Courses

China's archaeological treasures tell a remarkable story of artistic ingenuity stretching back thousands of years. This course explores China's extraordinary material culture, from late Neolithic civilizations through the Qing dynasty, roughly 3000 BCE to the 19th century. We'll visit major archaeological sites, including Banpo, Erlitou, Yin Xu, and Xi'an, and encounter the objects that made China's artistic traditions unsurpassed: fine silks and sophisticated bronzes, carved jade and ivory, lacquerware and lustrous ceramics. We'll pay particular attention to the tomb complex of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, where the 1974 discovery of the Terra Cotta Warriors opened a burial site that continues to reveal the wealth and power of early imperial China. From there, we'll turn our attention to the objects themselves—ceramics ranging from triple-glaze to celadon, cloisonné masterpieces, and bronzes and jades carved with extraordinary skill—discovering what these treasures can tell us about life, belief, and innovation across Chinese history.