Household Archaeology (Near Eastern Studies 192A)

This undergraduate seminar is an introduction to a growing theoretical sub-field in archaeology that focuses on the economic, political, and cultural framework of houses and households. As the basic unit of society, household groups are not only a reflective microcosm of their larger communities, but play a vital and active role in determining social relationships, economic systems, and cultural norms. This course surveys the theoretical underpinnings of Household Archaeology drawn from anthropological literature and explores methods by which archaeologists investigate houses and households of the ancient Near East with comparative examples drawn from Mesoamerica and North America.
Primary Instructor Catherine Foster / Spring 2009

URAP: Daily Life in the Upper Tigris: Micro-Debris Analysis at Kenan Tepe, Turkey

This project, part of the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program at UC Berkeley, gives students the opportunity to be involved with micro-debris analysis of samples derived from Late Chalcolithic Period (3600-3000 BCE) domestic contexts at the site of Kenan Tepe, Turkey. Research apprentices, with the assistance of post-doctoral scholar Dr. Catherine Foster, will be responsible for sorting microdebris samples into their constituent materials: ceramics, stone, bone, shell, mud brick, charcoal, and seeds. The apprentices will also get the opportunity to build and contribute to a brand new microarchaeology website/blog that will serve as a microartifact classification database and online resource for microarchaeologists across the globe.
Laboratory Manager Catherine Foster, Faculty sponsor Benjamin Porter / 2007-2008, 2009-2010 / [web]

Introduction to Near Eastern Art and Archaeology (Near Eastern Studies 15)

The ancient Near East (present-day Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey) is considered the 'cradle of civilization.' Here in the regions of Mesopotamia, Syria-Palestine, and Anatolia, the first urban societies arose and writing was invented. The first empires marshaled large armies and amassed fabulous riches. Complex religious and ritual ideologies were expressed in the art and architecture. And all has been revealed by the archaeologist's spade. This course surveys the major archaeological sites and monuments from the earliest settlements in the Neolithic (10,000-6000 BCE) to the conquest of the Near East by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between the arts and ancient society in order to enable students to acquire the skills for accessing and appreciating ancient civilizations.
Graduate Student Instructor Catherine Foster, Instructor Marian Feldman / Spring 2007, 2008

Introduction to the Middle East (Near Eastern Studies 10)

This course traces the modern and ancient socio-political history of ethnic and religious groups in the Arab states, Turkey, Israel, and Iran. The course is divided into three sections: I. modern political history of modern Middle East countries, II. exploration of the ancient Middle East in terms of politics, religion, and economics, and III. discussion of major issues concerning the modern Middle East including water, cultural heritage, modernization, urbanization, and gender roles.
Graduate Student Instructor Catherine Foster, Instructor John Hayes / Fall 2002, 2003, 2004