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150174 UE Along the Silk Road: Art and Archeology (2011S)

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 15 - Ostasienwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work

n.Ü.

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Wednesday 02.03. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 09.03. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 16.03. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 23.03. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 30.03. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 06.04. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 13.04. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 04.05. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 11.05. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 18.05. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 25.05. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 01.06. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 08.06. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 15.06. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 22.06. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10
  • Wednesday 29.06. 14:40 - 16:10 Seminarraum Sinologie 1 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-10

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

“Seidenstraße”, is a term coined at the end of the 19th c. and refers to an ancient trade road connecting eastern Asia to the western Mediterranean world. Today the term Silk Road (or Silk Roads) denotes rather a network of routes than a single road, and refers as well to the regions of central Asia crossed by it. First mentionings in historical sources attesting commercial relations between China and the West date back to the Former Han period, in the 2nd c. BCE. The peak of commercial traffic was reached in the 6^th -8^th c. CE, producing an exchange not only of goods, but also of cultures and ideas.
The course will focus on the eastern extension of the Silk Road, namely: the two branches (northern and southern) contouring the Taklamakan desert in Chinese central Asia (largely modern Xinjiang). The rich artistic production of the caravan oasis cities that flourished along these routes reflects the extraordinary cultural interconnections that occurred in that region during the first millennium of our era.

Assessment and permitted materials

Attendance, participation and oral presentation: 60%; written paper: 40%
Students are expected to attend the class regularly, to participate in class activities and discussions, to read the basic literature and the readings on specific topics suggested in classes. More than 3 unjustified absences will be evaluated as negative; attendance to the introductory lectures is highly recommended. The oral presentation and the written paper are compulsory for final marks.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The seminar aims to give students a grounding in the study of the art and archaeology of Eastern Central Asia through the analysis of monuments and archaeological remains along the Silk Road.

Examination topics

In the beginning 3 introductory lectures will provide students with general background on the history and culture of the Silk Road. Main issues in the study of the art and archaeology of this area will be presented. In the following classes the main topic will be deepened by a number of readings that will be commented and discussed in classes, with the support of visual material. In the final phase of the course students will give oral presentations with the possibility of choosing among a list of suggested topics. Each presentation should last ca. 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes class discussion. Students will then develop the content of the presentation into a written paper of ca. 5 pages of length, which will be evaluated for final grading. Written papers should be submitted by 10th of July 2011.

Reading list

"Central Asia— Eastern." In The Dictionary of Art, edited by Jane Turner, vol. 6: 287-322. New York: MacMillan, 1996.
"Silk Route." In The Dictionary of Art, edited by Jane Turner, vol. 28: 718-723. New York: MacMillan, 1996.
Whitfield, Susan, and Ursula Sims-Williams, eds. The Silk Road: Trade, Travel, War and Faith. Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2004.
Further reading on specific topics will be given in class.

Association in the course directory

LK 220, (alt LK110)

Last modified: Tu 14.01.2025 00:16