SA188 Archaeology: the science of investigation

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SA188 Archaeology the science of investigation
integrating culturally diverse perspectives

• Dr Arlëne G. Hunter SA188 Course Team Chair

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Course in context

• 10 pt level 1 course
• first presentation May 2008
• forms part of the Science Short Courses programme
  (SSC)
• flexible study over 8 weeks 5 months
• new subject area for SSC
• SSC high female proportion - 62 Sci L1 55
• SSC high lt25 yrs (39) and lt21 yrs (29) Sci L1
  22 and 7
• interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary content
  SA code
• complement Arts Heritage programme

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Expectations diversity of students

• higher proportion of female students March
  currently 72
• higher proportion of young/YASS students
• mixture of Arts and Science students
• attract new audience who want to go beyond Time
  Team
• use popular and popularist subject to attract new
  students into all science disciplines
• work towards global presentation (Strategic
  objective)
• Course must address preconceived expectations of
  what archaeology is and develop understanding
  beyond this.

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Developing an awareness of diversity

• develop awareness of diverse approaches of
  studying subject
• interconnections between science, geography,
  society, culture, history, politics
• move away from single study approach (hard
  scientific facts) to more holistic approach to
  understanding (integration of knowledge)
• use range of culturally, spatially and temporally
  diverse examples to illustrate key archaeological
  and scientific concepts

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Course structure

• SA188 uses an Investigative Topics approach
• Part 1 Introduction to archaeological science
• Part 2 Investigative Topics
• Reading the archaeological landscape
• From bog bodies, skeletons and mummies to
  forensic archaeology
• Making sense of materials
• Our archaeological heritage protecting finds for
  the future

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Awareness of spatial diversity

• from outset avoid conventional approach to
  expected examples
• UK dig, Stonehenge, Egyptian mummies, English
  legislative practices
• major case studies and illustrative examples
  from
• South and Central America (e.g. Llullaillaco
  children, Argentina)
• Australasia (e.g. early cave paintings, central
  Australia)
• Asia (e.g. development of glazing, China)
• Middle East (e.g. Tell es-Sa?idiyeh, Jordan)
• North Africa (e.g. Egyptian mummies and relics)
• Europe (e.g. Lapedo Child, Portugal)
• case studies selected to illustrate key
  scientific techniques and be archaeologically
  stimulating

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Awareness of cultural and temporal diversity

• acknowledging modern cultural inferences with
  archaeology
• e.g. Time Team, Indiana Jones, Prof. Kapil
  Acharya
• perception of the role of museums versus
  interpretive centres
• developing views of archaeology as a discrete
  subject
• first investigation attributed to King Nabonidus,
  Babylon
• shift from curios and artefacts in 14th-16th
  centuries to systematic study and classification
  schemes
• methods of dating archaeological features and
  finds
• scientific dating techniques
• BC/AD versus BCE/CE
• benefits of combining different investigative
  approaches from Arts and Science

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Awareness of ethical/political issues

• drawn attention to various governmental and
  professional guidelines and policies
• focus on governing bodies, rules, regulations and
  policies in UK and Ireland (as a case study)
• compare and contrast scenarios in different
  jurisdictions
• ownership of finds
• rights to excavate
• use of metal detectors
• changing attitudes to working with archaeological
  remains
• use of non-invasive/non-destructive techniques in
  the field and with finds

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Considerations for the future

• consider all aspects of diversity in relation to
  case studies
• map spread of case studies from start
• reinforce diversity by developing threads between
  case studies and throughout course
• more encouragement to compare and contrast course
  examples with students own examples/experiences
  (and to share with others)

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Science Short Courses OfficeThe Open
UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AA

• www.open.ac.uk