Course Description
Students will become informed users of the historical record of human resource use and of environmental change and stasis that is available from archaeological sites with emphasis on biological data from archaeological sites, the dynamic relationships between humans and their environments, and current environmental issues.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Prepare a paper germane to student's thesis and make a
presentation in class.
Athena Title
ENVIRONMENTAL ARCH
Prerequisite
BIOL 1104 or BIOL 1108
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will be evaluated on the basis of their ability: 1. To define and discuss general theory, site formation processes, basic archaeological field techniques, and the disciplines that contribute to environmental archaeology, particularly as they apply to biological evidence of human/environmental relationships. 2. To define and discuss strengths and weaknesses in the materials, methods, and techniques used in human biology, archaeobotany, and zooarchaeology. 3. To define and discuss the contributions environmental archaeology generally, and each subfield, makes to studies of the relationships between humans and their environments and to the studies of current environmental issues by documenting historical trends. 4. To evaluate professional literature.
Topical Outline
1. Environmental archaeology 2. Site formation processes and archaeological field techniques 3. Bacteria and fungi 4. Plants 5. Invertebrates 6. Vertebrates 7. Biochemical analysis 8. Physical environment 9. Environmental change 10. Human ecology 11. Social and economic strategies 12. Integration and conclusion
Institutional Competencies
Analytical ThinkingThe ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.
Syllabus