NEAR E 314 A: The Archeology of Early Islam

This course is an introduction to the archaeology of Early Islam, from 632 to ~1000 CE.This course does not seek to be a history of Islam, nor to cover all the areas of early Islamic conquest. Instead, various centers of Early Islamic culture will be studied to better understand the cultural and social effects of the rise ofIslam upon different regions. The course will study the rise (and, in some cases, fall),of Islam in Arabia, Syria/Palestine Iraq, Egypt and Spain, as well as a brief look at Islam outside of these regions. Students will become acquainted with key archaeological sites, as well as the history of the field in these regions. We will study the architecture and material cultures affected by the rise of Islam. The place of archaeological understanding alongside historical investigation will be an important aspect of this course. Students should leave the class acquainted with the archaeological narrative accompanying the history of early Islamic civilization.