What's posted here?
Schedule of readings, notes, slides, tests, and due dates: Shows what you should read before the class on each date. Some readings are in the textbook. Others are links to online material. The schedule also shows dates of tests, assignment due dates, and so on. Lecture notes for each class are usually posted in advance, while the Powerpoint slides are usually posted after it. Some people print the the lecture notes and bring them to class to take notes on, rather than trying to write everything down. The notes are useful for studying and preparing assignments, but they do not necessarily make sense on their own, and they do not cover everything in the readings. They are no substitute for reading the assigned material and attending class.
The schedule will be adjusted during the semester, so check it frequently for current readings and deadlines.Handouts: The syllabus, assignment details, study guides, and so on.
Links: Links to other web pages about subjects we cover. These are completely optional, but may help you study or pursue questions raised by the course. Many have good photos or maps that add a visual element to the readings. All are recommended, and many are fun.
Email: Click the "Email me!" button to ask me a question or make a comment, or to turn in the computer version of an assignment. If you are not using your own computer, be sure to include your email address in the message so I can reply.
Everything on this site has been scanned for viruses and is safe to the best of my knowledge.
So why come to lectures?
First, hearing me explain the notes and slides will be far clearer than trying to figure them out without help. Second, numerous studies show that you understand and remember things better if you get the information in various different ways, like reading, hearing, and seeing. Third, you can ask questions, and listen as others ask questions that you might not have thought of. Finally, I fill in details, explain arguments, and highlight the important points, which should make it easier to see the big picture rather than getting lost in the details.
Schedule of readings, notes, slides, tests, and due dates
This schedule will change, so don't rely on a printed copy. Read the assignments before the class session. Scroll down for more. Most items are PDF (Adobe Acrobat) files and should open in a new window to view, save, or print. Move it aside or close it to see this one again. If the PDF files do not open, install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The slides are the Powerpoint presentations you see in class. They do not include all the information in the notes. They should open in a new window. Navigate with PageUp/Down, Arrow Left/Right, Space/Backspace, mouse clicks and scroll wheel, and Home/End to jump to the start or end of the presentation. Esc or close the window to quit. If your browser downloads the file, just double-click the file to open it. If your computer does not have Powerpoint, install the free Powerpoint viewer for Windows or Impress, part of the free OpenOffice for Macintosh.
User ID and Password: Due to copyright restrictions, many items require the class user ID and password. These are different from your Peoplesoft ID and password. If you can't recall them, email me.
Be patient: Some items may take many seconds or minutes to load, especially with a telephone modem.
- Thursday, Aug. 27: Introduction to the course
- Notes (38 Kb)
No Slides for this class
- No reading
- Notes (38 Kb)
- Tuesday, Sept. 1: Class cancelled due to %@#*&! dead car battery
- Reading postponed one class session.
- Thursday, Sept. 3: History and personalities of archaeology
- Tuesday, Sept. 8: Furlough day: No class, and no email replies
- Alternative activity: Read Chapter 2 for Thursday; review Chapter 1. Remember to use sunscreen.
- I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Thursday, Sept. 10: Theory and paradigms of science and archaeology
- Notes (53 Kb)Slides (271 Kb)
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 2, pp. 21-47 (27 pgs) (You probably read this already; it was originally scheduled for Sept. 3)
- Ancient wall testifies to Jerusalem's strength (San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 6, 2009; 261 Kb) What politics might be involved in this research? Does anything suggest that someone is seeking media attention for it? Google the project director, Ronny Reich. Does he have any jobs other than those mentioned in the article?
- Notes (53 Kb)
- Tuesday, Sept. 15: Finding sites: survey, sampling, and settlement patterns
- Notes (36 Kb)Slides, part 1 (3.2 Mb)Slides, part 2 (2.5 Mb)
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 3, 49-62 (13 pgs)
- Notes (36 Kb)
- Thursday, Sept. 17: Finish "Finding sites"
- See Sept. 15 for "Finding sites" notes and slides; See Sept. 22 for "Remote and subsurface sensing" notes and slides
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 3, pp. 63-78 (16 pgs)
- Tuesday, Sept. 22: "Remote and subsurface sensing"; Start "Stratigraphy and site formation"
- Thursday, Sept. 24: Continue "Stratigraphy and site formation"
- Friday, Sept. 25: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Tuesday, Sept. 29: Scheduled: "Excavation"; Actual: Finish "Stratigraphy and site formation"
- See Oct. 1 for notes and slides on "Excavation"; See Sept. 24 for notes and slides on "Stratigraphy and site formation"
- Review Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 4, pp. 79-99 (21 pgs)
- Thursday, Oct. 1: Scheduled: "Chronology, part 1"; Actual: Began "Excavation"
- Notes (60 Kb)Slides, part 1 (1.8 Mb)Slides, part 2 (3.8 Mb)Slides, part 3 (1.9 Mb)
- See Oct. 8 for notes and slides on "Chronology, part 1"
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 6, pp. 123-139 (17 pgs)
- Notes (60 Kb)
- Tuesday, Oct. 6: Finish "Excavation"; Begin "Chronology, part 1"
- See Oct. 1 for notes and slides on "Excavation"; See Oct. 8 for notes and slides on "Chronology, part 1"
- Review Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 6, pp. 123-139 (17 pgs)
- Thursday, Oct. 8: Continue "Chronology, part 1"
- Notes (65 Kb)Slides (2.0 Mb)
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 6, pp. 139-153 (15 pgs)
- How radiocarbon dating works (15 Kb)
- Notes (65 Kb)
- Tuesday, Oct. 13: Finish "Chronology, part 1"; cover "Chronology, part 2"
- Thursday, Oct. 15: Midterm exam
- No additional reading
- Friday, Oct. 14: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough. I will reply over the weekend.
- Monday, Oct. 19: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Tuesday, Oct. 20: Lumping and splitting
- Notes (16 Kb)No slides
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 7, pp. 155-176 (22 pgs)
- Notes (16 Kb)
- Thursday, Oct. 22: Middle-level theory: taphonomy, ethnoarchaeology, and experimental archaeology
- Notes (16 Kb)No slides
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 8, pp. 177-205 (29 pgs)
- Notes (16 Kb)
- Tuesday, Oct. 27: Studying animal and plant remains
- Notes (34 Kb)Slides (4.7 Mb)
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 9, pp. 207--234 (28 pgs)
- Assignment instructions (22 Kb) Instructions for your review and evaluation of an archaeological journal article. Due by email by midnight, Sunday, Dec. 6.
- Notes (34 Kb)
- Thursday, Oct. 29: Scheduled: Studying human remains; Actually covered: Plant and animal remains
- Notes and slides are posted below, under Nov. 3
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 10, pp. 235-259 (25 pgs)
- Monday, Nov. 2: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Studying human remains
- Notes (45 Kb)Slides (Part 1) (2.4 Mb)Slides (Part 2) (1.4 Mb)
- Review Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 10, pp. 235-259 (25 pgs)
- Notes (45 Kb)
- Thursday, Nov. 5: Gender and kinship
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: Furlough day: No class, and no email replies
- Please review the readings and your notes so far, or work on your article review.
- I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Thursday, Nov. 12: Status and trade
- Tuesday, Nov. 17: Archaeology of mind, or cognitive archaeology
- Notes (26 Kb)Slides (Part 1) (2.4 Mb)Slides (Part 2) (3.2 Mb)
- Kelly & Thomas: Chapter 12, pp. 291-213 (23 pgs)
- Notes (26 Kb)
- Thursday, Nov. 19: Some big questions: origins of farming and states
- Friday, Nov. 20: Furlough day: No email replies
- This furlough day does not affect a class meeting, but I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: Furlough day: No class, and no email replies
- Please review the readings and your notes so far, or work on your article review.
- I cannot reply to emails while on furlough.
- Thursday, Nov. 26: Thanksgiving holiday: No class
- No reading
- Tuesday, Dec 1: Historical archaeology
- Thursday, Dec 3: Cultural resource management (CRM)
- Sunday, Dec 6: Paper due!
- Email the paper to me by midnight on Sunday, Dec. 6. Submission instructions are in the Assignment instructions
- Tuesday, Dec 8: Applied archaeology and ownership of the past
- Thursday, Dec 10: Catch-up, review, evaluations, preparation for the test
- No notes or slides
- No additional reading
Final exam week:
- Tuesday, Dec 15: Final Exam
- 11:00-12:50, in our regular classroom
Handouts
Scroll down if you don't see what you need. Click on the Handout that you want. If you have been here before, press your browser's "reload" button to see the latest additions.
- Syllabus Introduction to Archaeology, Anthropology 202.1, Fall 2009 (23 Kb)
- Map Location of North Light Books & Cafe relative to SSU (95 Kb)
- What plagiarism is and how to avoid it (6 Kb)
- Study guide for the midterm exam, on Thurs. Oct. 15 (15 Kb)
- Assignment instructions Instructions for your review and evaluation of an archaeological journal article. Due by email by midnight, Sunday, Dec. 6. (22 Kb)
- Simplified SAA Style Instructions: The basics of the Society for American Archaeology citation and bibliography style, which you may choose to use for your article review. (18 Kb)
- Study guide for the final exam, on Tues. Dec. 15, 11:00-12:50, in our regular room (11 Kb)
Links to sites about archaeology and more
Interesting, often illustrated, from easy to challenging... check these out. Many of these make excellent study aids for preparing for tests. If you have been here before, press your browser's "reload" button to see the latest additions.
...about archaeological research paper format
- Simplified SAA Style Instructions: The basics of the Society for American Archaeology citation and bibliography style, which you may choose to use for your article review. (18 Kb)
- SAA Style Guide: Detailed description of the citation and bibliographic style of the Society for American Archaeology. With many examples.
...about current discoveries and debates
- Anthropology in the News. Links to the latest finds, discoveries, and controversies in archaeology, cultural anthro, biological anthro, and linguistics. Updated frequently.
- ArchNet: An index of quality archaeological web sites. Some good links, but very incomplete. Supplement with Google!
- Archaeology magazine. Interesting current archaeological research, written for the general public.
- National Geographic magazine. Some articles on current archaeological research, good but plays up mystery and adventure.
- Olmec and Maya Archaeology.
- Bradshaw Foundation. Rock art and related archaeology and anthropology.
- Harappa. Harappan (Indus) civilization of India and Pakistan. Click around for lots of photos and authoritative information.
- The Origins & Spread of Agriculture: An excellent, accessible, detailed review for the Near East. Click the "Epipalaeolithic" button for the Natufian and Abu Hureyra; the "Sedentism" button for agriculture, animal domestication, and sedentism, and the "Earlier Neolithic" button for the PPNA, as at Jericho.
- The Royal Tombs at Ur: Incredible artifacts buried with a Sumerian queen
- Digital Egypt: Predynastic and on. Click around for lots of good pictures and up-to-date but brief info
- History of Egypt, starting with the Predynastic. Good synthesis and pictures
- Old Kingdom Egypt: A visual tour of the step pyramid of Djoser
- Chavín de Huántar: Explore the site, including the internal galleries, in photographic virtual reality -- this is really fun.
You must download and install a browser plugin. Be patient; each view takes a little while to download, but then works smoothly. Hold the left button down and move the mouse to look side to side and up and down. Press the spacebar to make "hot" points appear. Click on a hot point to move to that point or see the object there. Zoom in and out with "Ctrl" and "Shift". Check it out! - More will be added!
...about fieldwork opportunities
- Archaeological fieldwork opportunities. Archaeological Institute of America.
- Passport in Time. Volunteer opportunities to do archaeological work with the US Forest Service.
- About.com archaeology digs. Volunteer and field school opportunities.
Introduction to Archaeology by Bruce Owen
Copyright (c) 2009, Bruce Owen. All rights reserved.
Please send comments on content and presentation to
bruce.owen@sonoma.edu.
URL of this document: http://bruceowen.com/introarch/a202-09f.htm
Revised: 10 December 2009