Archaeology

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://e-catalog.sewanee.edu.

Website: sewanee.edu/academics/archaeology/

Archaeology, the study of the human past, crosses many disciplinary lines. The field of archaeology is expanding in both the humanities and the sciences with the application of innovative instrumentation and techniques that allow interdisciplinary teams to address new questions spanning human physical and cultural evolution, subsistence technology and foodways, ancient migration, and prehistoric ritual. With the economic significance of heritage tourism and the expansion of environmental legislation that relates to bio-cultural resources (both in the U.S. and abroad), career opportunities for students in the field of archaeology are growing.

Professors: Knoll, McDonough, Ray

Associate Professor: Sherwood

The minor is overseen by a faculty steering committee and does not reside in any one department. This group mentors students and guides their progress of study. Members of the steering  committee span the sciences and humanities, inasmuch as this minor is inherently interdisciplinary. The current committee includes:  Jacqueline DiBiasie Sammons, Classics; Martin Knoll, Earth and Environmental Systems; Chris McDonough, Classics; Celeste Ray, Anthropology; Sarah C. Sherwood, Earth and Environmental Systems, Steering Committee Chair.

Requirements for the Minor in Archaeology

The minor requires successful completion of the following:

Course Requirements 1
ANTH 106Introductory Physical Anthropology and Archaeology4
or ANTH 109 World Prehistory
Select sixteen additional hours from at least two disciplines: 216
Celtic Culture and Archaeology
The Archaeology of Southeastern United States
Method and Theory in Archaeology
Archaeology of the Cumberland Plateau
North American Archaeology
Environmental Archaeology
Field School in Archaeology 3
Archaeology of Ireland
Cultural Resource Practicum
Artifact Analysis
Archaeological Resource Management and Policy
Greek and Roman Art and Architecture
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (Lab)
Plant Ecology (Lab)
Evolutionary Biology
Chemistry of Art and Artifacts
Myth and Monuments
Greek and Roman Private Life
Epigraphy Field School
Greek Archaeology
Roman Archaeology
Archaeology of Pompeii and Herculaneum
Exploring Rome and the Bay of Naples
Advanced Applications of GIS
Soils (Lab)
Historical Geology (Lab)
Sedimentology (Lab)
Paleoecology
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Medieval Europe II
Monsters, Marvels, and Museums
Total Semester Hours20

Archaeology Courses

ARCH 213     Cultural Resource Practicum  (2)

This practicum focuses on historical or prehistoric cultural resources, both archaeological and standing structures, on the University Domain. Students learn excavation and documentation techniques appropriate to the specific resource type. In addition, artifact processing and cataloging will be covered. The majority of this course is field based. The course can be repeated once.

ARCH 214     Artifact Analysis  (4)

This course is a hands-on introduction to interpreting artifacts from archaeological sites. The class consists of a mix of lecture, discussion, laboratory, and in-class exercises on both prehistoric and historic artifact types. It covers all phases of artifact analysis including: defining problem domains, selecting attributes, cataloging data, typology, analysis and interpretation. Student projects center on artifacts from the University Domain collections.

ARCH 332     Archaeological Resource Management and Policy  (4)

This course explores international and national approaches to archaeological heritage management. It includes review of public policy that protect sites (much of it incorporated into environmental legislation) and of regulations that guide the process. The course centers around study of how the determination of such policies affects negotiation between the past and present as archaeologists, various governments, descendant communities, and others try to balance a concern for preservation with growing demand for development and sustainability. Interwoven into the course are topics such as how diverse cultures view the past, the growing commodification of archaeological sites in the tourist trade, the antiquities market, and careers in cultural resource management.

ARCH 350     Special Topics in Archaeology  (4)

This course focuses on a topic in archaeology that is not fully covered in existing courses. Content will vary from semester to semester. This course may be repeated when topic differs. Prerequisite: ANTH 106 or ANTH 109 or CLST 207 or CLST 208 or CLST 220.