1. INTRODUCTION TO WORLD ART I (ANCIENT ART HISTORY SURVEY)—Art 110 01
Syllabus and Course Schedule, Fall 2010, CSUDH
Dates/Times: Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:00-8:15 pm. Please note: this class is a regular, twice-
a-week, classroom-based class, not, as the schedule of classes had listed it, a hybrid
classroom/online class.
Instructor: Dr. Paul Koudounaris (phone: 310-529-4112; email: pkoudounaris@gmail.com; office
and office hours: TBA—I will put the office info on one of the later class handouts since at the
printing of this syllabus an office has not yet been assigned to me.
Course material: Ancient Art, from Prehistoric Art through Medieval, both Western and non-
Western. The goals of the course are to familiarize you with the visual cultures of a variety of
ancient civilizations, and to study the artifacts created by them within their original social,
religious, and historic contexts.
Text: Kleiner and Mamiya, Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective, volume 1,
13th edition (see schedule for reading assignments); our readings for the “non-Western” sections
of the course will available for free download from Blackboard.
Requirements/Grading: We will have three exams, all equally weighted (this includes the Final
Exam, it is weighted equally with the other three). In addition, there is short paper assignment
(see separate assignment sheet; it is weighted the same as the exams), so you will have four
grades total, and your final grade will be based on an average of those four marks. I do not give
pop or surprise quizzes, and I do not assign “homework” other than reading the text, studying
your notes, and of course your class project. There will not initially be any options for extra credit
assignments, but if turns out the situation in the class warrants one it then I will conceive of an
extra credit option and pass an assignment sheet out to the class.
Exam dates and format: I will give more details of format before each exam, but the first exam
(Sept. 29) and the Final Exam (Dec. 13) will both have 20 multiple choice questions and two
essay questions; the second exam (Nov. 8) will be essay only, with three essay questions, but it
will be given to you as a take-home exam, and you will be allowed to use your notes and book. I
use this system because some people are more comfortable with exams which multiple choice
questions, while other people prefer exams with more written content, so I have found that
varying the exam format helps achieve a balance between the two sides. Again, I will give exact
details of format before each exam. Note that that Final Exam will NOT be cumulative.
Study sheets: I will prepare a study guide for each week of class. Due to budgetary restrictions it
is simply not possible for the Art Department to provide photocopies of anything other than
exams. It would be a good idea to print out the study sheets from Blackboard and bring them with
you to class.
Attendance: Since much of what we will learn is classroom-based, attendance at each meeting is
important and I encourage you to be present. I do not, however, impose penalties for absenteeism
or tardiness.
Blackboard system/online resources: For those of you unfamiliar with it, Blackboard is the
school’s online support system. All of our class materials will be posted on Blackboard, and as
has been previously noted, you will be expected to download and print out materials such as the
study sheets. If you are not familiar with it, please do familiarize yourself with the Blackboard

2. system. You will also find online review sessions—these are abbreviated synopses of the classes
in ppt format, but please note that they are meant to reinforce what we discuss in class, not as a
substitute for missing class meetings. As of the start of the semester, I am posting everything
except for the material for the last week of the semester—I will wait until the very end to post
that material, since it might change if we wind up behind schedule. I am aware that Blackboard is
not always completely reliable, and this sometimes leaves students in an unfortunate situation. If
you have problems with access, please let me know—I cannot address problems unless you notify
me of them. When there have been problems in the past I have used various alternatives, things
like creating a Facebook group where the materials are also posted, so if you are having problems
with Blackboard just let me know and if they turn out to be chronic I promise we will either find
a solution or an alternative.
Note for any students with special needs or requiring special assistance (including disabled
students and non-native English speakers): I am happy to make any accommodations for you and
help you in any way I reasonably can. If you will need any special accommodations (including
extra time to complete exams) please let me know as early in the semester as possible.
Statement regarding academic integrity: We are bound in this class by the ethical conduct
expected of students at the university and outlined in the catalog—please see the catalog if you
have questions regarding plagiarism, student conduct, or any other such matters.

3. Schedule
Aug. 30, Sept. 1 Course introduction; Prehistoric (Paleolithic) Art and Neolithic Art;
begin Egyptian Art, pages 1-14, and if you are ambitious you can start
looking at 39-65.
Sept. 8 Egyptian Art, pages 39-65; NOTE: SEPT. 6 IS A HOLIDAY,
NO CLASS
Sept. 13, 15 Egyptian Art, pages 39-65
Sept. 20, 22 Egyptian Art, pages 39-65;
Sept. 27, 29 Review for First Exam (Sep. 27) and FIRST EXAM (Sept. 29)
Oct. 4, 6 Ancient Near Eastern Art, pages 17-37
Oct. 11, 13 Ancient Aegean Art, pages 67-83; begin Greek Art, pages 85-123
Oct. 18, 20 Greek Art, pages 85-123
Oct. 25, 27 End Greek Art, Hellenistic Art, pages 123-140; Etruscan Art, pages
143-154; begin Roman Art, begin pages 157-206
Nov. 1, 3 Roman Art, pages 157-206; review for Second Exam (Nov. 3)
Nov. 8, 10 SECOND EXAM (Nov. 8); Roman Art, pages 157-206
Nov. 15, 17 Early Christian through Medieval Art, pages 209-215, 218-228, 246
Nov. 22, 24 Islamic Art, pages 261-282; Early Indian and Asian Art (reading posted
on Blackboard);
Nov. 29, Dec. 1 Precolumbian Mexican, Central American, and South American Art
(reading posted on Blackboard)
Dec. 6, 8 Africa and Oceania (reading posted on Blackboard); review for Final
Exam (Dec. 8)
Dec. 13 FINAL EXAM, 7:00 PM. NOTE ALSO THAT ALL PAPERS MUST
BE TURNED IN BY THIS TIME.

4. Art 110: INTRODUCTION TO WORLD ART I (ANCIENT ART HISTORY SURVEY)
Paper Assignment
Due Date: if you want to get your paper graded and returned, you must give it to me one week
before the Final Exam. If you do not care about getting your paper graded and returned by the end
of the semester, I will be glad to accept it up until the day of the Final Exam.
This is intended as a museum assignment. PLEASE NOTE: I am aware that time and
transportation issues may make this assignment more difficult for some students, and if you find
it would be a burden to complete it, I will be glad to let you complete an alternate assignment (see
bottom).
Go to a local museum with holdings in ancient art. If you are interested in Egyptian, Greek, or
Roman art, you can find pieces especially the Getty Villa (please, please, please note: the Getty
Villa is NOT the Getty Center, the Getty Villa is in Malibu) and LACMA (Los Angeles County
Museum of Art). For Medieval Christian art, you should be able to find some examples at
LACMA and the Getty Center. If you prefer Precolumbian American Art (Inca, Maya, Aztec,
etc.) there are some other options, including both the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park
and the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana (the Bowers also usually has African and Asian Art on
display as well). Select an ancient artwork (one from one of the periods or civilizations we
discuss in class) and write a short paper (perhaps four to five pages) in which addresses the
following:
--describe in detail the artwork you have selected; are there any unusual features, or aspects of it
which seem particularly interesting or striking to you?
--give some historical background; what, if anything, is known about it?—which civilization
made it, when was it made, etc.
--compare it to any similar pieces we have seen in class; for example, if you choose a piece of
Egyptian sculpture, how is it similar or different to examples we have discussed in class or you
have seen in the book.
--what did it represent?—discuss any symbolism, etc.; course notes and the book may be useful in
this regard, as will comparing it to previously studied examples, as the symbolism might be
similar
--what might its purpose have been, or how might it have been used?—this may require
speculation on your part, based on what you have learned, or based on similar examples we have
discussed
Please write in essay format and please cite all of your sources (including internet sources).
Alternate assignments: almost anything of interest to you is a potentially acceptable alternate
assignment, just so long as it fall within the parameters of the class (i.e., it must involve
something from one of the cultures or time periods we are studying). You are free to propose an
alternate assignment—please, though, ask me about it first, just so we can affirm that it is an
acceptable assignment for our class.