Egyptology, and Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies

BA Egyptology, and Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies

The three-year BA courses in Egyptology and in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies are two closely related Asian and Middle Eastern Studies courses.

The BA in Egyptology is accessed by UCAS code Q400 Egyptology, and the BA in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies is accessed by UCAS codes:

• Q401 Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
• Q402 Ancient Near Eastern Studies. 

These degree options encompass two distinct routes of study. One route concentrates on Egyptology and the Egyptian language (accessed by UCAS code Q400 or Q401). The other route concentrates on Ancient Near Eastern Studies and the Akkadian language of Babylonia and Assyria (accessed by UCAS code Q401 or Q402).

Both routes offer a wide range of options for the study of the languages, literature, history, and material culture of ancient Egypt and/or the Ancient Near East. No prior knowledge of Egyptian, Akkadian, or any other Ancient Near Eastern language is expected and both routes include core language study.

Egyptology route

In the first year, the Egyptian language is studied intensively in the Middle Egyptian phase (c. 2000-1400 BCE) and students take courses in the history and cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Later in the first year, students choose a subsidiary language or subject in consultation with their tutors.

The course for the final examination is started in the second year. Students learn a subsidiary language chosen from the following: 

• Akkadian
• Arabic
• Aramaic and Syriac
• Classical Greek
• Coptic
• Hebrew (Biblical and Mishnaic)
• Old Iranian
• Hittite
• or Sumerian.

As an alternative to a subsidiary language, it is also possible to take Archaeology and Anthropology as a subsidiary subject, with Egyptology as the main subject. The subsidiary language is treated in a broadly similar fashion to Egyptian, with work both on language and texts and on history and culture.

Taking Archaeology and Anthropology involves broad training in these disciplines through lectures and weekly tutorials.

During the second and third years Egyptian is continued with more advanced work in Middle Egyptian, as well as the cursive hieratic script, Old and Late Egyptian. Students also take classes in the Ashmolean Museum during these years to develop their understanding of Egyptian material culture, and artefacts.

As part of the third year of the course students choose their own areas for more detailed study and research, including a dissertation. Dissertations and special subjects are often centred on historical, archaeological, or artistic topics, and may include additional areas of language or texts.

Ancient Near Eastern Studies route

In the first year the Akkadian language is studied intensively in the Old Babylonian and Standard Babylonian dialects and students take courses in the history and cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Later in the first year, students choose a subsidiary language or subject in consultation with their tutors.

In the first year Akkadian is studied intensively in the Old Babylonian and Standard Babylonian dialects. The course for the final examination is started in the second year. Students learn a subsidiary language chosen from the following:

• Egyptian
• Arabic
• Aramaic and Syriac
• Coptic
• Hebrew (Biblical and Mishnaic)
• Old Iranian

As an alternative to a subsidiary language, it is also possible to take Archaeology and Anthropology as a subsidiary subject, with Ancient Near Eastern Studies as the main subject. The subsidiary language is treated in a broadly similar fashion to Akkadian, with work both on language and texts and on history and culture.

Taking Archaeology and Anthropology involves broad training in these disciplines through lectures and weekly tutorials.

During the second and third years Akkadian is continued with more advanced work in Standard Babylonian, as well as material in at least one other dialect and phase of cuneiform script. Students also take classes in the Ashmolean Museum during these years to develop their understanding of Ancient Near Eastern material and to allow them to work with original textual sources (cuneiform tablets).

As part of the third-year of the course, students choose their own areas for more detailed study and research, including a dissertation. One course option involves reading texts of particular interest, which can come from an additional category or time period not covered by the rest of the syllabus.

Dissertations and special subjects may be centred on cultural, historical, archaeological, or artistic topics, and often include additional areas of language or texts.

BA in Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

The joint degree of Classics Asian and Middle Eastern Studies offers opportunities to combine courses across two Faculties. 

Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies can be studied as a main subject alongside Latin or Greek as a subsidiary language. Alternatively, Classics can be studied as a main subject, alongside Egyptian or Akkadian as a subsidiary language in Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.

As subsidiary languages, Egyptian is studied in the Middle Egyptian phase and Akkadian is principally studied in the Old and Standard Babylonian dialects. Each subsidiary integrates language with the study of the history and cultures of the relevant area.

The societies of Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Near East had close relationships with the Greek and Roman worlds, so this degree allows the development of detailed intercultural perspectives.

Egyptian or Akkadian as a subsidiary language

Students taking a BA in Hebrew as a main subject may choose to take Egyptian or Akkadian as a subsidiary language, specialising in either Egyptian or Akkadian.