A general survey of
historical archaeology; definitions, techniques, and methodological
approaches; sources used by historical archaeologists and their
limitations; material culture of the historical period generally,
and analyses appropriate
to different types of evidence. Apart from attending formal
lectures, students are expected to work through exercises
involving various aspects of methodology as applied to historical
archaeology, and each person will investigate one selected
topic, for oral presentation to the class and for written
assessment. Students may also be asked to collaborate in fieldwork
projects. Course work accounts for 40% and the final examination
for 60% of the marks.
The methodological exercises will mostly be taken from R.J.
Barber's book “Doing Historical Archaeology” and
will concern the analysis of written and oral sources, the
spatial dimension, stratigraphy, foodways, and portable artefacts.
Attention is drawn to two new surveys of historical archaeology
in the Caribbean, and the volume of essays on historical archaeology
edited by R.L. Schuyler, which are in the archaeology library.
Students should become familiar with them.
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