MASTER COURSE OUTLINE
Big Bend Community College
Date: March 2008
COURSE TITLE:
CIP Code:
Intent Code:
Program Code:
DEPT:
ANTH&
NO:
204
(Formerly: ANT 107)
ARCHAEOLOGY
450301
11
N/A
Distribution Desig.:
Social Science
PREPARED BY:
CREDITS:
Total Contact Hours Per Qtr:
Lecture Hours Per Qtr:
Lab Hours Per Qtr:
Other Hours Per Qtr:
5
55
55
Sean Hess
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is an introduction to the field of archaeology. The class will examine the methods and the past research of
those anthropologists who look at a society’s material remains in order to reconstruct ancient cultures.
PREREQUISITE(S):
None
TEXT:
1. Renfrew, Colin, and Paul Bahn. 2000. Archaeology: Theories, Method, and Practice. Thames & Hudson, Inc.
New York
2. Diamond, Jared. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Penguin Group (USA), Inc. New
York.
COURSE GOALS:
 To show what kinds of research questions archaeologists are interested in and why these are important.
 To inform students and viewers how archaeologists structure their research to answer these questions and how this
research is used in actual field situations.
 To provide students with a broadly comparative approach to the study of ancient cultures using images and
information about many cultures, and to teach students the critical thinking skills necessary to understand how
cultures function, why they change, and how that information might be applied to understanding today’s
conditions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Define anthropology and archaeology and their relationship
Describe the historical development of anthropology/archaeology
Describe the methods used by archaeologist
Define and discuss the nature of culture and the process of cultural evolution
Identify the steps in origin of agriculture and civilization
Identify the range of human habitats
Describe how archaeologists detect physical remains of households
Explain how archaeologists detect and measure specialization and economic interdependence
Identify the forms of human symbolic systems and discuss the origins of art and the history of writing
Identify the methods archaeologists use to study how rulers gain and keep power
Identify the different forms a society’s political system may take
Describe the basic functions of political systems and how archaeologists identify them
Identify the basic function of religion
Comparing the collapse of multiple ancient societies, discuss how archaeology can help us apply lessons of the
past to the present
15. Describe the overall sequence of prehistoric cultures in Eastern Washington.
COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE:
I. Introduction to Anthropology and Archaeology
II. The development of Anthropological Archaeology
Document1
Page 1 of 2
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
Archaeological Methods
The Concept of Culture and Cultural Evolution
Identifying Family Households and Their Functions
Identifying Occupational Specialization and Economic Patterns
Development of Human Symbolic Systems in Art and Writing
Political Systems and Identifying Sources of Power
Trade, Alliances and War
Religion and Its Functions
The Fall of Civilizations
Prehistory and Early History of Eastern Washington
Cultural Resources Management and Current Archaeology
EVALUATION METHODS/GRADING PROCEDURES:
Student evaluation will be based on individual performance on examinations/quizzes, written reports, and class
participation.
PLANNED TEACHING METHODS/LEARNING STRATEGIES:
X Lecture
Laboratory
Supervised Clinical
X Small Group Discussion
Audiovisual
Individualized Instruction
Special Project
Other (List)
Telecourse
Division Chair Approval
Document1
Page 2 of 2