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University of Connecticut
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Anthropology Department

COURSE:                   ANTH 1500 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
INSTRUCTOR:          Matthew Longcore, Ph.D.
EMAIL:                      matthew.longcore@uconn.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

ANTH 1500 Great Discoveries in Archaeology provides a general introduction to archaeology. This course is considered a first year, or freshman level, course with no prerequisites. ANTH 1500 offers a survey of important discoveries in archaeology spanning the whole of human prehistory across the globe. Additionally, the course covers current issues, methods, and techniques in the field of archaeology.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Understand how archaeological discoveries have shaped our understanding of the past.
• Achieve a general, fundamental familiarity with archaeology.
• Compare social and technological developments in the human past cross-culturally in pursuit of understanding commonalities and idiosyncrasies.
• Understanding the ethical implications of archaeological research and the use of that research in historic preservation and popular culture.

WHAT IS ARCHAEOLOGY?

Archaeology is the study of the ancient and recent human past through material remains. Archaeologists might study the million-year-old fossils of our earliest human ancestors in Africa. Or they might study 20th-century buildings in present-day New York City. Archaeology analyzes the physical remains of the past in pursuit of a broad and comprehensive understanding of human culture. – Society for American Archaeology (SAA)

https://www.saa.org/about-archaeology/what-is-archaeology

REQUIRED TEXT:

Archaeology: Down to Earth, 5^th Edition

Robert L. Kelly; David Hurst Thomas
ISBN-10: 1-133-60864-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-133-60864-6

https://www.cengage.com/c/archaeology-down-to-earth-5e-kelly/

The book is available for purchase through the UConn Bookstore. All other required readings will be available on HuskyCT. Periodically, readings will be augmented with appropriate web links. These links will also be posted on HuskyCT.

HuskyCT:

• I will use HuskyCT to send emails, post information, assignments, and readings.
• You are responsible for retrieving any information uploaded to HuskyCT and staying current with your readings and teamwork for presentations.

CLASS ATTENDANCE:

• Students are strongly encouraged to attend all class meetings and to be on time.
• If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to catch up with any readings.

OUTSIDE OF CLASS:

• I will respond to emails within 24-48 hours. Email responses will only occur in the evening after 6:00 pm or on the weekend.
• Available for pre-scheduled virtual WebEx appointments in the evening after 6:00 pm.

GRADING

Grades will be based on the following:

• Midterm Exam:           33%
• Final Exam:                 33%
• eHRAF Presentation:  33%

PARTICIPATION

• Active participation in class discussion is very important.
• Attendance and timeliness will be factored into grades.
• Unexcused absences, arriving late, and leaving early will lower grades.

MIDTERM EXAM AND FINAL EXAM

• The midterm exam will cover five chapters (chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
• The final exam will cover five chapters (chapter 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13)
• Both exams will be in multiple choice format.
• Both exams will have a study guide.

eHRAF WORKBOOK PRESENTATION

• Teams will present archaeological topics featured in eHRAF Workbooks.
• The class will have eight teams each comprised of 4-5 members.
• Each team will deliver a PowerPoint presentation in class.
• Presentations should be no longer than 40 minutes in length.
• Following each presentation there will be 10 minutes for discussion.
• The topics and dates of the presentations will be listed on the course schedule.
• The format for eHRAF Workbook presentations is outlined below.

eHRAF WORKBOOK PRESENTATION

Part I – Who?

• Who are the main archaeologists associated with this discovery?
• Who are the people studied?

Part II – What?

• What did the archaeologists discover?

Part III – Where?

• Where is the site located?
• Does the location have strategic importance?
• How did the physical environment and natural resources shape cultural practices?

Part IV – When?

• When were the discoveries made?
• When in human history do archaeologists believe that this site can be dated to?
• What does this represent in terms of cultural evolution and progress?

Part V – How?

• How did archaeologists excavate, analyze, and interpret this site?
• What technologies were utilized by the people who lived during this archaeological time period?
• How did they construct buildings and make artifacts (lithics, pottery, etc.)?

Part VI – Why?

• Why is this archaeological site considered a “great discovery”?
• Why should this great discovery be preserved and who should be responsible for preservation?

ACADEMIC INTERGRITY

You are expected to know and abide by the rules of the institution as they pertain to the academic integrity in undergraduate education and research. Violations include turning in another person’s work as your own, duplicating information from any source without proper citation, and having someone else do your academic work for you. If you are not sure what is acceptable, consult the instructor before submitting your essay. Please see UConn tips on how you can avoid breaching the student code of academic integrity at:

http://www.community.uconn.edu/proactive_strategies.html

AUTHENTICATION

UConn is required to verify the identity of students who participate in online courses and to establish that students who register in an online course are the same students who participate in and complete the course activities and assessments and receive academic credit. Please see this resource guide for more detail:

https://kb.ecampus.uconn.edu/2021/03/30/authentication-of-students/

EXAM PROCTORING

The use of Lockdown Browser with Respondus monitor during online examinations is a useful way to help promote academic integrity. Students may assess the technology and identify any potential complications that may arise during the exam. Further guidance is available at:

https://ecampus.uconn.edu/keep-teaching-assessment/