Exotic locations, the romance and danger of treasure-hunting, and the discovery of unknown human history. This colourful and entertaining course explores these dimensions of archaeology, and takes you on other adventures as well. We will encounter the builders of Stonehenge, the treasures of ancient Egyptians, the Pyramids of the Aztecs, the search for Homer's Troy, evidence for the extinction of the Viking civilization in Greenland, the grisly reality of cannibalism in North America, and what archaeology reveals about Custer's Last Stand. We will handle ancient archaeological materials from Roman Britain, Southern Africa, Scandinavia and Australia. Extensive online multimedia presentations provide a comprehensive educational experience; you don't need to take notes or do any other research. This is the adventure of archaeology!

Modern archaeology is intriguing but it can also be intricate. An understanding of the story told by archaeology, about the human past, requires a grounding in the methods of archaeological investigations and the frameworks archaeologists use in interpreting ancient remains.

The goals of this course are to introduce you to archaeological thinking, to provide you with an understanding of how we have pieced together the tale of human evolution, and to give you the skills that will allow you to critically evaluate both technical and media statements about archaeological research. Students will acquire knowledge of archaeological methods and an understanding of selected events in the human past. Students will also develop a comprehension of archaeological thinking and of the nature of archaeological research.

The course will also give you a sense of the nature of archaeological work through the activities we undertake in the laboratory sessions.

All assessment is related to and develops understandings of archaeological methods. Three pieces of assessment are based on laboratory activities: a short review (10%) of an archaeological report, laboratory exercises (15%), and a 1,500 word essay based on class work (35%). At the end of semester a short test (40%) evaluates overall learning.

2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of laboratories per week. Films will also be shown but are not compulsory. Students will normally spend an additional 4 hours per week in study.

PREH1111 Introduction to Archaeology

McIntosh, J. The Practical Archaeologist: How We Know What We Know About the Past. 2nd Rev edition, Checkmark Books, 1999.