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ARCH20600

Academic Year 2024/2025

Archaeological Science (ARCH20600)

Subject:
Archaeology
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Archaeology
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Meriel McClatchie
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Archaeology is a subject that makes use of techniques and approaches from many other disciplines. In recent years, developments in Science have opened up exciting possibilities and allowed us to approach questions that even a few years ago would have seemed impossible. As an archaeologist, understanding and applying these approaches is an increasingly important part of the discipline. Archaeological Science is a wide topic that would be impossible to cover in all of its details in a single 5-credit module. Consequently, the module provides a broad overview of approaches and a more detailed look at how some of these are applied through targeted case studies and themes. These are chosen to show the way in which scientific methods and thinking can add to our understanding of the past. Even if you have no scientific background, you will learn how to appreciate a scientific way of thinking and how it applies to archaeology. The module will also help you to confidently read and critique publications and media that rely on scientific research.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

- Develop a critical understanding of the role of archaeological science
- Appreciate what it means to think scientifically
- Gain a critical understanding of the application of scientific techniques within the context of archaeology and heritage
- Gain a practical understanding of how some scientific methods are applied to archaeological problems
- Be able to confidently read archaeological science publications and understand the implications of the research

Indicative Module Content:

What is archaeological science?
Anatomy of a scientific paper
Archaeobotany
Human remains
Dental calculus
Geoarchaeology & Soil science
Organic residue analysis

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

11
Specified Learning Activities

33
Autonomous Student Learning

45
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Teaching and Learning:
This module uses a combination of online materials, case studies and class-based sessions.

Assessments:
You may choose to use generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) to find, learn about and understand suitable resources (i.e. for background research). You must avoid AI for writing of assessments.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Individual Project: Project: Illustrated review (1000 words) Week 7 Graded No
30
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay: Critical review of the application of a scientific technique to an archaeological problem (2500 words) Week 15 Graded No
70
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Project: written feedback within 4 weeks after submission deadline. Essay: written feedback within 4 weeks after submission deadline. The initial project will help you develop your ideas, and feedback from the project is intended to help you construct your final essay. Feedback contains feed-forward details, which will help you think about how you would improve your approach in future assignments.

This list provides some sources that may be useful now or in the future. Some are papers and others are reference works. Reference works are intended to be used selectively in conjunction with your case-study readings and work that you might choose to do for your assessments.

Pollard, A. M., Armitage, R. A. & Makarewicz, C. 2023. Handbook of Archaeological Sciences (2nd edition), New York, Wiley. Available in UCD Library

Richards, M. & Britton, K. (eds.) 2020. Archaeological Science: An Introduction, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available online in UCD Library

Campbell, G., Moffett, L. & Straker, V. 2011. Environmental Archaeology: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Methods, from Sampling and Recovery to Post-excavation (second edition), Swindon, Historic England. Available online. https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/archaeological-science/environmental-archaeology/.

Historic England. 2017. Organic Residue Analysis and Archaeology: Supporting Information. Historic England. Available Online

Henderson, J. 2000. The science and archaeology of materials: an investigation of inorganic materials, London, Routledge. Available in UCD Library

Hurcombe, L. M. 2014. Perishable Material Culture in Prehistory: Investigating the Missing Majority, London, Routledge. Available in UCD Library

Johnson, M. 2010. Archaeological Theory - An Introduction, Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell. (2nd Edition). Available in UCD Library

Killick, D. 2015. The awkward adolescence of archaeological science. Journal of Archaeological Science, 56, 242-247. Available online in UCD library.

Martinon-Torres, M. & Killick, D. 2016. Archaeological Theories and Archaeological Sciences. In: Gardner, A., Lake, M. & Sommer, U. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Theory. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Seek and you will find.

Malainey, M. E. 2011. A Consumer's Guide to Archaeological Science: Analytical Techniques, New York, Springer. Available online in UCD Library.

Murphy, E. M. Whitehouse, N. J. 2007. Environmental Archaeology in Ireland. Oxford, Oxbow Books. Available in UCD library.

Pollard, M. A. & Heron, C. 2008. Archaeological Chemistry, London, Royal Society of Chemistry. Available online in UCD Library

Smith, M. E. 2015. How Can Archaeologists Make Better Arguments? The SAA Archaeological Record, September, 18-23. Available at http://onlinedigeditions.com/publication/?i=272889&article_id=2270628&view=articleBrowser&ver=html5.

Torrence, R., Martinón-Torres, M. & Rehren, T. 2015. Forty years and still growing: Journal of Archaeological Science looks to the future. Journal of Archaeological Science, 56, 1-8. Available online in UCD library.

Name Role
Dr Jess Beck Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Helen Lewis Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Meriel McClatchie Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Robert Power Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Jessica Smyth Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
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