Course Catalogue

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The course offers an opportunity for students to read critically and to learn about and discuss recent ideas that exemplify the diversity of current approaches to archaeological theory. The course situates archaeology within wider intellectual traditions in the social sciences, humanities and physical sciences, and uses specific case studies to engage students with stimulating approaches to interpreting archaeological material. 

10x1hr lectures; 10x1hr seminars over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is an Honours core course and runs every year.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Archaeology, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

None

None.

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ One 2500-word essay (50%)  

■ One 90-minute examination (equivalent of 1500 words) (50%) 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the Essay, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ There are no alternatives to the exam, but extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustment. 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.

[No exceptions]

This course aims to:

■ present basic theoretical and interpretative concepts in contemporary archaeology

■ evaluate the social and material aspects of the ancient and recent past

■ critically evaluate the impact of successive intellectual and philosophical developments within archaeology (e.g. culture-historical, processual, interpretive, and postcolonial archaeologies)

■ examine the role of contemporary politics in interpreting the past

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ explain how archaeologists use intellectual constructs within or beyond the discipline of archaeology in interpreting the past

■ evaluate theoretical and interpretive constructs used by archaeologists to assess the social, spatial, economic, gender-based, and ideological aspects of material culture

■ situate developments in archaeological thought in relation to wider intellectual and academic trends

■ apply appropriate theoretical frameworks in their coursework and dissertation