ANTHROPOLOGY
481
ARCHAEOMETRY:
SCIENTIFIC
APPLICATIONS IN ARCHAEOLOGY
SPRING SEMESTER 2008
M/W 3:00-4:15; Room
276 EKH; 3 semester hours
INSTRUCTOR: Peter Mills;
264 EKH; Email: millspAThawaii.edu
Phone 974-7465; Office Hours: T/TH
2:00-4:30
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will
provide students with the opportunity to have some hands-on experience in
various scientific applications used to analyze archaeological material. The course is relevant to archaeology
students who want to be exposed to a variety of other scientific disciplines in
a single course, and to science majors who want to explore some of the applications
of their skills in the field of archaeology. We will cover aspects of physical geography, geology,
biology, physics, and chemistry, and we will visit various labs on campus in
the process.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:
(Rip) Rapp, George, and Chris Hill
2006 Geoarchaeology: The Earth Science
Approach to
Archaeological
Interpretation. Second
edition. Yale University Press.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Grades will be based upon six quizzes scheduled throughout the semester
(60%), attendance (10%), and a final (30%), but no term papers. The final exam will be a mix of multiple
choice, short essay, and material identification based upon materials presented
throughout the class. The required textbook deals mostly with the application
of physical sciences to archaeology.
Some additional reading assignments will be given dealing with
zooarchaeology, and archaeobotany. The
strong laboratory focus means that there is no way that you will be able to
miss class sessions and do well in this course. The principal source of exam
questions will be the material analyzed in class, and concepts discussed in the
orientation lectures to various subjects. I encourage you to ask questions at
any time and participate in group discussions.
STUDENTS WITH
DOCUMENTED DISABILITIES:
Any student with a documented disability who would like to request accommodations should contact the University Disability Services Office- Hale Kauanoe A Wing Lounge, 933-0816 (V), 933-3334 (TTY), uds@hawaii.edu - as early in the semester as possible.
COURSE SCHEDULE
GEOARCHAEOLOGY (above the bedrock)
Read Chapters 1-4, 9 and 10
M Jan. 14-
Introduction to Archaeometry, begin discussion of Sediments and Soils
W-Jan. 16- Analysis
of Sediments and Soils
M Jan 21 MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
W Jan. 23-
Introduction to Geomorphology
M Jan. 28--
Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction
W Jan. 30-- Geoarchaeology
Quiz
ZOOARCHAEOLOGY (Read Chapter 6, pp 176-183)
M. Feb. 4-
Terrestrial Faunal Analysis
W Feb. 6-
Terrestrial Faunal Analysis Continued
M Feb. 11- Marine
Shell Analysis
W Feb. 13- Fish Bone
Analysis
M Feb. 18 PRESIDENDT’S
DAY
W Feb. 20-
Zooarchaeology Quiz
ARCHAEOBOTANY
(Read remainder of Chapter 6)
M. Feb.
25-Dendrochronology/climatology http://www.sonic.net/bristlecone/home.html
W Feb.
27-Palynology, Phytoliths and Diatoms http://www.geo.arizona.edu/palynology/ppalydef.html#phytolth
M March
3-Macrobotanical Remains
W March 5-Archaeobotany
Quiz
RAW MATERIALS AND RESOURCES (Read Chapters 7 and 8, and Lundblad et
al. Archaeometry article)
M March 10- Introduction to Rocks, Minerals,
Metals, and Ores
W March 12- Identifying minerals in rocks
M March 17- Methods
of sourcing
W March 19-
EDXRF see http://www.obsidianlab.com/info_xrf.html
http://www.swxrflab.net/xrfinstrument.htm
M-W March 24-26- SPRING
BREAK
M March 31- Rocks, Minerals, Metals, and Ores Quiz
LITHIC TECHNOLOGY
W April 2-
Flintknapping Day
M April 7-
Attributes of flakes and cores
W April 9-
Attributes of flakes and cores
M April 14- Studying
edge-wear
W April 16- Lithics
Quiz
DATING TECHNIQUES (Read Chapter 5)
M April 21-
Introduction To Dating Techniques
W April 23- Obsidian
Hydration Case Studies http://www.obsidianlab.com/info_oh.html
M April 28- Some
issues with Radiocarbon Dating and Calibration
http://www.c14dating.com/corr.html
http://www.radiocarbondating.com/imagesOMR/Marine%20current%20projects.html
http://c14.arch.ox.ac.uk/embed.php?File=oxcal.html
W April 30- Other
Dating Methods
M- May 5- Dating
Quiz
W. May
7-Course-Evaluation/Final Review
Wednesday May 14,
2:00-4:00pm Final Exam