What's posted here?
Schedule of readings, notes, slides, tests, and due dates: Shows what you should read before the class on each date. Some readings are in the textbook. Others are links to online material. The schedule also shows dates of tests, assignment due dates, and so on. Lecture notes for each class are usually posted in advance, while the Powerpoint slides are usually posted after it. Some people print the the lecture notes and bring them to class to take notes on, rather than trying to write everything down. The notes are useful for studying and preparing assignments, but they do not necessarily make sense on their own, and they do not cover everything in the readings. They are no substitute for reading the assigned material and attending class. I adjust the schedule during the semester, so check it frequently to be sure of current readings and deadlines.
Handouts: The syllabus, assignment details, study guides, and so on.
Links: Links to other web pages about subjects we cover. These are completely optional, but may help you study or pursue questions raised by the course. Many have good photos or maps that add a visual element to the readings. All are recommended, and many are fun.
Email: Click the "email" button to ask me a question or make a comment, or to turn in the computer version of an assignment. If you are not using your own computer, be sure to include your email address in the message so I can reply.
Everything on this site has been scanned for viruses and is safe to the best of my knowledge.
So why come to lectures?
First, hearing me explain the notes and slides will be far clearer than trying to figure them out without help. Second, numerous studies show that you understand and remember things better if you get the information in various different ways, like reading, hearing, and seeing. Third, you can ask questions, and listen as others ask questions that you might not have thought of. Finally, I fill in details, explain arguments, and highlight the important points, which should make it easier to see the big picture rather than getting lost in the details.
Schedule of readings, notes, slides, tests, and due dates
This schedule will change, so don't rely on a printed copy. Read the assignments before the class session. Scroll down for more. Most items are PDF (Adobe Acrobat) files and should open in a new window to view, save, or print. Move it aside or close it to see this one again. If the PDF files do not open, install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The slides are the Powerpoint presentations you see in class. They do not include all the information in the notes. They should open in a new window. Navigate with PageUp/Down, Arrow Left/Right, Space/Backspace, Mouse clicks and scroll wheel, and Home/End to jump to the start or end of the presentation. Esc or close the window to quit. If your browser downloads the file, just double-click the file to open it. If your computer does not have Powerpoint, install the free Powerpoint viewer for Windows or Impress, part of the free OpenOffice for Macintosh.
User ID and Password: Due to copyright restrictions, many items require the class user ID and password. These are different from your Peoplesoft ID and password. If you can't recall them, email me.
Be patient: Some items may take many seconds or minutes to load, especially with a telephone modem.
- Tuesday, Jan. 27: Introduction to the course
- Notes (37 Kb)
No Slides for this class
- Video in class: The Hunters
- No reading
- Notes (37 Kb)
- Thursday, Jan. 29: Society without civilization: The foraging way of life
- Notes (45 Kb)Slides (1.0 Mb)
- Concepts related to foraging and society (1 pg, 8 Kb)
- Lee 1984:1-8,34-55 - "The !Kung" and "Subsistence: Foraging for a Living" in The Dobe !Kung (22 pgs, 3.7 Mb)
- Lee 1984:87-93 - Extract from "Conflict, Politics, and Exchange" in The Dobe !Kung (7 pgs, 3.1 Mb)
- Chart: Civilization's Place in the Big Picture (1 pg, 12 Kb)
- Notes (45 Kb)
- Tuesday, Feb. 3: What do we mean by "civilization"?
- Notes (41 Kb)Slides (1.1 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:279-292 - Extract from "The Evolution of Complex Societies" in Patterns In Prehistory (14 pgs)
- Concepts related to social and economic organization (4 pgs, 27 Kb)
- Definitions of "city" (1 pg, 9 Kb)
- Definitions of "state" (4 pgs, 21 Kb)
- Definitions of "civilization" and "complex society" (4 pgs, 23 Kb)
- Notes (41 Kb)
- Thursday, Feb. 5: A brief introduction to archaeology: How we recover prehistory
- Notes (45 Kb)Slides (3.8 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:1-12 - Extract from "Prehistory, History, and Archaeology", in Patterns in Prehistory (12 pgs)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:292-298 - Extract from "The Evolution of Complex Societies" in Patterns In Prehistory (7 pgs)
- DeCorse 2000:26-37 - Extracts from "The Record of the Past" in The Record of the Past (12 pgs, 3.0 Mb)
- Concepts related to archaeology, chronology, and dates (1 pg, 9 Kb)
- Optional: How radiocarbon dating works (2 pgs, 16 Kb)
- Notes (45 Kb)
- Tuesday, Feb. 10: Catch-up: actually start "A brief introduction to archaeology"
- Readings pushed back one class session.
- Thursday, Feb. 12: Catch-up: finish "A brief introduction to archaeology"
- Readings pushed back another class session.
- Tuesday, Feb. 17: Agriculture and sedentism in theory
- Notes (30 Kb)Slides (158 Kb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:228-243 - Extracts from "The Origins of Agriculture" in Patterns In Prehistory (16 pgs)
- Concepts related to agriculture and society (2 pgs, 12 Kb)
- Notes (30 Kb)
- Thursday, Feb. 19: Agriculture and sedentism: What really happened
- Notes (40 Kb)Slides (2.5 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:243-261, 269-270 - Extracts from "The Origins of Agriculture" in Patterns In Prehistory (21 pgs)
- Price and Feinman 2005 - "Abu Hureyra" in Images of the Past (4 pgs, 4.4 Mb)
- Optional online: The Origins & Spread of Agriculture: Click "Epipalaeolithic" for the Natufian and Abu Hureyra, or "Sedentism" for origins of agriculture, animal domestication, and sedentism. Excellent compilation of essential evidence, but more complex than the assigned introductory material.
- Notes (40 Kb)
- Tuesday, Feb. 24: Beyond subsistence at the Neolithic transition: Jericho and Göbekli Tepe
- Notes (42 Kb)Slides (5.6 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:328-330 - Extract from "Origins of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia" in Patterns in Prehistory (3 pgs)
- Gowlett 1984 - "Jericho" in Ascent to Civilization (2 pgs, 1.2 Mb)
- The World's First Temple: Göbleki Tepe: Short news story with the basics and some good photos.
- Seeking the Roots of Ritual: Göbleki Tepe: A more complete presentation. (3 pgs, 353 Kb)
- Chart: Chronology of Early Civilizations (1 pg, 14 Kb)
- Map: The world with geographic terms and regions of pristine civilizations (1 pg, 76 Kb)
- Map: Southwest Asia, Anatolia, and the Nile region (1 pg, 172 Kb)
- Optional: Map: Modern nations of Southwest Asia, Anatolia, and the Nile region (1 pg, 191 Kb)
- Optional: Göbleki Tepe: The World's First Temple?: Longer popular article (click on to the second and third pages) with better text.
- Notes (42 Kb)
- Thursday, Feb. 26: Examples of the first towns on Earth: Asikli Höyük and Çatal Hüyük
- Notes (41 Kb)Slides (5.0 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:330-334 - Extract from "Origins of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia" in Patterns in Prehistory (5 pgs)
- Balter 1998 - The First Cities: Why Settle Down? The Mystery of Communities, Science 282(5393):1442 (7 pgs, 43 Kb)
- Price and Feinman 2005 - "Çatalhöyük" in Images of the Past (4 pgs, 1.4 Mb)
- Asikli Höyük: Click around to learn about a predecessor of Çatal Hüyük, dated around 8200-7500 BC; try "Excavations and Research", then "The Settlement" and "Subsistence".
- Optional online: This Old House: Ian Hodder describes Çatal Hüyük and current thinking about it.
- Optional online: Virtual museum of Çatal Hüyük: Animated, comic-book-like approach leads quickly to good images and information. Fun and worthwhile.
- Optional online: Çatal Hüyük Newsletter: Current research at the coolest town of the Neolithic world, clearly explained and illustrated. Start with the latest press release, then check out the newsletters in the "News" menu item.
- Notes (41 Kb)
- Tuesday, Mar. 3: Some theories of the origins of civilization - batch one
- Notes (28 Kb)Slides (165 Kb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:298-316 - Extract from "The Evolution of Complex Societies" in Patterns In Prehistory (19 pgs)
- Some theories of the origins of civilization, Part I (3 pgs, 18 Kb)
- How to evaluate a theory (5 pgs, 31 Kb)
- Notes (28 Kb)
- Thursday, Mar. 5: Mesopotamia: Neolithic and early complex cultures
- Notes (49 Kb)Slides (4.4 Mb)
- Table: Early chronology of Mesopotamia (1 pg, 6 Kb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:324-328, 334-338 - Extract from "Origins of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia" in Patterns In Prehistory (10 pgs)
- Lamberg-Karlovsky and Sabloff 1995 - Extract from "Agricultural Communities" in Ancient Civilizations: The Near East and Mesoamerica (12 pgs, 1.9 Mb)
- Notes (49 Kb)
- Tuesday, Mar. 10: Catch-up: Actually cover early complex cultures
- Essay #1 due
- No additional reading or quiz
- Thursday, Mar. 12: Mesopotamia: 'Ubaid and Uruk periods
- Notes (41 Kb)Slides (4.1 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:338-341 - Extract from "Origins of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia" in Patterns In Prehistory (4 pgs)
- Lamberg-Karlovsky and Sabloff 1995 - "The Ubaid Culture" in Ancient Civilizations: The Near East and Mesoamerica (7 pgs, 541 Kb)
- Notes (41 Kb)
- Tuesday, Mar. 17: Mesopotamia: Late Uruk period
- Notes (28 Kb)Slides (3.6 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:341-349 - Extract from "Origins of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia" in Patterns In Prehistory (9 pgs)
- Nissen 2001 - extracts about Uruk and the Uruk Expansion in Rothman 2001,Uruk Mesopotamia & Its Neighbors (10 pgs, 610 Kb)
- Notes (28 Kb)
- Thursday, Mar. 19: Mesopotamia: The origins of writing
- Notes (26 Kb)Slides (2.1 Mb)
- Lamberg-Karlovsky and Sabloff 1995 - Extract on Uruk from Ancient Civilizations: The Near East and Mesoamerica (14 pgs, 2.5 Mb)
- Kuhrt 1995 - Extract on Late Uruk from The Ancient Near East c. 3000-330 BC (4 pgs, 253 Kb)
- Notes (26 Kb)
- Tuesday, Mar. 24: Mesopotamia: Early Dynastic hyperurbanism and palaces
- Notes (55 Kb)Slides (4.6 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:349-362 - Extract from "Origins of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia" in Patterns In Prehistory (14 pgs)
- Katz 1993 - Extract from Gilgamesh and Akka (4 pgs, 17 Kb)
- Optional online: The Royal Tombs at Ur: Incredible artifacts buried with a Sumerian queen
- Notes (55 Kb)
- Thursday, Mar. 26: Midterm exam (in class)
- Tuesday, Mar. 31: Cesar Chavez Day: No class
- Appreciate the fruits of Chavez's fight for workers' rights (pun intended)
- Appreciate the fruits of Chavez's fight for workers' rights (pun intended)
- Thursday, Apr. 2: More theories of the emergence of civilization
- Notes (42 Kb)Slides (264 Kb)
- Some theories of the origins of civilization, Part II (3 pgs, 25 Kb)
- Notes (42 Kb)
- Tuesday, Apr. 7: Egypt through Naqada II
- Notes (44 Kb)Slides (3.1 Mb)
- Map: Southwest Asia, Anatolia, and the Nile region Same map as before. This time, focus on the Nile region (1 pg, 165 Kb)
- Table: Chronology of Egypt (1 pg, 8 Kb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:368-377 - Extract from "The Origins of Complex Societies in Egypt" in Patterns In Prehistory (10 pgs)
- Wenke 1989 - Extracts from "Egypt: Origins of Complex Societies", in Annual Review of Anthropology 18 (10 pgs, 68 Kb)
- Optional online: Digital Egypt: Predynastic and on. Click around for lots of good pictures and up-to-date but brief info
- Optional online: History of Egypt, starting with the Predynastic. Good synthesis and pictures
- Optional online: Early Dynastic and Predynastic Egypt: Excellent detailed syntheses of the crucial early periods; great pictures of artifacts and early hieroglyphs with translations.
- Notes (44 Kb)
- Thursday, Apr. 9: Egypt: Naqada III through the Early Dynastic period
- Notes (42 Kb)Slides (3.2 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007: 377-383, 396-397 - Extract from "The Origins of Complex Societies in Egypt" in Patterns In Prehistory (9 pgs)
- Kuhrt 1995 - Extracts from "The Formation of the Egyptian State" in A. Kuhrt, The Ancient Near East c. 3000-330 BC (8 pgs, 373 Kb)
- Optional online: Old Kingdom Egypt: A visual tour of the step pyramid of Djoser
- Notes (42 Kb)
- Tuesday, Apr. 14: Spring break: No class
- Get some sun!
- Get some sun!
- Thursday, Apr. 16: Spring break: No class
- Go for a walk!
- Go for a walk!
- Tuesday, Apr. 21: Harappan civilization, part 1
- Notes (33 Kb)Slides (3.5 Mb)
- Essay #2 due
- Map: Indus valley region (1 pg, 173 Kb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:405-415 - "The Evolution of Complex Societies in the Indus Valley" in Patterns In Prehistory (11 pgs)
- Optional online: The Indus region: Photos, 3D views, reconstructions, concise authoritative essays and new research findings; excellent presentation
- Notes (33 Kb)
- Thursday, Apr. 23: Harappan civilization, part 2
- Notes (33 Kb)Slides (3.9 Mb)
- Wenke and Olszewski 2007:415-425 - "The Evolution of Complex Societies in the Indus Valley" in Patterns In Prehistory (11 pgs)
- Notes (33 Kb)
- Tuesday, Apr. 28: China through the Neolithic period
- Notes (33 Kb)Slides (3.7 Mb)
- Map: Neolithic China (1 pg, 361 Kb)
- Table: Chronology of China (1 pg, 5 Kb)
- Wenke & Olszewski 2007:432-439 - Extracts from "The Evolution of complex Societies in China", in Patterns in Prehistory (8 pgs)
- Barnes 1993 - "The Emergence of Neolithic Elites", in China, Korea, and Japan: The Rise of Civilization in East Asia (6 pgs, 405 Kb)
- Optional: Map: Modern nations of East Asia (1 pg, 375 Kb)
- Optional online: China: Pictures and brief summaries of periods, objects, and themes. "Late Prehistoric" and "Bronze Age" relate most to this class session. Nice pronuciation guide that actually speaks many examples.
- Notes (33 Kb)
- Thursday, Apr. 30: China: Longshan Horizon and Three Dynasties
- Notes (56 Kb)Slides (3.8 Mb)
- Wenke & Olszewski 2007:440-449 - Extracts from "The Evolution of complex Societies in China", in Patterns in Prehistory (10 pgs)
- Scarre & Fagan 1997 - "Elite Traditions in the Longshan Phase", in Ancient Civilizations (3 pgs, 36 Kb)
- Scarre & Fagan 1997 - Extracts on Xia and Shang dynasties, in Ancient Civilizations (16 pgs, 1.6 Mb)
- Notes (56 Kb)
- Tuesday, May 5: The Andes: Maritime Foundations & the Norte Chico in the Late Archaic Period
- Notes (58 Kb)Slides (5.7 Mb)
- Map: The Andes (1 pg, 224 Kb)
- Wenke & Olszewski 2007:533-544 - Extracts from "The Evolution of Complex Societies in Andean South America", in Patterns in Prehistory (12 pgs)
- Burger 1992 - Extracts from "The Late Preceramic and the Beginnings of Peruvian Civilization", in Burger 1992, Chavin and the Origins of Andean Civilization (8 pgs, 654 Mb)
- Pringle 2001 - "The First Urban Center in the Americas", Science 292(5517):621-622 (1 pg, 169 Kb)
- Shady, Haas, & Creamer 2001 - "Dating Caral, a Preceramic Site in the Supe Valley on the Central Coast of Peru", Science 292(5517):723-726 (4 pgs, 1.4 Mb)
- Sandweiss & Moseley 2001 - "Amplifying Importance of New Research in Peru", Science 294(5547):1651-1652 (1 pg, 79 Kb)
- Haas & Creamer 2006 - Extracts from "Crucible of Andean Civilization, The Peruvian Coast from 3000 to 1800 BC", Current Anthropology 47:5 (5 pgs, 69 Kb)
- Notes (58 Kb)
- Thursday, May 7: The Andes: the Casma valley in the Initial Period
- Notes (49 Kb)Slides (6.6 Mb)
- Wenke & Olszewski 2007:544-546 - Extracts from "The Evolution of Complex Societies in Andean South America", in Patterns in Prehistory (3 pgs)
- Burger 1992 - Extracts from "The Initial Period Societies of the Coast", in Burger 1992, Chavin and the Origins of Andean Civilization (19 pgs, 4.3 Mb)
- Pozorski & Pozorski 1994 - "Early Andean Cities", Scientific American June 1994 (5 pgs, 1.8 Mb)
- Notes (49 Kb)
- Tuesday, May 12: The Andes: Initial Period/Early Horizon in the highlands: Chavín
- This material was not covered in class, and will not be on the final exam.
- Notes (optional) (64 Kb)Slides (optional) (8.0 Mb)
- Wenke & Olszewski 2007:546-549 - Extracts from "The Evolution of Complex Societies in Andean South America", in Patterns in Prehistory (4 pgs)
- Kembel & Rick 2004 - Extracts from "Building Authority at Chavín de Huántar", in Silverman 2004, Andean Archaeology (11 pgs of text, 410 Kb)
- Optional online: Chavín de Huántar: Explore the site, including the internal galleries, in photographic virtual reality -- this is really fun. Requires downloading some software; see hints under "Links" below
- Thursday, May 14: Catch-up, review, evaluations, preparation for the test
- No additional reading. No quiz. Review and find issues you would like to clarify
- No additional reading. No quiz. Review and find issues you would like to clarify
Final exam week:
- Thursday, May 21: Final exam
- 5:00-6:50, in our usual room
- Essay #3 due
- 5:00-6:50, in our usual room
Handouts
Scroll down if you don't see what you need. Click on the Handout that you want. If you have been here before, press your browser's "reload" button to see the latest additions.
- Syllabus: The Emergence of Civilizations, Anthropology 341.1, Spring 2009 (19 Kb)
- Map: Location of North Light Books & Cafe relative to SSU (95 Kb)
- What plagiarism is and how to avoid it (6 Kb)
- Blank Southwest Asia map May help you prepare for the map questions (154 Kb)
- Blank world map May help you prepare for the map questions (75 Kb)
- First essay assignment details Due Tuesday, March 10 (27 Kb)
- Study guide for the midterm exam In class, Thursday, March 26 (13 Kb)
- Second essay assignment details Due Tuesday, April 21 (28 Kb)
- Third essay assignment details Due at the final exam, Thursday, May 21 (33 Kb)
- Study guide for the final exam Thursday, May 21, 5:00-6:50, in our usual room (13 Kb)
Links to sites, civilizations, and useful info
Interesting, often illustrated, from easy to challenging... check these out. Many of these make excellent study aids for preparing for tests. All are optional. If you have been here before, press your browser's "reload" button to see the latest additions.
...for formatting references in your papers
- SAA Style Guide: Detailed description of the citation and bibliographic style of the Society for American Archaeology, used for papers in this course. With many examples.
...about the Near East and Anatolia
- The Origins & Spread of Agriculture: An excellent, accessible, detailed review for the Near East. Click the "Epipalaeolithic" button for the Natufian and Abu Hureyra; the "Sedentism" button for agriculture, animal domestication, and sedentism, and the "Earlier Neolithic" button for the PPNA, as at Jericho.
- The World's First Temple: Göbleki Tepe: Short news story with the basics and some good photos.
- Göbleki Tepe: The World's First Temple?: Longer popular article (click on to the second and third pages) with better text.
- Asikli Höyük: Description, photos, papers about a predecessor of Çatal Hüyük.
- Çatal Hüyük Newsletter: Current research at the coolest town of the Neolithic world. Click the "News" item on the "News" menu. Start with the latest press release, then check out the Çatal newsletters.
- This Old House Ian Hodder describes Çatal Hüyük and current thinking about it.
- Virtual museum of Çatal Hüyük: Animated, comic-book-like approach leads quickly to good images and information. Fun and worthwhile.
- Lost treasures of Iraq: Pictures of spectacular Mesopotamian artifacts from Iraq's National Museum, some of which were lost in the post-war looting, organized by type of object.
- The Royal Tombs at Ur: Incredible artifacts buried with a Sumerian queen
...about Egypt
- Early Dynastic and Predynastic Egypt: Excellent detailed syntheses of the crucial early periods; great pictures of artifacts and early hieroglyphs with translations.
- Digital Egypt: Predynastic and on. Click around for lots of good pictures and up-to-date but brief info
- History of Egypt, starting with the Predynastic. Good synthesis and pictures
- Old Kingdom Egypt: A visual tour of the step pyramid of Djoser
...about the Indus, China, and the Andes
- The Indus region: Photos, 3D views, reconstructions, concise essays and new research findings; excellent presentation
- China: Pictures and brief summaries of periods, objects, and themes. "Late Prehistoric" and "Bronze Age" periods are most relevant to this class. Nice pronuciation guide that actually speaks many examples.
- Chavín de Huántar: Explore the site, including the internal galleries, in photographic virtual reality -- this is really fun.
You will need to download and install a browser plugin. Click on the "Realspace" viewer link at the bottom of the Chavín page. On the next page, click on "Zoom Viewer Plugin" ("Realspace" has been renamed). On the next page, click on the words "Get Zoom Viewer" hidden among the graphics. Then click on the Zoom Viewer Plugin (Windows or Mac version) from the list of choices. Don't pick the Zoom Server. The web site will ask for your email address. Make one up unless you want to get junk email. Your browser may ask if you want to run the program or save it to your disk. Either way, downloading will take a while. If you chose to run it, the installer will start automatically. If you chose to save it, find the file on your hard disk and double-click it to start the installer. The installer will ask you to accept some default values, and will then install the viewer. At last, you can go to the Chavín web page and explore the site.
Once there, be patient; each view takes a little while to download, but then works smoothly. Hold the left button down and move the mouse to look side to side and up and down. Press the spacebar to make "hot" points appear. Click on a hot point to move to that point or see the object there. Zoom in and out with "Ctrl" and "Shift". Check it out!
...about current discoveries and debates
- Anthropology in the News. Links to the latest finds, discoveries, and controversies in archaeology, biological anthro, cultural anthro, and linguistics. Updated frequently.
- ArchNet: An index of quality archaeological web sites. Some good links, but very incomplete. Supplement with Google!
Take a break and do something different!
I guarantee that you will have fun visiting this place. This is real, not virtual, and it is worth the drive. The archaeological parts are great, and the setting is a cultural experience.
- The Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose: Incredible Egyptian and Mesopotamian artifacts, even buildings, well displayed and explained, plus a wild mystical spin. The early stuff most relevant to this class is not shown on the website, which focuses on their incredible later material.
The Emergence of Civilizations by Bruce OwenAnthropology 341.1, Sonoma State University, Spring 2009Copyright (c) 2009, Bruce Owen. All rights reserved.Please send comments on content and presentation to
bruce.owen@sonoma.edu.URL of this document: http://bruceowen.com/emciv/a341-09s-1.htmRevised: 14 May April 2009