HAA 1100 Imaging Ancient Greek Death

(offered infrequently)

The death of a loved one is an emotional and powerful occurrence that provokes a variety of human responses. Many of these responses are related to actions and behaviors, which are fleeting and not preserved in the archaeological record. The ancient Greeks, however, left behind a vast body of art that includes representations of death and dying. The study of these images allows us to better understand ancient Greek attitudes and reactions to death.

This undergraduate seminar focuses on artistic depictions of death in the ancient Greek world. The topic will be introduced contextually, as students will gain an understanding of how archaeologists discover death-related artifacts and how scholars approach the study and reconstruction of ancient death rituals. Greek practices and beliefs regarding the funeral, mourning and the afterlife will be explored, and images found on specific media (vases, sculpture, built tombs, wall paintings) will be discussed in depth. The course will conclude with a comparison between the images of death in the ancient Greek World and those of other cultures.