Syllabus
* Partial bibliography: 1. One of the following manuals
Crawford, H. (ed.), 2013, The Sumerian World, Routledge, London-New York.
Matthews, R., 2003, The Archaeology of Mesopotamia: Theories and Approaches, Routledge, London-New York.
Potts, D. T. (ed.), 2012, A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, vols. I-II, Whiley-Blackwell, Malden.
Less relevant options
Nadali, D. - Polcaro, A. (eds.), 2015, Archeologia della Mesopotamia Antica, Carocci Editore, Roma. [ONLY IN ITALIAN, BUT WITH LOTS OF ILLUSTRATIONS, CHARTS, DRAWINGS, SCULPTURES, RELIEFS AND GLYPTIC, IT HAS ALSO DOWNLOADABLE ONLINE MATERIALS].
Pollock, S., 1999, Ancient Mesopotamia, Cambridge University Press [FOR GENERAL PUBLIC]. 2. Further bibliography will be provided during the lessons
Annotation
Description of the Course: The course will introduce the language of the Sumerians, a population who lived in southern Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. At the same time, the course will offer an introduction to cuneiform writing, the oldest writing system in history, and to Sumerian culture. Objectives and learning outcomes of the course: At the end of the course the student should have acquired competence in the reading of cuneiform texts in Sumerian; should have made progress in the reading, translation and interpretation of cuneiform texts. Course Materials Texts and support material will be provided by the teacher during the lessons. As a reference book for the study of the grammar, it is recommended “Jagersma, B. (2010). A descriptive grammar of Sumerian,” Course schedule:
1. Introduction to the course (schedule and arrangement of the classes within the weekly program). Suggested materials, overview of the electronic sources.
2. What, where and when. Graphic rendering of Sumerian language and its history
3. Substantive: classes (primary and secondary substantives)
4. Substantive: nominal phrase and the plural
5. Substantive: genitival chain and cases
6. Substantive: copula and pronouns
7. Substantive: numbers
8. Verbal chain: finite verb and its structure, diathesis of the verb, dimensional prefixes
9. Verbal chain: causative sentence, prefix ba- and the passive
10. Verbal chain: ventive and negation
11.Verbal chain: imperative and impersonal forms of the verb
12.Syntax: coordination and subordination (relative, causative, temporal clause)
13.in-class exercises
14. in-class exercises
15. in-class exercises