Admission requirements
This is a seminar with a limited number of participants (20 students), for Archaeology students exclusively.
Description
"…like all good experiments, they have raised as many questions as they have answered"
-Odell & Cowan 1987, 457-
Experimental archaeology has played a key role in shaping archaeological research and today is seen as a pillar of Processualism. Still, its integration into other archaeological fields remains an ongoing process, highlighting its continued evolution and relevance.
In this seminar, you will gain an understanding of experimental archaeology's development, scope, and status quo. You will explore the evolution of the field, uncovering its foundations and current practical applications. Drawing from scholarly literature, classroom activities, and exercises, we will explore the wide contemporary impact of experimental archaeology.
Together, we will also assess the inferential limits of archaeological experiments and critically evaluate frequently drawn interpretations. Through the analysis of common experimental frameworks and their interpretations, you will engage in analytical discourse, and develop an understanding of current methodologies.
Active participation is emphasized here, with hands-on activities and classroom discussions and excursions. Experimental archaeology can be messy, and you will likely get dirty. But by immersing yourself in practical exercises and dialogue, this seminar aims to foster an appreciation of the complexities of experimental archaeology that you can apply to your own research interests.
Furthermore, you will gain direct, hands-on experience handling various types of material culture and manufacturing different types of prehistoric technologies. This immersive approach aims to provide a holistic perspective on artifact analysis and understanding their life histories. Overall, the seminar offers the opportunity to engage with experimental archaeology and develop necessary skills for archaeological interpretation.
By the end of this seminar, you will have expanded your knowledge of experimental archaeology and honed your critical thinking abilities preparing you for further academic pursuits or careers in archaeology and related fields.
Course objectives
By the end of the course, you will:
Obtain a broad understanding of experimental archaeology methods and differentiate between experiential and experimental archaeology;
Assess the strengths and weaknesses of published experiments and develop skills to plan archaeological experiments;
Demonstrate;
Research skills to locate, understand, and discuss relevant literature;
Critical analysis of literature on experimental archaeology;
Ability to develop and implement a research project or plan.
Timetable
Course schedule details can be found in MyTimetable.
Log in with your ULCN account, and add this course using the 'Add timetable' button.
Mode of instruction
Lectures;
Plenary discussions and exercises;
Practicals;
Reading literature;
Presentations;
Final paper writing.
Assessment method
There will an individual class presentation assessed through peer review (30% of the grade);
Final essay (2,500-3,000 words) (70% of the grade).
Assessment deadlines:
The dates of exams and retakes can be found in MyTimetable. The deadlines of papers, essays and assignments are communicated through Brightspace.
Reading list
To be announced.
Registration
Registration start dates for the BA2 seminars differ from the registration dates of the regular courses.
Registration will take place with the use of forms. These will be e-mailed by the Administration Office to all BA2 students at the beginning of March.
Contact
For more information about this course, please contact Dr W. (Wei) Chu.