Intro to Greek Archaeology

For thousands of years, the Aegean has been home to dynamic societies whose complex interactions with each other and with the broader region produced some of the most distinctive cultural and political achievements of the ancient world. This course introduces students to the physical remains these societies left behind. We study key concepts of Greek archaeology, including issues of chronology and ethics, as well as major themes in the study of the ancient Greek world, such as religion and the emergence of the city-state. Special attention is paid to new developments in archaeological research methods. We begin around 3000 BCE with the rise of the region's first complex civilizations, and end around 100 BCE with the transformations brought about by Alexander the Great. Along the way, we explore how archaeological investigations reveal the distinctiveness of ancient Greece and help us reconstruct the daily lives of people in antiquity.