The first part of the class covers an introduction to ethnohistorical sources of the Caribbean (chronicles about the different cultures) and their potential for use in archaeology. Sources will be compared and contrasted on the basis of anthropological themes. The second part is an introduction to ethnoarchaeology, the study of present-day practices in order to approach archaeological questions, is the methodological tool that permits us to make a connection between living and ancient cultures.
The ancient Amerindian cultures did not disappear after the European colonization of the sixteenth century. Some cultural elements were lost, others were transformed as a result of newly introduced ideas, but in several geographical regions many ancient traditions and techniques persist until today. This cultural continuity in combination with the study of historical documents offers an exceptional opportunity for archaeologists to develop a diachronic perspective on cultural development and strengthen their interpretive abilities.
In this course we will discuss theory, methodology and some case studies, focusing on Mesoamerica and the Caribbean/Amazonian region.
Ingangseisen
Propedeutic exam.
Leerdoelen
Knowledge of and insight in analogical reasoning and the issues, the pros and cons concerning analogical reasoning;
To account for differences between ethnohistorical sources wether arising from geographical, temporal or political contexts;
Ability to connect archaeological, historical and ethnographical data for the analysis of production techniques, social function, ritual use and religious meaning of artifacts;
Broaden the field of archaeological expertise so as to include the analysis of historical documents and ethnographic observations;
To be able to combine different sources of information for answering issues discussed in the lectures and/or literature;
Onderwijsvorm
Interactive class with assignments and reports (using blackboard).
Toetsing
Assignments and paper
Literatuur
Will be indicated during class