Course considers the complexities of human-environment interactions through an archaeological lens. Exploration of the ecological relationships between people, animals, plants, and other organisms in the past, methods for analyzing human-environmental relationships, and how we can apply lessons learned from our environmental past in modern conservation and sustainability efforts.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Prepare a paper germane to student's thesis and make a
presentation in class.
Athena Title
Environmental Archaeology
Prerequisite
BIOL 1104 or BIOL 2104H or BIOL 1108 or BIOL 2108H or ANTH 2002 or ANTH 2002E or ANTH 1102 or ANTH 1102E or ANTH 2120H or ECOL 1000 or ECOL 1000E or ECOL 1000H or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will be able to define environmental archaeology and discuss the relationship between methods and theories used in ecology, archaeology, and other research disciplines contributing to environmental archaeology.
Students will be able to identify and analyze the impacts of site formation processes and archaeological research design and methods on environmental data contained in archaeological sites and materials.
Students will be able to examine materials, methods, and techniques used to reconstruct human-environmental relationships, and their relative strengths, weaknesses, and biases.
Students will be able to practice reading and interpreting professional scientific datasets and research publications in environmental archaeology and paleoecology.
Students will be able to investigate, synthesize, and discuss applications of environmental archaeological research to current and future environmental conservation and sustainability issues and actions.
Topical Outline
Defining environmental archaeology and relationship between ecology and archaeology
Modern ecosystems vs. archaeological sites. Site formation processes and archaeological field techniques
Earth system: geoarchaeology, sediments, and soils
Biological classifications, nomenclature, and biodiversity
Archaeobotany and plant macrofossils
Wood remains and dendroarchaeology
Dendrochronology and ancient forest ecosystems
Microbotanical remains (spores, pollen, phytoliths and starch grains)
Molluscs, echinoderms, and marine ecosystems
Zooarchaeology
Biogeochemistry
Environmental archaeology in modern conservation and sustainability practices
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
Critical Thinking
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
Social Awareness & Responsibility
The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.
