Discovering Archaeology: From Field to Finds Room drafted
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-10-02 | 2023-05-01 |
| 2024-01-08 | 2023-08-01 |
| 2024-04-22 | 2023-11-01 |
Program Overview
The Discovering Archaeology: From Field to Finds Room short course provides you with a basic introduction to the practical and analytical skills of archaeology. Lectures and classes are designed to give you a comprehensive picture of the discipline and its practice in a contemporary context, with subjects ranging from preliminary site assessments to the excavation of a site and its interpretation.
Focusing on the archaeology of historical periods, you will gain a clearer understanding of the ways in which evidence is preserved in the archaeological record, and how data from fieldwork converges and contrasts with that derived from the written record. You will also be introduced to the different techniques of archaeological investigation, not only excavation but also non-invasive techniques.
We will evaluate current techniques of archaeology through case studies from a range of sites in northern Europe and the Mediterranean region, dating from the archaic to medieval periods. The case studies have been selected to demonstrate applications of different methods and encourage consideration of specialist debates in the field.
The course includes practical exercises in archaeological excavations, and lectures by Birkbeck and visiting specialists working in geoarchaeology, maritime archaeology, numismatics and other disciplines.
We plan to cover the following content:
Assessment of this course is via a 500-word review of an excavation report (20%), a 1500-word discussion of an exhibition (20%), a 2000-word essay (20%) and a three-hour examination (40%).
This can be taken as a standalone short course or as a part of:
History and Archaeology (Certificate of Higher Education)
30 credits at level 4