• Inactive for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Professor Mark Jackson
• Lecturer: Dr Sophie Moore

• Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

Byzantine Archaeology is the study of the Eastern Roman empire through material culture. This module will focus on the archaeology of the early and middle Byzantine world from the 4th to the 9th centuries.

We will study key themes in contemporary approaches to Byzantine archaeology including: the Byzantine spaces: the Byzantine house, / the Byzantine church / city; Byzantine pilgrimage, Byzantine landscape and topography, the relationship of Byzantium with Islam, archaeology and text, trade and ceramics.

Data will include excavation reports, finds reports and field surveys associated with: the Byzantine city, Byzantine churches, Byzantine rural settlements, ecclesiastical settlements.

The aims of this module are:
1. To provide an advanced understanding of sources, methods and techniques used in Byzantine archaeology.
2. To provide an in-depth knowledge of key themes in Byzantine archaeology.

Outline Of Syllabus

Themes to be selected from:
- Byzantine Historiography using Special Collections in the Robinson Library
- the Byzantine house
- the Byzantine church
- the transformation of the Byzantine city
- pilgrimage
- Byzantine landscape and topography
- the relationship of Byzantium with Islam
- archaeology and text
- trade and ceramics

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Seminars to provide introduction and critique on sources, methods and key themes.
Seminars to develop advanced knowledge and critical understanding of through specific case study examples and formative student presentations.
Mini-presentations within the seminars help to build learning through preparation and reinforce learning through presentation and discussion.
Private study to provide in-depth understanding through background reading, identification/collation/analysis of information in preparation for formative presentations and module assessments.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The form of any re-sit shall be determined by the Board of Examiners.

The case-study will assess detailed understanding and ability to critically analyse data relating to a particular artefact, class of artefacts, building, city or landscape in Byzantine archaeology.

The essay will assess understanding of and ability to critically analyse data and published interpretations relating to one or more key themes in Byzantine archaeology. It will also provide the opportunity to demonstrate an advanced ability to apply relevant analytical methods.

Mini-presentations within the seminars help to build learning through preparation and reinforce learning through presentation and discussion.

Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.

This module can be made available to Erasmus students only with the agreement of the Head of Subject and of the Module Leader. This option must be discussed in person at the beginning of your exchange period. No restrictions apply to study-abroad, exchange and Loyola students.

All Erasmus students at Newcastle University are expected to do the same assessment as students registered for a degree.

Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students spending semester 1 only are required to finish their assessment while in Newcastle. This will take the form of an alternative assessment, as outlined in the formats below:

Modules assessed by Coursework and Exam:
The normal alternative form of assessment for all semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be one essay in addition to the other coursework assessment (the length of the essay should be adjusted in order to comply with the assessment tariff); to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Modules assessed by Exam only:
The normal alternative form of assessment for all semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be two 2,000 word written exercises; to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Modules assessed by Coursework only:
All semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be expected to complete the standard assessment for the module; to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.
Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students spending the whole academic year or semester 2 are required to complete the standard assessment as set out in the MOF under all circumstances.

Reading Lists

• ARA8172's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• ARA8172's Timetable