SEMITIC PHILOLOGY

The course is part of the MA in Ancient Civilisations: Literature, History and Archaeology (esp. Archeaology) and aims at devloping the student's abilities in the field of the philology and linguistics of the ancient world, with a focus on the Semitic languages of the Near East, introducing them to scientific research.
Students will be introduced to reading and translating sources written in the Semitic languages, placing them in their historical and literary context, which will also contribute to improve their problem-solving skills. They will improve their abilities in the philological, linguistic and literary treatment of the sources, learning how to use the right methodological tools and instruments for the discipline (also electronic resources and tools for the bibliographical research and data-bases for the discipline); and will be asked to apply them to the production of a written essay to be assigned by the teacher.

The student by the end of the course
- will be able to use the right tools and methodologies for the linguistic, philological, historical and literary analysis in the discipline;
- will know how to make independently a bibliographic research in the field and will know how to take advantage of the electronic resources for the discipline available to date;
- will be able to produce an original piece of research of his/her own.

No prerequisites required to access this course.
Previous knowledge of at least one Semitic language may be an advantage, as well as a basic knowledge of Assyriology, Sumero-Akaddian Epigraphy. Basic knowledge of the History of the Ancient Near East while not required may be a plus.

Title: "The language of Ugarit: an introduction to alphabetic cuneiform"
Introduction: the kingdoma nd culture of Ugarit (Latakia, Syria, XIV-XIII cent. B.C.); exacavtions and archives; the epigraphic sources from Ugarit.
Ugaritic and the Semitic languages
Ugaritic: writing, phonology, morhology and syntax.
Selected readings.

1. One of the two (1a or 1b) of your choice:
1a) P. Bordreuil & D. Pardee, A Manual of Ugaritic (Linguistic Studies in Ancient West Semitic 3), Winona Lake -IN, 2009.
1b) J. Huehnergard, An Introduction to Ugaritic, Hendrickson Publishers 2012.
2. A. Gianto, Ugaritic, in H. Gzella (ed.), Languages from the World of the Bible, Berlin-Boston 2011: 28-54 (open access: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781934078631.28 )
3. Notes from the classes
4. Additional references will be given in class.
5. Further readings W.G.E. Watson & N. Wyatt (eds.), Handbook of Ugaritic studies, Leiden - Boston – Köln, 1999: selected chapters according to the student's personal inclination, to be agreed with the teacher.

Non attending students:
Please contact the teacher well in advance to the exam's date.

NB: students who, despite being present, will not actively participate to the classes, will be also considered non attending students.

oral exam: discussion of the topics from the classes and related readings
Readings and exercises in preparation for the forthcoming classes
Written essay on a topic to be agreed with the teacher (to be submitted in advance: dates will be communicated in class).

In class; classes will take the form of seminars. Students will be regularly required to prepare texts and sources for the forthcoming classes.

Italian

oral