Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A survey of methods used by archaeologists to discover and interpret the past. Examples will be drawn from selected sites and cultures around the world. Students who have taken ARCH 201 may not enroll in ARCH 101. Breadth-Social Sciences.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course offers an introduction to archaeological methods and theory. Through a survey of archaeological case studies from across the world, we will explore principles, concepts, techniques and interpretive approaches used by archaeologists to study human cultures of the past.

Topics include: how we find and examine archaeological sites through excavation and survey, how we date these sites and the cultural remains they hold, learning how to analyze and interpreting artifacts, animal, and plant remains, reconstructing social systems, foodways, and trade, interpreting ancient art, architecture, and ritual, and analyzing human burials and personal adornments and the meanings past peoples attached to these sites and objects. We also examine the profession of archaeology and the ethics and regulations involved in protecting archaeological resources and the human past.

This is a fully asynchronic course.  Multiple-choice quizzes are written using Canvas. There are no midterm or final exams. Written assignments include short discussion responses, a short (2 to 3 page, double spaced) assignment, and a longer (4 to 6 page, double spaced) interpretive assignment which employs the skills and approaches discussed throughout the course and uses real archaeological data.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: