Exotic locations, the romance and danger of treasure-hunting, and the discovery of unknown human history. This colourful and entertaining course explores these dimensions of archaeology, and takes you on other adventures as well. We will encounter the builders of Stonehenge, the treasures of ancient Egyptians, the Pyramids of the Aztecs, the search for Homer's Troy, evidence for the extinction of the Viking civilization in Greenland, the grisly reality of cannibalism in North America, and what archaeology reveals about Custer's Last Stand. We will handle ancient archaeological materials from Roman Britain, Southern Africa, Scandinavia and Australia. Extensive online multimedia presentations provide a comprehensive educational experience; you don't need to take notes or do any other research. This is the adventure of archaeology!
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Modern archaeology is intriguing but it can also be intricate. An understanding of the story told by archaeology, about the human past, requires a grounding in the methods of archaeological investigations and the frameworks archaeologists use in interpreting ancient remains.
The goals of this course are to introduce you to archaeological thinking, to provide you with an understanding of how we have pieced together the tale of human evolution, and to give you the skills that will allow you to critically evaluate both technical and media statements about archaeological research. Students will acquire knowledge of archaeological methods and an understanding of selected events in the human past. Students will also develop a comprehension of archaeological thinking and of the nature of archaeological research.
The course will also give you a sense of the nature of archaeological work through the activities we undertake in the laboratory sessions.
Indicative Assessment
All assessment is related to and develops understandings of archaeological methods. Three pieces of assessment are based on laboratory activities: a short review (10%) of an archaeological report, laboratory exercises (15%), and a 1,500 word essay based on class work (35%). At the end of semester a short test (40%) evaluates overall learning.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of laboratories per week. Films will also be shown but are not compulsory. Students will normally spend an additional 4 hours per week in study.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
McIntosh, J. The Practical Archaeologist: How We Know What We Know About the Past. 2nd Rev edition, Checkmark Books, 1999.
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Students continuing in their current program of study will have their tuition fees indexed annually from the year in which you commenced your program. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1994-2003 | $1164 | |
| 2014 | $2478 | |
| 2013 | $2472 | |
| 2012 | $2472 | |
| 2011 | $2424 | |
| 2010 | $2358 | |
| 2009 | $2286 | |
| 2008 | $2286 | |
| 2007 | $2286 | |
| 2006 | $2286 | |
| 2005 | $2286 | |
| 2004 | $1926 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1994-2003 | $2574 |
| 2014 | $3246 |
| 2013 | $3240 |
| 2012 | $3240 |
| 2011 | $3240 |
| 2010 | $3240 |
| 2009 | $3240 |
| 2008 | $3240 |
| 2007 | $3132 |
| 2006 | $3132 |
| 2005 | $3132 |
| 2004 | $2916 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2072 | 17 Feb 2014 | 07 Mar 2014 | 31 Mar 2014 | 30 May 2014 | In Person | N/A |