Undergraduate Course: Archaeology in Action (ARCA08017)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course provides a broad introduction to the approaches, techniques, concepts and real-world applications that archaeologists use to model the past. |
| Course description |
This course considers the practice of archaeology from the point of excavation through to the analysis and interpretation of sites and the discoveries made through fieldwork. It expands on the practice of archaeology in the UK, as well as excavation and post-excavation methods and analyses that were introduced in the Archaeology 1A, Archaeology 1B, and Archaeological Fieldwork courses. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of professional archaeological practice and the use of scientific and analytical techniques to further understanding of the human past, while examining the wider social, and ethical contexts in which archaeology takes place.
|
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 1 introductory level Archaeology or cognate subject course at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses. Visiting students should contact the CAHSS Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: 53 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 14,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
158 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
60 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
Practical Report 1 - Artefact Recording Form (15%)
Practical Report 2 - Digital excavation plan in Illustrator (15%)
Practical Report 3 - GPS survey (15%)
Practical Report 4 - Fieldwork Risk Assessment Form (15%)
Written Exam:
Two hour exam (40%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the tutor/Course Organiser during their published office hours or by appointment. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate the ability to produce a sound, properly referenced and concise piece of work in accordance with the common marking scale;
- demonstrate knowledge of the principle methods and techniques used to reconstruct the human past;
- demonstrate critical understanding of the application of archaeological techniques to key research issues in Old World archaeology;
- demonstrate competence in the basic skills required in archaeological practice;
- demonstrate a familiarity with legislation, publication, education and public engagement in archaeology.
|
Reading List
- Balme, J. & Paterson, A., 2006. Archaeology in Practice: Archaeology in practice: a student guide to archaeological analyses. Malden, Blackwell.
- Brothwell, D.R. & Pollard, A.M., 2004. Handbook of archaeological sciences. Chichester, J. Wiley.
- Brown, T.A., 2011. Biomolecular archaeology: an introduction. Chichester, Wiley-Blackwell.
- Carver, M.O.H., 2009. Archaeological Investigation. London, Routledge.
- Henderson, J., 2000. Science and Archaeology of Materials. London, Routledge.
- Hunter, J. & Ralston, I., (eds) 2006 Archaeological Resource Management in the UK (2nd Ed.). Stroud, Sutton Publishing.
- Johnson, M., 2007. Ideas of Landscape. Oxford, Blackwell.
- Jones, A., 2002. Archaeological theory and scientific practice. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
- Lyman, R.L., 2008. Quantitative Paleozoology. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
- Maschner, H.D.G. & Chippindale, C., 2005 Handbook of Archaeological Methods. Lanham MD, Altamira Press.
- Reitz, E.J. & Wing, E.S., 1999. Zooarchaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P., 2008. Archaeology, Theories, Methods and Practice. London, Thames & Hudson. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Joanne Rowland
Tel: (0131 6)51 1925
Email: Joanne.Rowland@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Marketa Vejskalova
Tel:
Email: Marketa.Vejskalova2ed.ac.uk@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage