Abstract
This course explores the material culture of ancient Greece – the pots, temples, and tombs – and the people who made them. We will journey through over 5000 years of ancient Greek culture and history, exploring the earliest Neolithic societies through Alexander the Great. We'll learn about an ancient analog computer and how it was preserved underwater; we'll debate cultural identities represented in the infamous Griffin Warrior tomb; we'll discover how some poleis manipulated religious histories for political benefit. Through a series of hands-on digital laboratories, we will also learn about the latest analytical methods employed by archaeologists. You will leave this class with a clear understanding of how ancient Greek culture evolved, and how archaeologists have assembled and analyzed this evidence. This is a class about connecting material culture and people; you'll become more aware of how your footprints record your identity, and how archaeologists thousands of years from now might reinterpret them.