Universität Wien

060060 VU Geoarchaeology of deposits and landscapes (2021W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 6 - Ägyptologie, Judaistik, Urgeschichte und Historische Archäologie
Continuous assessment of course work
MIXED
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 04.10. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 11.10. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 18.10. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 25.10. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 08.11. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 15.11. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 22.11. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 29.11. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 06.12. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 13.12. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 10.01. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 17.01. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 24.01. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Monday 31.01. 09:00 - 10:30 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course is planned as an on-site presence course. In the event that Covid19-based distance regulations continue to restrict the capacity of the booked room below the number of inscribed students, the course will be offered as purely digital course, or as a hybrid variant 1 course (digital/onsite presence) if necessary.
Summary
This course provides a broad overview of geoarchaeology and its application to a range of deposits and landscapes. Students will learn how geoarchaeology uses earth-science concepts and techniques to learn about past human behaviors. Key concepts in Geoarchaeology will be presented, with special attention to formation processes, site stratigraphy, and sedimentary environments. Students will be introduced to geoarchaeological field and laboratory methods for sampling and analyses, including sediment sampling, thin-section analysis, absolute dating, geochemistry methods, and aerial and terrestrial remote sensing (e.g., electrical resistivity, georadar, Lidar, etc.).

Methods
Lectures, readings, group discussions, written summaries, written paper

Assessment and permitted materials

Group discussions, independent reading, written summaries and papers. Course will be entirely in English.

Active participation in group discussions.
Independent reading each week.
Individual written assignments (under guidance by instructors): 1 concept commentary; 1 methods summary; 1 research topic (title), bibliography and abstract; 1 written research paper c. 3000 words).

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students are expected to attend all lectures (2x unexcused absence is permitted) and do weekly readings.
Participation in discussions, and turn in topic, bibliography and abstract: 20%
Written summaries (2x20%): 40%
Submission of Individual Written Paper (ca. 3000 words, 7 pages + tables, charts, references): 40%

Examination topics

Reading list

Required readings for the course will come from journal articles and book chapters. In addition, you might find the following books useful:
Cordova, C. 2018. Geoarchaeology: The human-environmental approach. London: I.B. Tauris & Co.
French, C. A. I. 2003. Geoarchaeology in Action: Studies in Soil Micromorphology and Landscape Evolution. London: Routledge.
French, C. 2015. A Handbook of Geoarchaeological Approaches to Settlement Sites and Landscapes. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Gilbert, A.S. 2017. Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Dordrecht: Springer Reference.
Goldberg, P. & Macphail, R. 2006. Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology. Oxford: Blackwell. (Core Textbook for course)
Karkanas, P. & Goldberg, P. 2019. Reconstructing Archaeological Sites: Understanding the Geoarchaeological Matrix. Oxford: Wiley.
Nicosia, C. & Stoops, G. (eds) 2017. Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology. New York: Wiley.
Schiffer, M.B. 1987. Formation Processes of the Archaeological Record. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Th 21.03.2024 00:10