ANT f304: INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES Unique Number:79275
Summer 2019 (First Session) Lecture Days and Hours: MTWTHF, 11:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Lecture Location: SAC 4.174 Instructor: Kofi Nutor Email: [email protected] Instructor’s Office: SAC 4.188 Office Hours: Wednesdays 9:30 -11:30 a.m. & by appointment
Course Description: Archaeology is a subfield of anthropology that studies past human behavior through material remains in the form of artifacts and ecofacts, along with other lines of evidence in context. These other lines of evidence include landscapes, human remains, faunal remains, botanical remains, chemical data, oral traditions and histories, and written records. In this course, we will discuss the historical development of archaeology and the varied methods and theoretical approaches that archaeologists use to determine the facts on which archaeological interpretation is based. These include sampling, survey, excavation, dating and other multi-disciplinary methods and techniques that have helped us to understand human behavior through time and space. The second half of the course discusses how these techniques have been used to develop an overview of world prehistory that begins with hominin evolution, the expansion of humankind across the Old and New World, the political organization of early foragers (hunters-and-gatherers), farmers (plant and animal domestication), and the rise and decline of complex societies and ancient civilizations in North America, Mesoamerica, Ancient China, and Africa.
Class lectures and readings will be supplemented by demonstrations/hands-on experience, and documentary films/slides. The course schedule presented (below) serves primarily as a guide to our discussions.
Learning Goals: By the end of this course, the student should be able to: 1. Understand the fundamentals of archaeological science, including the range of basic theories and techniques of archaeological analysis and interpretation of the human past. 2. Understanding of the historical development of archaeology, and the value of the discipline to contemporary societal needs. 3. Be conversant with major topics in human pre/history, including human evolution, technological change, beginnings of agriculture, the development of networks, the rise and fall of complex societies, inequality, imperialism and colonization. 4. Develop a better understanding and appreciation of the relationships between past and contemporary cultures, and the socio-political and economic dynamics of various societies of the world.
Required Textbook: Olszewski, Deborah. 2016. Archaeology and Humanity’s Story: A Brief Introduction to World Prehistory. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 978-0199764563.
Ant f304 1
Course Schedules:
Theme 1 (Week 1 & 2): Principles of Archaeology (Reading: Olszewski, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4) (a) General Introduction/Orientation about course. • Introduction to Archaeology: • History of Archaeological Method and Theory • Types of Archaeology
(b) How do you know where to dig? • Archaeological sites: Formation and transformation; Types of Sites; Context • Survey methods: Pedestrian, Arial, Geophysical, Remote Sensing • Sampling strategies: Non-Probabilistic and Probabilistic Sampling • *Film clips: radar imaging; electrical resistivity; proton magnetometer
(c) Excavation, Recording and Interpretation of Context *Film clips: fine excavation-beads; fine excavation-plaster wall; coarse excavation-shovel scraping; soil deposition & stratigraphy
(d) How old is it? Dating in Archaeology • Relative Dating: Seriation, stratigraphy, Cross dating etc. (lab) • Absolute dating/Chronometric dating: Radiocarbon (C14), Potassium Argon (K- Ar), Thermoluminescence (TL)
(e) What did they eat? How was their environment? • Palynology (lab)
(f) Who owns the Past? • Archeology and Politics; Archaeology and the Public, Letting the Past serve the present; Careers in Archaeology ¨ *Film: The African Burial Ground 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbCa_djSo6E ¨ *Film:The African Burial Ground 3: : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYug9ZmQZV0
Theme 2 (Week 3): The Evolution of Humanity (Reading: Olszewski, Chapters 2, 3 and 4)
(a) Early hominids and the Fossil Record: • From Australopiths to Homo Sapiens • Single African Origins versus Multiregional Models of Modern Human Origins • *Film on Homo naledi discovery: The Dawn of Humanity PBS NOVA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuuSAz9Qb9c
(b) Human origins & lithic technology:
Ant f304 2
• Oldowan, Acheulian, Microliths • Core, flake and blade tool making techniques • *Film: In search of history-Ancient Inventions (A history channel documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQJvyRLSl9U
(c) Human Origins and Genetics ¨ *Film: The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey by Spencer Wells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrkWvzTqNaA
Theme 3 (Week 3 & 4): The World Transformed: From Foragers and Farmers to States and Empires
(a) Political Organizations and the Beginnings of Agriculture (Reading: Olszewski, Chapter 5) • Bands, Tribes, Chiefdoms and States • Origins of Food Production, Early Societies, Neolithic, Domestication
(b) Peopling of the New World/Coming to America/ Paleoamericans (Readings: Olszewski, Chapter 4) • Clovis culture (Big game hunters), Archaic and Late Prehistoric Period ¨ *Film: The First Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT9OleFeqy0
(c) Prehistory of the American Southwest: Pit houses, Kivas and Great Kivas (Reading: Olszewski, Chapter 6) • The Anasazi: Ancestral Pueblo Culture • The Hohokam • The Mogollon ¨ *Film: The lost Pueblo village- PBS and Time Team America https://www.pbs.org/video/time-team-america-lost-pueblo-village/
(d) Complex Societies of the American Southeast (Reading: Olszewski, Chapter 7) • The Mississippian Culture • Cahokia and the Mound Building Culture ¨ *Film: Odyssey-Myths and Mound Builders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGB3Bjf_pN0 ¨ *Film: Cahokia: America’s Lost City
(e) Complex Societies of Mesoamerica (Reading: Olszewski, Chapter 12) • The Olmec • The city state of Teotihuacan- Valley of the gods • The Toltec and Aztec Civilizations ¨ *Film: Teotihuacan: City of the Gods ¨ *Film on the Aztec: 500 Nations-The first Americans part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzaOut0HXQw
(f) Ancient China (Reading: Olszewski, Chapter 10)
Ant f304 3
• Early Chinese Agriculture: Ta-Pen-Keng and An-Yang • The Shang and Zhou Dynasties ¨ *Film: The Terracotta Army
(g) African Civilizations (Reading: Olszewski, Chapters 9 and 14) • Ancient Egypt and Nubia • Great Zimbabwe and the East African coast trade network: ¨ *Film: Lost Kingdoms of Africa 3 of 4 - Great Zimbabwe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2be1gO36Fs4
Theme 4 (Week 5): Concluding Thoughts: The Past in the Present/ Class Presentations of Term Papers
Course Grading: 1. There will be two (2) tests that make up 50% of the final grade. There are no make-up tests. Tests are multiple choice, true-false, and fill-in-the-blank. There is no “final exam” for this course. 2. Class attendance and active participation in hands-on activities in lab sections and documentary film reviews will be 25% of final grade. The film review includes a discussion of the topics, themes, and key conclusions and takeaways of the film; and students’ assessment of how well the film succeeds (or not) in presenting the information in a factual and interesting fashion. 3. This course carries the Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You will therefore make a class presentation and submit a final term paper (at least 5 pages) on the practices, beliefs, histories, or any topic of interest of a non-U.S. cultural group, past or present. This carries 25% of final grade. The paper should be typewritten in 12pts Times New Roman, and double-spaced.
Final Grade Summary: Test 1 25% Test 2 25% Class attendance, participation and film review 25% Final term paper and presentation 25%
Grading Scale: The grading system used in this course will be the plus/minus system as follows: A=91.01-100, A- = 89.01-91, B+ = 87.01-89, B =81.01-87, B- =79.01-81, C+ =77.01-79, C=71.01-77, C- =69.01-71, D=59.01-69, F= 0-59
Important Dates to Remember: June 20, 2019 – Test 1 July 5, 2019 - Test 2 July 8-12, 2019 – Global cultures class presentations and submission of final term papers
Class attendance
Ant f304 4
Attendance is important as it forms a significant part of your final grade. Students who miss more than four classes will automatically receive 0% for the “class attendance, participation and film review” component of the course.
Classroom Policies Please arrive to class on time and mute your cell phones. If you have to leave early, please make a quiet exit. Laptops are allowed for use of note-taking in the classroom. Please refrain from watching movies, TV shows and Facebook messaging, chats, and other disruptive activities in class. If you are having trouble following assignments and/or understanding the course lectures or content, please see the instructor immediately. If you are on academic probation and are concerned about your progress, please see the instructor at the beginning of the semester. Do NOT wait until the end of the session.
Feedback Statement: During this course I will be asking you to give me feedback on your learning in informal as well as formal ways, including surveys about how my teaching strategies are helping or hindering your learning. It’s very important for me to know your reaction to what we’re doing in class. I encourage you to respond to these surveys, ensuring that together we can create an environment for effective teaching and learning.
Documented Disability Statement: Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 512-471- 6259, http://diversity.utexas.edu/disability. In addition, please let me know in advance if you will need exam accommodations for the tests/exams, such as extra time.
Academic Integrity University of Texas Honor Code The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.
Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) If you are worried about someone who is acting differently, you may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone your concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). Call 512-232-5050 or visit http://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal.
Ant f304 5