Archaeology
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.
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:
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements 1 | ||
| ANTH 106 | Introductory Physical Anthropology and Archaeology | 4 |
| or ANTH 109 | or World Prehistory | |
| Select sixteen additional hours from at least two disciplines: 2 | 16 | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 Hours | 20 | |
| 1 | No more than one independent study may be used to count towards the minor. One course taken abroad may qualify for the minor requirement, but approval must be obtained from the steering committee, ideally before taking the course. |
| 2 | No more than one course in biology (BIOL), forestry (FORS), or geology (GEOL) may be applied towards the minor. |
| 3 | Students are strongly recommended to take an archaeological field school. This may be through the University of the South or elsewhere but must be approved by the steering committee to count towards the minor. |
| 4 | May be repeated once for additional credit. |
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.