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ARP2005 - Sites and Artefacts

 


Ballyhornan Barn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module Content

This module has two main components:- Sites and Artefacts. The sites component deals with the development of the human landscape and built environment between the Neolithic and the nineteenth century. It considers the types of monuments that survive from the different periods and traces how the human settlement evolved. The course uses the barony of Lecale, Co. Down as the study area for this. Students will learn how to use a range of primary and secondary data for this purpose including fieldwork, maps, aerial photography, and primary and secondary documentary sources.

As for the artefacts component, this module provides an introduction to archaeological and scientific research methods appropriate to various types of artefact (lithics, pottery, metals, etc). It thus centres on the question of how to extract relevant information from archaeological artefacts, but some attention is also given to the question of how modern societies value artefacts and how artefacts are presented in a museum context. The practicals in particular will make use of the School’s Teaching Collection to provide hands-on experience, and it is expected that students will become familiar with a range of diagnostic artefacts of Irish archaeological sites.

Learning outcomes

  • An understanding of the main site location techniques of air photography, maps and documents.
  • An understanding of the evolution of the human landscape ad build environment between the Neolithic and the 19th century.
  • An understanding of the various types of artefact likely to be encountered on different sites, and knowledge of adequate on-site and post excavation treatment for different types of artefact.

Lecturers

Dr Finbar McCormick
Dr Dirk Brandherm

Skills taught

  • Recognition of the archaeological significance of material remains, observation and description of different classes of primary data, and the objective recording of their characteristics.
  • Problem evaluation, analysis and solving
  • Report writing and editing.

Assessment

Assessment will be based on two separate projects – each of which will account for 50% .

The sites project will consist of a chronological report on the development of the built environment in Lecale.

The second part will consist of a workbook on artefacts (50%)

There will be two fieldtrips.