ANTH 102 World Archaeology

This course serves as an introduction to foundational aspects of archaeology including methods, theory, and the major progression through time of culture and technology. It traces the transition of human societies from a predominantly hunting and gathering way of life to a settled farming, and ultimately urban, way of life. The course focuses on the rise of social complexity in ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, South America, MesoAmerica, and North America.

Credits

4

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Understand the importance of the scientific method and the scope of archaeological research within the broader discipline of anthropology
2. Review the history of archaeological method and theory through an analysis of ancient civilizations. Explain field and laboratory techniques currently used to interpret archaeological sites. These techniques include locating, mapping, dating, and analyzing cultural remains
3. Trace and discuss evidence for the cultural and environmental processes involved in the transition of human societies from nomadic foraging to settled farming and urban ways of life
4. Identify and analyze various hypotheses concerning the causes related to major cultural shifts over time and across space
5. Analyze and discuss archaeological evidence for the major migrations of human societies out of Africa and into Asia, Europe, Australia, the Pacific Islands and North and South America
6. Analyze and discuss reasons for the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. Relate this discussion to issues and trends observed in the contemporary world
7. Explore where and how human experience of the past is linked to the present