Caves, Paintings and Carvings: the Paleolithic of Southern France
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ANT 321: Caves, Paintings and Carvings: The Paleolithic of Southern France PROPOSED SYLLABUS Douglas Pippin Department of Anthropology SUNY Oswego Office: 310 Mahar Hall Email: [email protected] Office Hours: MW 1:00-2:00, and by Appt. Campus Phone: x3046 This course will explore the current archaeological research of the Paleolithic period in the Dordogne region of France. This is a quarter course with eight weeks of class instruction. A trip to the Dordogne will follow, with opportunities to view the major cave and rock art sites discussed in class. The class will meet once a week for eight weeks prior to departure. This classroom time will be made up of lecture, readings, films and slides for instruction on the Paleolithic period in Europe, and in southern France in particular. Several forms of assessment could be utilized to track the students’ progress on the course material, prior to the trip. A variety of assignments, notes/logs, and activities will provide the assessment for students while in France. These will be due in a final form after the return from the trip. Texts: There is one required text for the course, listed below. Additional readings will be assigned and distributed in class. Cunliffe, Barry. 2001. The Oxford Illustrated History of Prehistoric Europe. Oxford University Press. Grade Evaluation: The grade will be based on the in-class participation, written exercises, films, readings and a paper produced after the trip to the Dordogne. The break down of the grades is as follows: Class assignments 30% Class/Trip Participation 30% Final Paper/Journal 40% Your attendance in class is mandatory and important for understanding all of the topics in the course. Deadlines for all readings, exams and quizzes are very important, late work will not be accepted. It is important that all students utilize your campus (Oswego.edu) email accounts for notices and class announcements. If you utilize another email system, be sure to forward your Oswego mail to that account. All students should take note of the intellectual integrity policy from the campus handbook. Intellectual integrity on the part of all students is basic to individual growth and development through college course work. When academic dishonestly occurs, the teaching/learning climate is seriously undermined and student growth and development are impeded. For these reasons, any form of intellectual dishonestly is a serious concern and is therefore prohibited. The Office of Disability Services is available to assist students who have a legally documented disability or students who suspect that they may have a disability. If you have a disabling condition that may interfere with your ability to successfully complete this course, please contact that office. Proposed On-Campus Course Topics Week one Introduction to the Upper Paleolithic in Southern Europe Week two History of Archaeological Research in the Dordogne Week three Paleolithic Hunting and Gathering Techniques Week four Neanderthal in Southern France Week five Cro-Magnon and the Emergence of Modern Humans Week six Cave painting and rock carvings Week seven Venus figurines and the spread of artistic traditions Week eight Traveling in France and the Dordogne (trip preparation) Proposed Travel Itinerary Travel might include arrival at either Bordeaux or Paris. Perigueux is approximately three and a half hours by train from Paris or one hour from Bordeaux. Either could be accommodated in the schedule below, depending on which is more cost effective. The proposed day for departure is 30 May 2015 Day one Arrive in Bordeaux or Paris; travel by train to Perigueux Day two Spend the day in Perigueux, visiting local Paleolithic archaeology museum and sites. NB–––In addition to the prehistoric museum, the city has an excellent archaeology museum of the local Roman occupation and a walking tour of the city’s extant remains (Roman period is not related to the overall course topic, but an institution well worth the visit, regardless) Day three Travel by train to Les Ezyies in the morning, visit National Museum of Prehistory and Font de Gaume Day four Visit cave sites in Les Ezyies & Abri Pataud Day five Visit Neanderthal site La Moustier by car Day six Morning available for additional site visits within walking distance; travel by train to departure city in the afternoon/evening. Day seven Time available to explore French culture in either Paris or Bordeaux. Possible winery tour. Day eight Depart France .