General provisions

The course is given within the Bachelor's programme in early languages and cultures and as a self- contained course. The course can be counted to the minor subject Assyriology in a Bachelor's degree.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements and English 6 or English B

Learning outcomes

The education intends to give basic knowledge in Akkadian, certain knowledge of the cuneiform writing, and an orientation in the history and culture of the ancient Near East.

On completion of the course, the student should to deserve the grade Pass at least be able to:

• account for the basic concepts within general phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics in established linguistic terminology
• account for historical processes on a general level, the most important archaeological findings, culture and religion in the ancient Near East (module 1)
• account for the position of Akkadian and Sumerian among the ancient languages in the Near East and elementary facts about the role of Akkadian as a Semitic language (module 2)
• master the essentials of the phonology, morphology, and syntax of Akkadian (module 2)
• master a smaller selection of basic neo-Assyrian cuneiform signs (module 2)
• transliterate, read, translate, and grammatically and content-wise analyse simple transliterated texts in Akkadian carefully examined during the course (module 2)
• transliterate, read, translate, and grammatically and content-wise analyse simple transliterated texts in Akkadian carefully examined during the course (module 2)
• in modules where applicable, account for basic principles of historical processes, archaeology, culture and/or religion in the ancient Near East, mainly in Mesopotamia (module 3)
• in modules where applicable: transliterate, transcribe, read, translate, and analyse grammatically and content-wise simple cuneiform texts in Akkadian (Old Babylonian or Standard Babylonian) carefully examined during the course (module 3)
• in modules where applicable: master the essentials of Sumerian phonology, morphology, and syntax and be able to transliterate, read, translate and grammatically and content-wise analyse simple cuneiform texts in Sumerian carefully examined during the course (module 3)

Content

The course consists of the following three modules:

Module 1 Ancient Near East: Introduction (7.5 credits)

Orientation in the history, archaeology, art and religion of the ancient Near East. Brief overview of literature.

Module 2 Akkadian (15 credits)

Orientation in cuneiform writing. Phonetics, thorough overview of the morphology, the most important characteristics of the syntax. In connection with this 6 pages of transliterated text and 2 pages of cuneiform writing are studied.

Module 3

With regard to field of interest and with regard to which courses are taught during the current semester the student in consultation with examiner will choose one of the following optional courses.

Ancient Near East: Archaeology and art (7.5 credits)

Ancient Near East: History (7.5 credits)

Ancient Near East: Religion (7.5 credits)

Standard Babylonian historical texts I (7.5 credits) (= Assyriology B, module 1, alternative)

Standard Babylonian literary text I (7.5 credits) (= Assyriology B, module 1, alternative)

Old Babylonian letters and document I (7.5 credits) (= Assyriology B, module 3, alternative)

Old Babylonian laws and historical text I (7.5 credits) (= Assyriology B, module 3, alternative)

Sumerian I (7.5 credits) (= Assyriology B, module 2)

See course syllabus of Assyriology B, including optional course or the separate introductory courses on the Ancient Near East, respectively.

Instruction

The teaching consists of lectures, exercises, and examination parts. The student' s independent learning activities are of crucial importance to the work on the course. Participation in all the teaching is recommended. Good preparations for and active participation in each lecture is required when studying language and text.

Assessment

Examination takes place through written or oral tests and through continuous assessment during the course. To receive the grade Pass with distinction on the whole course, it is required that this grade has been received on at least 22.5 credits.