Regions and Empires in Islamic Archaeology
| Module title | Regions and Empires in Islamic Archaeology |
|---|---|
| Module code | ARA2014 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Timothy Insoll (Convenor) Professor John Cooper (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
Complimenting thematic material presented in module ARA1030, this module approaches Islamic archaeology from both a chronological and regional perspective, and in a global context. It reviews the archaeology of the Islamic world across time and space so as to assess the state of archaeological knowledge of the period from the time of the Prophet Muhammad through to the Ottoman Empire. Each week a specific geographical region or time period will be examined, focusing upon key sites, to reconstruct what is known about that region or time period and to evaluate key future research directions. It is not necessary to have completed ARA1030 to join this module, but an interest in Islamic archaeology and history is essential. The course involves practical engagement with Islamic archaeological material in a museum context and in the course seminars. The module will be based on lectures (9 x 2 hours), a full day Museum visit and gallery analysis in the Victoria and Albert and British Museums in London, and seminars centred on individual student presentations on agreed topics (1 x 2 hours). Lectures will be occasionally followed by students’ individual discussions of reading assignments. Where relevant, Islamic archaeological handling artifacts and material culture will be used in lectures and seminars, and short films on Islamic material culture and heritage shown and discussed. The following themes may be covered.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Students will develop critical skills in understanding Islamic archaeology as it contributes to reconstructing the history of large parts of the globe. They will gain an appreciation of regional differences and similarities in Islamic archaeology and an enriched understanding of Islamic heritage and monuments.
Through analysis completed in the Islamic galleries of major UK museums (e.g. the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum) students will be introduced to critical appreciation of public heritage narratives and displays, and pertinent debates in museology associated with representing Islam.
Individual short presentations on agreed Islamic archaeological topics will permit students to engage in-depth in researching a specific site or body of material. This can help in developing other dissertations, and projects, and enhances research skills transferable across course units in power point presentation, library and web based research, and group based discussion.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Understand the key different empires and regions that have been significant in Islamic history from an archaeological perspective
- 2. Analyse Islamic archaeology and material culture museum displays from a critical perspective
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Evaluate the value of different categories of archaeological evidence in reconstructing past societies
- 4. Demonstrate understanding of regional differences in approaches within archaeology
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Develop enhanced confidence in completing independent research
- 6. Critically evaluate different categories of textual, visual, and material culture evidence
Syllabus plan
The module will be based on lectures (9 x 2 hours), a full day Museum visit and gallery analysis in the Victoria and Albert and British Museums in London, and seminars centred on individual student presentations on agreed topics (1 x 2 hours). Lectures will be occasionally followed by students’ individual discussions of reading assignments. Where relevant, Islamic archaeological handling artifacts and material culture will be used in lectures and seminars, and short films on Islamic material culture and heritage shown and discussed. The following themes may be covered.
- The time of the Prophet Muhammad and the Umayyads
- The Abbasids
- The Fatimids and Mamluks
- Ottomans
- Merchants and sailors of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula
- South, Central, and Southeast Asia
- Museum fieldtrip and Gallery analysis (British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museums)
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 122 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 18 | 9x2 hour classes You will need to complete all readings prior to class and be ready to participate. On some occasions you will be asked to present material you have prepared yourself. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 4 | 2x2 hour seminars. You will need to complete all readings prior to class and be ready to participate. On some occasions you will be asked to present material you have prepared yourself. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 6 | Islamic museum visit This study event will be held in the Islamic gallery of a major UK museum (e.g. British Museum, V&A). |
| Guided Independent Study | 62 | Reading and research. |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 | Completing assignments. |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 | Preparing for assessments. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discussions in lecture and seminars | During scheduled hours | 1-6 | Oral, in class feedback |
| Optional submission of essay plans | 400 words | 1-6 | Oral, in office hours |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 20 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment (essay) | 50 | 1,800 words | 1-6 | Mark and written comments; oral feedback on request |
| Written assignment (essay) | 50 | 1,800 words | 1-6 | Mark and written comments; oral feedback on request |
| 0 | Markoral and written comments | |||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 1,800-word written assignment | 1-6 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Written assignment | 1.800-word written assignment | 1-6 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Agius, D.A.. 2008. Classic ships of Islam: from Mesopotamia to the Indian Ocean. Leiden: Brill.
Bennison, A.K. 2009. The Great Caliphs: The Golden Age of the 'Abbasid Empire. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Brett, M, 2017. The Fatimid Empire. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Donner, F. M. 2010. Muhammad and the Believers. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Cooper, J.P. 2014. The Medieval Nile: Route, Landscape and Navigation in Islamic Egypt. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
Crone, P. 1987. Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Glassé, C. 2001. The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam. London: Stacey International.
Hourani, A. H. 1991. A history of the Arab peoples. Imprint London : Faber.
Insoll, T. 1999. The Archaeology of Islam. Oxford: Blackwell.
Insoll, T. 2003. The Archaeology of Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kennedy, H. 2007. The great Arab conquests: how the spread of Islam changed the world we live in. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Lev, Y. 1991. State and Society in Fatimid Egypt. Leiden: Brill.
Milwright, M. 2010. An Introduction to Islamic Archaeology. New Edinburgh Islamic Surveys.
Power, T, 2012. The Red Sea from Byzantium to the Caliphate. Cairo: American University of Cairo Press.
Ruthven, M. with Nanji, A. 2004. Historical Atlas of the Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Woodhead, C. 2013. The Ottoman World: London: Routledge.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/03/2017 |
| Last revision date | 07/12/2022 |
