Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2018, Spring 2017
The ancient Near East (present-day Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey) is considered the cradle of civilization. Here in Mesopotamia and its neighboring regions, the first cities arose, writing was invented, armies forged the earliest empires, and complex religious beliefs were expressed in art and architecture. This course surveys the major archaeological sites and monuments from the earliest settlements to the conquest of the Near East by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE.
Introduction to Near Eastern Art and Archaeology: Read More [+]

Terms offered: Spring 2007, Fall 2005, Spring 2003
The course will treat in depth topics in Islamic architecture and topics in Islamic art. Subjects addressed may include painting, calligraphy, and book production.
Topics in Islamic Art: Read More [+]

Terms offered: Fall 1998
The patriarchal age through the Hellenistic period.
History of Ancient Israel: Read More [+]

Terms offered: Spring 2009, Spring 2005, Spring 2001
A general survey of the religious history of Iran in the Islamic period, covering the rise and development of religious institutions, the elaboration of the religious sciences, Sufism, and sectarian movements.
Islam in Iran: Read More [+]

Terms offered: Spring 2004
A survey of the main themes in the cultural, ethnic, and linguistic history of Central Asia and adjacent regions, principally from the rise of Islam down to the present. The first half of the course will deal with the Iranian element in Central Asia, and particularly with the Tajiks. The second half will be devoted to the Turks, including their history and expansion, not only in Central Asia but also in Anatolia and South East Europe.
Topics in the History of Central Asia and the Turks: Read More [+]