The Arts of Religion and Ritual in the Ancient World

This course explores how humans have imagined and conceptualized notions of divinity throughout the history of the ancient world (circa 3000 BCE to 1000 CE). We will consider a variety of visual representations, architectural monuments, and urban centers to investigate the types of places, natural phenomena, and individuals that were considered sacred. The class also explores how the art and architecture of temples and sanctuaries informs the nature of ancient ritual in a cross-cultural setting (A).