Introduction to Archaeological Practice (2KJU)

Course Convenor: Dr Allan J. Hall

Aims

• to introduce the methodology by which archaeologists recover and study material culture
• to introduce and explain how scientific methodology assists in the study of the past

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, a student should have:

• a basic understanding of how archaeological material culture survives, is discovered, recovered, examined and interpreted
• elementary knowledge of what role science plays in the investigation of past human societies and their landscapes

Progression

The module is a requirement for entry into Honours Archaeology and so all students who plan to proceed to an Honours degree in the subject must take this course. It is not an appropriate course for students who do not plan to pursue Archaeology beyond Level 1.

Course content

The main emphasis is to explain how archaeology is practised. To do this many case studies are presented. This emphasises real-life examples, rather than theoretical situations. The content of the course falls into six broad topics:

1. The practice of archaeology
2. Discovering archaeological sites
   
3. Dating archaeological sites
   
4. Examining archaeological sites
   
5. The study of ancient landscapes
6. Examination of material culture

Course structure

Lectures: two 1-hour lectures per week for 12 weeks

Practical classes: three practical classes each of 1 hour on the following subjects:

1. Air Photography
2. Environmental Archaeology
3. Archaeological Materials

Classes to take place in Archaeology Teaching Laboratory (room 105, basement of the Gregory Building). Students will be assigned to groups for classes on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday afternoons (2-3pm or 3-4pm).

Computer-based learning: three 1-hour sessions (the first with GTA support) based on the ArchTutor computer software package. Classes to be held in the Archaeology/Geology Computing Laboratory (room 505/506 on the top floor of the Gregory Building)

Field class: one compulsory full-day Saturday field class to Loch Tay area to see the Croft Moraig stone circle, Milton of Lawers settlement and Croft-na-Caber crannog reconstruction. The field class will take place in the second semester.

Tutorials: each student will have a tutor for this module and there will be three tutorials.

Assessment

(Note that this is a new assessment procedure, from 2007/08)

The course will be assessed in two ways:

• by an end-of-session 1.5-hour written examination. This consists of one 45-minute essay length question, from a choice of five based on lectures); and three 15-minute short answer questions (from a choice of six). This exam is worth 50% of the total assessment of the course.
• by continuous assessment. This consists of: a worksheet for the ArchTutor class (worth 12.5% of total assessment); a worksheet for the fieldtrip (worth 12.5%); and the coursework essay (worth 25%).  

Timetable

The course will run for 12 weeks in the second half of the session (i.e. terms 2/3). Lectures are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon. The practicals, computer-based learning and tutorials will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons between 2.00 and 4.00 p.m. The field class is on a Saturday. More details will be provided in an information handout and on the course Moodle.

Reading

(It is recommended that students purchase at least one of the books below)

Gamble, K. 2001. Archaeology: the basics. London: Routledge.

Greene, K. 2002. Archaeology: an introduction. The history, principles and methods of modern archaeology (4th edition). London: Batsford.

Renfrew, A.C. , and P. Bahn. 2004. Archaeology: theories, methods and practice (4th edition), London: Thames and Hudson. (or 3rd edition, 2000)

[Please note: details were correct at time of publication but may be subject to change]