AR 100: Great Discoveries in Archaeology Spring 2014

Morse 101 T, Th 1112:30

Prof. Michael D. Danti Stone 247C (675 Commonwealth Ave.) Office Phone: 617-358-1659 Office Hours: T, Th 12:302:00 Teaching Fellows Matthew Flynn (flynnmp@bu.edu) Laura Heath (lheath@bu.edu) Kyra Kaercher (kaercher@bu.edu) Jared Koller (jmkoller@bu.ed) Stone 350 Office Hours TBA

Course Description Archaeology is the systematic study of the human past based on the recovery and analysis of the material record and its context. The archaeological record has been described as "the material memory of our human predecessors on earth." The discipline of archaeology began with antiquarian curiosity about the past and a desire to collect its material remnants. It has since developed into a scientific profession that seeks to discover, analyze, and conserve the material record in order to elucidate our past. This course presents a survey of important archaeological discoveries, achievements, and knowledge, following a generally chronological scheme. The lectures and class readings focus on several topics that are of great interest to archaeologists, including the evolution of hominids and the emergence of modern humans, the peopling of the regions of the earth, the rise of farming communities, the development of complex societies and civilization, and the collapse of ancient cultures. The course will also describe the history of archaeology, its aims and methods, and its role in contemporary society. Required Text: T. Douglas Price and Gary M. Feinman, Images of the Past. 6th or 7th edition. McGraw Hill. Course requirements: Students are expected to attend all classes, discussion sections, and complete all reading assignments. The class lectures present material not covered in the texts, and some of the lectures do not have assigned readings. The readings also present some material not covered in the lectures.

Examinations and Grading: Final grades will be determined by two midterms (each 20%), a cumulative final exam (30%), and participation in weekly discussion sections (30%). The midterm exams are held in class on February 25 and April 1. The final exam will be Tuesday May 6 from 12:302:30 in Morse 101. Please note that this is the first day of finals. Discussions: The discussion sections led by the teaching fellows will start the week of Monday January 27. No discussion sections will be held the weeks of the midterm exams (the weeks of February 24 and March 31) or during the shortened weeks of Feb. 17, April 21, and April 28. Expectations, Suggestions, and Notes: 1. Read this syllabus carefully; it contains important information about class requirements and assignments. Check the Blackboard Learn website regularly for changes and updates. 2. Make-up exams: None will be given except in the case of a documented illness or emergency. Travel plans do not constitute a valid excuse for missing an exam. Absences for BU athletes participating in events and for active military personnel are always approved, but please let Prof. Danti and your TF know. 3. Academic Conduct Code: Students are expected to adhere to the Code; violators and suspected violators will be brought to the attention of the Student Academic Conduct Committee. 4. Tips for Success: Attend each class, take good notes, and do all the readings. During the course of the term we present many different cultures, civilizations, sites, and people; for most students, there are many new names and terms to learn. Every class is illustrated with slides, and the slides will not be re-shown at a later date. 5. If you miss class: Do the reading, review the Powerpoint on Blackboard, and borrow class notes from a fellow student. If you have questions after that, come to my office hours. 7. If you have a problem: Please come to see me sooner rather than later. 8. In the classroom: As a courtesy to the instructor and your fellow students, be on time to class and refrain from engaging in distracting behavior during class.

AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology Class Schedule and Readings

1. Introduction: What is Archaeology? (1/16, 1/21) Course description, requirements, and expectations. Definition and goals of archaeology. Culture, context, stratigraphy, and association. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6 and 7: 17 2. Principles and Practice (1/23, 1/28) Stratigraphy and association. Doing archaeology: survey, excavation, analysis. Publication, dissemination, and the public interest. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 733, 145146; ed. 7: 7-33, 137-8 3. Early Hominins on the Human Path (1/30, 2/4) Introduction to paleoanthropology. Earliest fossil discoveries in Africa. Lucy and the First Family, Homo habilis, Homo erectus. Out of Africa 1. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 33103; ed. 7: 33-97 4. Becoming Human (2/6) The emergence of modern humans. Out of Africa 2 vs. multiregional evolution. Neandertals: Evolutionary dead end or Kissin' Cousins? Cro Magnons 'R' Us. Cultural complexity and art. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 105141; ed. 7: 97-133 5. Neolithic "Revolution" in the Near East (2/11) The Natufians settle down at Jericho and Abu Hureyra. The first domestication of plants and animals. The Neolithic town of atal Hyk. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 161167, 198220, 221229; ed. 7: 149-153, 177-202, 203-212.

6. Stonehenge (2/13) Fantasy and reality at Stonehenge; the Megaliths of northwest Europe. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 515523; ed. 7: 497-505. Also scan this website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge (especially Historical Background section) 7. Mesopotamia: The First Cities (2/18, 2/20) Emergence of civilization/complex societies. The "urban revolution." The Sumerians of Mesopotamia. Sir Leonard Woolley and the Royal Cemetery at Ur. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 436447; ed. 7: 418-429. _________________________________________________________________ FEB. 25 FIRST EXAMINATION (in class) _________________________________________________________________ 8. Pyramid Power: Egypt of the Pharaohs (2/27, 3/4) Rediscovery of ancient Egypt. Belzoni, Napoleon, the Rosetta Stone, and the decipherment of hieroglyphics. The first pharaohs. Pyramids and pharaohs. Howard Carter and the tomb of Tutankhamun. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 456467; ed. 7: 444-456. 9. Age of Heroes: Heinrich Schliemann and Troy (3/6) Heinrich Schliemann and Homer's Troy. The Mycenaeans and the Greek Bronze Age. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 532-541; ed. 7: 514-523. SPRING BREAK 10. The Golden Age of Greece (3/18) Athens in the days of Pericles. The archaeology of the Greek democracy. Agora and Acropolis. Reading: Scan website of the Athenian Agora: www.attalos.com

11. The Elgin/Parthenon Marbles Controversy (3/20) The classic cultural property dispute. Greece wants its marbles back. The British Museum wants to keep them. Reading: British Museum website: The Parthenon Sculptures: Facts and Figures: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/gr/debate.html 12. Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii (3/25) A typical bustling Roman town of the early Empire comes to a swift and violent end in A.D. 79. Reading: Look at some of the architectural photos at: harpy.uccs.edu/roman/html/pompeiislides.html 13. Great Zimbabwe: African History Denied (3/27) European explorers discover Great Zimbabwe. Amateurs and politicians claim it to be the lost gold mines of the Queen of Sheba, but archaeologists find an indigenous African culture. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 488500; ed. 7: 478-482. _________________________________________________________________ April 1 SECOND EXAMINATION (in class) _________________________________________________________________ 14. The First Americans (4/3) Controversy over the peopling of the Americas. Pre-Clovis claims, Clovis archaeology, a classic bison kill-site, and the Kennewick Man debate. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 147163; ed. 7: 139-146; 165-169. 15. The Myth of the Moundbuilders (4/8) Early controversies over the origin of the earthen mounds of eastern North America and the true story behind their constructions. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 266292; ed. 7: 248-274. 16. The Looting of the Moche Past (4/10)

A center of the coastal Peruvian Moche culture is plundered. Looting, selling, and collecting the past. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 384388, 399403, 405408 ed. 7: 366-370, 381-385, 387-391. 17. The Inca Empire (4/15) One of the worlds greatest empires and how it was defeated by the Spanish. The sites of Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 415428; ed. 7: 392-417. 18. Culture Shock: Aztecs vs. Conquistadors (4/17) The Aztec Empire of central Mexico encounters the Spaniards under Hernan Cortes. Reading: Images of the Past ed. 6: 320323, 374382; ed. 7: 302-370. 19. Open Topic TBA (4/22) NOTE: No AR100 Lecture on 4/24 (Substitute Monday Schedule). 20. Pseudoarchaeology (4/29) The dark side of archaeology: pseudoscientific views of the past, including Atlantis, ancient astronauts, crop circles, the Mars Face, and Shroud of Turin. 21. Conclusion (5/1) ______________________________________________________________________ FINAL EXAM Tuesday MAY 6, 12:302:30, Morse Auditorium 101 ______________________________________________________________________