Have run several site surveys, excavations in domestic areas, excavations in cemeteries, salvage projects, lab analysis projects
Interested in complex societies, multiethnicity, population movements (diasporas)
Among other things...
This course is impossible
World Prehistory should cover everything that happened with people over the entire globe from some time around 3.5 million years ago to, depending on the region, some time in the last few thousand years.
If we covered all this at a constant rate from the earliest evidence of bipedalism to the invention of writing, we would have to cover 1,600 years of world events per minute of class time
We would get to the pyramids of Egypt about 3 minutes before the end of the last class
So this class will have to be a bit selective
We will look at a bunch of interesting periods, sites, and problems
in roughly chronological order
I hope they will give you an idea of what has happened in the world, as well as how much more there is to know
We will focus on what happened in the past and how we know it
but not too much on the methods of archaeology itself
although you will get a lot of that on the side as we go
Since the class is not too big, we can adjust the coverage a bit if anyone has particular interests
Most classes will involve me talking and showing slides or computer images
I will not be able to cover all of the material in the reading
But I will try to illustrate it, explain it, put important points in context, etc.
And I will sometimes talk about material that was not in the reading
Most will also have one or two short (five-minute) presentations by students
each of you will do two of these presentations
each one on a very narrow subject
like: "What other constructions were being built in Europe at the same time as Stonehenge, what were they like, and how were they used?"
or: "When did our ancestors first start using fire, and what is the evidence?"
either chosen from a list I will circulate, or arranged with me if you have other things you would like to pursue
for these, you will go beyond the textbooks to other references, including reputable web sites
and each presentation will be accompanied by a one to two page "executive summary", with three or more references, that you will submit to me and hand out in class
There will also be time for questions and discussion in class
Reading:
We use two textbooks
Kenneth Feder: Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries, third edition.
Fun and easy to read, not only deals with some things that come up at parties all the time, but also uses them to help you learn how archaeologists think
Brian Fagan: People of the Earth, ninth edition
Our main source of information
We will cover much, but not all, of this book
There will also be readings on reserve at the library
The syllabus indicates which days have reserve readings
The titles will be announced as we progress through the semester
Especially when we get to the Andes, where I work, and where Fagan's coverage is skimpiest
If you want to set up some system of making xerox copies, I would be glad to cooperate
but I don't want to know about any violations of copyright laws!
Finally, there will be a few assigned web sites
plus many optional web sites
all will be available through links on the class web page
Readings range from 15 to 80 pages per class -- reasonably heavy
I don't emphasize memorization, but you will have to learn a lot of facts for this course
The details of the course are laid out in the syllabus
Grading is based on:
25%: Class participation
Mostly two class presentations with "executive summaries"
and general class participation
but I do not take roll
25%: Midterm exam
Short essay questions and various kinds of objective questions.
A study guide will be distributed before the test
25%: Final exam
Similar to the midterm
Mostly, but not exclusively, about the second portion of the course
25%: Research paper
On any subject in world prehistory, by arrangement with me
You turn in an outline and preliminary bibliography on April 27; draft text or parts of text optional
I return it to you with comments
Final version is due on the last day of class, May 18
We will have a session at the library on Thursday, Feb 10
to introduce you to (or refresh your memory of) research techniques for the presentations and research paper
highly recommended; not taxing, but very practical help
Plagiarism
Don't do it!
See me or the class web page for details
I don't take roll or count attendance, but I think that coming to class generally helps people do much better on the tests and assignments
it should be interesting
and you get to participate in discussions, ask questions, etc.
Class web page
Features
News: changes to assignments, deadlines, readings, etc.
Especially important: Reserve reading assignments and web page assignments
Notes: I post the notes that I lecture from
Handouts: the syllabus, plagiarism statement, assignment details, study guides, etc.
Links: to other web sites
a few of these will be required readings
others may be helpful in studying
many are just really fun or interesting
The URL is given in the syllabus
You can get to it by clicking on links on the SSU Anthropology Department web page
The SSU Course Page listing available from the main SSU web page usually takes a long time to get updated, so it may or may not have correct links to the class page
I will look over drafts of presentations or the paper and make suggestions if you want
You can submit drafts by email
The best ways to get in touch with me:
see me after class
come to my office hours
Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00 to 1:00
Stevenson 2084K (2nd floor of this building, in the Sociology and Criminal Justice dep't -- go figure)
email: Owenbruce @ aol.com, which I check at least once almost every day
telephone or voice mail: (707) 664-3950, which I don't check very often at all, so don't count on it for anything urgent
or arrange to see me at some other time, if none of these are convenient. I am normally on campus only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though.
For next time:
Please get started on the reading
The first few classes have fairly heavy assignments
because we are zipping through a lot of background on archaeology
and a lot of early prehistory that Fagan covers in a bit more detail that I would for this class
Next time we will look at the basics of archaeology, including what we want to find out, what sorts of evidence we have, and the methods we use to answer our questions