CRN11786 ANTH 150 Introductory Archaeology FALL 2017

Days: Tuesdays & Thursdays Classroom: 2 Sill Hall Time: 12:30-13:45

Instructor: Dr. Bradley E. Ensor Office: 712H Pray Harrold Telephone: 734.487.0012 Email: bensor@emich.edu
Office Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 9:30-10:30, 14:00-15:00, Wed. 13:00-14:00, or by appointment (Dont use CANVAS to contact instructor)
Course Description
Archaeology is a subfield of anthropology that focuses on the human past; it is the major source of information for understanding human
prehistory. This course is a general introduction to the science of archaeology, to provide the student with an overview of a representative
range of subjects and an introduction to archaeological data, analysis, and interpretation. Major topics will include artifacts, chronology,
cultural and social systems, and human-environmental interaction. Students taking the course will learn the major theories and sources of
evidence upon which archaeologists base their claims and make their interpretations. Lectures and readings provide the course content.
This course satisfies a General Education requirement in Social Science: The course is designed as an introduction to the anthropological
subfield of archaeology. In addition to general social science methods, the student will learn about archaeological survey and excavation
techniques, the kinds of quantitative and qualitative data these produce, cross-cultural analyses, and social science theories that are tested
with archaeological data. The course covers a broad range of topics traditionally approached by archaeologists, which contribute to an
understanding of the human past and lessons for some of today's major global issues. In the process of learning about archaeology, students
also learn to appreciate how social sciences methods, in general, can produce knowledge and provide perspectives on social and political
organization, power relationships, social change, and contemporary global problems. Course assignments allow students to use general
social science techniques with archaeological data to address these topics.
Required Textbook
Renfrew, Colin and Paul Bahn (2012) Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice, 6rd Ed.. Thames & Hudson, London.

Course Objectives
To familiarize students with the history of paradigms in archaeological methods, theory, and data.
To provide an overview of field and laboratory methods in archaeology and how these are associated with theoretical paradigms and the
types of questions social scientists ask about the past.
To outline the major sources of archaeological data, the different kinds of qualitative and quantitative data, and the social science
techniques with which archaeologists use those data to base their interpretations on subsistence, social organization, social relations,
economies, social change, and on major contemporary issues.
To familiarize students with patterns associated with different social and political structures, different group formations, power relations,
and the development of state societies.
To make students aware of, and gain an appreciation for, competing values placed on sites and artifacts by different groups in society.
To promote an awareness of the importance of, and challenges to, preserving cultural resources.

Student Responsibilities
CELL PHONES, COMPUTERS, AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE NOT ALLOWED DURING CLASS.
Readings: Students are expected to complete the assigned readings for each day listed on the course schedule before coming to class.
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures. Lectures provide material not found in the readings along with important
additional information about the course. The instructor does not disseminate the powerpoint presentations. Do not rely on others notes:
individuals differ in note-taking, may omit or misunderstand something, and one students notes may not express the information and
essential points adequately to another. For these reasons, students who miss lectures or over-rely on others typically do poorly on exams.
Exams: There are three exams, each worth 100 points. Exam material will be derived from lectures and readings. Exam questions include
multiple choice, questions requiring short paragraph answers (4-6 sentences), and other types of questions.
Course Information: The syllabus, study guides, and other information will be provided by the instructor (posted on CANVAS, see
instructions below) to assist your individual learning. These are exclusively for the use of students enrolled in the course and are not to be
distributed more broadly by any means or posted on websites. Treat all course information as copyrighted material. Do not use CANVAS
for communicating with the instructor.
Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is representing another's work as one's own, active complicity in such falsification, or
violating test conditions. Plagiarism is stealing and passing off the ideas and words of another as one's own, or using the work of another
without crediting the source. The sanctions for these offenses are serious: a zero score will be assigned and the student will be reported
to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, which can result in suspension or dismissal from EMU. All students must abide
by the code of student conduct: https://www.emich.edu/policies/policy.php?id=124
Student Conduct: This is a university course and students are expected to behave as such. The classroom environment should facilitate
a productive learning environment for all. Be considerate to other students. TURN OFF and STOWE AWAY cell phones and do not have
conversations. Five points will be deducted from your Final Course Score if you use cell phones or other electronic devices in the
classroom. Serious disruptions to the class or to an individual (including any form of harassment) will not be tolerated and will be reported
to DPS and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. All students must abide by the code of student conduct:
https://www.emich.edu/policies/policy.php?id=124
Withdrawals: Protect your GPA! If withdrawing from the course, the student is responsible to be officially withdrawn through the
Registrar. Failure to officially withdraw typically results in a failing grade due to zero scores.
Disability Accommodations: Students with EMU letters of accommodation must see the instructor at the beginning of the semester.
 Grading Standards
Final Grade: The final course grade is based on the average of the three exam scores. Letter grades are assigned as follows:
A = 90-100 B+ = 85-89 C+ = 75-79 D+ = 65-69 F = 0-59
B = 80-84 C = 70-74 D = 60-64

Makeup Exams: Makeup exams will not be given without a documented legal and/or medical reason presented to the instructor.
Incompletes: Incompletes will not be given without a documented legal and/or medical reason presented to the instructor. Additionally,
the student must have a C average in the course at the time of the request to obtain an incomplete.

Course Schedule and Outline

Date Subject Textbook Ch.
Thurs, 7 Sep Introduction and Overview
Tues, 12 Sep Material Culture & Archaeological Sites Intro & 2
Thurs, 14 Sep Ancient Technologies 8
Tues, 19 Sep Overview of World Prehistory I
Thurs, 21 Sep Overview of World Prehistory II
Tues, 26 Sep History of Archaeological Theory I 1
Thurs, 28 Sep History of Archaeological Theory II 12
Tues, 3 Oct History of Archaeological Theory III
Thurs, 5 Oct ***EXAM 1***
Tues, 10 Oct Reconnaissance Survey: locating sites 3
Thurs, 12 Oct Site survey & subsurface detection
Tues, 17 Oct Excavation: recovering & documenting buried material culture
Thurs, 19 Oct Chronology & Dating techniques 4
Tues, 24 Oct Subsistence Data & Analyses: paleobotany & zooarchaeology 7
Thurs, 26 Oct Subsistence Data & Analyses: seasonality
Tues, 31 Oct Human & Environmental interaction 6
Thurs, 2 Nov ***EXAM 2***
Tues, 7 Nov Social Organization: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, & states 5
Thurs, 9 Nov Social Organization: states & kin groups
Tues, 14 Nov Social Organization: ethnicity & gender
Thurs, 16 Nov Exchange & Interaction 9
Tues, 21 Nov Symbol & Ideology 10
Thurs, 23 Nov NO CLASS MEETINGS: THANKSGIVING BREAK
Tues, 28 Nov Bioarchaeology 11
Thurs, 30 Nov Cultural Resource Management 15
Tues, 5 Dec Who Owns the Past? Competing values of material culture 14
Thurs, 7 Dec Careers & Being an Archaeologist 16
Tues, 12 Dec TBA: Backup day for cancelled classes/schedule changes 13
Thurs, 14 Dec NO CLASS MEETING: FINAL EXAMS BEGIN
Tues, 19 Dec ***EXAM 3*** 11:30-13:00

CANVAS. To access study guides, your exam scores, and other course information:
1. Go to https://canvas.emich.edu and login using your emich username and password
2. Select Courses and Groups
3. Select this course under My Courses
4. Select Modules. There, you will find the syllabus, additional readings, and other course information to download and print.