Gender and Society in Ancient Egypt, ACABS/WOMENSTD 487, 3 credit hours
Winter 2014

Note: This is a provisional syllabus for the course; exam and due dates will stay the same, but readings and discussion topics may be modified. The most recent version of the schedule, readings and announcements for the course can be found on the course CTools site.

**Revised Jan 13 2014

Instructor: Prof. Terry Wilfong
Office: 4016 Thayer
Email (best means of contact): <twilfong@umich.edu>

Office Hours TBA


Class description:

In this seminar, students will investigate gender in ancient Egyptian society. Using ancient sources, scholarly readings and archaeological data as seen through a variety of approaches, students will explore the definitions of gender in Egyptian society, gender roles and relations, and the impacts of status, religion, sexuality, ethnicity and other factors on ancient Egyptian understandings of gender. Course projects will include analysis of Egyptian literary texts and work on artifacts in the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. This course is intended for graduate students and upper-level undergraduates.


Class requirements:

* Attendance, advance preparation of readings and participation in discussions are mandatory. This is a 400-level seminar class, which means that readings and topics will be discussed in class by all students.
* Assigned readings must be done before class according to schedule.
* Exams must be taken on time, papers and assignments must be handed in by deadlines: no late exams or papers!
* Brief writing assignments for first half of term (=20% of grade)
* Midterm Exam (=30% of grade)
* Final paper and Presentation (=50% of grade)


Reading List
The following are required for purchase and should be available in UM Bookstores or online:
* Gay Robins, Women in Ancient Egypt (ROBINS in the syllabus)
* Lynn Meskell, Archaeologies of Social Life in Ancient Egypt (=MESKELL in the syllabus)

 

There is also T. G. Wilfong, Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt: From Prehistory to Late Antiquity (1997) (=Wilfong 1997 in the syllabus), available in the Kelsey Museum gift shop. (Please note: the author does not receive any of the proceeds for purchase of this book!) Please note that the first readings for this book will be made available online or as handouts.

There will also be regular online readings and/or handout readings, TBA


Provisional Schedule

1. January 8
ORIENTATION
*No readings

2. January 13
INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT EGYPT
*Readings: Robins 11-20
Meskell 1-7
Wilfong 1997 8-16
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

3. January 15
INTRO TO GENDER; GENDER AND THE INDIVIDUAL

*Readings: Meskell 8-52
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

4. January 20
NO CLASS: MLK DAY

5. January 22
GENDER AND FEMINIST HISTORY
*Readings: Meskell 53-106
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

6. January 27
GENDER AND POWER IN ANCIENT EGYPT
•Readings ROBINS 21-55
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

7. January 29
GENDER IN THE LIFE CYCLE
•Readings ROBINS 56-91
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

8. February 3
GENDER, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IN EGYPT
•Readings ROBINS 92-141

+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

9. February 5
GENDER, SPIRITUALITY AND DEATH IN EGYPT
•Readings ROBINS 142-175
, MESKELL 107-135
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

10. February 10
GENDER IN ARCHAEOLOGY: CASE STUDY AT DEIR EL MEDINAI
•Readings MESKELL 136-175
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

11. February 12
GENDER IN ARCHAEOLOGY: CASE STUDY AT DEIR EL MEDINAII
•Readings MESKELL 176-226
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

12. February 17
GENDER AND REPRESENTATION IN ANCIENT EGYPT: IMAGE AND TEXT
•Readings ROBINS 176-191

+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

13. February 19
GENDER AND THE JACKAL GODS: A CASE STUDY IN EGYPTIAN RELIGION
+ readings listed on assignment handout

14. February 24
MID-TERM EXAM

15. February 26
LOOKING AHEAD: PROJECTS AND POSSIBILITIES

WINTER BREAK: NO CLASS

16. March 10
EXHIBITING GENDER
*Readings: TBA

17. March 12
GENDER IN THE MUSEUM
*Readings: TBA

18. March 17
KELSEY MUSEUM: GENDER BEHIND THE SCENES
**Meet at Kelsey Museum, 434 South State Street Entrance

19. March 19
KELSEY MUSEUM: GENDER IN THE GALLERIES
**Meet at Kelsey Museum, Maynard Street Entrance

20. March 24
CHOOSING PROJECT/PAPER TOPICS

21. March 26
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

22. March 31
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

23. April 2
INTERIM REPORTS

24. April 7
INTERIM REPORTS

25. April 9
PRESENTATIONS

26. April 14
PRESENTATIONS

27. April 16
PRESENTATIONS

28. April 21
PRESENTATIONS AND SUMMING-UP