GALEN UNIVERSITY ANTH 215: MAYA ARCHAEOLOGY OF BELIZE Course Syllabus Course Number: Course Title: Credits: Semester and Year: Time: Location: Office Hours: ANTH-215 Maya Archaeology of Belize 3 TBA TBA TBA TBA Instructor: Office hours: Office Location: Office Phone: Email address: Jaime Awe, Ph.D. TBA Main Building 501-824-3226 jaimeawe@yahoo.com GOALS OF THIS COURSE: The course is designed to provide students with instruction in archaeological excavation, laboratory methods, database management, and the prehistory of Belize. Students will participate in the excavation, surface collection, and mapping of Maya archaeological sites in the Cayo District of Belize as well as the analysis of artifactual and organic remains recovered from the sites. In addition to hands on training in field and laboratory methods, the course will include workshops on the analysis of pottery, stone tools, organic remains, and total station transit mapping. Through talks, readings, and site tours, students also will gain an understanding of the Maya archaeology of Belize. At the completion of this course, students should be able to: Excavate and map archaeological features such as rooms, hearths, and trash deposits Document archaeological excavations by filling out excavation and feature forms Process artifacts and other samples Conduct rudimentary analyses of stone tools and pottery Explain the types of information that can be gained from various different types of artifacts and organic remains Describe some of the ways that ethnicity, class, and economic relationships are manifested in archaeological remains Define the main cultural periods in Maya prehistory of Belize, and describe the major sociopolitical and economic developments that occurred in each period COURSE WORK The course will consist of fieldwork, lab work, workshops, talks, group discussions, and site tours. Guest speakers will present talks or workshops on a variety of topics. In addition to gaining hands on training in excavation techniques and laboratory analysis, through excavation, analysis, readings, and group discussions, we will examine how ethnicity, class, and economic relationships are manifested in archaeological remains. Students will also gain an understanding of the prehistory of Belize through site tours and talks. Tours of local archaeological sites include Xunantunich, Caracol, Cahal Pech, Baking Pot, Lamanai, and caves such as Actun Tunichil Muchal, Barton Creek and Che Chem Ha. READINGS Awe, Jaime, Maya Cities and Sacred Caves, Belize: Cubola Books, 2006 A reader consisting of a collection of articles on Maya archaeology of Belize will be available for purchase at the Reception Desk. Optional books: Norman Hammond, Ancient Maya Civilization, 1982, Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey. Jeremy Sabloff, The New Archaeology and the Ancient Maya, 1994, Scientific American Library P. A. B. Thompson, Belize: A Concise History, 2004. Oxford: MacMillan Publishers Archeological Investigations in the Eastern Maya Lowlands: Papers of the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Belize Archaeology Symposium, ed. Jaime Awe, John Morris and Sherilyne Jones, Institute of Archeology: Belmopan, Belize. Methods of Evaluation: Grades will be computed as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Class Attendance and Participation ……………………….. 10% 2 written exams @ 15% each..…………………………….. 30% Field Journal………………………………………………... 5% Oral presentation ………………………………………….. 10% Research paper ……………………………………………. 20% Final exam (cumulative)…………………………………... 25% Course Policies 1. Attendance and Punctuality: Students are expected to attend all classes and be on time. Excused or unexcused absence for more than 15% of the total classes will result in F for the course. 2. All assignments are expected on their due dates. Five points will be deducted per day (not per class) for late assignments. 3. Exam policy: Make up exams/quizzes will not be given. You may be allowed to take an exam/quiz early if you know in advance that you will be out of town. In the event that you miss a scheduled exam without notification and approval, a grade of zero will be entered. 4. There are no plans to curve grades in this course. Galen’s standard scale for grading will be used: A = 93-100; A- = 90-92; B+ = 87-89; B = 83-86; B-, 80-82; range is C+ = 77-79; C = 73-76; C- = 70-72; D+ = 67-69; D = 63-66; D- = 60-62; F = 0-69. 5. Gender neutral language in class and assignments: Galen University values the diversity of its student body, staff and faculty. As such, the university is committed to gender-neutral and bias-free language. We are all expected to support this policy in written materials and spoken contributions to class sessions. Intellectual Integrity Intellectual Integrity is one of the ideals for which Galen University stands. Students are expected to adhere to high standards of intellectual integrity and honesty. Cheating and plagiarism are contrary to the ideals of Galen University. Cheating is defined as dishonesty of any kind in connection with assignments and examinations. It applies to both giving and receiving unauthorized help. Plagiarism is defined as presenting the work of someone else as one’s own. Cheating and plagiarism include, but are not limited to, the following: · Using any unauthorized aids on an exam or test · Representing someone else’s work as your own · Falsifying documents or grades · Submitting someone else’s work as your own · Submitting the same essay or report in more than one course (without permission) · Looking at someone else’s answers during an examination or test · Impersonating another person at an examination or test or having someone impersonate you · Making up sources or facts for an essay or report Cheating and plagiarism will be treated as a disciplinary offence in addition to failure in that particular assignment or examination. (Taken from Galen University’s Academic Policies). Students are encouraged you to work with and collaborate with one another; however, any written work you hand in must be your own. Course Schedule 1. Introduction to course and other students 2. Maya Prehistory in Belize: An Introduction Awe, pp.7-16, 80-99, Reading Packet, Week 1 3. Maya Archaeology: Monumental sites Awe, pp.16-63, Reading Packet, Week 2 4. Maya Archaeology: Household sites Reading Packet, Week 3 5. Maya Archaeology: Caves Awe, pp. 64-79. Reading Packet, Week 4 6. Maya Archaeology: Pottery Reading Packet, Week 5 7. Maya Archaeology: Tools Reading Packet, Week 6 8. Maya Archaeology: Human remains, burials Reading Packet, Week 7 9. Maya Archaeology: Stalae, inscriptions and hieroglyphs Reading Packet, Week 8 10. The Maya in the 19th and 20th centuries Reading Packet, Week 9 11. Diversity among the Maya of Belize Reading Packet, Week 10 12. Introduction to Field Techniques 13. Fieldwork at various sites. Detailed lectures on different techniques will be given at the site and then students will have the opportunity to practice. 14. Field visits to Maya sites in Cayo District and Belize.