Arts Menu
Archaeology Courses
Some courses may not be offered every semester.
ARCH 1100 Exploring Archaeology (3,0,0) ARCH 1100 Exploring Archaeology (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Discover the fascinating world of archaeology with this survey of remarkable discoveries and intriguing mysteries as we explore ancient sites and cultures from around the world. Witness the remarkable journey of humanity through ancient technologies, 'lost' civilizations, great explorers, and modern discoveries. Students learn that the multidisciplinary field of archaeology is equal parts Arts and Science, discovery and adventure. |
ARCH 1110 Human Origins (2,1,0) ARCH 1110 Human Origins (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits An introduction to the anthropological study of human origins. The course addresses the distinction between mythical and scientific explanations of the emergence of animal and human life. It outlines the basic principles of evolution and reviews the major stages of human prehistory. Although some attention is paid to the interplay between biology and culture, the course is designed for social science students who may lack extensive knowledge of biology.
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ARCH 2010 Introduction to Archaeology (2,1,0) ARCH 2010 Introduction to Archaeology (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits An introduction to the discipline of archaeology, including the ways in which archaeologists reconstruct past cultures and lifeways, the development and major discoveries of archaeology, and the relationships between human material remains and human behavior. Students will gain an appreciation of what the past was like, what archaeological data are, and how archaeology is used to answer questions about the human condition.
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ARCH 2160 Ancient Civilizations (3,0,0) ARCH 2160 Ancient Civilizations (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course provides a broad survey of the archaeology of ancient, pre-industrial, Old World, and New World civilizations. The course includes a brief overview of basic theoretical and methodological concepts in archaeology, thus accommodating students with no prior background in archaeology. Major topics of study include the origins of Neolithic farming; urbanism; wealth and power structures, social ranking, and the inevitable rise of the state; early systems of writing; the earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China; the classical civilizations of the Mediterranean; and New World Central American and Andean civilizations.
Prerequisites: ARCH 1110 and ARCH 2010 are recommended but not required
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ARCH 2190 Ancient North Americans (3,0,0) ARCH 2190 Ancient North Americans (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits A survey of the archaeological evidence for prehistoric colonization of North America, the expansion of Paleo- Indian hunters, the adaptations of archaic hunter-foragers to post-Ice Age environments, the origins of farming and village life, and the rise and fall of complex chiefdom societies. The course examines how technological innovations, population growth, natural resources, and social and ideological factors influenced the various cultural developments in different regions of North America.
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ARCH 2230 Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia (2,1,0) ARCH 2230 Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits A survey of the traditional Indigenous cultures of British Columbia as known through ethnography and archaeology. Topics will include regional variation and adaptation in economy, technology, language, religion, art, medicine, kinship, and social organization. The contemporary social problems of the native peoples are not part of this course.
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ARCH 2330 Old World Archaeology (3,0,0) ARCH 2330 Old World Archaeology (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course offers a broad survey of prehistoric archaeology of the Old World. Through the exploration of archaeological evidence, students will follow the development of human culture, from the earliest material evidence of the Old Stone Age, through the development of increasingly complex and diverse cultures from ancient Africa, Asia, and Europe.
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ARCH 3050 Theory in Archaeology (2,1,0) or (2,1,0)(2,1,0) ARCH 3050 Theory in Archaeology (2,1,0) or (2,1,0)(2,1,0)Credits: 6 credits Overview of major theoretical and methodological issues in archaeology, involving a history of archaeological thought, the formulation of research designs, and how archaeology fits into science. The student will gain an understanding of the general characteristics of the archaeological data base, and what paradigms, theories, and methods are used to address archaeological problems in culture, history, settlement, ecology, and technological change.
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ARCH 3060 Summer Field Training in Archaeology (3,0,0) ARCH 3060 Summer Field Training in Archaeology (3,0,0)Credits: 6 credits Intensive training in excavation techniques, and interpretation, including mapping procedures, recording preliminary analysis, and reporting. Students will participate in an excavation for the Summer session and will use this field experience as a basis for lectures, discussion, and reports. Lab Fee required.
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ARCH 3260 Environmental Archaeology (2,2,0) ARCH 3260 Environmental Archaeology (2,2,0)Credits: 3 credits Interdisciplinary data recovery and methods of analysis from geology, soil sciences, botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, and ecology have resulted in specialized sub-fields in archaeology, including zooarchaeology, paleobotany, raw material sourcing, geophysical and geomorphic analysis, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and seasonality studies. Students examine the methods and theories employed by specialists in these fields to reconstruct past environments and explore the relationships between humans and important environmental resources and variables.
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ARCH 4060 Cultural Resource Management (2,1,0) ARCH 4060 Cultural Resource Management (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore the practical, theoretical, social, and legal issues of managing humanity's cultural resources. Topics include the origins and application of heritage legislation within Canada, the United States, and abroad; illegal trafficking of antiquities; heritage issues in areas of armed conflict; contract archaeology; public archaeology; aboriginal heritage; and avocational archaeological societies.
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ARCH 4110 ***Prehistory of a Special Area in the New World ARCH 4110 ***Prehistory of a Special Area in the New WorldCredits: 3 credits Analysis of the prehistory of a selected New World area, including a summary of the literature and discussion of relevant problems. The course will provide background for students in North, Central, and South America area studies. Typical offerings include the prehistory of Mesoamerica, the Southwest, North America, and the Mayan areas.
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ARCH 4200 Archaeology of British Columbia (3,0,0) ARCH 4200 Archaeology of British Columbia (3,0,0)Credits: 3 or 6 credits An advanced study of the prehistoric archaeology of interior and/or coastal British Columbia, including an analysis of the archaeological evidence, and interpretations of prehistoric cultural developments from selected field studies.
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