Contemplating death and what may follow has long fascinated, bewildered, and inspired people. This course focus on beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East.The main focus is the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel, but we will also look at some neighboring cultures and move into the classical world, the New Testament, and early Jewish and Christian writings. The questions we are investigating are among others: How did people (at different times in history) imagine death and the afterlife, how did they treat their dead, how did they grieve losses and cope with trauma? Throughout the course we will connect ancient and contemporary notions of death by incorporating modern literature, music, and TV shows (like The Leftovers, Resurrection, as well as others which students wish to discuss).
Ancient literature is our main material, but funerary art/epitaphs, and archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead are also relevant.