CLASS 4750 - [Archaeology of Greek Religion: Theory, Methods, and Practice]

(crosslisted) ANTHR 4150, ARKEO 4150, RELST 4750
(HB) (CA-AS)

Fall. Next offered 2016-2017. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: some background in Classics, archaeology, or related disciplines is recommended, but not required.

C. Barrett.

Religious behavior is one of the few near-universal features of human societies, yet the term “religion” is notoriously controversial to define. This course takes an anthropological approach to ancient Greek religion, investigating ancient religious beliefs and practices from three different angles: (1) Theory: We will compare and critique the most influential anthropological and archaeological schools of thought on the definition, origins, and social significance of religious behavior. (2) Methods: The course surveys a variety of tools that scholars may use to reconstruct ancient rituals and beliefs, ranging from the most traditionally humanistic (e.g., textual analysis) to the most scientific (e.g., faunal analysis of feasting remains). We will assess these methodologies’ varying applicability to cultures across a spectrum of social complexity. (3) Practice: Drawing on both archaeological and textual evidence, we will investigate a range of special topics within Greek religion and explore the roles that specific religious behaviors play within their broader cultural context. We will look at ritual artifacts, cult sites, and other aspects of religious material culture, as well as primary textual sources (in translation). We will also put the course’s concepts into action through fieldwork at contemporary religious sites.