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Catalog Description Hours: 54 lecture Description: Survey of the concepts, methods and theoretical perspectives employed in the scientific study of archaeology. Emphasis placed on techniques of archaeological data collection and analysis, cultural innovations and variations, reconstruction and interpretation of the past, and Cultural Resource Management work. Field trips may be required. Students are responsible for fees associated with required field trips. (C-ID ANTH 150) (CSU, UC) Course Student Learning Outcomes CSLO #1: Compare and contrast cultural, archaeology, linguistic and biological anthropology. CSLO #2: Identify the appropriate archaeological theories and methods used to investigate archaeological sites. CSLO #3: Interpret archaeological data to form conclusions about how sites were utilized by people in the past. Effective Term Fall 2026 Course Type Credit - Degree-applicable Contact Hours 54 Outside of Class Hours 108 Total Student Learning Hours 162 Course Objectives 1. Explain the development of archaeology as a multi-disciplinary field. 2. Explain the major goals of archaeology: conserving the material record, constructing culture history, and explaining cultural change. 3. Gather information through fieldwork: formulate ways to seek, find, record and excavate sites and classify and analyze finds. 4. Analyze the material record to reconstruct prehistoric human behavior; substantiate assumptions made about technology, gender roles, social status, trade and subsistence. 5. Recommend the most appropriate dating techniques for various situations such as stratigraphy, seriation, dendrochronology, radiocarbon, and obsidian hydration. 6. Investigate the general demographics, health and nutrition of humans based on the condition and characteristics of their skeletal remains and the application of molecular analyses. 7. Evaluate the development of subsistence methods from foraging to cultivation to agriculture; explain how subsistence methods affect other social and biological aspects of the group such as settlement patterns, population movements, political organization, social stratification, gender roles, religious practices, cultural symbols, art, nutrition and health. 8. Trace the arc of human prehistory from its origins in Africa, throughout Asia, Australia and Europe, and into the New World; weigh the archaeological evidence for the diversity of cultures. 9. Investigate historic and prehistoric site preservation and management; gauge the public perception of artifacts and archaeology; postulate ways to educate future generations on the importance of archaeological resources. 10. Reconstruct human behavior using material remains to learn of ritual and religion, symbolism and iconography, and the development of human consciousness. 11. Explore in depth important modern day issues in archaeology such as: Who Owns the Past, African American Archaeology, Gender-based Inquiry and Native American legislation. General Education Information Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability AA/AS - Behavioral Sciences AA/AS - Social and Behavioral Sciences CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval) CSUGE - D1 Anthro/Archaeology Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval) IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval) IGETC - 4A Anthro Archaeology Articulation Information CSU Transferable UC Transferable Methods of Evaluation Classroom Discussions Example: After being introduced to the concept of "ownership of the past" and methods of locating archaeological sites, students will collectively apply what they have learned to a hypothetical scenario: An underwater archaeology team from China discovers a 500-year-old shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean. Some of the artifacts recovered include skillfully decorated hand-carved wooden chests containing various precious artifacts made of gold. During the investigation, the Chinese team identifies the ship as belonging to a Spanish fleet that was bringing these gold and other items that they had acquired from the Inca in Peru back to Spain when the ship sank. There is a dispute over the artifacts – China, Spain, and Peru all claim rightful ownership. China says they should keep them because they put the resources into finding them, and they are the only ones with the proper facilities to preserve the wooden artifacts once they are removed from the ocean water. Spain says they should get them because they acquired them lawfully through trade with the Inca centuries ago and the items are therefore part of Spain’s cultural heritage. Peru says they should get them because their ancestors are the ones that created the beautiful artifacts in the first place, and that Spain’s colonial interests in Peru were never justifiable or ethical. Explain who you think should get the artifacts and why. Include any ethical or legal dilemmas you considered, and propose how to reach a resolution that is fair to all parties. Essay Examinations Example: 1. Suppose you discovered the object pictured below at an archaeological site. First, what category of symbolism do you think it fits into, and why? (See list below – there is no ‘right’ answer here, use your imagination and support your choice with a logical argument that shows you understand the category you selected). Second, what kind of other information would you hope to find at this site to help you understand the symbolism the people who lived there were using? • place • measurement • planning • relations between human beings • human relations with the ‘other world’ • depiction 2. If archaeologists from outer space come to Earth after our species is gone, what is one kind of evidence you think they will find about our current patterns of exchange, and based on that how do you think these aliens will interpret our social relationships? Objective Examinations Example: (1) In the determination of how archeofauna were used (if at all) by prior populations one has to look closely to be sure that natural processes acting upon the bones haven’t created false signs of human butchering. Processes that operate on bones after death are also known as ______________________. (2) Which of the following approaches emphasized the importance of ethnographic data to inform archaeological analyses? (check all that are correct) Progressive Social Evolution Theory Optimal Foraging Theory Historical Particularism Processual Archaeology Post-Processual Archaeology (3) What do anthropologists mean by the "ontological turn"? A method of excavation that helps to prevent damage to artifacts. The sub-division of anthropology into 4 fields. Studying other cultures without imposing one's own worldview. The tendency to view history on very short time scales. (4) Dendrochronology works as a dating method because . . . . . . specific rings can be matched with rings in other trees to build up a master sequence. . . . tree-rings are uniform in size every year the tree grows. . . . trees growing in any region of the world can be used. . . . it can be used on any type of wooden material. Problem Solving Examinations Example: Students will be given problem-based short answer questions which will be graded based on completeness and validity of generated answer. For example: (1) Considering the site map below, select one ground survey method and one aerial survey method that you might use. In a separate paragraph for each method (ground and aerial), (1) describe why the method is a good choice for this site, (2) explain how the method works and the technology or equipment used, and (3) explain what type of sampling strategy you would use and why. (2) You and your team of archaeologists are thinking about starting an excavation at a site. In a paragraph, and considering the following list of site characteristics, describe what kinds of materials you might expect to be preserved, and what materials might not be preserved, and why. • the soil is non-acidic • the soil contains copper • the site is located in a cave • the site is located in an extremely dry location Projects Example: After covering the transition from foraging to agriculture, students will formulate a list of costs and benefits and compare and contrast them using a variety of peer reviewed sources. Ultimately they will suggest which subsistence strategy was most beneficial for those practicing. Students will be assessed on the strength of the evidence used to support their answers. Repeatable No Methods of Instruction Lecture/Discussion Distance Learning Lecture: While discussing the important issue of "ownership of the past," the following teaching methodology will be used. The teacher will: A. Administer a pre-test to gauge students' awareness of current law, its limitations, and the thriving antiquities trade. B. Provide students with several short articles that provide alternate perspectives of the antiquities market and protection of the archaeological C. Ask students to research eBay and other online auction sites for archaeological items. Based on information provided by sellers (on eBay, etc.) ask students to form conclusions about sellers' knowledge of antiquities laws, as well as why sellers are interested in artifacts and antiquities. D. Compose a reflection summarizing their conclusions based on the above. E. Discuss students' findings in class, and enlarge the discussion to the effects of pot hunting and the online sale of antiquities: - Do students distinguish between the two behaviors? - Do they consider one "wrong" and the other "ok?" - What are their opinions of law and private property? - What solutions do they offer? F. Re-administer the pre-test and determine if knowledge and/or opinions have changed since the beginning of the exercise. Activity: Analyzing and classifying artifacts. After reading about the topic of typology and classification, students are given a box of ceramic sherds. They are asked to apply three classification methods to the artifacts: • Intuitive • Type-variety • Treatment of decoration and surface Using each system they will attempt to create typologies and determine the strengths and limitations of each. They will compare typologies between groups to see whether they can be consistently created, applied and utilized. Distance Learning During a section when experimental archaeology is the focus, several learning avenues are provided. (1) Assigned textbook pages and a contemporary article will be assigned to read. (2) A written lecture or images/slides with voice/audio. (3) A video clip accessible from the library database. (4) A set of focused but exciting discussion topics. After reading and choosing their mode of instruction the students will engage in the conversation aspect with fellow students and the instructor. For example, a discussion topic asking them to draw on information from the week's learning opportunities. You saw an example of experimental archaeology in this week's video (clip below) when Metin Eren demonstrates the Levallois flintknapping technique used by Neanderthals. You've also seen a few other examples in the Iceman video when they were trying to figure out how some of Ötzi’s tools might have been made and used. What do you think are some of the pros and cons of experimental archaeology as a method to understand the past? Typical Out of Class Assignments Reading Assignments Prior to in-class conversations about ways to move towards a future in archaeology that is more ethical, inclusive, and respectful, students will read Kimmel AP, Katz SA, Lewis M, Wilk E. Working with Indigenous Site Monitors and Tribal IRBs: Practical Approaches to the Challenges of Collaborative Archaeology. Advances in Archaeological Practice. 2023;11(2):224-231. doi:10.1017/aap.2023.2 Writing, Problem Solving or Performance In preparation for a conversation about the integration of local communities in archaeological work, students will read Gilmore JK, Ofunniyin AA, Oubré LO, Fleskes RE, Schurr TG. “The Dead Have Been Awakened in the Service of the Living”: Activist Community-Engaged Archaeology in Charleston, South Carolina. American Antiquity. 2024;89(2):165-184. doi:10.1017/aaq.2023.105 They will choose one of the two following prompts to prepare before our class meeting. A. How does activist archaeology, such as the ASABG Project described in the article, contribute to reshaping historical narratives and addressing historical injustices? Discuss the potential benefits and challenges of involving descendant communities in archaeological research and memorialization efforts. How can this approach help rectify historical omissions and ensure that marginalized voices are heard and respected? B. In what ways does the ASABG Project exemplify ethical practices in archaeological research and community involvement? Evaluate the importance of relational ethics in handling sensitive human remains and the role of community-based partnerships in promoting social justice. How can these principles be applied more broadly to other archaeological projects to foster inclusivity and respect for all communities involved? Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.) Students may be given a research assignment to conduct during the semester. An example would be assigning a relevant text such as Kathryn Kamp's "Life in the Pueblo," an archaeological case study. Students will be asked to write a research essay on a theme from the work. Using the Sierra College's Research Databases or Google Scholar, students will locate articles published in a scholarly archaeology journal that extends their knowledge of the topic. A clear rubric will be provided to students. Required Materials Archaeology: The Science of the Human Past Author: Mark Sutton Publisher: Allyn and Bacon Publication Date: 2021 Text Edition: 6th Classic Textbook?: No OER Link: OER: No Archaeology An Introduction Author: Hannah Cobb, Kevin Greene, Tom Moore Publisher: Routledge Publication Date: 2024 Text Edition: 6th Classic Textbook?: No OER Link: OER: No Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice Author: Colin Renfrew, Paul Bahn, Elizabeth DeMarrais Publisher: Thames and Hudson Publication Date: 2024 Text Edition: 9th Classic Textbook?: No OER Link: OER: No Digging into Archaeology A Brief OER Introduction to Archaeology with Activities Author: Amanda Wolcott Paskey and AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros Publisher: Supported by the Academic Senate for California Community College’s Open Educational Resources Initiative Publication Date: 2020 Text Edition: 1st Classic Textbook?: No OER Link: OER: Yes Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course. Students are responsible for fees associated with required field trips.