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Field Archaeology (ANCW30025)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5Off Campus
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
July
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | July - Off Campus |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This winter intensive is a hands-on, residential field school, teaching practical core archaeological skills through active participation in an authentic research setting at the ancient site of Rabati, coordinated by staff from the Classics and Archaeology programme in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the National Museum in Georgia. The main emphasis in this course is the development of competency and familiarisation with a range of practical field archaeology skills; excavation, recording and post-excavation analysis. While the emphasis is on these 3 aspects of field archaeology, students will also be introduced to a range of other archaeological processes such as surveying, sorting, recording, artefact analysis and inventorying. Given the stress on practical skills, this intensive field school takes place on a ‘real’ archaeological site in the Republic of Georgia. In addition to the field work, the intensive will include on-site lectures and tutorials, museum and site visits. On successful completion of the course, students will have acquired a thorough and detailed knowledge of the main tasks involved in field archaeology. They will have developed practical skills in excavation, recording and post-excavation analysis; they will also have acquired considerable ability to process and interpret archaeological evidence, manage the information obtained, and communicate their findings in a coherent and scholarly way. They will have participated in activities which involve group work as well as individual effort and will have a developed an understanding of key field archaeology practices.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject students should have:
- Acquired a thorough and detailed knowledge of the principles and methods by which archaeological data are gathered, recorded, analysed and used to reconstruct the past.
- Developed a broad knowledge of the range and varied nature of archaeological data, and be able to identify, analyse and record various types;
- Attained a range of basic fieldwork techniques and skills, which can be used and applied on field archaeology projects;
- Gained considerable ability to carry out independent research, manage the information obtained, and communicate their findings in a coherent and scholarly way;
- Participated in activities which involve team work as well as individual effort, and will have a developed an understanding of key field archaeology processes and practices.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should have developed:
- Analytical and critical thinking skills
- Classification and recording skills
- Interpretation and evaluation skills
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANCW30023 | Practical Archaeology | Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Please note: Entry into this subject is by application only. Students will be selected based on academic background, strength of application, and possibly interview. Places are limited. Students may not self-enrol. Applications close end of March and successful students will be notified by mid-April. Further information can be found here.
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
General knowledge and interest in field archaeology and ancient world studies.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Assessment
Additional details
- Four short exercises of 250 words each (total 1,000 word) (30%), Due throughout the two-week intensive
- An assignment (‘dig diary’) of 1,000 words (30%), Due 2nd week of intensive
- A report of 2,000 words (40%), Due 3 weeks after the end of teaching
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- July - Off Campus
Coordinator Andrew Jamieson Mode of delivery Off Campus Contact hours 31 hours – This subject is taught in intensive mode in Georgia consisting of 10 days of fieldwork (excavation), as well as on-site lecture, tutorials and museum and site visits across a two week period Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching requirements Attendance at pre-departure briefing Teaching period 8 July 2019 to 19 July 2019 Last self-enrol date 10 July 2019 Census date 19 July 2019 Last date to withdraw without fail 2 August 2019 Assessment period ends 12 August 2019 July contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
Enrolment is limited to 15 students. An application process applies and students will be selected based on their academic background and strength of application.
Location: Georgia, Europe
Duration: 2 weeks
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
SAGONA, A., The Archaeology of the Caucasus: From Earliest Settlements to the Iron Age, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2018.
Recommended texts and other resources
BURKE, H. and SMITH, C., The Archaeologist's Field Handbook: The Essential Guide for Beginners and Professionals in Australia, Crow's Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin, 2017.
DREWETT, P., Field Archaeology: An Introduction, Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 2012.
JOUKOWSKY, M., A Complete Manual of Field Archaeology: Tools and Techniques of Field Work for Archaeologists, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1980.
Other readings will be available on LMS.
- Off-campus study
This subject has an overseas component
This subject takes place in Georgia
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
Last updated: 15 February 2024