Undergraduate Program

Spring Term Schedule

Spring 2026

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
ATHS 155-01 Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer MW 6:15PM - 7:30PM
This course will introduce students to the art, architecture, and archeology of ancient Egypt, from the Predynastic Period until the country’s inclusion into the Roman Empire. This course will highlight the wide range of materials encountered in Egyptian archaeology—architectural remains in secular, sacred, and funerary contexts; material culture (pottery, stone and wooden artifacts, artistic creations); human and faunal remains; written documents; iconographic material—and will evaluate how they reflect the cultural, social, and political organization of each major period of Egyptian history. Special attention will be given to both Egypt’s interconnections with its neighbors—Nubians, Libyans, and inhabitants of Syria-Palestine—and the impact of religion on the artistic production. Material will be presented to the students in the form of lectures, student-led discussions on specific readings and topics, and guest lectures. Location (MW 6:15PM - 7:30PM)
ATHS 174-01 Visual Cultures in the Islamic World Nader Sayadi MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
This is an introductory course in Islamic art and architectural history. The course explores dynastic art and monumental architecture across vast lands between Spain and India and the seventh to the thirteenth centuries. One of the main goals of this course is to practice how to see things, make relevant questions to those things, and find possible answers. To accomplish this objective, this course situates significant works of visual, material culture, and built environment within the relevant historical and geographical contexts to which they belonged. Students are expected to both see the world of Islamic art from an interpretive perspective and gain general knowledge of cultural contexts outside of America and Europe. Location (MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
ATHS 210-01 History of Archaeological Thought Stefanie Bautista TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
How did archaeology come to be the way it is now? This course will survey some of the major theoretical trends that have shaped anthropological archaeology. More specifically, students will learn how anthropological theory has influenced the interpretive frameworks and epistemologies of archaeological inference. We will spend half of the semester focusing on early archaeological theory, and the second half on topics and theories that are now central in archaeology. By the end of this course, students should be able to define and identify the major theories in archaeology that include culture-history, processualism, post-processualism, middle-range theory, Marxism, agency, identity, feminist, community, and indigenous archaeology. Location (TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)
ATHS 221-01 Inkas and Their Ancestors Stefanie Bautista TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
This course will review the prehistory of ancient societies in the Andes, which will begin from the peopling of the continent to the conquest of the Inca Empire by the Spanish. Students will become familiar with Andean chronologies as well as the prehispanic cultures of Chinchorro, Caral, Chavin, Pukara, Paracas, Moche, Nasca, Wari, Tiwanaku, Chim, and the Inca, among others. Special attention will be paid to how these societies adapted to the diverse ecology of the Andes. Topics include the history of Peruvian archaeology; plant and animal domestication; the development of social complexity, the emergence of religion; prehispanic art and symbolism; ancient technology, economies and trade; and urbanism. The course includes material from archaeological investigations and interpretations as well as ethnohistoric and ethnographic sources. Location (TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)
ATHS 391-01 Independent Study – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue in-depth, independent exploration of a topic not regularly offered in the curriculum, under the supervision of a faculty member in the form of independent study, practicum, internship or research. The objectives and content are determined in consultation between students and full-time members of the teaching faculty. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department. Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the Independent Study Registration form (https://secure1.rochester.edu/registrar/forms/independent-study-form.php) Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
ATHS 393-01 Senior Thesis Stefanie Bautista 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the instructions for online independent study registration. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
ATHS 393-02 Senior Thesis Elizabeth Colantoni 7:00PM - 7:00PM
Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the instructions for online independent study registration. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
ATHS 395-01 Independent Research – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue in-depth, independent exploration of a topic not regularly offered in the curriculum, under the supervision of a faculty member in the form of independent study, practicum, internship or research. The objectives and content are determined in consultation between students and full-time members of the teaching faculty. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department. Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the Independent Study Registration form (https://secure1.rochester.edu/registrar/forms/independent-study-form.php) Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
Monday and Wednesday
ATHS 174-01 Visual Cultures in the Islamic World Nader Sayadi
This is an introductory course in Islamic art and architectural history. The course explores dynastic art and monumental architecture across vast lands between Spain and India and the seventh to the thirteenth centuries. One of the main goals of this course is to practice how to see things, make relevant questions to those things, and find possible answers. To accomplish this objective, this course situates significant works of visual, material culture, and built environment within the relevant historical and geographical contexts to which they belonged. Students are expected to both see the world of Islamic art from an interpretive perspective and gain general knowledge of cultural contexts outside of America and Europe.
ATHS 155-01 Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer
This course will introduce students to the art, architecture, and archeology of ancient Egypt, from the Predynastic Period until the country’s inclusion into the Roman Empire. This course will highlight the wide range of materials encountered in Egyptian archaeology—architectural remains in secular, sacred, and funerary contexts; material culture (pottery, stone and wooden artifacts, artistic creations); human and faunal remains; written documents; iconographic material—and will evaluate how they reflect the cultural, social, and political organization of each major period of Egyptian history. Special attention will be given to both Egypt’s interconnections with its neighbors—Nubians, Libyans, and inhabitants of Syria-Palestine—and the impact of religion on the artistic production. Material will be presented to the students in the form of lectures, student-led discussions on specific readings and topics, and guest lectures.
Tuesday and Thursday
ATHS 221-01 Inkas and Their Ancestors Stefanie Bautista
This course will review the prehistory of ancient societies in the Andes, which will begin from the peopling of the continent to the conquest of the Inca Empire by the Spanish. Students will become familiar with Andean chronologies as well as the prehispanic cultures of Chinchorro, Caral, Chavin, Pukara, Paracas, Moche, Nasca, Wari, Tiwanaku, Chim, and the Inca, among others. Special attention will be paid to how these societies adapted to the diverse ecology of the Andes. Topics include the history of Peruvian archaeology; plant and animal domestication; the development of social complexity, the emergence of religion; prehispanic art and symbolism; ancient technology, economies and trade; and urbanism. The course includes material from archaeological investigations and interpretations as well as ethnohistoric and ethnographic sources.
ATHS 210-01 History of Archaeological Thought Stefanie Bautista
How did archaeology come to be the way it is now? This course will survey some of the major theoretical trends that have shaped anthropological archaeology. More specifically, students will learn how anthropological theory has influenced the interpretive frameworks and epistemologies of archaeological inference. We will spend half of the semester focusing on early archaeological theory, and the second half on topics and theories that are now central in archaeology. By the end of this course, students should be able to define and identify the major theories in archaeology that include culture-history, processualism, post-processualism, middle-range theory, Marxism, agency, identity, feminist, community, and indigenous archaeology.