ASRC 4302 - Nile Valley Civilizations

@ (HA-AS)

Spring. 4 credits.

Staff.

This course focuses on ‘Nile Valley’ Civilizations and their contributions to African and world history. Nile Valley is defined in a broader term and it includes the region of the Nile (Abbay) River from its sources in the Horn of Africa and East Africa to its mouth in Egypt. Since natural and human resources provide the foundation to civilizations, the course will also examine the ecological and cultural compositions of the river complex. Concentrations would be, however, on the Daamatite, Aksumite, Zagwe, Gondar, and Shoa civilizations of Ethiopia, Kush, Nubia and Meroitic civilizations of the Sudan, and Ta-Seti and Kemetic civilizations of Egypt. Civilization centers along the Nile will be studied by utilizing archeological, literary, oral, biological, and religious sources. Civilizations are human made and they have material, spiritual, social, and philosophical dimensions which will be discussed in class. The students will be introduced to the Ethiopic Writing System as a practical lesson in the conception and understanding of aspects of African civilizations.