Art and Architecture of the Medieval Mediterranean World
ART_HIST 322 / MENA 390
Course Description
This course explores the medieval Mediterranean world’s art, architecture, archaeology, and material culture from late antiquity to the early modern period, or between the late 4th and 16th centuries. While the Renaissance blossomed in Italy in the 1400s, in this course, we will investigate the medieval art, architectural elements, and art forms that circulated among Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities around the Mediterranean until the 16th century. We will study the geographies of the Mediterranean Sea—including Italy, Spain, Egypt, North Africa, the Balkans, Anatolia, the Holy Land, and the Middle East—focusing on their rulers, kingdoms, merchants, craftsmen, pilgrims, and travelers. These figures will guide our investigation into the movement, migration, exchange, and patronage across the region while exploring the role of art and architecture in the sacred and secular lives of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities. Through our study of monuments (including architecture, mosaics, and wall paintings), objects (such as ceramics, metalwork, coins, ivory, and textiles), and historical texts, we will examine the cultural and political dynamics that defined the medieval Mediterranean world.
Learning Outcomes
Identify major monuments, objects, and artistic styles associated with Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities across the medieval Mediterranean from the 4th to the 16th centuries.
Analyze how art and architecture reflect the cultural, political, and religious interactions and exchanges between diverse communities in the region.
Interpret primary sources, including objects, historical texts, and maps, to explain the function of art in both sacred and secular contexts.
Apply digital mapping tools, such as ArcGIS StoryMaps, to visualize and analyze the circulation of people, materials, and artistic ideas across the Mediterranean Sea.
Evaluate the roles that patrons, artisans, merchants, and pilgrims played in shaping the distinctive, cross-cultural artistic landscape of the medieval Mediterranean.
Final Project
This course culminates in a final project in which students use ArcGIS StoryMaps to present their research on the medieval Mediterranean world.