GENT 401/1 Pre-History and Early Civilizations
This course begins with a brief look at human origins and the earliest cave paintings, and then moves on to study the history, literature, religion, and visual culture of two of the earliest cultures on the planet: Sumeria and Egypt.
Location: Lecture Form (LF, Bldg. 13), rm. 102
Tuesday, 18 August 2026
8:45-9:40 “Visual creativity in Prehistoric Europe,” Prehistoric Europe Gamble Madsen
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “The late Paleolithic: we become human,” Tom Logan
Thursday, 20 August
8:45-9:40 “Philosophical Questions and Early Human Thought,” Stephanie Spoto
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “Campfire Stories,” Joshua Converse
Tuesday, 25 August
8:45-9:40 “Early developments in the visual cultures of the ancient Middle East and Egypt,” Early developments in the ancient Middle East and Egypt Gamble
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “The Agricultural Revolution, Civilization, and the formation of the State: Early Egypt and Mesopotamia,” Tom
Thursday, 27 August
8:45-9:40 “The Philosophy of Gilgamesh,” Stephanie
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “Gilgamesh,” Josh
Tuesday, 1 September
8:45-9:40 “Ancient Middle Eastern visual culture, continued,” Later developments in the ancient Middle East Gamble
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “Egypt: the divine Pharoah and pyramids,” Tom
Thursday, 3 September
8:45-9:40 “Myth and Religious Consciousness,” Stephanie
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “Egyptian gods,” Josh
Tuesday, 8 September
8:45-9:40 “Ancient Egyptian visual culture, continued,” Gamble
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 “Egypt: the New Kingdom, the empire and king Tutankhamon,” Tom
Thursday, 10 September
8:45-9:40 Dialogue, Team
9:40-9:55 Break
9:55-10:50 In-person assignment for graded credit students