AN 391 - Development of Archaeological Thought

Min Units: 3
Max Units: 3
Archaeology is a way of creating knowledge through material remains - anything from heaps of modern garbage to precious artifacts excavated from deep in the ground to handfuls of stones and ceramic sherds recovered from the earth’s surface. Archaeologists use theory to construct methodologies, order data, interpret finds, and explain patterns or singularities in the material record. That is, archaeologists create visions of the past that are viewed through the lens of theory. To understand those the past as it is presented to us, we must understand how archaeologists use it and the array of theoretical approaches that have been developed since archaeology became a scientific field of inquiry in the 19th century.

This course traces the development of archeological thought from the age when artifacts were considered curiosities to the present day, when artifacts can be understood as objects with agency, as the purveyors of emotions and identities, and keys to revealing past injustices. By the end of class, students will have a sense how archaeological theory developed over time and in different locations, the relationship between archaeological thought and political change, and current trends in archaeological thinking, including the ways they relate to the fields of history, anthropology, and classics. (U/G)