ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
To be Taught Spring 2005, UF
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University of Florida, Spring Semester 2004
Tuesday (9 – 12:00)
Classroom Bldg 105, Rm 324
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| COURSE DESCRIPTION |
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Environmental archaeology is the study of past human interactions
with the natural world—a world which encompasses plants,
animals, and landscape. We will spend the first half of the
semester examining the methods we use to reconstruct this
complex ancient relationship through lectures, hands-on labs,
and class discussions. In the second half of the course you
will have the opportunity to use the methods you have learned
to participate in an on-going ecological and archaeological
investigation. We will use zooarchaeological, archaeobotanical,
and geoarchaeological materials to reconstruct the ancient
environment of the Maya site of Motul de San Jose, Guatemala.
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| COURSE REQUIREMENTS |
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| Readings: |
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There is no text for this course, and all the required readings
for lectures and labs will be available in the Environmental
Archaeology Class Pak. Case studies for both presentations and
discussions will be made available as necessary through the
semester. |
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| Presentations (20%): |
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Environmental Archaeology provides us with a wide range of
intriguing complexities and controversies—information
about which is only available in the current literature of the
last few years. To allow us access to these resources, each
of you will be responsible for presenting a review and summary
of one or more current articles associated with the lecture
and reading material. These presentations are short (10-15 minutes)
and form the basis for class discussion. |
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| Quizzes (30%): |
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We will have a series of short quizzes (1/2 hour in length)
at the end of each topic to evaluate your understanding of the
important features presented in lectures, labs, and discussions.
These quizzes will include multiple choice and short answer
questions and will be worth 10% of your final grade each. There
will be no make-up exam times. |
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| Annotated bibliography (35%): |
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The final research project will be an annotated bibliography
on a topic of your choice (with my prior approval). An annotated
bibliography is a detailed analysis of a range of current articles,
book chapters, and archaeological field reports and monographs
all centered on a single theme or controversy. The bibliography
must be extensive and it must adequately cover the topic chosen. |
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| Participation (15%): |
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This is a highly interactive class that incorporates both
hands-on experience and class discussions. Your attendance and
enthusiastic participation is essential. You are expected to
attend every class, to do all assigned readings before each
class, and to participate in all activities. |
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| COURSE SCHEDULE |
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Environmental Archaeology classes will meet only
once a week - this format will allow us plenty of time for lab
exercises and discussions of case studies and controversies
in the use of environmental archaeology. For each topic we cover
in the first section we will examine the subject using three
formats—lectures and demonstrations, lab exercises, and
analysis of a variety of case studies. By the time we reach
the second section (week 12) you will be well versed in the
evaluation of our methods and will be ready to apply your new
knowledge in the analysis of environmental remains from an on-going
archaeological investigation. There is no schedule set up
for the final segment of our course — we will be involved
in the chemical and zooarchaeological analysis of remains
from the Maya site of Motul de San Jose, Guatemala, and as
with all research projects, flexibility must be the rule!
Stay tuned... |
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| HOW DO WE USE THE METHODS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
ARCHAEOLOGY? |
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| Weeks 1-2 |
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Introducing Environmental Archaeology |
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Background: |
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Reitz, E.J. et al. Issues in environmental archaeology
Renfrew and Bahn. What was the environment?
Renfrew and Bahn. What did they eat? |
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Case Study: |
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Kemp, B.J. et al. Food for an Egyptian city: Tell el-Amarna |
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| Weeks 3-4 |
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Zooarchaeology: Animals in Culture and Environment |
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Background: |
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Rackham, J. What can a bone tell us?
Sutton, M.Q. and B.S. Arkush. Analysis of animal remains. |
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Lab: |
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Rice, P. Environmental reconstruction: paleofauna. |
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Case Studies: |
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Flannery, K.V. and J.C. Wheeler. Comparing microfauna.
Cooke, R.G. Preliminary observations on vertebrate food avoidance |
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| Weeks 5-6, 8 |
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Archaeobotany: The Ancient World of Plants |
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QUIZ: |
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ZOOARCHAEOLOGY |
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Background: |
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Pearsall, D.M. The paleoethnobotanical approach. pp. 1-9+439-459.
Sutton, M.Q. and B.S. Arkush. Analysis of plant remains.
Herz, N. and Garrison, E.G. Dendrochronology |
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Lab: |
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Rice, P. Differential recovery techniques
Rice, P. Reconstructing paleodiets.
Rice, P. Dendrochronology |
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Case Studies: |
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Lentz, D.L. Maya diets of the rich and poor
Fagan, B. The ancient ones (Anasazi)
Starna, W.A. and Kane, D.A. Phytoliths, archaeology (New York) |
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| Weeks 9-11 |
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Geoarchaeology: Landscapes and Soil Chemistry |
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QUIZ: |
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ARCHAEOBOTANY |
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Background: |
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Herz, N. and E.G. Garrison. The Scope of Archaeological Geology
Bevan, B. Remote sensing of gardens and fields
Miller, N.F. and Gleason, K.L. Fertilizer in cultivated soil |
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Lab: |
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Rice, P. Environmental reconstruction: paleosediment and paleosoil.
Emery, K. Soil chemistry instructions |
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Case Study: |
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Stone, E.C. and Zimansky, P. The tapestry of power (Mesopotamia)
Fagan, B. The classic Maya collapse
Manzanilla, L. and Barba, L. The study of activities in households |
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| APPLYING METHODS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
AT MOTUL DE SAN JOSE |
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| Week 12 |
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Introducing Motul de San Jose |
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QUIZ: |
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GEOARCHAEOLOGY |
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raised field use in ancient Mesoamerica and Peru |
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failure in application of chinampas in Mexico; success in
application of raised beds in Peru |
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Dry lands and Water Management: Water is, and
always was, freely available to rich and poor. |
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possibilities and dangers of irrigation |
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irrigation, complex management, and Mesopotamia |
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water control in the ancient Maya world (northern and southern
lowlands) |
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| Week 13: |
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Reconstructing Motul Animal Use |
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| Week 14: |
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Reconstructing Motul Agricultural Production |
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| Weeks 15: |
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Reconstructing Motul Household Patterns of Animal
and Plant Use |
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| Week 16: |
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FINAL PROJECTS DUE |
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