High Advanced

Prior to enrolling in courses at this language level, students must have completed or tested out of a minimum of five semesters (or seven quarters) of college-level Spanish at their home university in the U.S.

OBJECTIVES
The organization of the Course will be based on a clear outline. Following on from an introductory session wherein the basic concepts regarding the temporal and spatial parameters of Prehistory will be established, each theoretical lecture will pinpoint a specific archaeological site which will act as the spur to the analysis of the paradigmatic aspects of the period, or historical process, to which the site belongs. Thus, for example, the purpose of the sessions given over to the Atapuerca site (Burgos, Spain), where during the last decade, globally speaking, the most outstanding collection of human fossils has been dug up, will be a consideration of the issue of the settlement of Europe by groups prior to Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Likewise, in those sessions dealing with the Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri (Greece), the history of Minoan culture will be the subject of inquiry, including the way in which that same culture came to an end so abruptly as a result of one of the worst volcanic eruptions ever recorded.

METHODOLOGY
Each theoretical class will begin with a ‘powerpoint’ presentation on the part of one of the lecturers, during which the suject-matter being dealt with will be illustrated by means of maps, outlines, photographic material and drawings.

As a complement to these class sessions two field trips will be undertaken to Sevilla’s Archaeological Museum and to the megalithic site located in Valencina de la Concepción (the Province of Sevilla) so that students may acquire a more direct awareness of prehistoric material remains. The Course will also include three debate sessions based on the viewing of a film followed by a colloquy to be structured initially in terms of teacher input with regard to the points to be discussed.

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
• AUBET SEMMLER, M.E. (1996): The Phoenicians and the West. Politics, Colonies, and Trade. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
• (1987): Tiro y las Colonias Fenicias de Occidente. Barcelona: Bellaterra.
• CHAMPION, T., GAMBLE, C., SHENNAN, S., WHITTLE, A. (1984): Prehistoric Europe. London: Academia Press.
• (1988): Prehistoria de Europa. Barcelona: Crítica.
• GAMBLE, C. (1999): The Paleolithic Societies of Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
• (2001): Las Sociedades Paleolíticas de Europa. Barcelona: Crítica.
• GIMBUTAS, M. (1974): The Gods and Godesses of Old Europe, 7000-3500 BC. Myths, Legends, and Cult Images. London: Thames and Hudson.
• (1991): Diosas y Dioses de la Vieja Europa, 7000-35000 a.C.: Mitos, Leyendas e Imaginería. Madrid: Itsmo.
• HARDING, A.F. (2000): European Societies in the Bronze Age. Cambridge UP.
• Sociedades Europeas en la Edad de Bronce. Barcelona: Ariel.
• RUIZ RODRÍGUEZ, A., MOLINOS MOLINOS, M. (1998): The Archaeology of the Iberians. Culture Contact and Culture Change in Iron Age Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
• (1993): Los Iberos. Un Análisis Arqueológico de un Proceso Histórico. Barcelona: Crítica.
• WHITTLE, A. (1996): Europe in the Neolithic. The Creation of New Worlds. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.

SYLLABUS
Introduction
• Lecture 1: Archaeology. Overview of a Science
• Lecture 2: Prehistory: Temporal and Spatial Dimensions.

Lower Palaeolithic (c. 1.000.000 to 350.000 B.C.). Middle Palaeolithic (c. 350.000 to 30.000 B.C.).

• Lecture 3: Orce (Spain). The most ancient hominid settlers of the Old World.

• Lecture 4: Atapuerca (Spain). The most ancient hominid settlers of the Old World.

• Lecture 5: Neanderthal (Germany). The cave that gave its name to our closest evolutionary relative.

Upper Palaeolithic (c. 30.000 to 9.000 B.C.). Mesolithic (c. 9.000 to 6.000 B.C.).

• Lecture 6: Altamira (Spain) and Lascaux (France) (I). The humans who painted in the dark.

• Lecture 7: Willendorf (Austria). Goddesses without faces.

• Movie Session and Discussion, The Quest for Fire (1981).

Neolothic (c. 6000-3500 B.C.)

• Lecture 8: Çatal Hüyük (Turkey). The village of the man-eating vultures.

• Lecture 9: Carnac (France). Earliest stone monuments.

• Lecture 10: Val Camonica (Italy). Post- Palaeolithic cave art.

• Discussion. Movie Session and Discussion, Rapa Nui (1994).

Copper Age (3500 to 2200 B.C.).

• Lecture 11: Zambujal (Portugal). Early forts and wars.

• Lecture 12: Similaum (Italy). The Ice Man of the Alps.

• Field Trip. Visit to the Valencina de la Concepción dolmens.

Lecture: Bronze Age (2200 to 800 B.C.).

• Lecture 13: Akrotiri (Greece). The Minoan Civilization and the Thera volcanic catastrophe.

• Lecture 14: Mycenae and Troy (Greece). From legend to facts.

• Movie Session and Discussion, Troy (2004).

ASSESSMENT
Assessment with regard to this Course will be based on an exam to be held between December 12 and 15, 2007. During the class session scheduled for November 30 students will be given a model of this same kind of exam, which will also include sample answers. In keeping with the regulations set down within the Agreement-Based Accords for Students from Abroad, regular attendance in class sessions is compulsory.