all Undergraduate level 1 students in the Department of Classics and Archaeology, including Liberal Arts, exchange and subsidiary students.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 8 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 20 weeks
Assessment
- 50% Coursework 1: 1,500-word essay
- 50% Coursework 2: 1500 word essay
Assessed in both autumn & spring semest
Educational Aims
To introduce students to a wide range of visual and material evidence from the Greek and Roman worlds and to understand how this material was conceived, received and functionalised, and how it can be used as historical evidence.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should:
1. Have gained more detailed familiarity with a broad cross section of visual and archaeological material (both typological and chronological) from the Greek and Roman Worlds.
2. Have acquired an understanding of the ways in which this material has been used and of the methodological issues which these sources raise.
3. Have acquired an initial impression of how this material fits into, reflects and creates ancient culture and our understanding of ancient culture more generally.
4. Have started to gain the empirical skills and confidence to begin work with this material, to look at the objects for themselves and to express ideas and arguments effectively both verbally (in seminars and in a presentation) and in written form (in an essay and an exam).