SEMITIC EPIGRAPHY

Course objectives

In consistency with the educational purposes of the whole teaching course, aim of the teaching unit is to give students a basic knowledge and comprehension skills in the field of SEMITIC EPIGRAPHY, with the help of advanced textbooks. Moreover, it will make the student able to apply the acquired knowledge in an expert and reflective way, making autonomous judgments, communicating ideas, problems and reflections in a clear and correct way, and developing the knowledge required to go further in the studies. The course aims at providing the students with a basic knowledge of the Semitic Epigraphy

Channel 1
ALESSIO AGOSTINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Introduction to the Semitic Epigraphy The course aims to offer an introduction to the main problems and methodology of Semitic epigraphy. In the first part, the problem of the emergence of linear writing will be addressed, whose development and main writing traditions within the Semitic world will be traced. An overview of the epigraphically attested Semitic languages will be given, describing their salient linguistic features and mutual relationships. In the second part of the course, the study of the epigraphic documentation of the ancient South Arabian kingdoms (Sheba, Ma‘in, Qataban and Hadramawt) will be tackled, for which a specific textual category will be analyzed each time, taking into account the historical and archaeological context of reference. The working methodology will enable the development of reading skills and comprehension of the main linguistic and content features of the texts studied.
Prerequisites
none
Frequency
highly recommended
Exam mode
Examination on the general part and on the texts analyzed during the classes.
ALESSIO AGOSTINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Introduction to the Semitic Epigraphy The course aims to offer an introduction to the main problems and methodology of Semitic epigraphy. In the first part, the problem of the emergence of linear writing will be addressed, whose development and main writing traditions within the Semitic world will be traced. An overview of the epigraphically attested Semitic languages will be given, describing their salient linguistic features and mutual relationships. In the second part of the course, the study of the epigraphic documentation of the ancient South Arabian kingdoms (Sheba, Ma‘in, Qataban and Hadramawt) will be tackled, for which a specific textual category will be analyzed each time, taking into account the historical and archaeological context of reference. The working methodology will enable the development of reading skills and comprehension of the main linguistic and content features of the texts studied.
Prerequisites
none
Frequency
highly recommended
Exam mode
Examination on the general part and on the texts analyzed during the classes.
  • Lesson code1035782
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseArchaeological Sciences
  • CurriculumArcheologia orientale
  • Year3rd year
  • Duration12 months
  • SSDL-OR/07
  • CFU6