Corso di laurea magistrale in
Archeologia e Storia antica

The course aims at providing students with the knowledge of Egyptian civilization (history, archeology, history of art, architecture, religion and society, material culture) in its oldest and formative phases (IV - III Millennium BC), i.e. the so-called "Pre-/Proto-Dynastic Period" and the "Old Kingdom". Special attention will be paid to the analysis of the evolution and features of the great pyramids, the most iconic monument of ancient Egyptian civilization. Some specific study-cases for each of the main historical phases will also be analyzed during the course.

At the end of the course, students will have to:

- know the historical-archaeological coordinates that characterized the period examined by the course (IV - III millennium BC);

– know the main artistic forms and architectural monuments examined during the course.

– know the primary material culture contexts examined during the course.

– explain the concepts learned during the course clearly and with appropriate terminology.

– show that they have developed critical analysis and skills to the approach of the documentation and the bibliography examined during the course.

The civilization of Ancient Egypt in the 4th and 3rd millennium BC

Introduction. Ancient Egypt: historical-geographical and conceptual coordinates

The origins of Egyptian civilization and formation of the state: the Pre/Proto-Dynastic Period

The Old Kingdom and the first Pyramids: the Third Dynasty

The Age of the Great Pyramids: the Fourth Dynasty

The Solar Era: The Fifth Dynasty

The end of the Old Kingdom: The Sixth Dynasty

The Egyptian Religion in 3rd millennium BC: Ra, Osiris and the Ennead.

The Economy of ancient Egypt in 3rd millennium BC: royal ideology, state administration and sacred landscape.

Study-case: the sun temple of Niuserra. How to read a monument

Study-case: the Palermo Stone and the royal annals.

Study-Case: The Pyramid Texts and the Pharaoh's Afterlife.

Epilogue. From the 3rd to the 2nd millennium BC: The Middle Kingdom pyramids

The course will take place with frontal lessons which will follow a chronological order, alternating the analysis of the macro-periods with the analysis of targeted case studies, accompanied by insights into specific historical-religious-cultural themes. Each lesson will be accompanied by power-points presentations and videos which will be made available on the moodle platform for both attending and not-attending students. 

Those who are unable to attend the classes will be guaranteed the possibility of replacing them with the study of the volumes indicated below in the entry "Additional Bibliography". These texts are to be understood as an addition to the study of the volumes indicated in the entry "Reference Bibliography" which is mandatory for everybody (attending and not attending).

The knowledge acquired by the students will be verified through an oral exam consisting in questions on all the religious and ideological-architectural aspects covered during the course. The exam will be evaluated with a vote expressed out of 30/30. The vote will take into account the following parameters:

- the capacity to express him/herself clearly and with appropriate technical language;

- the ability to conduct the speech independently;

- the deepen knowledge of the various historical phases and monuments analyzed during the course;

- the ability to grasp the relationships and connections between the different themes and problems covered during the lessons;

- the capacity to adequately present and critically analyze the teaching material provided during the lessons as well as the texts/bibliographic references indicated in the bibliography.

Based on these criteria, the achievement of a comprehensive view of the topics addressed in the course, together with a good critical skill and an expressive language capacity, will be assessed with very good or excellent grades (28-30 with honors); the predominantly mnemonic or not well-developed acquisition of the contents as well as the presence of linguistic and logical skills that are not always adequate, will be evaluated with a grade from fair (21-24) to good (25-27); the minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with training gaps or inadequate linguistic and logical skills, will be assessed with a sufficient grade (18-20); the absence of a minimum level of knowledge of the contents of the course, combined with inadequate linguistic and logical skills and training gaps, will produce an evaluation of insufficiency (<18/30).

The professor is always available to help students by providing them with additional clarifications, information, and teaching materials upon request and provides support for study and exam preparation to the students through face-to-face and/or online meetings (dates to be established with the teacher according to the specific needs and requests of the students)

Students with SLD or any other type of disabilities are requested to inform the teacher at the beginning of the course, to agree on a personalized learning path which is suitable to their needs, even beyond the compensatory and dispensatory measures envisaged for the exam.

Students with DSA or disabilities are also encouraged to read the support procedures of the University, and in particular the procedures necessary for support during the exam

(https://www.unito.it/servizi/lo-studio/studenti-con-disabilita)

(https://www.unito.it/reception-studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa)

(https://www.unito.it/servizi/lo-studio/studenti-e-studentesse-con-disabilita/supporto-studenti-e-studentesse-con)

The study of the topics addressed during the course will also be supplemented by some articles indicated in class (the pdf of these articles will be uploaded on the moodle platform)

For those who are not able to attend the course, it is mandatory to integrate the texts indicated above with the study of:

Miroslav Barta - Vladimir Bruna, The Pyramid Fields of Ancient Egypt. A Satellite Atlas, Prague 2022

For foreign students it is also possible to do the exam in English.