Geometric and Archaic Greece (ca. 1000-480 BCE) formed a fascinating and formative period of world history. The Greek alphabet, the Olympics, the Delphic oracle and the Persian Wars are just a few of the cultural and historical phenomena which changed the course of Western thought and identity. Join us as we explore revolutionary arts, decisive clashes and intercultural communities through a multitude of learning materials and a museum visit. We will analyse the art and archaeology of Geometric and Archaic Greece through major categories such as pottery, architecture, sculpture and written sources. In the process, we will unravel the ways in which we can elicit a wealth of information about how people lived and thought in past societies.
The Art and Archaeology of Geometric and Archaic Greece
This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Course starts: 21 Jan 2025
Week 1: Introduction to Art, Archaeology - and Geometric and Archaic Greece
Week 2: Architecture
Week 3: Sculpture
Week 4: Pottery
Week 5: Literacy, trade and economy
Week 6: Religion
Week 7: Polis, Politics, Societies
Week 8: Conflicts
Week 9: Museum visit
Week 10: Geometric and Archaic Greece: past and present
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Availability of titles on the reading list (below) can be checked on SOLO, the library catalogue.
Preparatory reading:
- Geometric Greece: 900-700 BC / Coldstream, N.
- A history of the Archaic Greek world, ca. 1200-479 BCE. / Hall, J.M.
- Greece in the Ancient World. / McInerney J.
- A companion to Archaic Greece. / Raaflaub, K., & Wees, Hans van. (eds.)
- Latsis Foundation Museums Cycle guidebooks (freely accessible online) / various
- The archaeology of Ancient Greece. / Whitley, J.
Certification
To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £285.00 |
| Take this course for CATS points | £30.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Tutor
Dr Anna Simandiraki-Grimshaw
Dr Anna Simandiraki-Grimshaw is trained in Archaeology, Western History of Art, Classics and Education, specialising in the Aegean Bronze Age. She conducts research as a Research Fellow at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London (UCL) and independently. She also lectures in Archaeology at the Continuing Education Departments of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, among other institutions, and is affiliated with Humboldt University in Berlin.
Course aims
To introduce students to the art and archaeology of Geometric-Archaic Greece (ca. 1000-480 BCE) through a diachronic exploration of major material culture categories, such as architecture, sculpture and pottery, as well as themes, such as societies, politics and religion.
Course objectives:
- Teach and analyse the most important specimens of Geometric and Archaic Greek art and archaeology, in combination with select written sources;
- Explore the aesthetic, social, political and other origins and influences of Geometric and Archaic Greek art and archaeology;
- Enable students to critically approach a past system of aesthetics, creativity and ideological expression by exploring concrete examples of Geometric and Archaic Greek material culture.
Teaching methods
A variety of teaching and learning methods will be used, taking into consideration students' different learning styles and requirements. We will use tutor presentations and explanations, substantial visual material and handouts, some documentary footage and extensive discussion. Group debates will offer opportunities when main topics will be analysed by different teams. We will also use props and replicas. Students will study between sessions and will progress through a workbook (or an essay) according to their evolving understanding and skills. There will be the opportunity of on-site learning during a museum visit in session 9.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- recall and analyse the most important specimens of Geometric and Archaic Greek art and archaeology, in combination with select written sources;
- discuss and evaluate the aesthetic, social, political and other origins and influences of Geometric and Archaic Greek art and archaeology;
- critically approach a past system of aesthetics, creativity and ideological expression by exploring concrete examples of Geometric and Archaic Greek material culture.
Assessment methods
For this course, all students will be given a workbook at the second session (Option A). This will contain 5 questions and guiding material, the answers for which will become apparent as we progress through the course. Students will be expected to draw on both what is covered in class and on their private study, reflection and museum visit(s). They will be expected to demonstrate their progression and development by completing the workbook and submitting it in by the deadline. The entire length of the answers should be approximately 1500 words, i.e. about 300 words for each answer.
In the case of students who are unable to complete the workbook (e.g. who feel that their learning styles are not compatible), the tutor will be flexible in accommodating other ways of equivalent written assessment (Option B).
Student progress will also be evaluated on the basis of analysis, collaboration, organisation and knowledge, as demonstrated during class activities.
Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work of the required standard.
Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term together with the final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form
Application
To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)
Level and demands
This is an introductory course, and so no prior knowledge of the subject is required - just your enthusiasm!
The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)
To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.