AHIS V3080

Weekly Attendance and Participation in Class 10% Discussion Posts: 10% Exhibition review: 20% Mesoamerica Exam: 15% Exhibition review 2: 20% Final Exam: 25% You're given the artifact list for the midterm and final ~2 weeks before. There were about 70-80 pieces, which did feel like more than some other classes but not the largest I've seen. Two graduate student TAs graded the students. The exams weren't graded unfairly, but the midterm exam had a lower average. She then usually offers some kind of extra credit after this point.

Keep up with the readings as they should be referenced in the exams. Midterm. Final, with take home paper, which was really easy.

Lisa Trever is undeniably cool! In the lecture setting, she is exceptionally personable—especially as the semester progresses—and her lectures carry an air of sophistication reminiscent of what one would expect from an Ivy League art history professor. If you have the opportunity to visit her during office hours, I highly recommend doing so. One-on-one, she is incredibly pleasant, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. The course is an enriching exploration of the ancient art of Mesoamerica and the Andes. While the primary focus is on the art itself, we also delve into related areas such as the history, languages, and cultural contexts of these regions. The curriculum is well-rounded, incorporating diverse perspectives in art history, including methodologies, controversies, and interdisciplinary studies. We examine scholarly papers that intersect with anthropology, biology, and linguistics, providing a holistic understanding of the subject matter. This comprehensive approach not only enhances our appreciation of the artwork but also deepens our understanding of the intricate connections between art and various academic disciplines.

While Prof. Pazstory is not extremely charismatic, she absolutely knows her stuff and teaches in a very methodical and straight-forward way. She never rambled on and always connected facts to the bigger scheme of things. I am not an art history major, and I wasn't really even interested in Pre-Columbian art, but I found her lectures to be engaging and informative. The reading is light- there are some books on reserve at Avery- but attending the lecture is of the utmost importance (since there really is no textbook that is used). Also, the TA's are fabulous and are willing to help. Overall, an amazing and enlightening class. Pasztory is a wonderful professor.

Two papers, discussion posts, midterm, exam. The final paper was due three days before the exam. It was a crushing work load for a course worth only 3 credits. Her grading is somewhere in between fair and punishing. She wants things done a certain way and doesn't seem to understand people who approach things differently. Her exams focus on identification to a fault - it's a baseball stat class. You have to waste time learning slide i.d. for Altar 1 vs. Altar 4 and so on, rather than delving into what is actually interesting about pre-Columbian art. I wish it were taught more like classes on Modern Art, Impressionism, etc. This is the worst art history class I have taken - it should be kept in archaeology. It's not a real art history class because her focus is so dry and data-oriented.

Light - midterm and final (both straightforward slide IDs and comparisons). There is also a short paper to be handed in on the day of the final exam.

I expected this class to give an overview of pre-Columbian art and architecture with a focus on art. The professor's teaching style was didactic with a focus on minutiae. The content could have been interesting but she is very rigid and sucked the joy out of it.

Although Professor Pasztory does seem to know just about everything concerning the Pre-Columbian world, her lectures are by no means "riveting." In fact, that is about the last word I would use to describe them. The saving grace of the class is the fact that the material is so incredible and different. It is a frustrating experience to sit through a class which examines works as exciting and unique as those of the Pre-Columbian world, but to have a professor who cannot remotely reflect this excitement. Pasztory's presentation is so hurried and unvaried that it is hard to really allow anything she says to sink in. I would still recommend the class to anyone interested in Pre-Columbian art, but it is largely a disappointment.

1 2-3 page visual analysis essay 1 6-7 page research essay Weekly discussion posts about assigned readings

occasional reading, midterm and final, with final paper tacked on (pretty much your entire grade is in tests)