History 305. Archaeology and Historical Interpretation:

Greece & Rome

Fall 2007

Instructor: Dr. David Pettegrew Meeting: Boyer 430, 9:00-9:50
Campus Telephone: X 2738 Email: dpettegrew@messiah.edu	Office: 266 Boyer Office Hours: MW 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, 3:00-4:30 PM, and by appointment

Course Description

An introduction to the methods of archaeology as they relate to and produce historical analysis, interpretation, and conclusion. The course focuses on the material cultures of Greece and Rome as revealed through several centuries of archaeological investigation, but we will occasionally roam into broader areas of archaeological research.

Objectives

The principal objectives for this course are for students:

1. To gain a basic knowledge of the material world and societies of ancient Greece and Rome as revealed by archaeological investigation (= Content).
2. To become familiar with the discipline of "classical archaeology" in terms of both its historical development and practice today (= Framework).
3. To become familiar with the methods of archaeological investigation as they produce historical evidence, and to understand how this form of evidence relates to other forms of primary historical sources used in generating historical interpretations (= Method).
4. To conduct basic historical analysis of primary and secondary sources and to communicate that analysis in effective written and oral communication (= Analysis).
5. To become more thoughtful, curious, and empathetic due to their evaluation of the historical complexity of human identities, cultures, and societies from the perspective of Christian faith (Application).

The required work for the course—attending class, doing the readings, participating, completing projects, and taking quizzes / exams—are all designed to meet the objectives stated above.

Texts

Bowkett, L., S. Hill, Diana & K.A. Wardle, Classical Archaeology in the Field: Approaches Bristol Classical Press: 2001, ISBN: 1853996173 (Required).

Stiebing, William H. Jr., Uncovering the Past: A History of Archaeology, Oxford University Press: 1993/1994, ISBN:0195089219 (Required)

On-line Readings =OR

The Bowkett et al. book and the Stiebing book are the two required textbooks for the course. Stiebing provides a history of archaeology worldwide, but with an emphasis on the Mediterranean and ancient Near East; the Bowkett et al. work offers a succinct overview of methods in Mediterranean archaeology. Both are obviously important for the course. Beyond these two background reads, I have included On-Line Readings (OR) through the Blackboard website: visit the website for weekly assignments. I also plan to place several works on closed reserve at the Murray Library.

Grading

The grade for this course is based on participation, written assignments, small projects, a mid-term exam, and a final exam. The overall grade breakdown is as follows:

Participation 15%

Field Notes 40%

Mid-Term Exam 20%

Final Exam 25%

Grading Scale

A 93-100%, A- 90-92%, B+ 87-89%, B 83-86%, B- 80-82%, C+ 77-79%, C 73-76%, C- 70-72%, D+ 67-69%, D 60-66%, F Below 60%

Participation (15%)

Participation assesses your involvement in the class, measured by your attendance (1/3 of grade), preparation (1/3), and contribution to in-class discussion (1/3).

If you do not come to class, you obviously cannot participate, and if you do not participate, this class is not going to be very educational or interesting for you. For this reason, I will be taking attendance at the beginning of each class period. You may miss up to three unexcused classes during the semester at no penalty to your grade, but every additional unexcused absence will result in a 5% automatic reduction in Participation Grade (or about 1% reduction of your overall course grade). The simple point: attending class helps your grade! If absent, you should request class notes from fellow students rather than me.

You should prepare for in-class discussion by completing all assigned readings prior to coming to class; I will give pop quizzes to measure your preparation for the day's discussion. Although I will lecture frequently in this course, I will also supplement lecture with group work and seminar-style discussion. Try to speak up a little: it will be good for you and can only help your grade.

Field Notes (40%)

To understand the discipline of archaeology, you really have to engage it. My hope is that this class causes you to see your surroundings in a different way and to think about archaeology beyond the narrow heroic frame of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. In this regard, a major portion of your grade will be what I have called "field notes," a series of (four or five) written projects designed to introduce you to the discipline of classical archaeology and the methods of archaeology generally. They may include library research (reporting on books), visiting sites in Harrisburg, conducting archaeological fieldwork on campus, and so on. These projects will not be burdensome but should be interesting, even fun. You will hear the details of the Field Notes projects in the next few days.

Mid-Term (20%) and Final Exam (25%)

There will be two exams in this course, a mid-term exam on Monday, Oct. 29, and a final take-home exam due on Tuesday, Dec. 18, during our assigned exam hour 8:00-10:00 AM. The mid-term exam will cover readings and lectures to the mid-point of the semester, focusing on the history and method of classical archaeology; the final exam will ask you to write a comprehensive take-home essay on material covered throughout the course.

Office Hours

Stop by and see me if you have concerns about your grade or simply want to chat. My office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 10:00AM-12:00 PM, and 3:00-4:00 PM. If these times do not work for you, I would be pleased to set up appointments for other times.

Blackboard

I have created a Blackboard website for the course that I expect you to access on a regular basis. Blackboard is a web-based platform for facilitating on-line coursework and the principal venue for online education at Messiah. I will be using Blackboard to supplement in-class instruction, to communicate announcements and general information about the course, post the On-line Readings for the course, send emails, set up student projects, and occasionally hold discussions. To access the course, go to blackboard.messiah.edu and login with your Messiah username and password. By the end of this first week of class, I would like you to access the course and introduce yourself in the discussion area.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Any student whose disability falls within ADA guidelines should inform me now (at the beginning of the semester) of any special accommodations or equipment needs necessary to complete the requirements for this course. Students must register documentation with the Office of Disability Services (Hoffman 101). If you have questions, call extension 5382.

Academic Misconduct and Integrity
Violations of academic integrity are strictly forbidden and will result in disciplinary action according to the procedures outlined (pp. 38-40) in the Student Handbook. Forms of academic misconduct include plagiarism (e.g., copying from a book or internet, citing a source improperly), cheating (e.g., looking at a classmate's paper during an exam, copying a homework exercise), and facilitating academic dishonesty (e.g., allowing a fellow student to cheat or plagiarize your own work), among others. Never copy, never plagiarize, never look at your classmates' papers during quizzes or exams. Doing these set in motion the disciplinary process outlined in the Student Handbook, and will result in the definite failure of the assignment and possibly the class!

Class Schedule

The following schedule details the plans for topics and readings during spring term. Although I anticipate following this schedule closely, it is subject to change, and I will require additional small projects beyond these readings. If you miss class, contact a friend to obtain the assignment. Note that the links for the On-Line Readings can be found in Blackboard.

Stiebing = Uncovering the Past; Bowkett = Classical Archaeology in the Field; On-Line Readings (links posted in Blackboard)

I. INTRODUCTION

	Weekly Topic	Reading Assignment
Sept. 5 & 7	Introduction
Sept. 10, 12, & 14	Definitions & Origins	Stiebing, pp. 1-54 Bowkett, pp. 1-25 On-Line Readings #2
II. HISTORY
Sept. 17, 19, & 21	Ancient Near East; Egypt; & Mycenaean Civilization	Stiebing, pp. 55-134 On-Line Readings #3
Sept. 24, 26, & 28	Minoan Crete; the Classical Polis; and the Roman World	Stiebing, pp. 134-165 On-Line Readings #4
Oct. 1, 3, & 5	Classical Archaeology in the 20th Century	Stiebing, pp. 227-280 On-Line Readings #5
III. METHOD
Oct. 8, 10, & 12 · Friday: No Class	Regional Survey	Bowkett, pp. 26-52 On-Line Readings #6
Oct. 15, 17, & 19	Remote Sensing; Excavation	Bowkett, pp. 52-106 On-Line Readings #7
Oct. 22, 24, & 26	Scientific Techniques in Archaeology	Bowkett, pp. 107-130 On-Line Readings #8
Oct. 29, 31, & Nov. 2 · Monday: Mid-Term Exam	Archaeology on Cyprus	On-Line Readings #9
IV. INTERPRETATION Nov. 5, 7, & 9	Interpreting Artifacts	On-Line Readings #10
Nov. 12, 14, & 16	Disciplinary Frameworks	On-Line Readings #11
Nov. 19, 21, & 23 · Wed. & Fri.: Thanksgiving Break: No Class	Politics of Interpretation	On-Line Readings #12
Nov. 26, 28, & 30	Archaeology & History I	On-Line Readings #13
Dec. 3, 5, & 7	Archaeology & History II	On-Line Readings #14
V. MODERN ISSUES Dec. 10, 12, & 14	The State & Future of Classical Archaeology	On-Line Readings #15