Methods and Techniques in the Field of Prehistoric Archaeology
Code: 100713 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500241 Archaeology | OB | 2 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Ana Maria Bach Gómez
- Email:
- anna.bach.gomez@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Teachers
- Francisco Javier Clop Garcia
- Antonio Palomo Pérez
- Ana Maria Bach Gómez
Prerequisites
Have previously studied the subject of Introduction to Archeology
Objectives and Contextualisation
The subject's objective is the practical introduction to the basic knowledge of the methodology and field techniques in prehistoric archeology. Special emphasis will be placed on the methods and techniques for analyzing the formation of archaeological sites and archaeological stratigraphy.
Excavation techniques, sampling strategies and document documentation and field record will be used.
Competences
- Carrying out and managing archaeology fieldwork: excavation and survey.
- Generating innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
- Managing the main methods, techniques and analytic tools in archaeology.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethic relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Learning Outcomes
- Applying both knowledge and analytical skills to the resolution of problems related to their area of study.
- Applying implementing protocols of fieldwork and sample collection.
- Applying proper techniques and analytical tools in case studies.
- Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
- Carrying out an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
- Combining technical resources from similar disciplines.
- Drawing up archaeological intervention memoirs.
- Drawing up conventional graphic documents: planimetry, topography, cartography, explanatory drawing.
- Establishing investigation protocols for original research projects.
- Interpreting the archaeological fieldwork results by placing them into their historical context.
- Mastering the specific techniques and instrumental resources of the archaeological excavations and surveys.
- Organizing their own time and work resources: designing plans with priorities of objectives, calendars and action commitments.
- Recognising and implementing the following teamwork skills: commitment to teamwork, habit of cooperation, ability to participate in the problem solving processes.
- Reflecting on their own work and the immediate environment's in order to continuously improve it.
- Transmitting the results of archaeological research and clearly communicating conclusions in oral and written form to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Using computing tools, both basics (word processor or databases, for example) and specialised software needed in the professional practice of archaeology.
- Using the specific interpretational and technical vocabulary of the discipline.
Content
1. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
- Preliminary approaches to an archaeological excavation: research projects, categories of archaeological interventions.
- Methods and field techniques in prehistoric archeology
2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION
- Prospecting as an archaeological methodology for space analysis.
- Prospecting and sampling strategy: targeted prospecting and systematic prospecting
- Techniques of surface survey and remote sensing.
- The systems of registration in archaeological surveys.
3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION
- Fundamentals for the elaboration of an archaeological excavation project: the choice of the site, the planning of the excavation, equipment and equipment.
- The development of excavation techniques. The concept of stratification: archaeological surveys. The excavation in extension. General drilling strategies.
- Excavation documentation. Excavation units: observation and analysis units. Plants and sections. Computerization of archaeological data. The photography and the digital recording in Archeology.
- Examples of excavation methodology.
- Case studies and analysis of the archaeologists contributions relevant to the discipline.
-Ethics and professional activity.
- Memoirs and reports on archaeological survey and excavation projects. Publication of archaeological data.
Methodology
Directed activities
The subject focuses on the realization of field practices in prehistoric archeology. Teaching is structured in classroom activities and practical activities in archaeological field work.
1. Activities in the classroom
Activities in the classroom have two goals. The first is the preparation of the practical activity in archaeological research projects and that is the core of the face-to-face activity of the subject. The second is to provide an introduction to the methods and techniques of fieldwork in prehistoric archeology.
The content and the date of the different sessions will be detailed on the first day of class.
2. Practices of fieldwork in archeology
The practical activity consists of the integration of the students in a campaign of work of field of archeology. It will take place during a week of the month of June or early July (from Monday to Friday) and during this time the students will be integrated into the archaeological excavation projects programmed, participating at all levels. Practical sessions on the ground will be introduced from theoretical sessions (carried out at the same site) during which the procedures and specific techniques to be applied will be presented every day and its scope and limitations will be discussed in the general framework of archaeological research. Every day at the end of the practical session, an assessment will be made to highlight the essential methodological aspects worked during the practical session.
Each student will elaborate a dossier of practices that will be completed during the development of archaeological excavation work. The purpose is to apply the previously acquired knowledge to the subject of Introduction to Archeology. Special attention will be given to the aspects that make up the fieldwork in prehistoric archeology, highlighting the specificities that prehistoric sites can present in relation to the most recent chronologies.
3. Autonomous activity
From the introductory sessions and the subject's dossiers, students will work on the extension and assimilation of the basic concepts involved in archaeological research. Its application during the practices will facilitate the acquisition of the own capacities required by the development of archaeological excavations.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Theoretical introductions during field practice sessions | 5 | 0.2 | 3, 2, 6, 11, 14 |
| Theoretical introductory lessons in the classroom | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 11, 17 |
| Training methods in field archaeology - topography - stratigraphy - identification and registration of archaeological elements - sampling - gender equality | 50 | 2 | 3, 2, 6, 11, 13, 17 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Bibliographic research | 10 | 0.4 | 4, 9 |
| Tutorials: comment and discussion of practice dossiers | 13 | 0.52 | 4, 5, 10, 12, 8, 7, 14, 15, 16 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Completion of the practice dossiers | 30 | 1.2 | 3, 1, 5, 12, 8, 7, 14, 17, 16 |
| Writing of papers | 30 | 1.2 | 3, 11, 5, 9, 12, 8, 7, 14, 17, 16 |
Assessment
Competencies will be evaluated through work.
The evaluation system is organized in 2 modules:
Module 1: planning and planning pre-field research project: global weight of 30%
Module 2: delivery of the dossier of practices: global weight of 70%
The final grade will be the average of the different modules. To pass the subject, a score of 5 must be obtained on a scale of 10.
It will be considered not presented in the case that the student does not carry out practical work on the ground or does not submit one of the written works.
In order to be eligible for the re-assessment test, the student must have completed the 5-day fieldwork and presented the work of planning and planning a pre-field research project. The re-evaluation will consist of a written test on methods and techniques of fieldwork in prehistoric archeology.
At the time of completion/delivery of each assessment activity, the teacher will inform (Moodle, SIA) of the procedure and date of revision of the grades.
In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools or will offer them feasible alternatives.
However, it is considered essential to be able to carry out the field practices in person. If this is not possible, the teaching team will look for an alternative to guarantee the training of the students.
This subject does not incorporate single assessment.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| delivery of the dossier of practices | 50 | 1 | 0.04 | 3, 2, 1, 4, 11, 5, 9, 13, 7, 15 |
| planning and planning pre-field research project | 30% | 1 | 0.04 | 3, 6, 11, 5, 9, 10, 12, 8, 7, 14, 17, 16 |
Bibliography
BANNING, E.B. (2002). Archaeological Survey. Plenum Publischers, New York.
BURKE, H.; DOMINO, I.; SMITH, C. (2015). Manual de campo del arqueólogo. Ariel. Madrid.
BURILLO, F. (coord.) (2004) “Arqueología espacial: prospección”. Arqueología espacial 24-25. Teruel: Seminario de Arqueología y Etnología Turolense
CARANDINI, A. (1997). Historias de la tierra. Manual de excavación arqueológica, Ed. Crítica, Barcelona.
COLLIS, J. (2001). Digging up the past. An introduction to archaeological excavation. Sutton: Phoenix Mill Thrupp.
DABAS, M. et al. (1998). La prospection. Errance,Paris.
DINCAUZE, DENA F. (2000). Environmental Archaeology: Principles and Practice. Cambridge University Press, New York.
DREWETT, P.L. (1999). Field Archaeology: an introduction. London: Routledge.
ELLIS, L., ed. (2000). Archaeological Method and Theory: An Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing, Inc., New York.
GAFFNEY, C. & GATER, J. (2003). Revealing the Buried Past. Geophysics for Archaeologists. Tempus, Gloucestersshire.
GOLDBERG, P. & MacPHAIL, R.I. (2006). Practical and Theoretical geoarchaeology. Blackwell, Oxford.
GONZÁLEZ RUIBAL, A.; AYÁN, X. 2018. Arqueología: Una introducción al estudio de la materialidad del pasado. Alianza Ed. madrid
GOLDBERG, PAUL, VANCE T. HOLLIDAY, & C. REID FERRING (editors) (2001). Earth Sciences and Archaeology. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York.
POLLARD, A.M. (Ed.) (1999). Geoarchaeology: exploration, environments, resources. London: Geological Society.
HERZ, N. AND E. GARRISON (1997). Geological Methods for Archaeology. Cambridge University Press.
RAPP, G., & HILL, C.L. (Eds.) (1998). Geoarchaeology. The Earth-science approach to archaeological interpretation. New Haven: Yale University Press.
ROSKAMS, S.(2003).Teoría y Práctica de la Excavación. Ed. Crítica, Barcelona.
STEWART, R. MICHAEL (2002). Archaeology: Basic Field Methods. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, Iowa.
BIBLIOGRAFIA GENERAL
BANNING, E.B. (2002). Archaeological Survey. Plenum Publischers, New York.
BURKE, H.; DOMINO, I.; SMITH, C. (2015). Manual de campo del arqueólogo. Ariel. Madrid.
BURILLO, F. (coord.) (2004) “Arqueología espacial: prospección”. Arqueología espacial 24-25. Teruel: Seminario de Arqueología y Etnología Turolense
CARANDINI, A. (1997). Historias de la tierra. Manual de excavación arqueológica, Ed. Crítica, Barcelona.
COLLIS, J. (2001). Digging up the past. An introduction to archaeological excavation. Sutton: Phoenix Mill Thrupp.
DABAS, M. et al. (1998). La prospection. Errance,Paris.
DINCAUZE, DENA F. (2000). Environmental Archaeology: Principles and Practice. Cambridge University Press, New York.
DREWETT, P.L. (1999). Field Archaeology: an introduction. London: Routledge.
ELLIS, L., ed. (2000). Archaeological Method and Theory: An Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing, Inc., New York.
GAFFNEY, C. & GATER, J. (2003). Revealing the Buried Past. Geophysics for Archaeologists. Tempus, Gloucestersshire.
GOLDBERG, P. & MacPHAIL, R.I. (2006). Practical and Theoretical geoarchaeology. Blackwell, Oxford.
GONZÁLEZ RUIBAL, A.; AYÁN, X. 2018. Arqueología: Una introducción al estudio de la materialidad del pasado. Alianza Ed. madrid
GOLDBERG, PAUL, VANCE T. HOLLIDAY, & C. REID FERRING (editors) (2001). Earth Sciences and Archaeology. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York.
POLLARD, A.M. (Ed.) (1999). Geoarchaeology: exploration, environments, resources. London: Geological Society.
HERZ, N. AND E. GARRISON (1997). Geological Methods for Archaeology. Cambridge University Press.
RAPP, G., & HILL, C.L. (Eds.) (1998). Geoarchaeology. The Earth-science approach to archaeological interpretation. New Haven: Yale University Press.
ROSKAMS, S.(2003).Teoría y Práctica de la Excavación. Ed. Crítica, Barcelona.
STEWART, R. MICHAEL (2002). Archaeology: Basic Field Methods. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, Iowa.
Software
No specific software is needed.