Students

AHIS1250 – Ancient Egyptian Archaeology

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Tutor
Dr Susanne Binder
Contact via Post on iLearn discussion forum or email through iLearn Dialogue box for private matters
Arts Precinct, Level 1, Office B111
By appointment only
Tutor
Dr Linda Evans
Contact via Post on iLearn discussion forum or email through iLearn Dialogue box for private matters
Arts Precinct, Level 1, Office B120
By appointment only
Alice McClymont
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit explores the development of ancient Egyptian culture in its Near Eastern context from the Predynastic period to the end of Late Antiquity (ca. 5000 BCE to 1000 CE) as reflected in the archaeological record. The themes studied will deal with both funerary and settlement archaeology and isolate key developments in burials, dwellings, religious buildings and objects of daily use. The unit will draw on the experience of extensive fieldwork by Macquarie University staff in Egypt and incorporates object based learning drawing on the Egyptian antiquities collection in the Faculty of Arts History Museum. Students will gain a solid understanding of the geography, chronology and archaeology of the ancient Egyptian culture as well as an understanding of the key problems and controversial areas of interpretation as a basis for further specialised study in the discipline.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Acquire knowledge of the geography, chronology and significant developments from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods.
  • ULO2: Contextualise and acquire knowledge of archaeological data of Egyptian settlements, tombs, temples and associated material culture from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods from published sources.
  • ULO3: Present a clear, coherent, evidence-based description, comparison and analysis an ancient Egyptian artefact.
  • ULO4: Analyse and critique primary and secondary sources, illustrating basic skills in research, the ability to write effectively, communicate orally and reflect on the learning experience.
  • ULO5: Present written work to a high standard, with appropriate use of sources and accurate referencing.

General Assessment Information

ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION

All written work must be submitted through the iLearn website. Please upload your assignment to the drop-box for the relevant week. Save your assignment as a pdf or a doc file (a pdf is best; please do not use docx). All assignments must include the following at the start:

  • Student name;
  • Student Number;
  • Assessment Task Title or Question.

Any assignment submitted without these will not be marked.

Written work will be returned via the ‘turnitin’ tool on the iLearn unit site, and will contain feedback from the marker within them. Information about how to submit work online can be accessed through the iLearn unit.

The online quizzes will be undertaken using the iLearn quiz tool.

MARKING RUBRICS

All written assessment tasks will be graded using a rubric, which can be found on the iLearn unit site. 

RELEASE OF RESULTS

The convener will aim to return your assignments within 3 weeks of the due date. Results can be viewed via iLearn using the Gradebook tool.

EXAMINATIONS

There is no formal examination in this unit.

FINAL MARKS

Please note with respect to the marks you receive for work during the session: that the marks given are indicative only; final marks will be determined after moderation. See further the note on Results in the Policies and Procedures section below.

EXTENSIONS AND DISRUPTION TO STUDIES

  • Extensions can only be granted in exceptional cases and may only be sought in consultation with the unit convenor and with support of documentary evidence. If you anticipate any difficulty in meeting assigned due dates then it is important that you contact the unit convenor and/or tutor as early as possible via the dialogue tool.
  • Please avoid asking for extensions as missing deadlines complicates the work of markers and puts you behind. If you have to ask for an extension, request it BEFORE the deadline and not on the due date. Excuses such as ‘Getting behind with your work’ or 'I had other deadlines' do not count.

IMPORTANT PENALTIES TO BE APPLIED:

  • Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved:

    • (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date; 

    • (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. A zero grade will be applied for that task. 

    • (c) no late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests

  • Written assessment tasks submitted that are under or over the word length by more than 15% will be penalised with a 10% deduction. The marker will only read to the listed word limit, i.e. if the word limit is 1000 words they will stop reading at 1000 words (plus or minus up to 150 words).

  • Written assessment tasks submitted without proper referencing, i.e. few or no page numbers or no bibliography, will be marked according to the Macquarie University Plagiarism Policy and the schedule of penalties, including one of the following: reduced mark for the assessment task; required resubmission with reduced maximum mark; issuance of a caution or an automatic fail.

EXTENSION REQUEST PROCEDURE

The granting of extensions is subject to the University's Special Consideration Policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

Disruption to Studies

If you require an extension, you will be required to submit a 'Disruption to Studies' Notification. Please follow the procedure below:

1. Visit https://ask.mq.edu.au and use your OneID to log in.

2. Select your unit code from the drop down list and fill in your relevant details. Note: A notification needs to be submitted for each unit you believe is affected by the disruption.

3. Click "Submit form".

4. Attach supporting documents by clicking 'Add a note/attachment', click 'browse' and navigating to the files you want to attach, then click 'submit note' to send your notification and supporting documents

5. Please keep copies of your original documents, as they may be requested in the future as part of the assessment process.

Please ensure that supporting documentation is included with your request. Notify your lecturer via your iLearn dialogue box if you are submitting a 'Disruption to Studies' Notification. Your request will be considered once all the documentation has been received. If you have issues, please contact your convenor via the dialogue tool immediately.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Online Quiz – Modules 1-5 25% No Weeks 2, 5, 7, 9, 13
Object Study 45% No Tuesday of Week 6 @ 10pm
Documentation Exercise 30% No Sunday of Week 9 @ 10pm

Online Quiz – Modules 1-5

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Weeks 2, 5, 7, 9, 13
Weighting: 25%

Answer a series of questions on the required weekly video lectures. Complete the quiz using the iLearn quiz tool.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire knowledge of the geography, chronology and significant developments from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods.
  • Contextualise and acquire knowledge of archaeological data of Egyptian settlements, tombs, temples and associated material culture from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods from published sources.

Object Study

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Tuesday of Week 6 @ 10pm
Weighting: 45%

Short paper on ONE (1) ancient Egyptian artefact from the Macquarie University Museum of Ancient Cultures. Resources including MAC database entry, 3D scans and archaeological illustrations and further reading will be provided on the iLearn site. Guidelines and word limit available in iLearn. Submit via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire knowledge of the geography, chronology and significant developments from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods.
  • Contextualise and acquire knowledge of archaeological data of Egyptian settlements, tombs, temples and associated material culture from the Predynastic to Late Antique periods from published sources.
  • Present a clear, coherent, evidence-based description, comparison and analysis an ancient Egyptian artefact.
  • Analyse and critique primary and secondary sources, illustrating basic skills in research, the ability to write effectively, communicate orally and reflect on the learning experience.
  • Present written work to a high standard, with appropriate use of sources and accurate referencing.

Documentation Exercise

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 28 hours
Due: Sunday of Week 9 @ 10pm
Weighting: 30%

A short exercise designed to ensure that students are familiar with the desired mode of presenting evidence and documenting an academic paper. Guidelines and word limit available in iLearn. Submit via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and critique primary and secondary sources, illustrating basic skills in research, the ability to write effectively, communicate orally and reflect on the learning experience.
  • Present written work to a high standard, with appropriate use of sources and accurate referencing.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

In this unit, we will explore the development of ancient Egyptian civilisation from the Predynastic period to the end of Late Antiquity as reflected in the archaeological record, in other words the preserved physical evidence. We will analyse settlements, temples, tombs and associated material culture to understand the daily life and religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians over 2500 years of Pharaonic history. 

The unit will be broken up into a series of modules, which are as follows:

  • Module 1: Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology: Geography, Chronology and Society (Weeks 1 & 2).
  • Module 2: Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt  (Weeks 3, 4 & 5).
  • Module 3: Old Kingdom Egypt  (Weeks 6 & 7).
  • Module 4: Middle Kingdom Egypt (Weeks 8 & 9).
  • Module 5: New Kingdom Egypt to the end of Late Antiquity (Weeks 10, 11, 12 & 13).

KICKSTART

This unit includes a KickStart package, designed to help you get a head start with your studies. Being well prepared can be the key to success, so be sure to take advantage of KickStart and make it work for you.

What is it?

KickStart is a package of resources and activities in iLearn that is specific to studying this unit. Your package may include welcome videos from the Unit Convenor, quizzes (not counting toward your final grade), insights from industry experts and tips from previous students on how to succeed in the unit.

When is it available?

One week before the start of the session, log into iLearn and access the KickStart package.

Please note that the activities in the KickStart package do not count towards the final grade of the unit.

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

Weekly schedule

This unit will be structured following a Flipped classroom model, which describes a reversal of traditional teaching where students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then class time is used to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge through strategies such as problem-solving, discussion or debates.

This unit will be taught via a blended delivery of content and instruction using a multi-media approach such as video lectures, 3D digital artefacts in addition to accessing reliable websites as well as online databases and journals. Through this approach it is hoped that you will acquire detailed knowledge of the relevant subject matter, the skills to locate, utilise and critique primary and secondary sources and a strong understanding of the required research methods for the discipline.

This unit is comprised of 2 key elements:

  1. 2 hours of instruction: 1 hour seminar and 1 hour tutorials to be conducted online via Zoom (MQ's web conferencing tool);
  2. and individual study and preparation.
  • Students are expected to attend all classes (seminars and tutorials), unless there are extenuating circumstances such as illness etc. 
  • For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations.

iLearn will play a pivotal role throughout the session and it will be your central hub for information and instructions. Each week will be structured as follows:

BEFORE CLASS | Preparation

  • Watch video lectures and take notes in preparation for class and your Module Quizzes;
  • Complete short and specialised readings in preparation for class;

DURING CLASS | Building Knowledge

  • Attend the seminar and tutorial and engage with teaching staff/your peers in small groups to complete the weekly activities listed on iLearn;

AFTER CLASS | Consolidation

  • Complete a seminar forum post relevant to the weekly video lectures, readings or activities and engage with your peers by posting comments or responding to questions posed;
  • When prompted at the end of selected classes, add an entry to the unit glossary or complete extension tasks.
  • When prompted at the end of each Module, answer a series of questions on the reading/video lecture content in an Online quiz.
  • Reflect on the learning experience - write a short reflection on the weekly readings, lecture content or seminar forum discussion in your learning journal.

 Students must achieve an overall mark of 50% or above to complete this unit satisfactorily.

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS

There are no required textbooks for this unit. All reading materials will be provided through the MQ library. However the following texts are recommended:

  • Baines J. and Malek, J., Cultural Atlas of Ancient Egypt (New York, 2000, rev. edition).
  • Cullen, J., How to Read, Write, and Think about History (Malden, Oxford, 2013).
  • Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P., Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice (7th edition, London, 2016).
  • Schulz, R. and Seidel, M. (eds), Egypt. The World of the Pharaohs (Cologne, 2004). ** Strongly recommended.
  • Shaw, I., Ancient Egypt: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, New York, 2004). ** Strongly recommended.
  • Shaw, I. and Nicholson, P., The British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt (London, 2008).
  • Tristant, Y., and Ryan, E., (eds) Death is Only the Beginning. Egyptian funerary customs at the Museum of Ancient Cultures Macquarie University (Aris and Phillips, Oxford, 2017). ** Strongly recommended.

All booklets from the Shire Egyptology Series, such as:

  • Hall, R., Egyptian textiles (Aylesbury, 1989).
  • Hope, C., Egyptian Pottery (Aylesbury, 2001).
  • Nicholson, P., Egyptian Faience and Glass (Buckinghamshire, 1993).
  • Robins, G., Egyptian Statues (Princes Risborough, 2001).
  • Stewart, H.M., Egyptian Shabtis (Buckinghamshire, 1995).
  • Taylor, J.H., Egyptian Coffins (Aylesbury, 1989).
  • Uphill, E.P., Egyptian Towns and Cities (Aylesbury, 1988).

Most of these texts are available for purchase at BookTopia or similar online avenues.

UNIT WEBPAGE AND TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

This unit will use iLearn: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/

PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.

ZOOM MEETINGS

All students enrolled in the unit are required to meet each week for a 1 hour seminar and a 1 tutorial. Each online class will be conducted through Zoom, which is Macquarie’s web conferencing tool which provides video and voice communication, text chat, interactive whiteboard, screen sharing and annotation. Zoom is very simple to use and offers a wide variety of opportunities for learning and teaching such as real-time online tutorials, virtual consultations with students or including an external guest speaker in a lecture etc. Click here for a summary of the basics of Zoom from the MQ L&T Blog.

It is your responsibility to make sure you pre-configure your computer to use this software prior to the first meeting in Week 1.

Pre-Configuration: 

  • To access Zoom and set up and meeting, go to https://macquarie.zoom.us/ and enter your OneID and password.
  • Please make sure your Mac or PC is equipped with a microphone and speakers, so that you can use the audio functionality built into the web conferencing software.
  • Please note that it is extremely important that you get your system set up prior to the start of the event. Information on installing the necessary software and configuring your PC or Mac is available at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/categories/200101697-Getting-Started 

Please note that this link is only for Set up. Once you have completed the setup, close down the link and use the link provided on iLearn to access the room for the first meeting, which will be an informal get to know everyone session and we will also assign the tutorial discussion topics to each of you for the session.

Unit Schedule

Week

Module

Seminar topic

Tutorial topic

Assessment

1

Module 1:

Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology

Introduction to AHIS1250

Tutorial 1: What is Egyptian archaeology?

  • Unit guide Online Quiz (non-assessable)

2

Ancient Egyptian chronology,  geography and society

Tutorial 2: Introduction to the collection and curation of Egyptian Antiquities in Museums

  • Module 1 - Online quiz

3

Module 2:

Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt

Egypt at its Origins: Overview of chronological developments

Tutorial 3: Introduction material classes

 

4

Daily life - Introduction to Material culture and settlement archaeology

Tutorial 4: Ancient Egyptian Ceramics

 

5

Afterlife - Introduction to Burial customs and beliefs

Tutorial 5: How to describe an artefact - Applying observation skills

  • Module 2 - Online Quiz

6

Module 3:

Old Kingdom Egypt

Pyramids and Tombs

Tutorial 6: How to analyse an artefact - Locating and using parallels

  • DOCUMENTATION EXERCISE (Tuesday @10pm)

7

Settlement archaeology and religion

NO TUTORIAL

  • Module 3 - Online Quiz

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

8

Module 4:

Middle Kingdom Egypt

Pyramids and Tombs

Tutorial 7: Principles of Egyptian art

 

9

Settlement archaeology and religion

NO TUTORIAL

  • Module 4 - Online Quiz
  • OBJECT STUDY (Sunday @10pm)

10

Module 5:

New Kingdom to Late Antique Egypt

Daily life

Tutorial 8: Documenting Ancient Egypt: digitalepigraphy.com

 

11

Temples

Tutorial 9: Amulets and Personal Piety

 

12

Tombs

Tutorial 10: Shabtis and Faience

 

13

Curator's Choice Exhibition

Tutorial 11: AHIS1250 TRIVIA

  • Module 5 - Online Quiz

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

Minor changes: Updates to readings and weekly activities.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
22/07/2020 Changed to accommodate fully online delivery in S2 2020.