Examining and quickly assessing materials (e.g. bone, stone, plants and deposits) form routine tasks on archaeological excavations, after sampling and during post-excavation research. This course provides flexibly delivered practical training introducing materials and assemblages commonly encountered during archaeological and forensic site investigations. Emphasis is on acquiring "hands-on" familiarity with materials and appropriate examination procedures (visible and non-visible assessment) including microscopy, diagnostic imaging, materials description and sampling. The course is introductory and base-level, appropriate to learning how to study and work in teams deploying using "mobile" laboratory equipment, and flexing analysis between field and advanced laboratory locations.

On completion of this course students will have:

1. Generic understanding of laboratory practice and microanalysis applications to archaeological materials

2. Generic understanding of distinguishing materials; preliminary identification of process history (e.g. indentifying wind-blown sands; water-rolled bones and shells)

3. Basic microscopy skills and instrumental micro-analysis skills

4. Experience of handling materials and replicate sampling, sub-sampling routine to professional descriptive standards; measurements against standards

5. Skills in screening and separating materials from deposits for more advanced analysis (e.g. extracting charcoals or diatoms or gastropods for imaging on SEM; selecting samples for dating)

6. Skills in selecting samples and assessing context reliability

7. Understanding of laboratory safe practice

Each one week module will required the student to complete pre-set tasks examining materials. Each module will supply the students with handout, materials, tasks and sections of the handout where students must complete interpretive, reflective and analytical statements, based on materials provided that week. Students select 6 from 8 one week modules for assessment
(60% of course assessment - Assessment 1, LOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Understanding of laboratory procedures and interpretive skills is assessed in Week 10 (multiple choice set answer paper 30% - Assessment 2, LOs: 1, 2, 3).
Satisfactory completion of H&S laboratory skills training is assessed in Week 4 (10% - Assessment 3, LO: 7).

On-line pre-reading block (30 hours); Induction training, H&S and orientation inductions (10 hours); 8 weekly modules each comprising (6 hours) lab work and (4 hours) independent study. 10 hours per module equals 80 hours. Total work load for course 120 hours over 1 semester.

Course will be a core course available in Graduate Certificate of Archaeological Science.

Course will also be a core course available in Master of Archaeological Science (for Master-level entrants with no previous experience of micro-examination and microanalysis).

None required.

Weiner, S2010 Microarchaeology - beyond the visible record. CUP: Cambridge

Access to 12 low power microscopes, with on-screen projection linked to teaching microscope in archaeology teaching labs. Use of facilities and staff instruction from ANU Centre Advanced Microscopy (CAM) for some sessions (consultation and agreements completed with CAM in March - April 2012).