Explore UCD

UCD Home >

ARCH30500

Academic Year 2024/2025

Experiment Archaeology & Ancient Technologies (ARCH30500)

Subject:
Archaeology
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Archaeology
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Brendan O'Neill
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Using traditional and social scientific approaches, experimental archaeology investigates how people in the past built and occupied houses, managed and interacted with their landscapes, made objects using sophisticated knowledge of materials and how natural processes have impacted archaeological remains. It also enables us to reflect on past materialities through practical engagement with ancient technologies, which provides us embodied experiences of raw materials, processes and technologies not normally used today. For archaeologists interested in material culture, this module allows us to directly explore how archaeology truly is the “discipline of things”.

This module introduces you to experimental archaeology and ancient technologies, through a field school held in the week immediately prior to Week 1 (Autumn Trimester) at the UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture, at Roebuck, on the University College Dublin campus. You will participate in a range of practical experiments on houses, stone/flint, pottery, organics, food. You should attend in suitable clothing (boots, rain gear, etc) and bring their own supply of drinking water. You should also bring writing materials (pencil, notebook) and a camera. The module will be primarily assessed by means of a reflective learning journal and a project, whereby you make something and think about it in relation to archaeological evidence. Seminars during trimester will help you design, carry out, and report on your project.

NB: The main practical component of this module is taught over a week long field school in the week immediately before the beginning of the Autumn Trimester. Correspondingly, you will need to plan to be on campus and available over this week. If you have speicifc orientation sessions that you wish to attend during this time please contact the Module Coordinator (brendan.oneill@ucd.ie) and arrangments can be made.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, you will be able to

1. Understand the basics of a range of ancient technologies.
2. Have an advanced understanding of at least one ancient technology.
3. Understand how experimental archaeology has been applied to addressing archaeological research questions.
4. Demonstrate awareness of project design, research questions, recording methods and reflection on results.
5. Work successfully in teams as part of collaborative tasks.

Indicative Module Content:

This module introduces students to experimental archaeology and ancient technologies through a field school to be held in the week immediately before Autumn at the UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture, at Roebuck, on the University College Dublin campus (see red line on map below). Students will participate in a range of practical classes looking at temporary shelter construction, stone working, pottery, “hot technologies” (fire, kiln production, bronze casting), food and other crafts. Please be advised that students should attend in suitable clothing (boots, rain gear, etc.) and bring drinking water each day. You should also bring writing materials (biro, pencil, notebook, etc.) and a camera.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

40
Autonomous Student Learning

30
Practical

40
Total

110

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The main teaching and learning approaches of this module are

- Active learning
- Experiential learning
- Class based lectures/seminars
- Practical materials engagement

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
Assignment(Including Essay): Write a learning journal using this title -“How can experimental archaeology best enable us to gain a better understanding of people’s lives and the things they made, used and discarded in the past?” Week 3 Graded No
40
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay - Choose an archaeological material/artefact/technology (list below) and combined with additional reading, run a small project reflecting on it from the point of view of production or use. Week 12 Graded No
60
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

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

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

You will receive mandatory one-to-one feedback with the module coordinator after your first assessment. This will help guide you towards making improvements for your second assessment and will be targeted specifically at structure, formatting and writing style. Feedback for your second assessment is optional, but highly recommended, and will focus on project design, expression and content.

Name Role
Ms Angela McAteer Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Barry Molloy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Brendan O'Neill Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Aidan O'Sullivan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Anita Radini Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Brendan O'Neill Tutor
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.