This course will introduce art history of the ancient world in a way that is cross-cultural, diachronic, and global in scope without maintained traditional western-centric hierarchies (e.g. Mesopotamia and Egypt as proto-civilizations leading up to the apogee of classical art exemplified by Greek and Roman culture). Magic as the thematic anchor tightens the focus of the course and will also challenge students to think of magic not as pre-rational, folkloric practice, but rather how it manifests in the material culture we traditionally associate with science, religion, and literature. In this way magic helps students better understand ancient epistemologies while also obtaining a broad knowledge of art, architecture, and performance. In addition to students gaining knowledge of the artistic traditions of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean and Aegean, they will gain hands-on and in-person experience with art exploring Tufts collections and local area museums.  

This is an in-person course that follows the published schedule of course meetings and requires attendance at all sessions. Tufts courses are designed to provide high-quality and interactive courses to Tufts and visiting students. For more information about course policies and expectations, please visit https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies#University-Policies

*Please note: this section is not open to high school students

Basic Enrollment Requirements: None.

Refund Policy: The refund policy for Courses at Tufts offerings is dependent on the offering type: whether the offering is a course, workshop or short course, or in-demand offering. Please refer to the section details to confirm the type of offering as well as any exceptions to the standard refund policy. The refund policies for each offering type are viewable here: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies/refunds#Courses-at-Tufts-(Academic-Year--Summer-Session)

Remission Eligible: Yes; first day of term; all university policies apply.