Archaeology Concentration (ARCN)
Archaeology is an interdisciplinary study of material artifacts in their cultural and environmental context. The introductory and core courses of the concentration are designed to give students a methodological introduction to these three elements of artifacts, culture, and environment. In the supporting course projects, students take an interdisciplinary view, analyzing and interpreting material remains in a variety of ways. The range of supporting courses provides students with the flexibility to plan their own programs.
Students from any major may participate in the Archaeology Concentration. Students interested in the concentration are encouraged to consult with the coordinators early in the sophomore year in order to plan ahead and retain as much freedom of choice as possible in meeting the requirements of the program.
Requirements for the Concentration
Eight courses are required for the concentration, including two introductory courses, two core courses, projects in three supporting courses, and one capstone seminar.
Introductory Courses (2):
Any 100-level geology course (Geology 100, 110, 115, 120)
SOAN 110: Introduction to Anthropology
Core Courses (2):
GEOL 210: Geomorphology (Not offered in 2012-2013) or
GEOL 258: Geology of Soils and
ARCN 246: Archaeological Methodology (Not offered in 2012-2013)
Projects in Supporting Courses (3):
A minimum of three supporting courses must be selected from among the college's offerings (other than the courses required for the concentration listed above). At least one of these courses must help students become familiar with a culture other than their own through work in history, sociology/anthropology, Latin American Studies, Asian Studies or any other program in which the material aspects of a given culture can be examined. In the three supporting courses, as part of the regular course requirements (or as a separate independent study, growing out of the course), students will write a paper or complete a project involving interpretation of archaeological materials. The topic of the paper should be negotiated by the student and the course instructor. If it is not possible to complete a project that uses archaeological data while taking the supporting course, the student must enroll in a separate two to six credit independent study for the purpose of writing such a paper. Students must fulfill normal prerequisites for the supporting courses before enrolling.
The concentration coordinators can advise students about which courses may fulfill these requirements. These courses are in many college departments and include courses conducted by visiting professors. Students are encouraged to consult with the concentration coordinators for suggestions.
The concentration coordinators are available to help students and instructors of supporting courses. Students are responsible for giving a copy of each completed paper/project to the concentration coordinators who will decide if the project is acceptable for the concentration.
Capstone Seminar (1):
ARCN 395 Archaeology Seminar
Field Experience
Concentrators are strongly urged to gain practical field experience in archaeology over and above what is available through the capstone seminar. Field projects and off-campus programs with an archaeological component offer opportunities for such practical experience. For example, the ACM Costa Rica program offers field work in archaeology. The concentration coordinators can help arrange internships for concentrators with archaeological projects and laboratories.
Archaeology Courses
ARCN 246. Archaeological Methodology A study of the methods currently employed in the retrieval, recording and interpretation of archaeological evidence. Among the topics to be covered are regional surveys, selection of sites for excavation, methods of excavation and recording, conservation of artifacts, scientific analyses of archaeological material and data, and the final publication of results. No prerequisite. 6 cr., SS; LS, Winter—N. Wilkie
ARCN 395. Archaeology Capstone Seminar The course will focus on a wide range of contemporary issues in archaeology, including archaeological ethics, cultural property legislation, illicit collecting, looting of archaeological sites, and the role of nationalism in archaeology. The course serves as the capstone seminar for the Archaeology Concentration. Enrollment is open to non-concentrators with permission of the instructors. 6 cr., SS; SI, Not offered in 2012-2013.