SA581 BASIC CONCEPTS IN ARCHAEOLOGY
| Course Code: | 8140581 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 8.0 |
| Department: | Settlement Archaeology |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Graduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assoc.Prof.Dr. ÇİĞDEM ATAKUMAN |
| Offered Semester: | Fall and Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
Archaeology is an attempt to understand the human societies through their material remains. In order to introduce students to the basic concepts in archaeological thinking and research, the course will start with an understanding of how and why the study of the human past through archaeology emerged. This will be followed by a series of lectures on the nature of archaeological evidence and the archaeological approach where we discuss the research methods and techniques of the discipline. We will then move on to the case studies where some of the above mentioned issues were investigated and debated from various angles. The course concludes with a focus upon the importance and relevance of archaeological remains and their understanding in the contemporary world.
Course Content
This course introduces the basic concepts in archaeological thinking and research. We will examine the meaning and application of terms such as cultural evolution, social organization, material culture, landscape, chronology, ethnoarchaeology, environmental archaeology, survey and excavation, site, artefact, ecofact, sratigraphy, agency, ritual etc. through a variety of case studies such as the origins of agriculture, origins of urbanization, development of symbolic thought and development of technologies.
Course Learning Outcomes
Students are expected to gain an understanding of the basic concepts in archaeological thinking and research.
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | To gain expertise in archaeological method and theory and develop ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment, | ✔ | |||
| 2 | To become skillful in accessing and evaluating archaeological data regardless of chronological and geographical boundaries while specializing in a specific period and region, | ✔ | |||
| 3 | To be able to look at the past as a whole grasping the interdisciplinary nature of archaeology and its relationship to other disciplines, | ✔ | |||
| 4 | To be able to express what he/she learned both orally and in writing, | ✔ | |||
| 5 | To have excellent command of both traditional and modern research methods, | ✔ | |||
| 6 | To have the infrastructure to follow up-to-date publications and other research in the area of interest, | ✔ | |||
| 7 | To be aware of professional ethics and to have the ability to adopt them, | ✔ | |||
| 8 | To possess technical skills that are necessary in fieldwork, | ✔ | |||
| 9 | To be aware of social, environmental, and economic impact of his/her professional activities, | ✔ | |||
| 10 | To be able to conduct work in a team and to be able to lead a team when required. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution