EALC 18823 Archaeology, Antiquity, and Antiquarianism in Ancient China
What can the world’s earliest known pottery shards tell us about human survival and creativity? How was earliest Chinese writing invented and used? Why were thousands of life-sized soldiers (Terracotta Army) buried in silence beneath the earth near Xi’an? This course introduces students to the archaeology of China, from the Neolithic period (c. 8000 BCE) to the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). Over the course of the term, we will examine current stage of archaeological research while surveying major sites, artifacts, and architectural remains to explore key aspects of culture, society, and history in early China. A class visit to the Art Institute of Chicago will offer students the opportunity to engage directly with objects from the periods we study. Beyond cataloging discoveries, the course challenges students to critically examine how archaeology constructs narratives of the past—and how those narratives are reinterpreted over time. With a touch on antiquarianism and the impact of modern archaeology in the Chinese context, we will explore how the ancient past has been used as a symbolic resource by people in the past and the present—elites, antiquarians, the state, archaeologists, and ourselves. Prior knowledge of Chinese language or history is not required.