Academic Catalog

ANTH 16L: BASIC ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2025
Units: 1
Hours: 3 laboratory per week (36 total per quarter)
Advisory: UC transferability is limited to 3 units maximum for ANTH 16L, 17L & 18L; not open to students with credit in ANTH 8L.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU/UC
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will practice and apply understandings of archaeological laboratory methods and techniques of archaeology, including cataloging, care and analysis of artifacts, bone recognition, and archaeological excavation.
  • Students will learn how to critically analyze and interpret laboratory data gathered from archaeological fieldwork.
  • Students will apply anthropological principles for solving human problems on the local, regional and world scales.

Description

An introduction to basic laboratory methods and techniques of archaeology using the scientific method, including cataloging, care and analysis of artifacts, bone recognition, and archaeological excavation. This course introduces concepts within an anthropological research framework. In addition to gaining expertise in laboratory research, students will examine, discuss, critique, and write about the techniques, tools, laboratory terminology, and processes of laboratory research at a basic level. Students will use archaeology vocabulary in verbal and written class reports.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Identify, record, and define artifacts.
  2. Describe the methods and techniques of laboratory research in archaeology.
  3. Explain the relationships between artifacts and the reconstruction and understanding of prehistoric culture.

Course Content

  1. Introducing artifact types
  2. Processing of artifacts from collections
  3. Classification and typology
  4. Introduction to archaeological projects currently being analyzed
  5. Beginning materials analysis
  6. Database formation: Access vs. Excel
  7. Chipped stone technology
  8. Ceramics
  9. Pottery production
  10. Pottery analysis
  11. Historic artifacts: metal and glass; pipe stems
  12. Shells
  13. Illustration: drawing/drafting
  14. Osteology and zooarchaeology (animal remains)
  15. Forensics
  16. Geophysics: ground penetrating radar
  17. Flotation and paleoethnobotany (plant remains)
  18. Perishables: basketry, textiles, wood, hides, and others
  19. Relational databases and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  20. Building artifact databases for analysis

Lab Content

  1. Introduction to artifact types
  2. Processing of artifacts from collections
  3. Classification and typology
  4. Beginning materials analysis
  5. Database formation: Access vs. Excel vs. Google Docs
  6. Chipped stone technology
  7. Ceramics
  8. Pottery production
  9. Pottery analysis
  10. Shells
  11. Illustration: drawing/drafting
  12. Historic artifacts: metal, glass, and pipe stems
  13. Faunal analysis: zooarchaeology (animal remains)
  14. Flora analysis: plant remains
  15. Flotation and paleoethnobotany
  16. Perishables: basketry, textiles, wood, hides, and others
  17. Relational databases and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  18. Building artifact databases for analysis
  19. Student projects: materials analysis

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Laboratory with equipment for archaeological analysis.
2. When taught via Foothill Global Access, on-going access to computer with email software and hardware; email address.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Ability to learn and practice archaeological skills in laboratory and sites
Skill in excavating and recording information
Discussion of work performed
Written report
Weekly examinations of different subjects

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Oral presentations
Laboratory
Demonstration

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Sutton, Mark, and Brooke Arkush. Archaeology Laboratory Methods: An Introduction, 7th ed.. 2019.

Although this text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it is still appropriate for undergraduate coursework in this area of study.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Weekly examination of different subjects.
  2. Using real data, students conduct independent research assignments on data collected from field projects and present preliminary analysis of artifacts.

Discipline(s)

Anthropology