Introductory description

This module will provide students with the tools required to approach and interpret the material culture of the ancient world, and to understand the different questions which can be asked of this material. It will look at how we approach and define ancient material culture, including the study of buildings, art-works, inscriptions and everyday objects. We will consider issues such as material, production and consumption, style, form and iconography, contexts of discovery and use, as well as the ways objects communicate and change over their lifetimes. The module will also act as a taster for the exploration of some of these aspects in more detail in our Honours-level modules.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1: Introduction and the Art of Making
2: The Marble Trade in Antiquity
3: Understanding Ancient Architecture
4: Art 1: Style
5: Art 2: Iconography
7: Art 3: Contexts: Discovery and Use
8: Objects and Communication
9: Inscriptions
10: Destruction and reconstruction
There will also be three seminars, developing specific skills of analysis.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Describe ancient objects, considering aspects such as material, form, style and iconography
• Understand catalogues, drawings and plans of ancient material culture
• Set ancient objects into different contexts, thinking about how they communicate different messages.
• Communicate the significance of material culture for our understanding of the ancient world

Indicative reading list

ALCOCK S.E. & OSBORNE R. (ed.), Classical Archaeology, 2007.
Whitley, J. 2001. The Archaeology of Ancient Greece. Cambridge
Renfrew, C. and P. Bahn. 2017. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. Thames and Hudson (7th edition)
GREENE K., Moore, Th., Archaeology. An Introduction, 2010 (fifth edition; 1983, first edition by Greene, K.).
HODDER I., Reading the Past, Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology, 1986/93.
M. Stansbury O'Donnell, Looking at Greek Art, 2011.
R. Neer, Art and Archaeology of the Greek World. 2019
S. Tuck A history of Roman Art, 2015.
Elsner, Art and the Roman Viewer
Newby-Leader Newby , Art and Inscriptions in the Ancient World
Elsner Imperial Rome & Christian Triumph
Cooley Cambridge Manual of Latin Epigraphy
Nevett Domestic Space
Stewart Social History of Roman Art
Henig,Handbook of Roman Art
Renfrew & Bahn, Archaeology Theories, Methods & Practice
Dodge H and Ward-Perkins B (eds.) 1992 Marble in Antiquity. Collected Papers of J B Ward-Perkins, London.

Hirt F 2010 Imperial Mines and Quarries in the Roman World: Organizational Aspects, Oxford.

Russell B 2013 The Economics of the Roman Stone Trade, Oxford.

Subject specific skills

By the end of the module students will be able to demonstrate the ability to :
Describe ancient objects, considering aspects such as material, form, style and iconography,
Understand catalogues, drawings and plans of ancient material culture,
Set ancient objects into different contexts, thinking about how they communicate different messages,
Communicate the significance of material culture for our understanding of the ancient world

Transferable skills

• critical thinking
• problem solving
• active lifelong learning
• communication
• information literacy
• ICT literacy
• Citizenship