Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (B.A.)

First-Year Seminars

* NELC 001b / AFST 001b / ARCG 001b, Egypt and Northeast Africa: A Multidisciplinary Approach  John Darnell

An introduction to Egyptology, examining approximately 10,000 years of Nile Valley cultural records and 3,000 years of Egyptian history. The course presents an overview of the historical and archaeological study of Egypt and her southern neighbor Nubia. Various original written and visual sources are used, including the collections of the Peabody Museum and the Yale Art Gallery, with some material accessible in the classroom. Students gain a basic understanding of the hieroglyphic script and the Ancient Egyptian language, and are able to read some inscriptions in museum visits at the end of the course. Enrollment limited to first-year students. Preregistration required; see under First-Year Seminar Program.  WR, HU
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

* NELC 004b, Earliest Literature of the Ancient World  Benjamin Foster

Selections from ancient Near Eastern literature, such as myths and epics, stories, fables, letters, magic spells, and poetry, with emphasis on themes that resonate with a modern reader: memory, entertainment, success, love, heroism, violence, suffering, redemption, devotion, faith, sexuality, anxiety, humor, wonder, cynicism, and going to school. Enrollment limited to first-year students. Preregistration required; see under First-Year Seminar Program.  HU
HTBA

* NELC 026b / ARCG 031b / CLCV 059b / EVST 030b / HIST 020b, Rivers and Civilization  Harvey Weiss

The appearance of the earliest cities along the Nile and Euphrates in the fourth millennium B.C. Settlements along the rivers, the origins of agriculture, the production and extraction of agricultural surpluses, and the generation of class structures and political hierarchies. How and why these processes occurred along the banks of these rivers; consequent societal collapses and their relation to abrupt climate changes. Enrollment limited to freshmen. Preregistration required; see under Freshman Seminar Program.  HU, SO
TTh 9am-10:15am

NELC 128a / HUMS 128a, From Gilgamesh to Persepolis: Introduction to Near Eastern Literatures  Kathryn Slanski

This lecture course is an introduction to Near Eastern civilization through its rich and diverse literary cultures. We read and discuss ancient works, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, Genesis, and “The Song of Songs,” medieval works, such as A Thousand and One Nights, selections from the Qur’an, and Shah-nama: The Book of Kings, and modern works of Israeli, Turkish, and Iranian novelists and Palestianian poets. Students complement classroom studies with visits to the Yale Babylonian Collection and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, as well as with film screenings and guest speakers. Students also learn fundamentals of Near Eastern writing systems, and consider questions of tradition, transmission, and translation. All readings are in translation.  WR, HU
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

NELC 109a / ARCG 244a / RLST 245a, The Age of Akhenaton  John Darnell

Study of the period of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton (reigned 1353–1336 B.C.E.), often termed the Amarna Revolution, from historical, literary, religious, artistic, and archaeological perspectives. Consideration of the wider Egyptian, ancient Near Eastern, African, and Mediterranean contexts. Examination of the international diplomacy, solar theology, and artistic developments of the period. Reading of primary source material in translation.  HU
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

NELC 115a, The Bible in Its Ancient Near Eastern Setting  Eckart Frahm

History of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires of the first millennium B.C.E.; how their rise and fall influenced the politics, religion, and literary traditions of biblical Israel. Topics include the role of prophecy and (divine) law, political and religious justifications of violence, the birth of monotheism, and the historical reliability of the Hebrew Bible.  HU
MW 11:35am-12:50pm

NELC 201a / ENGL 191a / LITR 318a, The Arabian Nights, Then and Now  Shawkat Toorawa

Exploration of Arabian Nights, a classic of world literature. Topics include antecedents, themes and later prose, and graphic and film adaptations.  HU
TTh 2:30pm-3:45pm

* NELC 232a / JDST 256a / MMES 236a / RLST 400a, The Dead Sea Scrolls: The Damascus Document  Steven Fraade

Study of the Damascus Document, one of the most important of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Attention to the document's place in the history of biblical interpretation and ancient Jewish law; the nature and rhetorical function of its textual practices, both narrative and legal; and its relation to the central sectarian writings of the Qumran community. Prerequisite: reading proficiency in ancient Hebrew.  L5, HU
Th 9:25am-11:15am

* NELC 241b / HUMS 212, Mystical Poetry of Judaism and Islam  Shawkat Toorawa

Poetry and song run through the heart of both Judaism and Islam, and so-called mystical verse plays a vital role within both traditions. This class looks at key works from both of these bodies of verse, on their own terms and in relation to one another. It also examines the cultural and historical matrices that gave rise to the poetry. Subjects range from alphabets of creation, the poetry of ascent, wine poetry, and the divine nature of the beloved to negative theology, interacting planes of macrocosm and microcosm, antinomian breakthrough, and, above all, poetry’s power to bring about critical transformations of consciousness. Readings are drawn from the Bible, Hebrew visionary poetry of Late Antiquity (Poems of the Palaces, Book of Creation), pre- and early-Islamic material, the Qur’an, the Arabized Hebrew of two major Andalusian poets, Solomon Ibn Gabirol and Judah HaLevi, the syncretic Sufism of Ibn al-‘Arabi and of the great Persian poets Rumi and Hafez, the extensive Kabbalistic tradition that developed in 13th-century Spain and 16th-century Palestine, the hybrid liturgy of the Muslim-Jewish Donmeh of Salonika (and their Turkish precursors), Ghalib’s Urdu ghazals, Kabir’s Bhakti-influenced vernacular Hindi poetry, and secular transformations of this mystical material into the modern era. All work is read in English translation. Material in the original languages is available to interested students.  HU
HTBA

NELC 268b / ARCG 226b / EVST 226b, Global Environmental History  Harvey Weiss

The dynamic relationship between environmental and social forces from the Pleistocene glaciations to the Anthropocene present. Pleistocene extinctions; transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture; origins of cities, states, and civilization; adaptations and collapses of Old and New World civilizations in the face of climate disasters; the destruction and reconstruction of the New World by the Old. Focus on issues of adaptation, resilience, and sustainability, including forces that caused long-term societal change.  SO
TTh 9am-10:15am

* NELC 271b / ARCG 217, From Africa to Arabia: Worlds of the Ancient Red Sea  Julien Cooper

This course introduces students to the diverse and unique worlds of the ancient Red Sea, from Ancient Egypt, the Kingdoms of South Arabia, ancient Ethiopia, and the myriad nomadic peoples who dwelt on its shores. The focus of the course is how the specific geography of the Red Sea shaped the history of trade and politics in the region, juxtaposed with much better researched ancient maritime spaces in the Mediterranean. Students learn about many ancient cultures and empires not commonly encountered in history courses, as well as how this frequently ignored space acted as one of the most important trading corridors in the ancient world.  HU
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

* NELC 272b / ARCG 219, Ancient African Empires: Aksum & Kush  Julien Cooper

This course is an introduction to the long history of two of Africa’s most ancient civilizations, that of Kush (Nubia) and Aksum (Ethiopia). The course traces the history of Sudan and Ethiopia from the foundations of Kushite culture (c. 2000 BCE) and the Kingdom of Da‘emat (c. 800 BCE), chronicling the apogees of these civilizations until the eclipse of these cultures at the hands of the burgeoning Arab-Islamic caliphate and internal rivalries in the early Medieval Period. Lectures weave through the narratives of these Northeast African empires, introducing students to the multi-ethnic complexities of the Sudanese and Ethiopian worlds, their history, religions, and complex geographies. Students gain an appreciation for the history of Africa, a world seldom treated in university courses, being outside the parameters of ‘classical civilizations’ of the Mediterranean, the Near East, China, and India and also beyond the southern frontiers of Pharaonic Egypt. Particular focus is also taken on the reception and legacy of Kushite and Ethiopian civilization in modernity. A myriad of Archaeological, textual, epigraphic, numismatic, and other sources is used to visually convey the history of these African kingdoms.  HU
W 1:30pm-3:20pm

* NELC 381a / JDST 391a / RLST 407a, Midrash Seminar: Sifre Shofetim  Steven Fraade

Close study of the earliest rabbinic commentary to the Book of Deuteronomy, focusing on its interpretations of laws dealing with the responsibilities of courts and public figures: judges, kings, priests, and prophets. Particular attention is paid to the interrelation of rabbinic legal rhetoric and the hermeneutics of scriptural commentary, with comparisons to other corpora of ancient Jewish and non-Jewish laws. Prerequisite: reading fluency in ancient Hebrew.  L5, HU
W 9:25am-11:15am

Students wishing to study Akkadian should consult the director of undergraduate studies.

ARBC 110a, Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I  Muhammad Aziz

Development of a basic knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic. Emphasis on grammatical analysis, vocabulary acquisition, and the growth of skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.  L1  1½ Course cr
HTBA

ARBC 120b, Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II  Staff

Continuation of ARBC 110. Prerequisite: ARBC 110 or requisite score on a placement test.  L2  RP  1½ Course cr
HTBA

* ARBC 130a, Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I  Staff

Intensive review of grammar; readings from contemporary and classical Arab authors with emphasis on serial reading of unvoweled Arabic texts, prose composition, and formal conversation. Prerequisite: ARBC 120 or requisite score on a placement test.  L3  RP  1½ Course cr
HTBA

ARBC 136a, Intermediate Classical Arabic I  Shawkat Toorawa

Introduction to classical Arabic, with emphasis on grammar to improve analytical reading skills. Readings include Qur'anic passages, literary material in both poetry and prose, biographical entries, and religious texts. Prerequisite: ARBC 120 or permission of instructor. May be taken concurrently with ARBC 130 or 150.  L3  RP
MW 11:35am-12:50pm

ARBC 140b, Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II  Staff

Continuation of ARBC 130. Prerequisite: ARBC 130 or requisite score on a placement test.  L4  RP  1½ Course cr
HTBA

ARBC 146b, Intermediate Classical Arabic II  Shawkat Toorawa

Continuation of ARBC 136. Prerequisite: ARBC 136 or permission of instructor. May be taken concurrently with ARBC 140 or 151.  L4  RP
MW 11:35am-12:50pm

* ARBC 150a, Advanced Modern Standard Arabic I  Sarab Al Ani

Further development of listening, writing, and speaking skills. For students who already have a substantial background in Modern Standard Arabic. Prerequisite: ARBC 140 or requisite score on a placement test.  L5  RP
HTBA

* ARBC 151b, Advanced Modern Standard Arabic II  Sarab Al Ani

Continuation of ARBC 150. Prerequisite: ARBC 150 or requisite score on a placement test.  L5  RP
MWF 11:35am-12:25pm

* ARBC 162a / MMES 262a, Modern Arabic Political Thought  Sarab Al Ani

Works by influential Arab thinkers, leaders, and politicians who represent liberal nationalism, Arab nationalism, Islamism, and critiques of contemporary Arab society. Ways in which the authors use language both to portray their beliefs and to shape new social concepts in the Arab world. Prerequisite: ARBC 151 or equivalent, or with permission of the instructor.  L5  RP
MW 1pm-2:15pm

ARBC 164b, Literature and Justice: Arab Writers on Trial  Jonas Elbousty

Texts by selected Arab writers who were put on trial as a result of their narratives. Why literary writers are put on trial, and how they, in turn, put culture and society on trial. The role of literature as a political actor in struggles over ethics and meaning. Prerequisite: ARBC 150.  L5
MW 1pm-2:15pm

ARBC 170a / ARBC 526a / NELC 236 / NELC 558a, Creative Writing in Arabic  Jonas Elbousty

This course combines both analysis and production of literary texts. Students study modern Arabic literary texts as a vehicle for generating their own creative prose and to engage with prose, personal essay, and other literary genres attending particularly to how authors evoke experience through character, setting, dialog, etc. The class looks to popular fiction in Arabic and focuses upon the writer's craft to create vivid and engaging narratives. This analysis provides inspiration for students writing their own unique creative pieces and encourages them to polish their ability to express themselves in Arabic. Prerequisite: ARBC 140.  L5  RP
MWF 9:25am-10:15am

* ARBC 176b / MMES 178b, Languages in Dialogue: Arabic and Hebrew  Sarab Al Ani

Arabic and Hebrew are closely related as sister Semitic languages. They have a great degree of grammatical, morphological, and lexical similarity. Historically, Arabic and Hebrew have been in cultural contact, especially in medieval Spain, the Middle East, and North Africa—as evidenced by the Judeo-Arabic languages. Arabic is the native tongue of about 20% of the population that resides in Israel, yet lack of communication exists today between Hebrew speakers and Arabic speakers. This L5 advanced Arabic class explores cultural and linguistic contacts between the two languages as well as parallel aspects between the communities. Additionally, students benefit from regular meetings with a corresponding L5 Hebrew class, which discusses similar topics. The shared meetings enable Arabic learners and Hebrew learners to participate together in one class, to bring to light the similarities between the two sister languages and to explore key social issues based on mutual respect while focusing on cultural and linguistic aspects of the material. L5 in Arabic, or equivalent (placement test).  L5
MW 1pm-2:15pm

ARBC 193a, Moroccan Arabic  Jonas Elbousty

A basic course in the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. Principles of grammar and syntax; foundations for conversation and listening comprehension. Prerequisite: ARBC 130 or equivalent.  RP
MW 1pm-2:15pm

ARMN 450a, Classical Armenian I  Staff

This is an introduction to Classical Armenian, an ancient literary language used from the fifth century onward. Students cover all the essential grammar in one term and begin reading texts.  L1
MWF 9:25am-10:15am

ARMN 451b, Classical Armenian II  Staff

Introduction to reading Classical Armenian texts from a variety of genres for students who have acquired the basics of Classical Armenian grammar. Prerequisite: NELC 450 or permission of instructor.  L2
MWF 9:25am-10:15am

EGYP 110a, Introduction to Classical Hieroglyphic Egyptian I  Staff

Introduction to the language of ancient pharaonic Egypt (Middle Egyptian) and its hieroglyphic writing system, with short historical, literary, and religious texts. Grammatical analysis with exercises in reading, translation, and composition.  L1
TTh 9am-10:15am

EGYP 117a, Elementary Biblical Coptic I  Stephen Davis

The native Egyptian language in the Roman and Byzantine periods. Thorough grounding in grammar and vocabulary of the Sahidic dialect as a basis for reading biblical, monastic, and Gnostic texts. Credit only on completion of EGYP 127.  L1  RP
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

EGYP 120b, Introduction to Classical Hieroglyphic Egyptian II  Staff

Continuation of EGYP 110. Prerequisite: EGYP 110.  L2  RP
TTh 9am-10:15am

EGYP 127b, Elementary Biblical Coptic II  Stephen Davis

. Continued study of the native Egyptian language in the Roman and Byzantine periods