Understanding the Past II

Code

CLAR1020

School

Classics and Archaeology

Level

1

Credits

20

Semesters

Spring UK

Summary

This module builds on the autumn semester module, Understanding the Past 1, as an introduction to the core aims and methodologies of Archaeology as a discipline in providing a basic introduction to the process by which the material remains of the past are discovered, analysed and used to provide evidence for human societies from prehistory to the present day.Through lectures, classroom activities and practical fieldwork, students will be introduced to the study of landscape and the built environment, looking at how the archaeological record is both created and investigated. Students will be taken into the field to gain practical experience of core archaeological methods in field survey and buildings archaeology. By the end of the module, we aim to ensure that students will have developed a good understanding of the concepts used in archaeology, the questions asked and methods applied in investigating the evidence.

Target Students

Only available to Undergraduate level 1 students studying single or joint honours degrees in Archaelology or MSci Natural Sciences students on the Archaeology pathway, and exchange students. It is not available for subsidiary students.

Classes

• One 1-hour workshop each week for 4 weeks
• One 3-hour practicum each week for 4 weeks
• One 2-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks

Assessment

• 30% Coursework 1: Essay, 1,500 words
• 70% Coursework 2: Portfolio, 3,000 words

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
Understand the processes of archaeological data collection/creation through survey, excavation and post-survey/excavation analysis.
Demonstrate understanding of a range of practical techniques for landscape and building survey.

Intellectual
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
Appreciate the range of field techniques currently employed by archaeologists.
formulate and support written arguments pertaining to the use of field techniques in archaeology;
Take part in discussion on diverse issues, partly to reinforce the knowledge they have gained but also to develop their ability to express and defend their views in a scholarly manner.

Practical and professional
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
Show awareness of approaches to the construction of chronologies from archaeological data – through stratigraphic analysis, artefact and scientific dating.
Be able to demonstrate competency in methods and approaches for understanding historic landscapes and basic field survey techniques.
Show awareness of basic health and safety procedures associated with archaeological practice

Transferable (Key) skills
Key skills promoted include:
Encouragement of independent learning skills and the ability to meet deadlines via assessed coursework.
Development of writing and IT skills of writing skills in coursework preparation classes and essays.
Working as part of a team during practical fieldwork.

Conveners

• Dr Anna Bloxam