ARH 2090: Great Discoveries in World Archaeology
Dr. Rodriguez, Fall 2020
Final Portfolio Project: Site Research Project and Museum Display
Key Deadlines: Oct. 28th, Nov. 12th, Nov. 24th
You are asked to design and create a museum display about your own “great discovery”
archaeological site. This museum display will present information acquired through your own
research.
First, you are asked to research an archaeological site.
Select an archaeological site to research as your own “great discovery”. You can select any
archaeological site from the regions and periods we have studied, but the site should not have
appeared as a “great discovery” in our class. If you are struggling to find a site, you might consult the
UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.
ICA #3: Due Oct. 28th, via Canvas 11:59pm
Which site would you like to research, and why? Explain your interest in the period / location /
site in terms of what it can offer for our understanding of bigger social themes that we have
discussed in class (state formation, social differentiation / inequality, monumental building,
religious beliefs, human and environment interaction, political organization). The site should
NOT have been discussed as a “great discovery” in class. This should NOT be a discussion of
your personal preference for countries, periods, or cultures.
Assignment: Please compose your response in a minimum of 150 words (double-spaced, 12point Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins).
Submission: Upload the paper as either a word document or pdf file to Canvas by the end of the
day Wednesday, October 28th.
Using the information provided by Matt Hunter’s guest lecture, using the digital resources available
through the library site, begin your research.
Compile some general information on the site: location, dates of occupation, nature and types of
archaeological evidence from the site, and what are the key features of the site and artifacts.
Next, find information from your site on the following topics:
1. Environment (climate, geography)
2. Political / social organization: type of government, social classes, types of social
differentiation
3. Subsistence / housing: types of food consumed, construction and organization of domestic
space
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4. Ritual / religion: funerary practices, recorded beliefs / myths
5. Public architecture / urbanism: types of building, construction style, construction techniques
6. History of Research / Cultural heritage: history of research at the site and researchers working
there, any special statuses (UNESCO world heritage site), political issues concerning the
preservation and ownership of archaeological materials
Please note that this is intended to be a research project, so additional (out of class) time will be
necessary to research, build the exhibit, and write the paper. Research conducted using exclusively
popular online sources is not acceptable. Instead, academic sources should be consulted, and should
NOT include your textbook. Scheduling adequate research and writing time (outside of class) is the
responsibility of the student.
Portfolio Outline: Due November 12th, via Canvas 3:35pm
Now, write up an outline of your exhibit based on the research you have conducted. This outline
is due on November 12th.
The outline should include information about your site and must include the following
components. The information provided on the outline can be presented as bullet points.
1. Site background: site name, location, cultural group, dates of occupation, types of
site, key features and artifacts
2. Environment: climate, geography
3. Political / social organization: type of government, social classes, types of social
differentiation
4. Subsistence / housing: types of food consumed, construction and organization of
domestic space
5. Ritual / religion: funerary practices, recorded beliefs / myths
6. Public architecture / urbanism: types of building, construction style, construction
techniques
7. History of research / Cultural heritage: history of research at the site and researchers
working there, any special statuses (UNESCO world heritage site), political issues
concerning the preservation and ownership of archaeological materials
Now create your exhibit. Using the information that you collected for your outline, begin building
exhibition panels. This can be done in a powerpoint slideshow, where you create textboxes with
information and images of archaeological plans, remains, and artifacts. Images can be scanned from
books or downloaded from ArtStor or museum websites. You can also include a schematic diagram of
the museum space, where you envision this exhibit being displayed, although this is not required. The
creative details of the exhibition panels are your choice. Be as creative with the appearance of your
exhibition panels as you would like, but make sure that the information is clear, accurate, consistently
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presented, and well organized. Your project will be assessed based on the criteria outlined on the last
page of this document.
Final Exhibit Submission and Write-up: Due November 24th, via Canvas 3:35pm
Submission of Final Project:
1. Museum panels (created in powerpoint). Each powerpoint should include a slide/panel on
five of the seven topics outlined in the portfolio outline. The seven topics include: Site
background, Environment, Political / social organization, Subsistence / housing, Ritual / religion,
Public architecture / urbanism, History of research. The five slides should include text boxes
providing the information that you researched on the site (related to each topic), as well as
related images. In addition to the five topical slides, you should include a cover slide with your
name, class, date, and site name. The powerpoint should then be saved as a pdf, in order for it
to be submitted via Canvas.
2. A short reflection paper (500 words minimum). In this paper you should make an argument
for why (or why not) the site that you have discussed should be considered a “great discovery”
in world archaeology. In composing this paper, consider the bigger themes of state formation,
archaeological techniques, or cultural heritage. Essentially, you are asked to reflect on the bigger
issues that the site (or the study of the site) offers archaeology.
3. Bibliography. A bibliography of the sources that you consulted should be included as a
separate document and should be formatted in MLA style. It should include sources that you
used in your research. A bibliography comprised of exclusively popular online sources is not
acceptable. Instead, academic sources should be consulted, and you should NOT include your
textbook. While every site will require different numbers of sources, in general, you are
expected to have approximately 5 sources, and no more than one should be a website. The
bibliography text is not included in your word count for the reflection paper.
Out-of-Class Research:
Please note that this is intended to be an independent research project, so additional (out of class) time
will be necessary to both research and complete the project. Research conducted using popular online
sources is also acceptable. Instead, academic sources should be consulted, and exclusively web-based
references should not represent more than 25% of the total references. Scheduling adequate research
and writing time (outside of class) is the responsibility of the student.
All Assignment Submissions:
For all written assignments, format the text and page accordingly: Times New Roman 12pt font, doublespaced, with 1” margins. Please remember to include a header with your name, the class, and date. All
assignments (written and otherwise) are due at the start of class time (3:35pm) on the due-date. Please
note that the assignments should be uploaded to the appropriate Assignment Page on Canvas, and they
should not be attached in Canvas Comments.
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Grading Rubric for Final Project
Criteria
Requirements
Research
5 points
4 points
All required information
and topics are included One requirement not Two requirements not
in the museum panels
present
present
and the reflection paper
Additional sources are
Additional sources are
well chosen, timely, and
very good, but ties to
demonstrably addresses
research topics are a
the research issues
bit unclear, or does
presented for the site;
not stick to the
clear links to course
important points
content
Researched information
Researched
is clearly presented and
Clarity of Presentation and
information is clearly
clearly explained and
Critical Analysis
explained but not
related to the social
clearly presented
themes of the course
Effective Use of Images
Overall Appearance
Spelling, grammar, and
style
Bibliography
3 points
2 points
0 points
Three requirements
not met
Four or more
requirements not met
Two are true:
Three are true:
additional sources are additional sources not
not very good, ties to very good, its ties to
Additional sources
research topics are a research topics are a
seem like they were
bit unclear, or the
bit unclear, or the
drawn "out of a hat"
additional sources are summary of the article
at last minute
not clear or do not
is not clear or does
stick to the important
not stick to the
points
important points
Researched
information is not
clearly explained but
are clearly presented
Researched
information is not
summarized
sufficiently
Use of high quality
images that effectively
illustrate the
Use of Images is
Use of Images is
Use of Images is
information in the
appropriate, but 1 is appropriate, but 2 are appropriate, but 3 are
textboxes, placed in blurry, poorly chosen, blurry, poorly chosen, blurry, poorly chosen,
locations where easily
or lacking caption
or lacking caption
or lacking caption
understood, captions
are provided
Overall, there is
consistent formatting
1-2 inconsistencies in
and color scheme, use
formatting, color
of header and titles to
scheme, headers, etc.
reflect organization of
information and topics
3-5 errors or one
0-2 errors; text is easy
section of the text is
to read and understand;
too concise, too
information is well
wordy, or too hard to
organized
read
An adequate number
An adequate number
and quality of of
and quality of
references; all
references; references
references are included
present, but have 2-3
and properly formatted
formatting errors
in MLA style
Project does not show
understanding of the
research issues
Use of Images is
appropriate, but 4 or
more are blurry,
poorly chosen, or
lacking caption
3-4 inconsistencies in 5-6 inconsistencies in 6+ inconsistencies in
formatting, color
formatting, color
formatting, color
scheme, headers, etc. scheme, headers, etc. scheme, headers, etc.
more than 12 errors,
6-9 errors or two
10-12 errors, three
several sections of the
sections of the text
sections of the text
text are too concise,
are too concise, too are too concise, too
too wordy, or hard to
wordy, or hard to read wordy, or hard to read
read
More or better quality More or better quality
references should
references should
References missing or
have been consulted; have been consulted;
there are 6+
references present,
references present,
formatting issues
but have 4-5
but have 5-6
formatting errors
formatting errors
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