ANTH 235 - Area Studies in Archaeology

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

This course is a detailed, intensive investigation of archaeological remains from a particular geographic region of the world. The area investigated varies from year to year and includes such areas as Eurasia, North America, and the native civilizations of Central and South America.

May be repeated for credit if the topic has changed.

Topic for 2014/15b: Historical Archaeology of North America. Historical archaeology differs from history by providing versions of the past that were unintentionally recorded through material remains, such as trash deposits. With historical archaeology we can test the documentary record and add to it. For example, historical archaeology allows us to reconstruct the daily lives of disenfranchised groups, such as illiterate immigrants, who did not leave their own documentary record. Historical archaeology also allows us to evaluate whether privileged groups actually followed their own documented rules and regulations. For example, individual orphanages, poor houses, asylums, and prisons deviated greatly in how they were run. Some orphanages were run like prisons while others provided children with a variety of toys to encourage play and to develop manners. Students learn the general method and theory of historical archaeology and receive hands-on experience analyzing artifacts from one or more sites. Ms. Beisaw.

Prerequisites: previous coursework in Anthropology or permission of the instructor.

Two 75-minute periods.