ANTH 3120 - Experimental Archaeology

Goals: To teach students advanced archaeological theory and laboratory methods. Students, working in teams, will design and implement research projects in ethnoarchaeology and/or experimental archaeology.

Content: One of the principal challenges faced by archaeologists wanting to learn about past human cultures is how to study the behavior of humans whom we cannot directly observe, but only understand through the physical clues they left behind. Ethnoarchaeology and experimental archaeology are two powerful tools that help archaeologists meet this challenge. Ethnoarchaeology, observing contemporary human behavior, and experimental archaeology, research that replicates under controlled conditions, behavior of interest, provide insight into the relationships between specific human actions and the archaeological evidence of these actions. The content of this course will include readings extracted from classic examples of experimental and ethnoarchaeological research. We will also engage in advanced laboratory analyses in order to identify specific research questions that students wish to address through their own experimental or ethnoarchaeological research project. Students who have taken an archaeological field methods or laboratory methods course are strongly encouraged to register.

Taught: Alternate years

Prerequisite: ANTH 1160 or instructor permission

Credits: 4