Short courses

Summary

This course aims to introduce some of the best-known ancient monsters in ancient Near Eastern art, religion, architecture and literature in order to explore relations between religion and the monstrous in today’s popular culture of horror. Modern interpreters usually differentiate between two kinds of creatures: demons and monsters. Monsters represent the belief in unseen forces acting in the world both for the benefit and the disadvantage of humans. They are usually hybrid figures, combining both animal and human features. Some of these supernatural beings represent benevolent creatures who can ward off evil. However, there are also evil and fear-inspiring monsters existing alongside the “good” ones.  

This course aims to: 

• Introduce students to some of the best-known ancient monsters in art, religion, architecture and literature 

• Encourage students to explore relations between religion and the monstrous in today’s popular culture of horror 

• Enable students to engage with primary and secondary sources and to critically assess scholarly research on the topic  

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• Identify, name and compare key figures of ancient Near Eastern monsters 

• Discuss the ideas behind the representation of these creatures in art and literature and the concepts they personify  

• Explain the impact these ancient Near Eastern monsters have on modern conceptions of the imaginary