Archaic Greek Sanctuaries Dr. Mary E. Voyatzis
Classics 520 Haury Building 122A
CE Chavez 304 Tel. 621-3446
T TH 12:30-1:45 Off. Hrs. W 10-11; TH 2-3
Fall Semester 2011 (or by appointment)
GRADUATE SYLLABUS
ARCHAIC GREEK SANCTUARIES
You have all seen illustrations of the famous fifth century B.C. temples such as the Parthenon at Athens or the temple of Zeus at Olympia. Some of you have also had the opportunity to see the actual buildings themselves, or what remains of them. What you may not have seen or realized is that these temples typically represent the latest phase of development at the sites in question. Archaeological investigation has revealed that below or near the temples were often several earlier temples, some of which date back to the eighth century B.C. Before any temples were built at these sanctuaries, they generally contained simple altars in an open-air site. It is to the earlier altars and temples that we turn our attention in this course. These sites often reveal significant insights into early architectural, artistic and religious conventions, frequently overshadowed in later phases. The earlier practices may explain or set the scene for subsequent developments at the sites. Such a focus also allows us to explore some of the most exciting stages in early Greek society: a time of renewal, experimentation, exploration and growth in all aspects of life.
This course therefore concentrates on the evidence for Greek sanctuary sites between approzimately1000 and 600 B.C. We examine the excavated material from numerous sanctuary sites, including architectural remains (temples and/or altars), pottery, votive offerings of bronze and clay, and any other evidence revealing religious practices during these formative years. The role the sanctuaries played in society is also considered with a view to their political, social, economic and spiritual implications for Archaic Greek life.
The first part of the course consists of lectures on various themes relevant to the growth and development of Greek sanctuary sites. Graduate students will occasionally be asked to do mini-presentations during this time. After the Midterm, you have the opportunity to give a short presentation on a particular Archaic Greek sanctuary site of your choice. This presentation is also the basis of your 4000 word term papers (3000 words for undergraduate students). All topics for presentations and term papers must be submitted to me by September 20th. Detailed outlines of papers with bibliography are due October 18th. Terms papers (12 point font, double spaced) are due December 6th, 2011 - absolutely no exceptions.
Required Texts: Available at the ASUA Bookstore
J. Pedley, Sanctuaries and the Sacred in the Ancient Greek World (Cambridge 2005)
A.M. Snodgrass, Archaic Greece: The Age of Experiment (University of California Press 1980)
J.N. Coldstream Geometric Greece (Routledge, NY, 2003)
W. Biers, The Archaeology of Greece (Cornell, 1996)
Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester.
Course Evaluation:
Midterm (October 13th) 25% of grade
Presentations 25% of grade
Term Paper 40% of grade
Attendance, Quizzes 10% of grade
All pagers and cell phones must be turned off during class. If caught cheating or plagiarizing, you risk immediate failure in the course; see the Student Code of Academic Integrity http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies. Students needing special accommodations should contact the UA Disability Resource Center, http: //drc.arizona.edu/teach/syllabus-statement.html. No threatening behavior is permitted; see http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml.