HNAA03211U Theory and Method in Near Eastern and Islamic Archaeology

Volume 2014/2015
Education
Udbydes efter KA 2008-studieordning Curriculum for the Master’s Programmes in
Ancient and Medieval Near Eastern Studies the 2008 Curriculum
Content

The course deals with the important theoretical approaches and methods developed in archaeology and related topics. These theories are studied by reading relevant texts and discussing their use in archaeology. The literature will concentrate on the Near East, but the theoretical approaches deal with a much wider geographical area (South-America, Europe).

The course starts with an overview of evolutionism, cultural particularism, diffusionism etc., but concentrates more on the 20th cent. approaches such annales, ethnoarchaeology, post-structuralism etc. Topics will be between others economic and social explanations in archaeology, interpretations of figurines, typologies etc.

Learning Outcome

KA 2008-studieordning:
Theory and Method in Near Eastern Archaeology (fagelementkode HNAK03211E eller HNAK03261E)

B.G. Trigger: A History of Archaeological Thought;  J. A. Bell: Reconstructing Prehistory (1994), chapter 4-7;  R. Bernbeck: Theorien in der Archäologie (1997). These texts are the base for the entire course and need to be read for the first classes. More material follows through the semester

Ability to read English and German texts
Each class starts with a general introduction, followed by presentations of and discussions with the students. The students have to read different texts for each class and have to present some texts during the course.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 75
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Practical exercises
  • 14
  • Preparation
  • 195,5
  • Project work
  • 100
  • Total
  • 412,5
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Other
Criteria for exam assesment