Organisatorisches
Details
Divination played an especially important role in the history of Mesopotamia and the bulk of the course focuses on the different forms of divination in ancient Mesopotamia and neighboring societies in the Eastern Mediterranean. We will look specifically at the ways in which divinatory practice was valued, as a form of knowledge, whether or not it represents a scientific practice, its role in statecraft and religion, and, in particular, how different forms of divination moved from Mesopotamia into neighboring regions and vice versa.
There is a companion reading seminar for those interested in reading some texts in the original cuneiform. This course will be taught in English, 2 hours per week.