Admission requirements
Admission to the Research Master Archaeology programme.
Description
This course focuses on the historical relationship between humans and water and how we handle this in our society.
In many past societies water was an important means of transporting goods, people and ideas. The maritime world is part of many countries’ national and local identities. The material past found under or near the water may be hidden or forgotten, for example in the Netherlands.
Dutch activities in the past are often connected with the sea and (trading) connections overseas, with the world’s rivers, seas and oceans as highways and fastest routes. But the Netherlands are not alone in this: many countries are or used to be maritime powers. Many peoples live and have lived intensively with the sea.
This course will explore the meaning of water in past societies through the maritime cultural heritage that has been left behind. The maritime landscape will function as a context and connection between individual sites. It will also include an analysis of the way underwater and ship archaeology can contribute to our knowledge of the maritime past, including how we treat this heritage in our present-day society.
There will be a focus on the Netherlands, but other parts of Europe and the world will be taken into consideration as well.
This course will also include some theoretical backgrounds on the technical discipline called underwater archaeology. We will explore the methods and technology that are needed to execute underwater research.
Set-up of the course
Introduction
The maritime and underwater landscape
Ships connect 1
Ships connect 2
Maritime archaeological research (M&T)
Underwater archaeological research (M&T)
Conclusions, wrap-up and excursion
Course objectives
Introducing a maritime view to our past for both specialists and non-specialists;
Thorough knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and technical development of maritime and underwater archaeology, and capability to place research questions and relevant archaeological data within an academic and theoretical framework and critically reflect upon this;
Thorough knowledge and understanding of the maritime traditions and landscape approaches, and ability to integrate these into a broader discipline transcending academic framework and in new, multidisciplinary archaeological studies;
Awareness of selected past and current subjects of research with the aim to gain the ability to place one's own research /fieldwork within this multidisciplinary framework in a confident way;
Basic knowledge of development of ships through time and in relation to their purpose and the area of operation, and the ability to develop original and creative academic ideas towards maritime archaeology;
Ability to discuss the developments, topics and ethical and social issues related to underwater archaeology in a critical and constructive way and from an international perspective with peers, and where necessary to revise one's own previous position.
Timetable
Course schedule details can be found in the RMA and RMSc time schedule.
Mode of instruction
Lectures;
Individual assignments;
Discussions;
Excursion.
Course load
The course load will be distributed as follows:
14 hours of lectures/tutorials (1 ec);
Assignments and discussions (2 ec);
Literature (2 ec).
Assessment method
Written exam (50%);
Assignments (50%).
A 5.5 or higher needs to be obtained for the assignments (50%). Only the written exam can be retaken.
All exam dates (exams, retakes, paper deadlines etc.) can be found in the RMA and RMSc examination schedule.
Reading list
The reading list will be published on BlackBoard.
Registration
Registration via uSis is mandatory.
The Administration Office will register all BA1 students for their tutorials (not lectures; register via uSis!).
BA2, BA3, MA/MSc and RMA/RMSc students are required to register for all lectures and tutorials well in time.
The Administration Office registers all students for their exams, students are not required to do this in uSis.
Contact
For more information about this course, please contact dr. M.R. (Martijn) Manders.
Remarks
Compulsory attendance. Students can miss max. 1 class.