Note: The course readings listed below consist of the textbooks and readers, as well as assorted readings located on Two-hour Reserve (marked Rs) in the campus Library. Other readings are freely available for downloading from this Web Page (marked W)on this list. The full bibliographical citations of all the readings in the listing are found on the course Bibliography page.
Readings accessed below might be in either HTML-format or PDF-format. To download and open the PDF-files, students need the program Adobe Acrobat Reader® resident on their computers and installed as a plug-in to their Web browser. This program is freely available for downloading and installing from the College of Charleston's Web page, "Software Depot," at the following address: https://www.cofc.edu/technology/depot.html.
Class will adhere to the following course schedule. If we do not complete a unit in class on the date specified, we must move on to the next unit, and students will be responsible for the full material through the readings. The instructor reserves the right to alter the schedule of lectures, discussions, video presentations, and reading assignments, quizzes, exams and presentation at any time.
| Week 1 | |
| January 13: | Introduction: Course Requirements and the Edfu Sacred Drama |
| Week 2 | |
| January 18 and 20: | Nile Valley and the Development of Culture |
| Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 16-26; | |
| Rs | Kees,"The Countryside," sects. A-B, including: "The Nile and the Seasons," "Irrigation and Soil," 47-61; |
| Parkinson, Voices, 36-37, 81-84, 101-107 [nos. 3, 22-25, 34]. | |
| Week 3 | |
| January 25 and 27: | Synopsis of Egyptian History |
| Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 27-51; | |
| Rs | Kitchen, "The Chronology of Ancient Egypt," 201-208. |
| Video: "Memphis: Capital of Egypt." | |
| Week 4 | |
| February 1 and 3: | Egyptian Language and Writing |
| Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 110-124; | |
| Rs | Gardiner, "Introduction," in A. H. Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar, 5-24c; |
| Parkinson, Voices, 13-27. | |
| Literacy, Scribal Training and Social Advancement | |
| Rs | Baines, "Literacy, Social Organization, and the Archaeological Record: the Case of Early Egypt," 193-209; |
| Rs | Baines and Eyre, "Four Notes on Literacy," 65-91; |
| W | Williams, "Scribal Training in Ancient Egypt," 214-21 (click to open); |
| Parkinson, Voices, 76-78, 90-95, 148-160 [nos. 18-19, 29-30, 60]. | |
| Week 5 | |
| February 8 and 10: | Structure of Egyptian Society |
| Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 69-83, 95-109; | |
| Parkinson, Voices, 99-107, 111-112 [nos. 33-34, 38]; | |
| Simpson et al., Literature, 159-179; 198-200; 241-265; 329-326. | |
| (2/8) Reading Quiz no. 1 | |
| Week 6 | |
| February 15 and 17: | Industries and Technologies |
| Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 125-145, 169-187; | |
| Rs | Lucas, "Beer," "Papyrus," in A. Lucas, Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries, 10-16; 137-40; |
| Rs | Harris, "Technology and Materials," in J. R. Harris, The Legacy of Egypt, 83-111. |
| (2/15) THEME PAPER DUE (by end of class) | |
| Week 7 (Midterm Week) | |
| February 22 and 24: | Religion: Athletics, Games and Sports |
| Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 84-94; | |
| Rs | Piccione, "The Gaming Episode in the Tale of Setne Khamwas As Religious Metaphor," 197-204; |
| W | Piccione, "Sportive Fencing as a Ritual for Destroying the Enemies of Horus" (manuscript) (click to open). |
| W | Optional: "Senet Gaming Ritual: Great Game Text" (click to open). |
| (2/23) Last day to withdraw with grade of "W" | |
| (2/24) MIDTERM EXAMINATION | |
| Week 8 | |
| February 29 and March 2: | Medicine, Medical Practices and Obstetrics |
| Rs | Cole, "Obstetrics for the Women of Ancient Egypt," 27-33; |
| Rs | Ghalioungui, Medicine in Ancient Egypt, 52-79; |
| Parkinson, Voices, 78-79, 129-130, 142-143 [nos. 20, 49, 55-56]; | |
| Rs | Ritner, R. "A Uterine Amulet in the Oriental Institute Collection," 209-221; |
| Rs | Walker, "The Place of Magic in the Practice of Medicine in Ancient Egypt," 85-95. |
| * * * SPRING BREAK: MARCH 4 - 13 * * * | |
| Week 9 | |
| March 14 and 16: | Status of Women, Love and Marriage |
| W | Bryan, B. "The Evidence for Female Literacy from Theban Tombs of the New Kingdom," 17-32 (click to open); |
| Rs | Gaballa, "The Legal Text" 22-25 (= The Inscription of Mes); |
| Rs | Meinardus, "Mythological, Historical and Sociological Aspects of the Practice of Female Circumcision among the Egyptians," 387-395; |
| Parkinson, Voices, 107-110 [nos. 35-36]; | |
| Simpson et al., Literature, 296-306; | |
| W | Ward, "The Egyptian Economy and Non-royal Women: Their Status in Public Life" (click to open); |
| Rs | Wente, "A Husband to His Deceased Wife (letter)," Papyrus Leiden I.371, 216-217. |
| Week 10 | |
| March 21 and 23: | Sexual Attitudes and Mores |
| Rs | Manniche, "Some Aspects of Ancient Egyptian Sexual Life," 11-23; |
| Rs | Parkinson, "'Homosexual Desire' and Middle Kingdom Literature," 57-76; |
| Parkinson, Voices, 54-56 [no. 11]; | |
| Simpson et al., Literature, 315-323 [stanzas no. 31-40]. | |
| (3/21) Reading Quiz no. 2 | |
| (3/23) Sacred Drama and Dramatic Rituals | Parkinson, Voices, 40-43, 124-125 [nos. 5, 45]; |
| Rs | Fairman, "Drama in Ancient Egypt," chapter 1 of The Triumph of Horus, 1-13 (click to open); | W | Ramesseum Papyrus, "Rites of Horus of Letopolis" (click to open); | W | Herodotus, Book II, "Festival of Ares at Papremis" (click to open). |
| Week 11 | |
| March 28 and 30: | Sacred Drama, "The Conflict of Horus and Seth" |
| Group Project Work: project teams meet and prepare | |
| Week 12 | |
| April 4 and 6: | Sacred Drama, "The Conflict of Horus and Seth" |
| (4/4) Group Project Work: project teams meet and prepare | |
| (4/6) class meeting and project/drama discussion | |
| packet | Fairman, The Triumph of Horus. |
| Simpson et al., Literature, 108-126; 127-136. | |
| Week 13 | |
| April 9 (Sunday): | !! Cook-out at Prof. Piccione's House (1:30 pm - dusk) !! Directions to Prof. Piccione's house (click to open). |
| April 11 and 13: | Sacred Drama, "The Conflict of Horus and Seth" |
| (4/11) Group Project Work: project teams meet and prepare | |
| (4/13) class meeting and project/drama discussion | |
| packet | Fairman, The Triumph of Horus. |
| Week 14 | |
| April 18 and 20: | Sacred Drama, "The Conflict of Horus and Seth" |
| (4/18) Group Project Work: project teams meet and prepare | |
| (4/20) Class Presentation: "The Conflict of Horus and Seth: A Sacred Drama;" location: on the Cistern (Alumni Hall in case of rain) | |
| Week 15 | |
| April 25: | Course Summation and Final Questions |
| TERM PAPER DUE (by end of class-no extensions possible!) | |
Final Examination: N/A