BA Ancient History and History / Course details

This unit introduces students to the ‘Classical’, Middle Egyptian phase of the ancient Egyptian language and to the hieroglyphic script with which it is written. After introducing the students to the script, the course will provide a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of Middle Egyptian grammar with a view to enabling the student to read real ancient texts. Text reading for the course will advance from names and titles on funerary monuments to reading funerary formulae and eventually to reading literary texts, introducing students to the breadth and complexity of Egyptian textual culture. The final part of the course will be devoted to the continuous reading of Egyptian literary texts.

The unit aims to:

• introduce students to the hieroglyphic script

• introduce students to Middle Egyptian grammar

• introduce students to the practice of translating Egyptian texts, and ancient texts more broadly

• introduce students to a range of Middle Egyptian textual types both religious and literary in nature.

• encourage students to use their translation skills to more critically engage directly with ancient Egyptian texts, rather than wholly relying on previously translated materials.

• To understand the development of the ancient Egyptian language and script.
• To understand of the range of text types found in ancient Egyptian contexts: religious, funerary, everyday and literary.
• To demonstrate an awareness of the different stages of translation including transliteration and grammatical analysis.

• To successfully conduct independent translation work.
• To effectively conduct independent research.
• To analyse an ancient text’s grammatical structure.

• To interpret translated material vis a vis its historical and/or socio-cultural significance.
• To transliterate and translate Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs accurately.
• To effectively and independently manage time.

• To discuss problems and questions in a group setting.
• To understand a range of basic grammatical and linguistic concepts.
• To engage critically with texts in a foreign language.

Final translation assessment (60%)

Written feedback via Turnitin

· Collier, M. and Manley, B. 1998. How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs. British Museum Press. 
· Allen, J. P. 2010. Middle Egyptian Grammar: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs. Cambridge University Press. 
· Faulkner, R. O. 1954. A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. Oxford University. 
· Gardiner, A. 1924. Egyptian Grammar. Oxford University. 
· Wilson, P. 2003. Hieroglyphs, A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University. 
· Parkinson, R. and Quirke, S. 1995. Papyrus. British Museum Press. 
· Parkinson, R. 1997. The Tale of Sinuhe, and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940-1640 BC. Oxford University. 
· Parkinson, R. 1991. Voices from Ancient Egypt, an Anthology of Middle Kingdom Writings. British Museum Press.