This course explores the historical and archaeological context of the Book of Genesis, tracing the biblical narratives from Creation to the storied enslavement of Israel in Egypt. We examine the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Canaan and their interactions with early Israel. Modern biblical archaeology entails not only the scientific analysis of material remains, but scholarship in anthropology, art history and literary exegesis. An appreciation of the impact of the Old Testament on Western religious and cultural traditions is incomplete without a grasp of its foundations in the Book of Genesis. This study will continue in the Fall semester with a subsequent course, History and the Old Testament.