Module ARA1030 for 2018/9
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA1030: Introduction to Islamic Archaeology
This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.
Module Aims
This multidisciplinary module is designed to introduce students to the importance of material culture as a way of understanding Muslim societies of the past, and of better understanding Islam in the present. The module aims also to familiarise students with the rich diversity of Islamic culture through archaeological, historical and ethnographic evidence.
Students will develop critical skills in the following areas: the theory of material culture and archaeology with particular reference to Islamic cultures; the treatment of Islam and Islamic societies within the history of art, archaeology and material cultural studies; the use ethnography as a tool of research; and the methodologies and practices of archaeology.
Beyond the use of archaeology to merely understand historical phenomena, students will be introduced to innovative approaches to the study of Islamic societies, in particular, to the combined use of textual documentation, ethnological analogies, and the archaeological record.
Particular aspects of past and present Islamic material culture will be analysed, including religious and domestic environments, cities and settlement types, art and architecture, death and burial, manufacturing and trade. Emphasis will be placed on the past and present maritime trade routes, navigation techniques and boatbuilding traditions in the Red Sea and Arabian/Persian Gulf.
Assignment and exercises are intended to stimulate the critical interpretation of the spoken and written word, and of artefacts from past and present material culture.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. understand the different methodologies for the study of past and present material cultures; 2. analyse aspects of Islam across time and space using the material evidence; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. describe the material culture evidence in an appropriate and comprehensive manner and to research a topic; 4. demonstrate understanding of archaeological methods and approaches, written sources and ethnographic methods; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. prepare and deliver individual presentations using appropriate visual aids; 6. development your research, analytical and writing skills using different interpretative and methodological approaches; 7. write essays, give class presentations, and take part in discussions; 8. read critically and carefully from a list of texts. |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
The module will be based on lectures (10 x 2 hrs) and seminars (1 x 2 hrs). Lectures will be occasionally followed by students’ individual discussions of reading assignments. Some visual materials will be used in the module
1. Introduction: Defining the material culture and archaeology of Islam.
2. Introduction to ethnography and historical texts in the understanding of Islamic material culture.
3. The art and the architecture of Islam.
4. The built environment and the “Islamic city”.
5. The individual and the domestic.
6. Death and burial.
7. Manufacturing.
8. Islamic pottery.
9. Navigation and Trade.
10. Boatbuilding traditions.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 20 | 10 x 2 hour lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 2 | 1 x 2 hour seminar |
| Guided independent study | 128 | Guided Independent Study |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discussions in lectures | During lectures | 1-4, 7 | Verbal |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 20 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 30 | 1,500 words | 1-4, 6-8 | Mark and written comments |
| Written assignment | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-4, 6-8 | Mark and written comments |
| Individual presentation with slides and handouts | 20 | 15 minutes (1,000 words) | 1-5, 7 | Mark, oral and written comments |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment (1,500 words) | Written assignment (1,500 words) | 1-4, 6-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Written assignment (2,000 words) | Written assignment (2,000 words) | 1-4, 6-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Individual presentation with slides and handouts | Written summary of presentation (1,000 words) with copies of slides and handouts | 1-4, 6-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
