CCOG for ATH 102 archive revision 202701
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- Effective Term:
- Winter 2027
- Course Number:
- ATH 102
- Course Title:
- Introduction to Archaeology
- Credit Hours:
- 4
- Lecture Hours:
- 40
- Lecture/Lab Hours:
- 0
- Lab Hours:
- 0
Course Description
Addendum to Course Description
[remove existing addendum/leave blank]
Intended Outcomes for the course
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
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Explain the ways archaeologists conduct research and work, including collecting and interpreting physical evidence such as lithics, structures and organic materials, collaborating with local communities, and mitigating harm to archaeological and heritage sites.
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Describe professional responsibilities, and the ethics of managing heritage including archaeology's early contributions to colonial projects, Indigenous rights, national interests, public responsibilities, and cultural representation.
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Discuss using anthropological, archaeological, and culturally relative language to discuss archaeology’s history, purpose, practices, interests, and overall contributions to the understanding of human social development and the adaptive nature of culture, and the critical importance of evidence-based reasoning.
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Examine legal frameworks in historic and contemporary contexts to understand dynamic socio-cultural change, economic, and political forces that influence archaeological decision making, and contemporary archaeological practices.
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Apply archaeological methods and theoretical frameworks to practice gathering data, testing assumptions, and making informed decisions about archeological evidence, culturally important places and belongings, and lifeways.
Social Inquiry and Analysis
Students completing an associate degree at Portland Community College will be able to apply methods of inquiry and analysis to examine social contexts and the diversity of human thought and experience.
General education philosophy statement
Archaeology focuses on the scientific study of past human behavior and lifeways through the examiniation of archaeological evidence, culturally signficant places and belongings. This course provides an introduction to archaeology, one of four anthropology subfields, and includes a history of archaeology as a multidisciplinary scientific field, traditional and contemporary practices and aspirations, ethics, professional responsibilities and legislation, public education and responsibilities, and Indigenous and local community collaboration.
The course covers the archaeology of diverse cultures and societies around the world and examines human relationships with the natural world (cultural ecology), the use of space and settlement patterns, the formation of diverse social systems, cultural institutions and norms, systems of influence and power, and how factors such as colonialism/settler colonialism, master narratives, intensive social stratification, patriarchy, and racism impacted and changed cultures in the past. The legacy of those impacts and changes are explored to create a longitudinal understanding of culture formation and change.
The course also considers ethical issues like looting and other forms of destruction to archaeological evidence and sites, the discovery and management of human remains, parachute archaeology, and pseudoarchaeology.
In sum, the curriculum will provide students with foundational knowledge content and practice opportunities that build important competencies like evidence-based critical analysis, validity testing, cultural sensitivity and humility, stakeholder engagement, and holistic thinking. The course, therefore, “speaks” to all parts of PCC’s Philosphy Statement.
Aspirational Goals
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Explain the scope of archaeological inquiry across deep time and diverse cultures, and relate to anthropological subfields (biological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology).
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Interpret humans’ environmental and cultural adaptations.
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Recognize and explain the consequences of human activity upon our social and natural world.
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Creatively solve archaeological problems by using relevant methods of research, personal reflection, reasoning, and evaluation of information.
Course Activities and Design
Course activities may include any of the following:
- lectures
- interactive slide decks
- podcasts
- film viewing
- presentations
- guest speakers
- discussions/Hypothes.is
- interviewing, surveys and questionnaires
- process journals
- field practice and projects
- community based learning
Outcome Assessment Strategies
Assessment strategies may include any of the following:
- lived experiences
- knowledge content reflection
- comparative analysis
- practice and applied activities, research, and projects
- community collaboration and partnering
Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)
Themes:
- Physical and Cultural Evolution and Development
- Stratigraphy and geoarchaeology
- Material Culture and Cultural Belongings
- Conceptualizing the past from two perspectives: culturally and legally
- Cross-cultural Analysis and Comparison
- Early Systems of Power and Privilege
- Race, Gender and other identity characteristics
- Polyvocality, Pluralism
Issues:
- Cultural Evolution, Change
- Cultural Diffusion and Assimilation
- Cultural Stratification and Marginalization
- Cultural History and Historical Particularism
- Cultural Ecology and Settlement Patterns/Use of Space
- Ownership vs. stewardship of The Past
- Public Interest and Responsibilities
Concepts:
- Time
- The Past, culturally and legislatively
- Ethics and Professional Responsibilities
- Cultural Evolution
- Cultural Ecology
- Surveying
- Excavation
- Mapping
- Analysis
- Theory and Interpretive Frameworks
- Working with community partners
Skills:
- read and write at the college level