| CODE | ARC2040 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Scientific Applications in Archaeology | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Classics and Archaeology | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | ARC2040 describes scientific techniques relevant to the study of archaeology in areas including material characterization, material chronology, remote sensing, environmental archaeology, zooarchaeology, molluscs in archaeology, palynology and molecular bioarchaeology. The techniques are described with extensive examples of their use in archaeology to enable the students to understand the fundamental concepts in the context of applied science in archaeology. The topics cover the range of techniques an archaeologist may expect to encounter in use in interdisciplinary practice, and which may produce data relevant to the interpretation of sites or objects if correctly applied and interpreted. The unit is designed for students who do not have a scientific background, although the exposure to methods and areas of application by means of case studies will make the unit accessible and useful to students who do. Study-unit Aims: 1. To describe scientific techniques and approaches to solving questions in archaeology; 2. To consider the selection of the correct technique required to produce the data relevant to the archaeology research question; 3. To present science in archaeology as an interdisciplinary technique. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. explain the principles of remote sensing processes and prescribe the correct approach to their use in archaeology; 2. compare material characterization and dating techniques used to analyze an object of archaeological relevance and identify the most suitable methods for different materials and environments; 3. describe the biological remains expected to be found in archaeological deposits; 4. derive information useful to the study of human cultures and their environment from the study of animal and human remains from archaeological deposits; 5. describe the use of pollen and other microscopic remains from archaeological deposits to derive information on the environment in which such deposits were formed; 6. understand the application of molecular bioarchaeology in the archaeological context. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. select the correct remote sensing approach required to identify or record features in sites of archaeological interest; 2. recommend the characterization technique suitable for the identification of materials and degradation products in archaeological artifacts and interpret characterization reports; 3. correctly identify the techniques suitable for dating archaeological objects and analyze the information produced by these techniques; 4. correctly identify and classify animal species found in archaeological sites; 5. identify and analyse molluscs and other invertebrate remains found in archaeological sites; 6. identify and analyse pollen and other microscopic remains found in archaeological deposits; 7. analyze and interpret the data sets generated by these techniques in accessible reports. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Text Malainey, M. E. 2011. "A Consumer's Guide to Archaeological Science: Analytical Techniques". New York: Springer. Renfrew, C., Bahn, P. "Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice." 7th edn. London: Thames and Hudson. Supplementary Readings Reitz, E J & Wing, E S (2008) Zooarchaeology [Cambridge manuals in archaeology], 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press. Wilkinson K., Stevens C. (2003) Environmental Archaeology. Approaches, Techniques & Applications. Tempus Publishing Ltd. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite Study-unit: ARC1010 | |||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Project | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | John Charles Betts Chris Hunt Patrick J. Schembri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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