| Unit name | The Minoans |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CLAS37018 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Momigliano |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None, |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | Department of Classics & Ancient History |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The historian C.G. Starr once famously remarked that ‘Minoan civilization is the only great civilization created in the twentieth century’ (Starr 1984). This unit examines the rediscovery, interpretation, and reception of this ‘civilisation’, which flourished in Crete during the 3rd-2nd millennia BC, and formed the background of many Greek myths and legends (such as Theseus and the Minotaur, and the labyrinth of King Minos). The unit starts with an analysis of the political and intellectual environment of late 19th-early 20th Europe, in which Minoan Crete was rediscovered, and examines how this affected contemporary interpretations and representations of this civilisation. Some of these interpretations have dominated scholarship on the ‘Minoans’ for generations, and some continue to be popular today (e.g. the notion of the Minoans as Europeans and worshippers of a Great Mother Goddess). The unit also examine how the ‘Minoans’ have been appropriated and portrayed in other fields, from Freudian psychoanalysis to modern literature, architecture, and painting.
The aims of the unit are to:
An overview of content
The unit offers a brief overview of the so-called Minoan ‘civilisation’ or culture, from its chronological and spatial development to its main archaeological sites and traits. The unit, in particular, focuses on disciplinary history, problematic interpretations of Minoan culture as well as modern receptions and uses of the Minoans. Classes will deal with topics such as: the rediscovery of Minoan Crete in the early 20th century, in a period of deep antagonism between European powers and the declining Ottoman Empire; Evolutionism, Colonialism, Imperialism and the Minoans; Minoan palaces, their history and functions; aspects of Minoan religion; Minoan writing systems, the decipherment of Linear B, and its consequences; uses of the Minoans in Freudian psychoanalysis, modern dance, literature, and other cultural practices.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of this unit?
Students will deepen their knowledge and understanding of the material culture of the ancient world by focusing on a pre-Classical culture of the ancient Mediterranean. In particular, students will expand their knowledge and understanding of one of the most famous, important, and visited archaeological sites in the Mediterranean region and Europe: Knossos. Furthermore, students will deepen their knowledge and understanding of some ancient Greek sources relevant to the Minoans and develop a more critical awareness of the uses of literary and archaeological evidence.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
This unit will involve a combination of independent investigative activities, long- and short-form lectures, and discussion. Students will be expected to engage with materials and participate on a weekly basis. Feedback will be provided for both formative and summative assessments, and this will be supported by meetings with tutors.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Class test, 45 minutes (20%) [ILOs 1, 2]
Coursework, 3,000 words (70%) [ILOs 1-5]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CLAS37018).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
