Sociology and Anthropology 357 - The Origins of Writing

Institution:

Colgate University

Subject:

Description:

A. Aveni This course examines the origins of writing in four civilizations of the ancient world: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Mesoamerica, and the Andes. The writing systems developed in the first three of these civilizations (the fourth remains undeciphered) share several basic features, which students explore, along with other elements, in the origins and development of the Sumerian cuneiform and Egyptian and Mesoamerican hieroglyphic writing systems. The knotted-string (khipu) recording system of the Incas is also examined, as well as development of alphabetic writing systems in the ancient Mediterranean. Students participate in script reading/writing workshops, as well as write a research paper on an ancient and/or non-Western (deciphered or undeciphered) writing system. No first-year students are admitted.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.colgate.edu

Phone Number:

(315) 228-1000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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