ANE 115 – Archaeology of the Levant
Semester: Fall
Offered: 2025
Instructor: Andrew Danielson
Meeting Time: T 12:00pm – 2:45pm
This course examines past societies of the ancient Levant through the archaeological record from the Neolithic through to the end of the Persian period (c. 9750–332 BCE). Artifacts and archaeological remains will be discussed in the context of past societies and contemporary interpretations. Specific topics include archaeological methods, the development of agrarian societies, urbanism, social hierarchies, technological innovations, diplomacy, economic interconnections, state formations, environmental change, colonialism, and state/household ritual. Specific focus will be given to the periods of the Late Bronze and Iron Age in the Levant, examining the formation and dissolution of Bronze Age city-states, and the rise and fall of Iron Age kingdoms including ancient Israel, Moab, and Edom. As a part of the course, students will interact with archaeological material culture at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East.
For more details please visit the Harvard Course Catalog.