BA Ancient History

Perhaps the most impactful aspect of ancient Egyptian civilization are the thousands of pieces of sculpture, stela, fragments of temple decoration and monuments found throughout Egypt and in every major museum collection in the world. This unit will examine how these objects and structures were created. It will examine the use of materials in ancient Egypt (stone, pottery, textile etc) and the technologies employed by the ancient Egyptians both in their everyday work and life and in the creation of grand tombs, temples and works of art. It will examine what the ancient Egyptians understood by ‘art’ and what role was held in society by craftspeople and ‘artists’. It will utilise the Manchester Museum’s extensive collection of Egyptian artefacts to provide the students with extensive experience in handling ancient artefacts: Each week the seminar will be conducted in the museum and focus around an assemblage of the types of objects, materials and technologies covered in that week’s lectures.

· to introduce students to the materials, techniques and object types which survive from ancient Egypt.

· to provide students with an understanding of how the ancient Egyptians perceived ‘art’ and ‘artists’.

· to provide students with the opportunity to handle, in a safe environment, ancient objects.

· to encourage students to critically assess ancient artefacts and determine their uses, function and manufacturing techniques.

· to show an understanding of how the Egyptian constructed monumental architecture.

· to demonstrate an awareness of the various object types which make up the majority of Ancient Egyptian museum collections.

· to provide a clear overview of the main methods of manufacture used by the Egyptians to create a wide range of object types from pottery, stone, wood and other materials.

· to effectively conduct independent research.

· to present a cogent argument in oral and written form.

· to critically analyse an ancient artefact and comment on its use and the techniques used in its manufacture.

· to safely handle and analyse ancient artefacts.

· to effectively and independently manage time.

· to discuss problems and questions in a group setting.

· to engage critically with ancient artefacts and architectural remains.

· to construct and present a clear, reasoned argument in written form.

Written feedback

Oral feedback in a dedicated seminar session and upon request during office hours

· Hartwig, M. K (ed.). 2015. A Companion to Ancient Egyptian Art. Wiley Blackwell.

· Paice, P. 1997. The Pottery of Daily Life in Ancient Egypt. Benben Publications.

· Robins, G. 2008. The Art of Ancient Egypt. British Museum Press.

· Shaw, I. 2012. Ancient Egyptian Technology and Innovation. Bristol Classic Press.

· Shaw, I. and Nicholson, P. 2000. Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technologies. Cambridge University Press.