This unit introduces the discipline of Archaeology and the study of the human past through material remains. It traces the evolution of humans and human behaviours, the archaeology of gatherer-hunters, and investigates the emergence of farming through a review of a range of key themes and regional studies while also presenting many of the basic concepts used in archaeological research and interpretation. The unit acts as a foundation for the continuing study of archaeology.

This unit is an introduction to the great civilisations of the old world in North Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean from ca. 3000 BC-AD 300. We will explore the major achievements and characteristics of these rich cultures, as well as the fascinating interplay between them. To understand ways in which archaeologists read the past, students will study and examine ancient material evidence from some of these civilisations.

This unit is an essential introduction to the basic principles and skills involved in archaeological fieldwork. A special focus is on the practical aspects of archaeological research design, including sampling and survey strategies. The unit includes lectures and on-campus training in core survey techniques, including site descriptions and field-plans, tape and compass site recording and surveys using dumpy-level. The ethical and legal aspects of archaeological field investigations will also be considered.

The Levant formed a physical and cultural bridge between the ancient centres of civilisation in Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was also a land of farmers, traders and craftsmen who flourished on supplying their resource-poor neighbours. The unit of study examines the rich archaeological record of these fascinating lands from the first farming villages to the kingdoms of the Iron Age.

Australia has been occupied by people for at least 50,000 years. During that period geographically varied cultural systems changed frequently, adjusting to the altered economic and social circumstances. By using archaeological, historical, climate and biological evidence we can understand aspects of these ancient societies, such as how their economies operated, and how people perceived their society and environment. This course traces the long history of humans in this continent, a surprising, remarkable story of culture change!

Every part of life today is touched by digital methods, not least Archaeology and other historical disciplines. This unit reviews the ways in which digital methods and global connectivity are changing the practice of historical disciplines. Practical sessions will give students the opportunity to develop skills in basic data management (recording systems, bibliographies, databases), creating and manipulating images (digital photographs, maps and diagrams) and dissemination on the web (web sites, blogs, wikis and social systems).

This unit of study provides an introduction to the wide sweep of cultures that have shaped western and central Asia. Using archaeological evidence, students will learn about the development of agriculture, the first cities, the earliest forms of writing, and how civilisations developed in rich and varied ways across the ancient world. Material is based within a broad chronological framework, beginning with the growth of the first farming villages and going on to explore the rise of kingdoms and empires.

Ancient Egypt had complex links with her neighbours. Warfare, diplomacy and trade formed the building blocks on which the Pharaohs founded their historical legacy. A rich heritage of archaeological evidence enables us to reconstruct this world of prestige, glory and intrigue. This unit explores the cycle of trade and conquest between Egypt and her North African neighbours, relations with the Levant, and the delicate balance of power between Egypt and her powerful northern rivals, Mesopotamia and Anatolia.

Archaeological research since the 19th century discovery and excavation of Knossos and Mycenae continues to expand our understanding about the rich prehistoric cultures of Greece but dimly remembered in later times. Recent shift of attention from palace centres to the economic, social and religious life of the ordinary person is aided by such discoveries as the Cycladic town at Akrotiri. The three main cultures of Bronze Age Greece (ca. 3000-1100 BC) are explored with focus on their characteristic features.

The archaeology of Greek urban settlement encompasses the range from early Iron Age villages through the complex planned cities of the Hellenistic and Roman eras. Such themes as house design and interior, evidence for the religious life of the polis, streets, evolution of public architecture, and the extent to which social structure can be deduced from archaeological remains, are addressed.

Between 1050 and 146 BC the Aegean world underwent radical transformation. The changes which took place not only affected all aspects of ancient Greek society, but also established the foundations on which modern western civilization would later build. This unit traces the history and development of the Greek world as evidenced by the surviving material culture of the first millennium BC. The unit also examines the resonances of the ancient Aegean still evident in contemporary Australia.

"Athenian art and architecture are examined within their topographical and socio-political context. The chronological focus of study is the Archaic and Classical periods, a time of great and dynamic cultural and socio-political change. Lectures are complemented by regular ""hands-on"" tutorials in the Nicholson Museum."

Ancient South Italy existed at a vital crossroads between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. From the arrival of the earliest settled farmers in the 7th millennium BC to its conquest by the Romans, the region experienced repeated waves of migrants, visitors, colonists and conquerors, and developed a distinctive and vibrant culture as a result. The Unit will begin its survey in the Neolithic period, but concentrate especially on the Greek/Italian colonial interactions of the first millennium BC.

From earliest times China developed a complex civilization with a rich heritage of material culture. This unit of study will explore this ancient society through the lens of archaeological inquiry from its earliest origins along the Yellow River to the time of the great Han Empire when the Silk Roads linked China with Greece and Rome.

Field collection and analysis of archaeological data forms the core of archaeological practice. This unit will allow advanced students to undertake intensive training in field and/or laboratory investigations. This will foster an understanding of the links between research design, field and laboratory practice, as well archaeological interpretation and the ethical responsibilities of professional archaeology. In 2014 it will be run on-site in Tasmania, focusing on the analysis of artefacts from the Port Arthur convict site.

This unit of study provides an introduction to ancient Near Eastern art pertaining to the ancient civilizations of the Middle East (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan). Emphasis is placed on understanding the notion of art as applied to the archaeological and cultural context of ancient non-western cultures and in gathering basic skills necessary for artistic analysis (iconography and style) and interpretations. Material studied will include monumental and domestic architecture, ceramics, metal-work, glyptic, and literary arts.

The unit provides an introduction to the development of agrarian-based urbanism worldwide from the 1st millennium BCE and the transition to industrial-based urbanism from the mid 19th century in the European world . An integrated global approach is applied to understanding the operation of cities and the differing constraints on the growth of compact and dispersed urban settlements.The unit of study concludes with an analysis of the implications for contemporary urban life.

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 and the sudden burial of Pompeii and Herculaneum created a unique opportunity for archaeologists and historians to study an ancient city and its inhabitants. This unit will explore how the material record of these cities can be used to reconstruct the lives of ancient Romans, collectively and individually. A broader context will be provided by other sites in the important region of Campania, especially the smaller, rural settlements buried by the volcano.

Historical Archaeology is the archaeological study of the emergence of the modern world. Contemporary Archaeology focuses more specifically on the archaeology of the very recent past from WWII to the present-day. Students will explore the theoretical, thematic and methodological approaches to these archaeologies of the recent past, as well as the ethical issues these studies raise, through examples as diverse as the material culture of 19th century class, gender and ethnicity, the Cold War, graffiti, modern ruins and industrial complexes.

The trade networks of the ancient Silk Roads stretched from the western borders of China to the shores of the Mediterranean, passing through the deserts of Central Asia. This unit explores the archaeology of these remote and little-known regions from the first rich Bronze Age cultures of the steppes and oases through the Greek invasion under Alexander to the rise of great empires and the full flourishing of trade from China to Rome.

The unit provides an introduction to mobile communities including hunter-gatherers and pastoralists and the transition to sedentary community life over the past 10,000 years. An integrated global approach is applied to understanding the way mobile communities function and the material basis of the development of sedentary societies. The unit of study concludes with an analysis of the biological and social implications of sedentism.

During pre-history humans colonized every landmass other than Antarctica. Archaeological and genetic evidence shows multiple expansions of hominids out of Africa over the last two million years, with humans spreading across the globe in the final migration lasting more than 100,000 years. This dispersion is the foundation of modern physical and cultural variation and is a significant process in studies of human evolution. In this unit the evidences for and consequences of out-of-Africa dispersals are examined.

Archaeology and archaeologists are disproportionately well represented in big budget films. From Karl Freund to Steven Spielberg movie-makers have explored archaeology on screen. In this unit we examine ideas of archaeology and the ancient past presented in popular film culture. Through lectures that include film screenings, commentary and close-analysis we explicate the nature of filmic representations of archaeology/archaeologists and by implication the nature of film narratives of and concepts about archaeology within popular culture.

The production of stone artefacts, lithic technology, is the oldest cultural residue and a key evidence for Palaeolithic cultural evolution. The unit introduces the technology, and describes methods and theories behind its archaeological analysis and interpretation. Students will develop skills in the identification, classification and explanation of archaeological artefacts; expertise which is valuable in consultancy and research archaeology worldwide. These understandings are developed through conventional lectures, instructional film, laboratory study of archaeological specimens, and a program of student experiments.

This subject gives an introduction to some of the major principles and practices in archaeological research and interpretation. Topics will include archaeological research design, site formation processes, dating techniques and the basic principles behind archaeological laboratory processes and the classification and analysis of artefacts. It will also examine the quantification and interpretation of archaeological data and some of the ethical, legal and practical aspects of archaeological research.

No longer the dominant form of society, for most of human history people were hunter-gatherers. This unit examines archaeological evidence for long-term hunter-gatherer economic activity from early hominins in Africa several million years ago to recent populations across a number of regions. As hunter-gatherers encompassed diverse economic systems, this unit will address several major themes, such as human-environment interactions, settlement, subsistence and technology. Theoretical and frameworks will be considered, incorporating key Australian and international case studies.

This unit provides an overview of key aspects of zooarchaeology, integrating theoretical and methodological issues in the analysis and interpretation of vertebrate and invertebrate fauna. The topics covered will include prominent theoretical frameworks, faunal identification, research design, data recording and methods of quantification, taphonomy, and the analyses and interpretation of zooarchaeological data. These topics will be illustrated with reference to Australian Archaeological and international case studies, direct examination and analyses of Australian faunal remains and data sets.

An advanced seminar for students who wish to develop their research, analytical, writing and presentation skills by investigating a key area of contemporary archaeological research. Specific topics will vary from year to year with primary emphasis on Australasian archaeology (Asia, Australia, and the Pacific) placed in global perspective and/or current issues in archaeological theory, method and practice relevant to staff research projects (e.g. history and philosophy of archaeology, spatial analysis, digital methods, public archaeology and heritage studies, historical archaeology, archaeozoology, archaeologies of colonialism).

The interaction between cultures within the ancient Mediterranean and West Asia is explored against the background of reception theory and utilizing a range of approaches. Through focused study of specific artefact classes and regions, students engage in the practical application of archaeological evidence to address issues of interculturation.

Images have the capacity to both reflect and shape human society. This unit examines the value and use of images in the archaeological context, focusing particularly on the challenges of viewing and interpreting imagery created by cultures removed from our own in time and space. Students will learn the skills necessary to employ iconographical analysis as a tool that can enrich and enlighten our understanding of the experience and cognition of bygone societies.

Honours is an intensive year-long program of advanced study based around research. Honours is undertaken after successful completion of a Bachelor degree and where the overall mark is a minimum credit average (70%). Entry into Honours is selective and work at this level is challenging. Honours is available in most subjects areas taught in the Faculty, and which are listed under Tables A and B in the Handbook. Students will complete a thesis and coursework seminars throughout the year. For further information contact the Honours Coordinator in the department or consult the Handbook entry for the relevant subject area.

Refer to ARCA4011

Refer to ARCA4011

Refer to ARCA4011

This unit offers the student an introduction to the rich cultures of ancient Egypt, examining the rise of complex society in Egypt and the development, floruit and regional impact of the Egyptian state. It will explore Egyptian art, architecture, material culture, religion, kinship and attitudes to death and burial through examination of archaeological, textual and iconographic evidence.

This unit will examine the archaeology and early history of Mesopotamia, focussing on: climate and the evolution of landforms; evidence for early settlement; subsistence and natural resources; production; kinship; religion; mortuary practices; writing; and contact with adjacent peoples, particularly concentrating on Iran, the Gulf, and the Indus Valley.