INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY

AN 210

Allen Zagarell

Fall 2007

109 Moore Hall

Office Hours:Mon 3:30-4:30; Wed 1-2 or by appointment

Course Description:

The goal of this course is to introduce the student into the world of archaeology. Modern archaeology combines hands-on experience with high levels of conceptualization and theory building. It calls upon its practitioners to be practical and innovative. This course demands active, and timely participation in discussions, assignments, and projects. I expect regular attendance and regular participation.   Class participants will be expected to have read the relevant class materials and to be prepared to discuss them. There will be 2 class assignments  representing 25% of total grade and 3 examinations each worth 25 %. Examinations will include readings, assigned Web sites, lectures and assigned labs.  There will also be several extra credit assignments which will be announced in class.

Warning:

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the
policies and procedures in the Undergraduate (pp. 274-276) [Graduate
(pp. 26-28)] Catalog that pertain to Academic Integrity. These policies
include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple
submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. If there is
reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you
will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the
opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not
responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should
consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty
prior to the submission of an assignment or test.

Required Texts: Archaeology by David Thomas, and Robert Kelly  2007 3^rd edition

 

Read the relevant Web site information for each class 

Archaeological Lab Pages

• Sept 5 Week 1: Introduction Introduction to the class
   
  
  

Sept. 10,12   Week  2: What is Anthropology/What is Archaeology
 What is Anthropology/Archaeological History/Archaeological Theoretical Outlines
Readings:

• Ch. 1

 

questions for readings week 1-3 

Sept. 17 Week 3: Archaeological Explanation
Readings:

• Ch. 2

Culture History, Culture Process

Post-Processual Archaeology

Film:Other People's Garbage 

Sept. 24 Week 4: Archaeological Data

•  

Making sense out of things

Artifacts, features, eco-facts sites and regions

Research Projects

Film:Four Butte 1
questions for readings 4-6 and Web assignments

Oct. 1 Week 5: Surveying The Surroundings
Readings:

• Ch. 3

Reconnaissance, Aerial, Radar, 

Web:Geographic Information Systems Project

Satellite Sensing and sub-surface sensing

Ways to approach one's data (total and sampling strategies)

Web assignments
Lab:Reading Maps

Oct. 8  Week 6:Exam I
Digging up one's past
Readings:

• Ch. 4

Stratigraphy, approaches tools and data.

Film:The Hearth
Lab: Dealing with Typology, Stratigraphy and Excavation

Oct. 15 Week 7: Fielding the Evidence
Can You Date it
Readings:

• Ch. 5,6

Lab: Pottery Lab
questions for 7-9 and Web sites 

Oct. 22 Week 8: Just the facts/the artifacts
Readings:

• Ch. 7-8

Hand in first assignment (dating assignment); reports

Stones, bones, pots and metals
Film:Flintknapping
Lab:Dealing with Lithics
Lab:The Environment (on computer only)

Oct. 29 Week 9: Just the facts/the ecofacts
Readings:

• Ch. 9

What was the environment like

Featuring features

(what were they doing)

Lab: Dealing with Metals

Nov.5 Week 10:Exam and Interpretations

Exam II  

Making Interpretations
Readings:

• Ch. 10

 Film:The Spiritual World

Hand in Second assignment (garbage assignment);reports

Analogy, Ethnography and Ethnoarchaeology
questions 10-14 and Web sites 

Nov. 12 Week 11: Technology and Environment
Readings: 11

 

Cultural Materialist Approaches

• Social Systems; class, ethnicity,
   

gender, power, inequality, ideology

Film: :Realms
Lab:Social Identities: Class, Ethnicity, Gender
 

Nov. 19 Week 12: Social Systems continued

Ideological and Symbol Systems
 

 Film:Signs and Symbols

Web:Rock Art. Offers a large selection of rock art from various periods and regions.
Animation:Symbolism

Nov. 21 Thanksgiving Break

Nov.  26 Week 13: Archaeological and Conceptual Frameworks
Readings:

• Ch. 12

Nov. 28 Week 14: Conceptual Frameworks Continued and
               Film:Trafficing in Antiquities
Readings:

• Ch. 13

Lab:Spatial Relationships

Dec. 5   Week 15 Challenges to Archaeology/Summing up

Readings:

§       Ch. 13

 

Last Week's Lecture

Return to Zagarell Home Page 

Archaeological Resources:ArchNet 

Contact me by e-mail:allen.zagarell@wmich.edu