ANTHRO 353 Archaeology in Practice - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Introduces standard laboratory methods for analysing artefacts and generating material culture data to answer questions about the past. Quantitative observations, classification, and hypothesis testing will be emphasised. Course content will be relevant to a range of archaeological research, including research in heritage management contexts. Analysis of Australasian and Pacific Island materials will form the basis of laboratory work when possible.

Course Overview

Archaeological analysis covers, at least in common parlance, almost everything one does as an archaeologist in the laboratory. In ANTHRO 353, we will be looking at analysis in the strict sense, that is the techniques for making archaeologically significant observations. The focus of our interest will be on artefacts in the traditional sense of the term: more or less intentional portable products of human activity.

The variety of objects that qualify as artefacts in the traditional sense is enormous and the number of techniques available for examination is nearly as large. Consequently, ANTHRO 353 is only able to consider a fraction of either. We will cover basic techniques for observation and measurement of general, demonstrated value; some techniques which require complex equipment or greater investment in time will be treated in lectures only, while the basic techniques will actually be learned. Similarly, while we will talk about a larger range of artefacts, we will concentrate our experience on a small number of major classes of artefacts, those that comprise the bulk of the archaeological record in the Pacific and other places.

In the first part of the course we consider measurement and observation generally, and then with special reference to artefacts. Our objectives here are to become familiar and comfortable with a useful range of techniques and to master the business of measurement. We will also focus on the interrelationship between theory, classification and measurement, and we will examine general analytic protocols.

Subsequent parts of the course will treat broad classes of artefacts – lithic or stone artefacts, ceramic artefacts, and other frequently encountered artefacts including midden remains (mainly food-waste shell), and ornaments. In each section, we will sketch the history of analysis of the artefact class, outline the kinds of attributes pertinent to technological, functional and stylistic analyses, and consider how useful observations and measurements may be generated.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: B- or higher in ANTHRO 200 or 201

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Analyse a variety of archaeological materials (Capability 1.1 and 1.2)
Evaluate different techniques for generating archaeological laboratory data (Capability 1.3 and 2.2)
Communicate the results of laboratory analyses in concise and cogent reports (Capability 4.1 and 4.2)
Be able to work independently and with others in a laboratory setting to produce data (Capability 4.3 and 5.1)
Understand a variety of analytical approaches in archaeology and related theoretical frameworks (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Laboratories	60%	Individual Coursework
Test	20%	Individual Coursework
Quizzes	20%	Individual Coursework
3 types	100%

Next offered

Semester 2, 2020

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour lab, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments, labs, and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 4:	Communication and Engagement
Capability 5:	Independence and Integrity

ANTHRO 353 : Archaeology in Practice

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)