History 270.001
Spring 2003
Updated: Wed., 2/10/03
Class Readings and Assignments
Exam and Paper Schedule

Abbreviations of Reading-List Citations
AELLichtheim, Miriam. Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings. Vol. 1, The Old and Middle Kingdoms. Vol. 2, The New Kingdom. Vol. 3, The Late Period. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1975, 1976, 1980. [on Library reserve]
ANETPritchard, James. B., editor. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Related to the Old Testament, 3rd ed. with Supplement. Princeton. Princeton University Press, 1969. [BS1180 .P83 1969] [in Library Reference]
Anchor Bible DictionaryThe Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman. Six volumes. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishers, 1992. [BBS440 .A54 1992] [in Library Reference]
CANESasson, Jack M., editor-in-chief. Civilizations of the Ancient Near East. Four volumes. New York: Scribner, 1995 onward. [DS57 .C55 1995] [in Library Reference]


Locations of Readings

The course readings are located in one of several places: (1) the Reference Room; (2) hard copy Reserve in the College Library; (3) Electronic Reserve on the Library main-frame computer; (4) the course's own Web Pages; (5) the Periodicals Room in the College Library. Most citations in the Reading Assignment-list below are marked with the following locator codes:

ERs =Electronic Reserve
Per =Periodicals Room
Ref =Reference Room
Rs =Reserve
W =Web Page
You may open and print all readings marked W (Web Pages) and ERs (Electronic Reserve) from this page by clicking on the links below where indicated. The same course-page password opens both of these sources. Each abbreviated citation is fully referenced in the course bibliograpy (click to open).

If a link below to a reading on Electronic Reserve does not work, go to the Web page: "HIST270 Course Page: Egyptian Social History (Spring 03)" on the Library E-reserve Web pages. If that link also proves unsuccessful, go to the Electronic Reserve System "Main Course Index"-Web page, and search by the course number, "hist270".

All issues of ANET and CANE are located in the Reference Room.



Week 1:January 9
Introduction and Course Description

Week 2:January 14
Nile Valley and the Development of Culture
Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 16-26;
W/RsKees,"The Countryside," sects. A-B, including: "The Nile and the Seasons," "Irrigation and Soil," 47-61 [click to open];
Parkinson, Voices, 36-37, 81-84, 101-107 [nos. 3, 22-25, 34]
W/Rs"Hymn to the Nile Inundation," in Lichtheim, AEL 1, 204-210 [click to open].
(1/15) Drop/Add Deadline

January 16
Synopsis of Egyptian History
Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 27-51;
RefKitchen, "Egypt, History of (Chronology)" in Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 2, p. 322, I-327, II;
Parkinson, Voices, 36-37, 81-84, 101-107 [nos. 3, 22-25, 34]
Simpson et al., Literature, 81-84.

Week 3:January 21
Egyptian Language and Writing
Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 110-124;
Rs/ERsPart 1: Gardiner, "Introduction," in A. H. Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar, 5-15 [click to open];
Rs/ERsPart 2: Gardiner, "Introduction," in A. H. Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar, 16-24c [click to open];
Parkinson, Voices, 13-27.

January 23
Literacy, Scribal Training and Social Advancement
ERsBaines, "Literacy and Ancient Egyptian Society," 193-209 [click to open];
Parkinson, Voices, 76-78, 90-95, 148-150 [nos. 18-19, 29-30, 60a-b];
WWilliams, "Scribal Training in Ancient Egypt," 214-21 [click to open].

Week 4:January 28
Egyptian Society and Class Structure
Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 69-83, 95-109;
Parkinson, Voices, 99-107, 111-112 [nos. 33-34, 38];
RsSimpson et al., Literature, 159-179; 198-200; 241-265; 329-326.
Reading Quiz #1

January 30
Economic Structures: Government and Temple Administrations
RefBleiberg, "The Economy of Ancient Egypt," in CANE 3, 1373-86;
RefLeprohon, "Royal Ideology and State Administration in Pharaonic Egypt," in CANE 1, 273-287;
Rs/W"Charter of King Pepy I," in Lichtheim, AEL 1, 28 [click to open];
RefPritchard, ANET, 212, ("A Royal Decree");
RsWente, Letters from Ancient Egypt, 37-39 (letters no. 35, 36, 38).
(1/30) Last day to withdraw with grade of "W"

Week 5:February 4
Status of Women, Love and Marriage
WWard, "The Egyptian Economy and Non-royal Women: Their Status in Public Life" [essay located on the World WideWeb] [click to open];
WBryan, B. "The Evidence for Female Literacy from Theban Tombs of the New Kingdom," 17-32 [click to open];
Parkinson, Voices, 107-110 [nos. 35-36];
Simpson et al., Literature, 296-306;
ERsGaballa, "The Legal Text" (the inscription of Mes) [click to open];
RsWente, Letters from Ancient Egypt, 216-217 (letter no. 352, "A Husband to His Deceased Wife).

February 6
Sexual Attitudes and Mores
WManniche, "Some Aspects of Ancient Egyptian Sexual Life," 11-23;
Parkinson, Voices, 54-56 [no. 11];
RsParkinson, "'Homosexual Desire' and Middle Kingdom Literature," Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 81 (1995): 57-76;
Simpson et al., Literature, 315-323 [stanzas no. 31-40].
Midterm Examination (60 mins.)

Week 6:February 11 and 13
Medicine, Medical Practices and Obstetrics
ERsPart 1: Ghalioungui, "Medicine in Ancient Egypt," 52-77 [click to open];
ERsPart 2: Ghalioungui, "Medicine in Ancient Egypt," 78-79 [click to open];
Parkinson, Voices, 78-79, 129-130, 142-143 [nos. 20, 49, 55-56];
ERsStevens, "Gynaecology from Ancient Egypt" [click to open];
ERsWalker, "The Place of Magic in the Practice of Medicine in Ancient Egypt," 85-95 [click to open];
Reading Quiz #2

Week 7:February 18
Religion: Athletics, Games and Sports, and Drama
Brewer-Teeter, Egypt and the Egyptians, 84-94;
RsPiccione, "Sportive Fencing as a Ritual for Destroying the Enemies of Horus," 335-49;
Parkinson, Voices, 40-43, 124-125 [nos. 5, 45];
WRamesseum Papyrus, "Rites of Horus of Letopolis [click to open];"
WHerodotus, Book II, "Festival of Ares at Papremis" [click to open];
Term paper due February 18 (at start of class)

February 20
The Game of Senet and Class Senet Tournament
RsPiccione, "The Gaming Episode in the Tale of Setne Khamwas As Religious Metaphor," 197-204;
WPiccione, "Senet Gaming Ritual: The Great Game Text" [click to open].
Parkinson, Voices, 78-79, 129-130, 142-143 [nos. 20, 49, 55-56];


February 25: Final Examination: 4:00-6:45 pm