Students

AHIX8252 – Egypt in the Age of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun

2023 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor and Lecturer
Camilla Di Biase-Dyson
camilla.dibiasedyson@mq.edu.au
Contact via Contact via Email
25WW, Room 121
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MAncHist (OUA) or GradCertAncHist (OUA)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
AHIS8252
Unit description Unit description

The Amarna Age in Egypt was a time of great change and upheaval; it is best known for the religious reforms of Amenhotep IV/ Akhenaten, who attempted to replace a long-established polytheistic theology with a monotheistic one. It was also a time when Egypt's position in the Near East was under challenge from a resurgent Hittite kingdom. The interpretation of the history of the period is controversial with diverse points of view. This unit examines central historical issues of the Amana Age (from the reign of Amenhotep III to Tutankhamun). Students will evaluate the modern scholarship of the period through analysing and interpreting the relevant written sources (royal and non-royal) in translation against the background of the archaeological record, art and architecture.

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: Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the corpus of royal and private monumental inscriptions of the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Age.
  • ULO2: Evaluate at an advanced level the historical significance of documentary sources through the analysis and interpretation of texts in conjunction with iconographic and archaeological sources.
  • ULO3: Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of central historical issues of the New Kingdom, in particular the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Period.
  • ULO4: Evaluate modern historical interpretations of the history of the late 18th Dynasty against their use of the relevant primary sources.

General Assessment Information

Guidelines for preparing the assessment tasks as well as assessment criteria are available on iLearn. The assessment tasks are compulsory in this unit. Each assessment task has a due date and students are expected to submit their work on time.

Your work will be assessed against: appropriate use of secondary literature (Documentary Project, Essay), clarity of argument, structure and expression (Documentary Project, Essay, Exam). The marking rubric for the Documentary Project and the Essay is provided on iLearn.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty  

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.   

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application (https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration). The Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

Please note that grading decisions for each assessment task will be moderated against the set criteria and standards before task results are released.

The grade a student receives will signify their overall performance in meeting the learning outcomes of a unit of study. Grades will not be awarded by reference to the achievement of other students nor allocated to fit a predetermined distribution. In determining a grade, due weight will be given to the learning outcomes and level of a unit (ie 100, 200, 300, 800 etc). Graded units will use the following grades: HD High Distinction 85-100 D Distinction 75-84 Cr Credit 65-74 P Pass 50-64 F Fail 0-49.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Contribution to Tutorial discussion board 10% No Weeks 5–8 and 10–11. Topics assigned Week 1
Documentary Project 30% No Date TBC in Week 1
Essay 30% No 07.05.2023 (end of Week 9)
Exam 30% No 01.06.2023 (Week 13)

Contribution to Tutorial discussion board

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Weeks 5–8 and 10–11. Topics assigned Week 1
Weighting: 10%

Students will participate in an online tutorial in which the material presented in the Documentary Projects will be discussed. They will make a written contribution to a discussion board.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate at an advanced level the historical significance of documentary sources through the analysis and interpretation of texts in conjunction with iconographic and archaeological sources.
  • Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of central historical issues of the New Kingdom, in particular the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Period.

Documentary Project

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Date TBC in Week 1
Weighting: 30%

Students will write a documentary project on a specified topic based on the analysis of textual, iconographic and archaeological evidence. They will prepare a PPT presentation, that includes audio narration, on the results of their research.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate at an advanced level the historical significance of documentary sources through the analysis and interpretation of texts in conjunction with iconographic and archaeological sources.
  • Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of central historical issues of the New Kingdom, in particular the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Period.

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: 07.05.2023 (end of Week 9)
Weighting: 30%

Students will write an essay on a topic on the history of the late 18th Dynasty. The essay will require an evaluation of secondary sources based on the analysis of primary sources (textual, iconographical and archaeological).
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the corpus of royal and private monumental inscriptions of the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Age.
  • Evaluate at an advanced level the historical significance of documentary sources through the analysis and interpretation of texts in conjunction with iconographic and archaeological sources.
  • Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of central historical issues of the New Kingdom, in particular the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Period.
  • Evaluate modern historical interpretations of the history of the late 18th Dynasty against their use of the relevant primary sources.

Exam

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 2 hours
Due: 01.06.2023 (Week 13)
Weighting: 30%

Students will do an exam that involves the analysis and discussion of the historical significance of specific texts and iconographic and archaeological sources; answering questions on specific historical issues of the late 18th Dynasty
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the corpus of royal and private monumental inscriptions of the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Age.
  • Evaluate at an advanced level the historical significance of documentary sources through the analysis and interpretation of texts in conjunction with iconographic and archaeological sources.
  • Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of central historical issues of the New Kingdom, in particular the late 18th Dynasty / Amarna Period.
  • Evaluate modern historical interpretations of the history of the late 18th Dynasty against their use of the relevant primary sources.

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

The unit is delivered via iLearn and Echo360 which links the audio recording and the video capture of the visual material used to illustrate the lecture. External students will be required to listen to and work through the recordings of the classes. PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet, iLearn, word processing, Powerpoint) are also a requirement. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.

Recommended Textbooks

Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunset (Cairo, 2009)

Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise (Cairo, 2014)

Barry Kemp, The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Amarna and its People (London, 2012)

David O’Connor & Eric H. Cline, Amenhotep III. Perspectives on his Reign (Ann Arbor, 1998)

Ronald T. Ridley, Akhenaten. A historian’s view (Cairo, 2019)

Unit Schedule

Please consult iLearn site for the Weekly Schedule. It will also be updated as the presentation topics are taken on by unit participants.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook