An introduction to the archaeology of the Pacific Islands, spanning Melanesia (including the Island of New Guinea), Micronesia and Polynesia. The course examines the amazing human endeavour which was the location and settlement of some of the most remote islands on earth, and the subsequent cultural and environmental changes through to the period of early contact with European explorers, missionaries and traders. The region's past includes the earliest evidence for open sea voyaging in the world, unique hunting and gathering adaptations to tropical rainforest environments, the mass extinction of species of birds and other vertebrates with initial human settlement on many islands, the development of over a quarter of the world's modern languages, and the construction of the mysterious Easter Island statues.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Students will acquire knowledge of the archaeological evidence for the ancient settlement of the Pacific Islands, and the subsequent cultural changes that occurred within each major archipelago. They will also acquire analytical skills in relation to the interpretation of archaeological evidence and an understanding of the history of research into Pacific archaeology.Indicative Assessment
Tutorial attendance (10%), lecture notes appraisal (10%), two 2500 word essays (40% each).
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
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures, 12 hours of seminars; and b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Kirch, P. On the Road of the Winds: an Archaeological History of the Pacific Islands before European Contact, University of California Press, 2002
Preliminary Reading
Spriggs, M. The Island Melanesians, Blackwell, 1997.
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. Tuition fees are indexed annually. 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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | $2856 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2017 | $4080 |
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.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9440 | 24 Jul 2017 | 31 Jul 2017 | 31 Aug 2017 | 27 Oct 2017 | In Person | N/A |