This module aims to introduce students to the techniques and approaches that archaeologists employ to identify and explore archaeological monuments and landscapes, and to establish archaeological chronologies. A range of lectures, practical sessions and field trips are organised to inform the students about the contemporary role of the archaeologist, surveying and recording field monuments, their exploration using techniques such as geophysical survey, aerial photography and field walking. The techniques used to excavate archaeological sites are explored and the recording and post excavation processes are examined. The final part of the course explores the methods used to construct archaeological chronologies; including typological dating, historical chronologies and scientific methods, especially radiocarbon dating.

·         An understanding of archaeological practice and skill sets and to be able to apply some or all of these                   during the summer vacation fieldwork module

·         A broad knowledge of the ways in which archaeologists explore the archaeological landscape

·         An understanding of the ways in which archaeologists describe archaeological monuments

·         An understanding of the methods used to excavate and record archaeological excavations

·         An understanding of the approaches used to construct chronologies for the past

•       Lectures
•       Practicals
•       Field trips

Academic

·         An ability to source and use relevant publications

·         An ability to source, synthesise and interpret archaeological data

·         An understanding of the range of methods commonly employed in field archaeology

Subject Specific

·         Students will have an introduction to basic concepts and methods of archaeological field practice and  will gain insight into the challenges of constructing chronologies using artefacts, texts and scientific techniques

Transferable

·         Keeping a good written record and documenting work practices

·         Illustration techniques

·         Acquire a basic independent learning ability

·         Implement and conform with general health, safety and environment regulations

·         Develop subject specific solutions with links to professional practice

Type of assessment    % Contribution       Title                                         Approx. date of Assessment

Summative 1                        50%          Laboratory exercises                   Undertaken throughout the course

Summative 2                        50%        Report discussing monuments and                            Spring, week 12

                                                          landscapes encountered on the field trips (1,5000 words)

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

Students that fail this module will be given opportunity to resit following the conventions of the Undergraduate Board of Studies. Where the student fails the module they will be required to write an essay. The requirement for the resit will be communicated to the student following the summer exam board. The deadline for any resit essay will be passed to the student by the school and will normally be set to allow for marking prior to the summer re-sit exam board.

The module will cover the following topics. Attendance at lectures, practicals and fieldtrips is mandatory.

1.    An introduction to the course which includes an examination of the nature of archaeological practice in Britain

2.    How archaeologists identify archaeological sites and how the information is recorded and made accessible to the public. Including a practical on archaeological drawing.

3.    A discussion of geophysical techniques for exploring buried archaeological remains; including resistivity, magnetometry and ground penetrating radar.

4.    An introduction to Geographical Information Services which enable archaeologists to locate themselves and explore and document landscape change. Including a practical demonstration of GIS mapping.

5.    A practical on fieldwalking survey that explores the recording and interpretation of artefact scatters

6.    A discussion of archaeological site formation processes and an examination of the importance of natural processes

7.    The fundamental principles of archaeological excavation. How we do it and what we want to find.

8.    How we record archaeological excavations and what we do after the excavation is over. Including a practical on stratigraphic analysis.

9.    An examination of the basic principles of archaeological dating examining the importance of typological dating and its problems. Including a practical on the chronological significance of coins.

10.The problems and opportunities provided by historical chronologies

11.Absolute dating using scientific methods. Including a practical on radiocarbon dating.

12. Health and safety on an archaeological excavation.

Below is a list of textbooks indicative of topics covered. Case studies are not included below but are major part of the student reading and will be provided in class.

Allen, J.L. and St John Holt, A., 1986 Health and Safety in Field Archaeology.  London: Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers.

Barker, P. 1998 Techniques of Archaeological Excavation. 3^rd edition. London: Batsford.

Bowden, M 1999 Unravelling the landscape: An inquisitive approach to archaeology. Stroud: Tempus.

Bowman, S. 1990 Radiocarbon Dating. London: British Museum.

Burrough, P.A. and McDonnell, R.A.. 1998 Principles of Geographical Information Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Carver, M.  2009 Archaeological Investigation. London: Routledge.

Clark, A. 1990, 1996, 2003 Seeing Beneath the Soil: Prospecting Methods in Archaeology. London: Batsford.

Conolly, J. and Lake, M. 2006 Geographical Information Systems in archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Gater, J. and Gaffney, C. 2003 Revealing the Buried Past: geophysics for archaeologists. Stroud: Tempus.

Greene, K. 1995 Archaeology: an Introduction. London: Batsford.

Hodder, I. 1999 The Archaeological Process: an Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell

Hunter, J and Ralston 1993 Archaeological resource management in the UK: an introduction. Stroud: Alan Sutton.

Oliver, A. 1989 Safety in Archaeological Fieldwork. York: Council for British Archaeology.

Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. 1996 Archaeology: Theories, methods and practice. London: Thames and Hudson.

Roskams, S. 2001 Excavation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Schiffer, M. B. 1987 Formation Processes of the Archaeological Record. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

Scollar, L. (ed.) 1990 Remote Sensing in Archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wheatley, M. and Gillings, M. 2002 Spatial technology and archaeology: The archaeological applications of GIS. London: Taylor and Francis.

Wilson, D. 1982 Air Photo Interpretation for Archaeologists. London: Batsford.