Introduction to Archaeology

Dr. Annlee Dolan ANTHRO 010 Introduction to Archaeology Fall 2008 CUNN 119 MWF 10-11 Prerequisites: None

Course Description:

This course is designed as an introduction to the principles of archaeology. We will study the methods and techniques that archaeologists use to uncover, investigate, reconstruct, interpret and preserve the past. Not only will you acquire basic archaeological skills, but you will also understand the ethics and values involved with ‘digging up the past,’ as well as gaining an awareness of ‘political interest’ in archaeological inquiry. We will explore past cultures and societies through their material remains and attempt to reconstruct past lifeways. This course is a survey of the development of archaeology as an anthropological study, with particular emphasis on the contributions of archaeology toward supplementing man's understanding of the development of human culture. The objectives, methods, and techniques of modern archaeology are combined with a survey of major archaeological sites and cultures.

Required Text: Ashmore, W. and R. Sharer 2006 Discovering Our Past:A Brief Introduction to Archaeology. McGraw-Hill.

Course Goals: 1. Gain knowledge of the proper scientific methods of archaeological retrievals and analysis. 2. Appreciate our cultural heritage and discourage the wanton destruction of "pot hunting" and similar practices. 3. Compare and contrast the processes involved in the development of human civilization in the many areas throughout the world. 4. Analyze human prehistory using archaeological techniques. 5. Synthesize world-wide data in order to understand how the human species has adapted and survived from the earliest efforts at tool making to the rise of complex civilizations.

Course Objectives: 1. Analyze different culture areas throughout the world and compare these to human needs in specific environmental areas. 2. Evaluate the different scientific techniques applied by archaeologists to explain the development of the human experience during early times. 3. Compare and contrast the processes involved in the development of human civilization in the major areas of the world.

Outline of Topics: 1. Introduction and History of Archaeology 2. The Data of Archaeology 3. Archaeology in the Field 4. Analyzing the Data 5. Prehistoric Archaeology 6. The Archaeology of Civilization

Examinations and Assignments: In Class Assignments 10% Take Home Assignments 10% Term Test #1 25% Term Test #2 25% Final 30%

ALL exams and assignments are mandatory. Students must be on time for exams- No excuses! There will be no make-up exams so please make arrangements to be here on time! All students must write the final exam.

Course Requirements: Class attendance is mandatory for participation in “In Class Assignments and Exercises.” In addition to attending class, you will need to participate in several laboratory demonstrations. You will be tested on material both from class and your reading assignments.

Obligation of the Student: 1. It is your responsibility as a student to come to class prepared. If you have any questions or concerns about the course material, please come and see me during my office hours. 2. It is important to respect others who are attending class with you. Therefore it is unacceptable to arrive to class late, talk or disturb the class during the lecture. Cell phones must be turned off! 3. PLAGIARISM is a serious academic offense, which may result in a course grade of 0. Please ensure that you summarize all information from your sources in your own words and make sure that you do not imitate the sentence structure of your source. Cheating may also result in a course grade of 0.

Course Schedule: Aug 15 Introduction to Course and Syllabus

18 Introduction to Archaeology 20 Archaeology as Anthropology and Scientific Archaeology 22 The Nature of Archaeology. In class assignment: American life

25 The Origins of Archaeology and its Modern Emergence 27 Theoretical Approaches to Archaeology 29 Introduction to Forensic Archaeology

Sept 1 Holiday- No Class 3 Ethnoarchaeology 5 Archaeological Basics and Data Sept 8 Features, Installations, Sites, Regions 10 Site Formation Processes: Deposition and Transformation 12 No class! Take Home Assignment

Sept 15 Archaeological Sites: Locating and Surveying 17 Archaeological Research Design and Data Sampling, Remote Sensing Techniques 19 Surveying Exercise

Sept 22 TEST #1 24 Archaeological Excavation 26 In Class Exercise

Sept 29 The Art of Stratigraphic Control and the Order of Superposition Oct 1 Recovering Archaeological Data 3 In Class Exercise

6 NO CLASS-STUDY BREAK 8 Processing excavated materials: Artifacts: Lithic, Ceramic, Metal 10 Ecofacts: Bones, organics and vegetal remains

13 Classification of Artifacts 15 Analyzing Artifacts 17 Field trip to the Microscopy lab! Analyzing ceramics

20 Relative Dating Techniques 22 Types, Seriation and Index Fossils 24 Chronologies and Sequencing; In Class Exercise: Relative Dating

27 Absolute Dating Techniques 29 Radiocarbon Dating and other Radiometric Techniques 31 Dendrochronology, Archaeomagnetism and Experimental Methods In Class Exercise: terminus post and anti quem

Nov 3 Reconstructing the Past 5 The Use of Analogy and Interpretation 7 In Class Exercise: Classification and Analysis

10 Holiday- No Class 12 TEST #2 14 Understanding Culture Change

17 Understanding Past Settlement and Subsistence 19 Experimental Archaeology 21 NO CLASS- TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT- Cemetery Visit 24 Ethics in Archaeology; Cultural Resource Management 26 In class Heritage Management exercise: The effects of Development 28 Holiday- No Class

Dec 1 Destruction, Looting and Antiquity dealers Take Home Assignment Due! 3 The Responsibilities of Archaeologists and Making your work public 5 In class exercises: Museums

8 Politics and Archaeology: Who owns the Past? 10 Nationalism, War and Land Claim Issues: Kennewick Man 12 Review and Question Period