This first-year Core module runs in Term 1. It will provide an introductory overview of the emergence of archaeology as a discipline, beginning with a history of human curiosity about the past, moving through the age of antiquarian enquiry and closing with a consideration of the development of modern archaeology.

Module description 

This course will provide an introductory overview of the emergence of archaeology as a discipline, beginning with a history of human curiosity about the past, moving through the age of antiquarian enquiry and closing with a consideration of the development of modern archaeology. The course will place the development of archaeology in context with wider intellectual traditions and cultural movements in order to understand more fully how and why the study of the human past came about. The methods and techniques of archaeology will also be presented alongside the changing nature of interpretation of archaeological remains. The course concludes with a focus upon the importance and relevance of archaeological remains and their understanding in the contemporary world.

Module Aims 

The principal aim of the module is to provide an overview of the emergence of archaeology as a discipline, including the methods and techniques employed and the contemporary relevance of the study of the human past. The course is aimed at those new to archaeology and thus will be suitable to students from all backgrounds, not just those taking degrees in archaeology. Students taking the course will be furnished with knowledge of the development of scholarly traditions related to the understanding of humanity. They will learn how to assemble narratives about human behaviour and cultural developments using disparate source materials in ways that are widely applicable in geographical and chronological terms. Overall, students will be able to understand contemporary frameworks for the emergence of humanity in a critical way.

Learning Outcomes 

Skills which will be used and developed during the course of study include observation and critical reflection and the application of acquired knowledge to complex problems and debates.