UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
HISP 471H: ANALYTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Prof. Doug Sanford
Spring 2007
MWF: 10:00 – 10:50 AM
Combs 012
COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES
This course has two basic purposes. One goal is to study particular archaeological topics, issues, and methods at a more intensive and analytical level than occurs in our Department’s introductory courses for archaeology in general (HISP 207), laboratory methods (HISP 462), and field methods (HISP 467). The second purpose is to provide a true seminar experience in which student-based discussion and shared learning forms the primary basis of the class. The course is intended for students who already have focused on archaeology and see themselves as likely to continue that interest after college with respect to employment, graduate school, and perhaps, a long range career.
Archaeologists constantly invoke an analytical approach and process, in that they must take evidence – such as artifacts, documentary information, geographical and environmental data – and determine how it will recognized, organized, manipulated, and interpreted with respect to broader anthropological issues. In other words, the analysis of archaeological data partly depends upon such seemingly straightforward tasks as artifact identification, classification, and dating; and the spatial and temporal ordering of field information (stratigraphy, features, architectural remains, artifact distributions). At the same time, analysis stems from research objectives, theoretical concepts, and desired interpretations for social, economic, historical, and cultural issues. Through advanced levels of reading and discussion this course offers training and experience in archaeology’s analytical methods and issues.
This course also serves two smaller-scale purposes related to the structure of professional archaeology. One is to develop a personal “library” by finding, collecting, and organizing source materials, references, and examples of analytical approaches and methods. The second entails a detailed understanding of how archaeologists’ analytical research reaches scholarly, specialized, and public audiences through different communication and publication formats.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
(1) Required texts include: Archaeology in Practice: A Student Guide to Archaeological Analyses, edited by Jane Balme and Alistair Paterson (2006); and, Annual Editions: Archaeology (8th edition, 2007, edited by Mari Pritchard Parker and Elivo Angeloni. Additional readings will consist of materials placed on reserve via Blackboard or as assigned in class. As a seminar course, students must participate in class and discuss readings on a regular basis. At scheduled times specific students will be responsible for particular readings. The structure for discussion will be addressed in the first class period.
(2) There is no mid-term examination. The final examination will occur on Wednesday, May 2nd, 8:30 - 11:00 AM.
(3) Assignments: The following series of assignments provide the basis for gaining experience with archaeological analytical methods and approaches. Assignment requirements will be discussed fully in class and made available through handouts.
A. Analytical Comparison: compare and contrast two readings/authors as to analytical approaches to a given topic. Due February 9th.
B. Research Project: for an analytical topic of your choice (from the course topics or an acceptable alternative), develop a research project that incorporates a “status of the field” component, selects an analytical approach, and applies that approach to a data set. This assignment will have a limited self-scheduling arrangement, but will involve a series of deadlines for stages of the project.
C. Digital Database Analysis: directed analytical exercises will be applied to a chosen digital database and combined with a critical review of the database’s web presence, organization, and ease of use. Due April 30th.
N.B. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT PENALTY.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED TO PASS THE COURSE.
COURSE INFORMATION
(1) Grading Scale: A: 93-100; A-: 90-92; B+: 87-89; B: 83-86; B-: 80-82; C+: 77-79; C: 73-76; C-: 70-72; D+: 67-69: D: 60-66; F: 0-59. Your final grade will be determined on the following basis: Assignment A (15%); Assignment B (30%); Assignment C (15%); Final examination (10%); Class participation (discussions, exercises, presentations - 30%).
(2) Office Hours: Combs 133: Mon., 11 AM – 12 noon; Tues., 9-10 AM; Wed., 3-4 PM; Thurs., 2-3 PM; Fri., 11 AM-12 noon, and by appointment. Office phone: 654-1314. Home phone: 373-9747, please do not call between 6 and 8 PM. You can leave a message for me in my departmental mail box or by e-mail: dsanford@umw.edu (I work best by e-mail). Course information also will occur via the Blackboard system.
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS
Our two required texts will be abbreviated as follows: Annual Editions (AE, article number X) and Archaeology in Practice, edited by Jane Balme and Alistair Paterson (BP).
January 15 Course Introduction and Overview.
January 17 Archaeological Communication, Publication, and Public Outreach.
Reading: Sabloff 1998 (AE, article 2) OR Preston 1996 (AE, article 3).
January 19 Discussion: Archaeological Communication & Publication formats.
Reading: Peter White, “Producing the Record” (B&P, Chpt. 15)
Topic 1: Mayan Archaeology & Related Regional (Southwestern) Issues
January 22 Central American Overview: Aztec, Mayan, etc.
Reading assignment: What’s on the Web for Mayan Archaeology.
Reviews of Mel Gibson’s movie “Apocalypto.”
January 24 Culture History, State Level Societies, Complexity, Ecology.
Reading: Kohler et al. 2005 (AE, article 21).
January 26 Initial Discussion:
Reading: Lewis et al., Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology (2007: Chpt. 16, New World Civilizations, pp. 402-418).
January 29 Warfare & Cannibalism: What Are the Issues & Interpretive Perspectives?
Reading: LeBlanc 2003 (AE, article 5); Gibbons (AE, article 10)
January 31 The Mayan Collapse (the usual topical focus).
Reading: Diamond 2005 (AE, article 16)
February 2 Final Discussion
Reading: T. Douglas Price, Principles of Archaeology (2007:454-458).
Topic 2: Human Evolution & Associated Research Methods
February 5 Human Evolution, Early to Modern Humans: Issues, Methods
Web sources: www.becominghuman.org www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs
scienceblogs.com/afarensis
February 7 Human Osteology and Origins.
Reading: Lewis et al., Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology (2007: Chpt. 9, Hominid Origins).
Reading: “The New Face of Evolution” by Zach Zorich, Archaeology (January/February 2007, pp. 27-29).
February 9 Our Ancestors or Not: Neanderthal Video.
Reading: Hublin 2005 (AE, article 38).
February 12 Initial Discussion
Reading: Lewis et al. 2007: Chpt. 10, The Earliest Dispersal of the Genus Homo. Wong 2005 (AE, article 7)
February 14 Lithics Workshop: Exercise with Guest Speaker
February 16 Lithics by the Book.
Reading: Chris Clarkson and Sue O”Connor (B&P, Chpt. 6).
February 19 Final Discussion (and Ethnoarchaeology)
Reading: Lewis et al. 2007: Chpt. 11, Premodern Humans. Brandt and Weedman (AE, article 13) OR Yellen 1985 (AE, article 16).
Topic 3: Ceramics, Analyzing Ceramics, Ceramic-Based Analyses
February 21 Ceramics: A Review of Basic Principles, Categories, and Types.
February 23 NO CLASS
February 26 Ceramics by the Book.
Reading: Linda Ellis, “Ceramics” (B&P, Chpt. 6).
February 28 Ceramic Workshop: Guest Speaker.
Reading: Ivor Noel Hume, Guide to Colonial American Artifacts (selected passages).
March 2 Ceramic Attributes and Analysis.
Reading: Patricia Samford, “Responses to a Market: Dating English Underglaze Transfer-Printed Wares.” Historical Archaeology 31(2):1-30.
March 3-11 NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK
March 12 TPQ & MCD Exercise.
Reading: T. Douglas Price, Principles of Archaeology (2007:319-320).
March 14 Final Discussion
Reading: David Barker, “’The Usual Classes of Useful Articles’: Staffordshire Ceramics Reconsidered” from Ceramics in America, edited by Robert Hunter (2001:73-93) OR TBA.
March 16 NO CLASS – MIDDLE ATLANTIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE
Topic 4: Foodways – Inorganic & Organic Analyses
March 19 Foodways Overview: What’s Being Studied and How.
March 21 Animal Bones: Faunal Analysis.
Reading: Terry O’Connor and James Barrett, “Animal Bones” (B&P, Chpt. 9) – skim for methods. T. Douglas Price, Principles of Archaeology (2007:323-342).
March 23 Urban Foodways.
Reading: “Modeling Assemblage Variation and Urban Foodways” from Historical Archaeology, 30(1):1-9 (1996).
March 26 Foodways and Social Order on the Plantation.
Reading: Larry McKee, “Food Supply and Plantation Social Order: An Archaeological Perspective.” From ‘I, Too, Am America’: Archaeological Studies of African-American Life, edited by Theresa A. Singleton (1999:218-239).
March 28 Plant Remains, Paleobotany Methods.
Reading: Wendy Beck, “Plant Remains” (B&P, Chpt. 10) – skim for methods.
March 30 Final Discussion
Reading: Reber 1999 (AE, article 22). Gail E. Wagner, “Feast or Famine? Seasonal Diet at a Fort Ancient Community.” From Case Studies in Environmental Archaeology, edited by Elizabeth J. Reitz et al. (1996:255-271).
Topic 5: Farmsteads and Rural Sites
April 2 Farmsteads: A Common Site Type with Issues and Problems.
April 4 Addressing Historic Farmsteads and Historic Preservation.
Reading: John S. Wilson, “We’ve Got Thousands of These! What Makes an Historic Farmstead Significant?” Historical Archaeology 24(2):23-33 (1990).
April 6 Farmsteads and High Technology.
Reading: Mark Smith and James, “Analyzing Farm Layout and Farmstead Architecture.” Northeast Historical Archaeology 32:45-56 (2003).
April 9 Analyzing a House Lot.
Reading: Steven Archer et al., “The Life and Death of a Home.” From Between Dirt and Discussion: Methods, Methodology, and Interpretation in Historical Archaeology, edited by Steven N. Archer and Kevin M. Bartoy (2006:81-113).
April 11 Summarizing Farmstead Archaeology: Drafting a Model of Analytical Issues and Methods.
April 13 Final Discussion: Farmsteads and the Big Picture in a “Small” State.
Reading: Lu Ann De Cunzo, “The Archaeology of Agriculture and Rural Life in Northern Delaware, 1800-1940.” Northeast Historical Archaeology 30-31:85-112 (2001-2002).
Topic 6: Digital Databases
April 16 Organizing and Sharing Archaeological Information on the Internet.
Discuss Assignment.
April 18 The Big Picture and the Big Challenge.
Reading: Keith Kintigh (editor), “The Promise and Challenge of Archaeological Data Integration.” American Antiquity 71(3):567-578 (2006).
April 20 Review: A Comparative Archaeological Study of Colonial Chesapeake
Culture (www.chesapeakearchaeology.org)
April 23 Review: The Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery
(www.daacs.org)
Reading: either Greg Brown or Barbara Heath (see “Research” section, year 2000 listing).
April 25 Review of the “Slave Housing in Virginia”/NEH project website.
April 27 Final Discussion
FINAL EXAMINATION: WEDNESDAY, MAY 2ND: 8:30 – 11:00 AM