CE5335: If These Finds Could Talk: The Archaeology of Objects

School Continuing and Professional Education
Department Code LEARN
Module Code CE5335
External Subject Code V400
Number of Credits 10
Level L4
Language of Delivery English
Module Leader Dr Michelle Deininger
Semester Autumn Semester
Academic Year 2020/1

Outline Description of Module

What do archaeologists do with the things that they find? This modules introduces students to a range of finds from archaeological sites, and considers how we can investigate, analyse and question those finds to discover more about the people of the past and the world that they lived in. Students will be introduced to a range of materials found at archaeological excavations, including environmental evidence, animal and human bones, as well as man-made objects, such as pottery, metal- and glass-work, and coins. In addition to considering the significance of these finds as a means of exploring the past, we will consider how they can be preserved and presented for current and future generations. Students will be introduced to the archaeology of the science lab: the field of archaeological conservation. We will go on from this to consider how finds can be preserved and presented to the public, both within the context of museums, and in the development of vibrant community archaeology projects that link finds from past societies to the communities that occupy those sites today. In exploring these topics, students will learn how to analyse individual objects, as well as compiling their own ‘digital museum’, assessing the significance of a particular site or group of archaeological finds.

 

On completion of the module a student should be able to

Knowledge and Understanding:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how finds have been interpreted and represented by archaeologists.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific techniques used in the study of a range of finds, including environmental evidence, bones, and man-made artefacts.
  • Understand the type of information retrieved from human remains, faunal remains and artefacts when using different analytical procedures.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work with the underlying concepts and principles associated with the study of excavated finds, and show an understanding of the analysis of such material.
  • Demonstrate the ability to use information from class and independent research to construct an academically-sound argument.

    Academic Skills:

  • engage critically with both literary and archaeological evidence.
  • assimilate and understand the arguments of modern scholars.
  • offer their own interpretations of the past based on a synthesis of the evidence and ideas provided by archaeological sources and modern interpretations.
  • engage critically with modern attitudes and assumptions about the past.
  • Transferable/employability Skills:

  • present views and arguments clearly to an audience.
  • structure a piece of writing effectively.
  • argue a point with supporting evidence.

How the module will be delivered

The module will be delivered through nine 2-hour sessions, initially on weekday evenings from 7-9pm. These sessions will consist of a 1-hour lecture followed by class discussion and group work on specific topics relating to the module. The discussion and group work will enable students to think critically and contribute to the debates and topics presented during the lectures. The discussion-led sessions and the lectures will be supplemented by resources available to students via Learning Central.

Skills that will be practised and developed

  • The ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in class discussion or in written form.
  • The ability to work effectively with others in groups and to learn collaboratively through discussion and interaction.
  • The ability to think critically, analyse sources, evaluate arguments, and challenge assumptions.
  • The ability to formulate and justify arguments and conclusions and present appropriate supporting evidence.
  • The ability to locate relevant resources in the library and online and use them appropriately in academic work.
  • The ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist with information retrieval and assignment presentation.
  • The ability to independently organise study methods, manage time effectively, and prioritise workload.

How the module will be assessed

Type of assessment   % Contribution Title Duration (if applicable) Approx. date of Assessment

Object biography      30% Based on an object found at an archaeological excavation drawn from the study materials from classes 2-5. Exact range of choice will vary from year to year   500-600 words End of week 5

‘Digital Museum’ Project  70% An illustrated essay presenting a short exhibition of 5-6 objects found at single or multiple excavations, that tell the story of an aspect of past society 1000-1200 words End of course

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

Students who fail one or both assessment elements will be given the opportunity to re-submit coursework in response to different titles over the summer once the Exploring the Past exam board has met.

 

Assessment Breakdown

Type % Title Duration(hrs)
Written Assessment 100 Coursework N/A

Syllabus content

  1. Introduction and course overview
  2. Plant and animal remains
  3. Meet the ancestors: bones and burials
  4. If these pots could talk
  5. Metalwork and coins
  6. Digital Museum Project workshop
  7. Preserving finds: the role of the conservator
  8. Presenting finds: conservation and museums
  9. Local people and the objects from their past: Community Archaeology

Essential Reading and Resource List

Caple, C. 2000. Conservation Skills: judgement, method and decision making. Abingdon and New York: Routledge

Essential Reading

Caple, C. 2000. Conservation Skills: judgement, method and decision making. Abingdon and New York: Routledge

Greene, K. 2002. Archaeology: An introduction: The Online Companion, 4th edn. https://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/kevin.greene/wintro/ , esp. chapters 5 and 6

Hodges, H. 1989. Artifacts: An introduction to early materials and technology. London: Duckworth

Nilsson Stutz, L., & Tarlow, S. (eds) 2013. The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Death and Burial. Oxford: Oxford University Press

The Portable Antiquities Scheme: https://finds.org.uk/

Greene, K. 2002. Archaeology: An introduction: The Online Companion, 4th edn. https://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/kevin.greene/wintro/ , esp. chapters 5 and 6

Hodges, H. 1989. Artifacts: An introduction to early materials and technology. London: Duckworth

Nilsson Stutz, L., & Tarlow, S. (eds) 2013. The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Death and Burial. Oxford: Oxford University Press

The Portable Antiquities Scheme: https://finds.org.uk/

Background Reading and Resource List

Recommended Reading

Bahn, P. 2003. Written in bones: how human remains unlock the secrets of the dead. Toronto: Firefly Books

Cronyn, J.M. 1990. The elements of archaeological conservation. London: Routledge

Evans, J.G. and O’Connor, T. 1999. Environmental archaeology. Principles and methods. Stroud: Sutton

Fischer, C. Tollund Man: Gift to the Gods. Stroud: History Press

Fowler, B. 2002. Iceman: uncovering the life and times of a prehistoric man found in an Alpine glacier. London: Pan

Freestone, I. and Gainster, D. (eds) 1997. Pottery in the making: world ceramic traditions. London: British Museum

Henderson, J. 2013. Ancient Glass: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Hooper-Greenhill, E. (ed.) 1994. Museums and their Visitors. London and New York: Routledge

Hume, I.N. 2001. If These Pots Could Talk: Collecting 2000 Years of British Household Pottery. Hanover & London: Chipstone Foundation

Hurcombe, L. 2007. Archaeological artefacts as material culture. London: Routledge

Jones, M. 2002. The Molecule Hunt: Archaeology and the Search for Ancient DNA. London: Arcade Publishing

Joy, J. 2009. Lindow Man. London: British Museum

Knell, S., Aronssson, P., Amundsen, A., Barnes, P.A., Burch, S., Carter, J., Gosselin, V., Hughes, S., and Kirwan, A. (eds). 2011. National Museums – New Studies from Around the World. Abingdon and New York: Routledge

Matisoo-Smith, L. and Horsburgh, K. 2012. DNA for archaeologists. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press

O’Connor, T. 2000. The archaeology of animal bones. Stroud: Sutton

Orton, C., Tyers, T. and Vince, A. 1993. Pottery in Archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Sanders, K. 2009. Bodies in the bog and the archaeological imagination. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Walsh, K. 1992. Representation of the Past; Museums and Heritage in the Post Modern World. London and New York: Routledge

Waterton, E. and Watson, S. 2011. Heritage and community engagement. London: Routledge

Additional material for inclusion in module handbook

Atkinson, J.K. 2014. ‘Environmental conditions for the safeguarding of collections: A background to the current debate on the control of relative humidity and temperature’. Studies in Conservation 59 (4), pp. 205-12

Barbour, R.J. and Powell, R.M. 1990. Archaeological Wood: Properties, Chemistry and Preservation. Advances in Chemistry Series, 225. Washington D.C: American Chemical Society

Boddington, A., Garland, A.N., and Janaway, R.C. (eds.) 1987. Death, Decay and Reconstruction: Approaches to Archaeology and Forensic Science. Manchester: Manchester University Press

Bortenschlager, S. and Öggl, K. (eds) 2000. The Iceman and his natural environment: the Man in the Ice 4. Vienna and New York: Springer

Brothwell, D. and Pollard, A. (eds). 2001. Handbook of archaeological sciences. Chichester: Wiley

Buys, S. and Oakley, V. 1993. Conservation and Restoration of Ceramics. Abingdon and New York: Butterworths

Cox, M. 1996. Life and death at Spitalfields, 1700 to 1850. York: Council for British Archaeology

Henderson, J. 2000. The Science and Archaeology of Materials: An Investigation of Inorganic Materials. Routledge, London

Hillhouse, S. 2009. Collections Management: A Practical Guide. Cambridge: Collections Trust

Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage

Klein, R.G. 2009. The Human Career: Human Biological and Cultural Origins (3rd edition). Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Lewin, R. 2005. Human Evolution: An Illustrated Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell

Molleson, T. and Cox, M. 1993. The Spitalfields project. Volume 2: the anthropology – the middling sort. York: Council for British Archaeology [available online at http://www.britarch.ac.uk/books/backlist#rr – scroll down to report Nr. 86]

Müller, W., Fricke, H., Halliday, A.N., McCulloch, M.T. and Wartho, J.-A. 2003. ‘Origin and migration of the Alpine Iceman’. Science 302, 862-866

Reeves, J. and Adams, M. 1993. The Spitalfields project. Volume 1: the archaeology – across the Styx. York: Council for British Archaeology [available online at http://www.britarch.ac.uk/books/backlist#rr – scroll down to report Nr. 85]

Rice, P. 1987. Pottery analysis : a sourcebook. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Richmond, A. and Bracker, A. (2009) (eds). Conservation Principles, Dilemmas and Uncomfortable Truths. London: Butterworth-Heinemann and the V&A Museum

Roberts, C. 2009. Human Remains in Archaeology. A Handbook. York: Council for British Archaeology

Watkinson, D. and Neal, V. 1998. First aid for finds: Practical Guide for Archaeologists. Hertford. RESCUE / UKIC Arch. Sec

Online resources:

Advisory Panel on the Archaeology of Burials in England (APABE) - http://www.britarch.ac.uk/apabe/formation.html

British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) - http://www.babao.org.uk/index/

CAER Heritage Project – Exploring the Archaeology of Caerau and Ely https://caerheritageproject.com/

Museum of London. Packing Museum Objects for Storage e-learning tool http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Resources/e-learning/packing-museum-objects-for-storage/

Proceedings of a conference on displaying the dead, held at Manchester Museum in 2006 - http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/documents/respect/

 


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