Courses
Our courses fall into three categories: topical courses that deal with general subjects such as archaeological theory, the rise of civilizations, and ancient technology; area courses that are devoted to specific cultures and regions such as Greece, Egypt, and Mexico; and technical courses that provide training in specific archaeological methods such as Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing.
Fall 2019 Courses
CASAR | 100 | Great Discoveries in Archaeology | TR | 2:00 PM | 3:15 PM | Saturno Replacement | |
Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Course covers the whole of human prehistory around the world. Archaeological methods are described, along with the great ancient sites: Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian Pyramids, Machu Picchu. Lecture and Discussion. * You must also register for a discussion section, times and days found on Student Link.Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement |
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CAS AR | 101 | Introduction to Archaeology | TR | 9:30 AM | 10:45 AM | Roosevelt Replacement | |
Theory, methods and aims of prehistoric and historical archaeology in the Old and New Worlds. Excavation and recovery of archaeological data; dating techniques; interpretation of finds; relation of archaeology to history and other disciplines. Examination of several Old and New World cultures. Lecture and Discussion. * You must also register for a discussion section, times and days found on Student Link.Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences Course required for major and minor in Archaeology |
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CAS AR | 150 | Archaeology of Cities | TR | 12:30 PM | 1:45 PM | STO 253 | Carballo |
An introduction to the archaeology of cities and urbanism. The course includes introductory urban theory, exposure to ancient and early modern cities from geo-temporal contexts that Archaeology Department faculty specialize in, and comparison of cities and urbanism organized along central themes.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I |
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CAS AR | 200 | Heritage Matters: Introduction to Heritage Management | TR | 11:00 AM | 12:15 PM | CAS 335 | Elia |
Protection and management of archaeological heritage, including sites, artifacts, and monuments. Survey of heritage values and stakeholders. Issues covered include policy and legislation, U.S. preservation system, international efforts, indigenous perspectives, looting, repatriation, underwater heritage, and heritage at war.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I |
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CAS AR | 202 | Archaeological Mysteries: Pseudoscience and Fallacy in the Human Past | TR | 9:30 AM | 10:45 AM | STO 253 | Runnels |
An introduction to the archaeology and civilizations of the pre-Columbian Americas. Topics progress chronologically as well as comparatively, with cases drawn from Native American cultures of the North America, Mesoamerica, and South America.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I , Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy |
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CAS AR | 205 | Origins of Civilization | MWF | 11:00 AM | 12:15 PM | Bard | |
The comparison of origins and institutions of civilizations in the Old and New Worlds, including the first state-organized societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, China, the Aegean, Mesoamerica, and Peru.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I |
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CAS AR | 206 | Ancient Technology | TR | 2:00 PM | 3:15 PM | STO 253 | Runnels |
Traces the related evolution of technology and culture over the first million years of human existence. Case studies focus on the interaction between early technology and social structure, values, and institutions. Lectures and hands-on experience with ceramics, stone, and metallurgy.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement |
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CAS AR | 230 | Introduction to Greek and Roman Archaeology | TR | 9:30 AM | 10:45 AM | Berlin | |
How material remains help us understand aspects of Ancient Greek and Roman cultures in their historical development: religious and civic spaces; the culture of affluence; imperial identity; and the transformations that mark the end of classical antiquity.
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities |
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CAS AR | 232 | Archaeology of Ancient Egypt | MWF | 2:30 PM | 3:20 PM | Bard | |
The technology, economy, social life, political organization, religions, art, and architecture of Egypt from predynastic times through the Hellenistic period, based on archaeological and historical sources. Emphasis on the period of the Pharaohs (ca. 3200-323 BC).
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Aesthetic Exploration |
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CAS AR | 250 | Aztecs & Mayas | TR | 3:30 PM | 4:45 PM | STO 253 | Carballo |
Overview of the Aztecs, Mayas, and other native peoples of Mexico and Central America, including the chronological development of cultures and key topics. Focus on variability in individuals and groups by age, gender, ethnicity, class, and polities pre- and post-conquest. Course fulfills HUB The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement |
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CAS AR | 283 | North American Archaeology | MWF | 10:10 AM | 11:00 AM | Saturno Replacement | |
North American prehistory from initial peopling of continent to development of complex societies. Explores human entry into the New World; migration across North America; subsistence changes; human effects on landscape; encounters with Europeans; role of archaeology in contemporary Native cultures.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. |
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CAS AR | 290 | Archaeology of Environmental Change | TR | 12:30 PM | 1:45 PM | CAS 335 | TBA |
Examination of human impacts on the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities; implications for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. |
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CAS AR | 307 | Archaeological Science | TR | 2:00 PM | 3:15 PM | CAS 335 | Roosevelt Replacement |
Natural sciences (biology, chemistry, geology) form an integral part of modern archaeology and are applied to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical and chemical approaches. Lecture and Lab. * Prerequisite: CAS AR101 or consent of instructor. ** You must also register for a lab section, days and times found on Student Link.Course fulfills HUB Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy, Critical Thinking Course required for major and minor in Archaeology |
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CAS AR | 338 | Mare Nostrum: Material Culture and Individual Identity after Alexander | W | 8:00 AM | 10:45 AM | STO 253 | Berlin |
This course examines the interconnected cultures of the eastern Mediterranean from the era of Alexander the Great (4th century BCE) through the Roman emperors period (c. 2nd-3rd centuries CE), with a focus on the material correlates of identity. *Meets with GRS AR738.Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement |
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CAS AR | 370 | Archaeology of Colonial America | T | 12:30 PM | 3:15 PM | Beaudry | |
Introduction to the archaeology of American life in the Colonial Period. A consideration of the material culture of early America, including architecture, artifacts, complete sites, and the use of archaeology to confirm or modify the written record. * Meets with GRS AR770.Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement |
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CAS AR | 480 | Archaeological Ethics and The Law | F | 11:15 AM | 2:00 PM | STO 253 | Elia |
In this course students examine archaeology and professional ethics; archaeology as public interest; legal organization of archaeology; international approaches to heritage management; looting, collecting and the antiquities market; maritime law and underwater archaeology; cultural resource management in the United States. * Meets with GRS AR892.Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement |
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CAS AR | 534 | Seminar: Roman Art | W | 2:15 PM | 5:15 PM | CAS303A | Kleiner |
Topics vary. In-depth examination of varying topics in the study of Roman art and architecture. Topic for Fall 2019: Pompeii. In-depth study of the city from its origins to its destruction in 79 CE: urban planning; civic, religious, funerary, and domestic architecture: mural painting, mosaics, and sculpture; and the current state of the excavation and conservation efforts.
* Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement |
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CAS AR | 535 | Europe and the Mediterranean World in Late Antiquity | M | 2:30 PM | 5:15 PM | STO 243 | Roosevelt Replacement |
Interdisciplinary overview of Europe and Mediterranean World in the 3rd-6th centuries A.D., based on the archaeological record and material culture (including art), and drawing on history and literature. Topics include: rise of Christianity; town and country; public and private life.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement |
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GRS AR | 703 | CMRAE | MIT | MIT | West (liaison) | ||
Seminar. Topic to be announced. Offered through the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology. * MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.984. |
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GRS AR | 738 | Mare Nostrum: Material Culture and Individual Identity after Alexander | W | 8:00 AM | 10:45 AM | STO 253 | Berlin |
This course examines the interconnected cultures of the eastern Mediterranean from the era of Alexander the Great (4th century BCE) through the Roman emperors period (c. 2nd-3rd centuries CE), with a focus on the material correlates of identity. *Meets with CAS AR338. |
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GRS AR | 770 | Archaeology of Colonial America | T | 12:30 PM | 3:15 PM | Beaudry | |
Seminar. Material culture of the people who colonized North America. Architecture, artifacts, and a variety of sites – domestic, military, commercial, sepulchral – are studied. Uses of archival evidence as factual and ethnographic documentation for archaeological interpretation are discussed. * Meets with CAS AR370. |
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GRS AR | 891 | Contemporary Theory | R | 3:30 PM | 6:15 PM | STO 243 | Beaudry |
Explores aspects of contemporary theory in archaeology, including post-modern critiques of contemporary practice, new approaches to archaeology of ritual, personhood, identity, and the body; indigenous and public archaeology; and politics and archaeology. * Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR702. *Meets with AN741. Course required for MA in Archaeology |
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GRS AR | 892 | Archaeological Ethics and The Law | F | 11:15 AM | 2:00 PM | STO 253 | Elia |
Students examine archaeology and professional ethics; archaeology as a public interest; legal organization of archaeology; international approaches to heritage management; looting, collecting, and the antiquities market; maritime law and underwater archaeology; cultural resource management in the United States. * Meets with CAS AR 480. ** Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR780.Course required for MA in Archaeology |
Summer 2019 Courses
CAS AR100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Covers the whole of human prehistory and history around the world. Archaeological methods are described along with great ancient sites, including Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian pyramids, and Machu Picchu. Carries humanities divisional credit in CAS. 4 cr. Tuition: $2720
Summer 1 (May 21-June 27)
A1 (IND) Mon./Tues./Wed./Thurs. 2-4 pm
Natalie Susmann
Summer 2 (July 1-August 8)
B1 (IND) Mon./Tues./Wed./Thurs. 10 am-12 noon
Jonathan Ruane
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, and Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR101 Introduction to Archaeology
Theory, methods and aims of prehistoric and historical archaeology in the Old and New Worlds. Excavation and recovery of archaeological data; dating techniques; interpretation of finds; relation of archaeology to history and other disciplines. Examination of several Old and New World cultures. Course provides divisional studies credit in CAS Social Sciences. Course required for major and minor in Archaeology. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I. 4 cr. Tuition: $2800
Summer 1 (May 21-June 27)
A1 (IND) Mon./Tues./Wed./Thurs. 10 am-12 noon
Jonathan Ruane
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
Archaeology Program Field School Opportunity
Spain Menorca Field School in Archeology and Heritage Management (Summer)
Offered in collaboration with the Archaeology Program of Boston University, the Menorca Field School in Archeology and Heritage Management (Summer) is a five-week program, open to graduate and undergraduate students, that provides an intensive introduction to contemporary principles and practices of preserving the world’s cultural heritage. Through a combination of class lectures, field visits, and hands-on heritage projects on the island of Menorca, Spain, students explore how cultural heritage is identified, evaluated, preserved, and presented. No Spanish language skills are required
Spring 2019 Courses
CAS AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
TR 2:00PM – 3:15PM
Prof. Alexandra Ratzlaff
Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Course covers the whole of human prehistory around the world. Archaeological methods are described, along with the great ancient sites: Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian Pyramids, Machu Picchu. Lecture and Discussion.
* You must also register for a discussion section, times and days found on Student Link.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR150 Archaeology of Cities
TR 12:30PM – 1:45PM
Prof. David Carballo
An introduction to the archaeology of cities and urbanism. The course includes introductory urban theory, exposure to ancient and early modern cities from geo-temporal contexts that Archaeology Department faculty specialize in, and comparison of cities and urbanism organized along central themes.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course fulfills Urban Studies Undergraduate requirement
CAS AR 205 Origins of Civilization
TR 11:00 AM – 12:15 AM
Prof. Jonathan Ruane
The comparison of origins and institutions of civilizations in the Old and New Worlds, including the first state-organized societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, China, the Aegean, Mesoamerica, and Peru.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR215 Contested Past
TR 9:30AM – 10:45 AM
Prof. Ricardo Elia
Examination of the diverse and often conflicting values associated with archaeological objects, ancient monuments, and cultural sites. Case studies (including the Elgin Marbles) highlight contemporary controversies over ownership, appropriation, use, and abuse of the material remains of the past.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR330 Greek Archaeolog
MWF 10:10AM – 11:00AM
Prof. Andrea Berlin
Archaeology in Greek lands from the Iron Age to the first century BC; aims and methods of Classical archaeology; correlations with anthropology, art history, history and literature.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR390 Archaeology of Southeast Asia
TR 12:30PM – 1:45PM
Prof. Robert Murowchick
Examines the prehistoric and historic cultures of Southeast Asia, including the first arrival of humans, regional neolithic and Bronze Age communities, early states, maritime trading networks, as well as political motivations in archaeology and the illicit Asian antiquities trade.
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
Course fulfills East Asian Studies requirement
* Meets with AR790.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR410 Archaeological Research Design and Materials Analysis
M 2:30PM – 5:15PM
Prof. Catherine West
This laboratory-driven course engages students in independent research design and the hands-on analysis of archaeological materials. The course provides a foundation in the integration of theory, research design, and analytical methods through laboratory sessions where students work with archaeological materials. This course is offered in the Spring semester.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR100 or AR101, or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, and Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
F 11:15AM – 2:00PM
Prof. Jonathan Ruane
Advanced computer (GIS) techniques are used to address regional archaeological problems. This applied course examines digital encoding and manipulation of archaeological and environmental data, and methods for testing hypotheses, analyzing, and modeling the archaeological record.
* Prerequisite: Two archaeology courses or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy
Course fulfills Department of Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
Course fulfills African Studies requirement
CAS AR510 Proposal Writing for Social Science Research
R 8:00AM – 10:45AM
Prof. John Marston
The purpose of this course is to turn students’ intellectual interests into answerable, field-based research questions. The goal is the production of a project proposal for future research.
* Cross-listed with CAS AN510.
** Undergraduate prerequisite: admission to AR Honors Program or consent of instructor.
*** Graduate prerequisite: graduate student standing in the social sciences or humanities.
Course fulfills Department of Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR518 Zooarchaeology
T 12:30PM – 3:15PM
Prof. Catherine West
Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human-animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Lecture and Lab.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR101 or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning 1
Course fulfills Department of Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR577 Pots and Pans: Material Culture of Cookery & Dining
W 6:00PM – 8:45PM
Prof. Mary Beaudry
Exploration of the food cultures and technologies through material culture- pots, pans, and utensils. Course will range broadly across cultures, time, and space with emphasis on medieval and early modern times. Life histories of humble, overlooked, everyday objects associated with food preparation and consumption; kitchens from prehistory to the present; tradition and fashion in cooking & dining vessels; pots and cooking technology; pots as metaphors & symbols.
*Cross listed with MET ML621.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR593 Memory in 3-D: Memorials, then and now
M 2:30PM – 5:15PM
Prof. Andrea Berlin
Societies craft their histories and identities via memorials, thereby firming up the past for the future. In this course, we analyze the historical context, form and message of important memorials in modern America and classical antiquity.
Societies craft their histories and identities via memorials, thereby firming up the past for the future. In this course, we analyze the historical context, form and message of important memorials in modern America and classical antiquity.
* Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
GRS AR704 Materials in Ancient Society
offered at MIT
Prof. John Marston
Seminar. Topic to be announced. Offered through the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology.
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: MIT course #3.984.
*Must also take AR704 in the Spring: MIT course #3.989.
GRS AR727 Archaeology and Colonialism
T 3:30 PM – 6:15 PM
Prof. Mary Beaudry
Theoretical and methodological approaches to the comparative archaeology of colonialism in ancient and early modern worlds; considers case studies from ancient Greece, Roman Empire, & European colonial projects in South Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
GRS AR790 Archaeology of Southeast Asia
TR12:30PM – 1:45PM
Prof. Robert Murowchick
Examines the prehistoric and historic cultures of Southeast Asia, including the first arrival of humans, regional neolithic and Bronze Age communities, early states, maritime trading networks, as well as political motivations in archaeology and the illicit Asian antiquities trade.
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificate requirement
* Meets with CAS AR390.
GRS AR795 Politics, Nationalism, and Archaeology
W 2:30PM – 5:15PM
Prof. Robert Murowchick
Explores how archaeology is shaped by and manipulated for political purposes. Case studies from Asia and around the world trace the development of archaeology during colonial empire-building and post-colonial nationalism, and the importance of archaeological heritage in regional politics.
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificate requirement
GRS AR815 Plunder and Preservation: Cultural Heritage in Wartime
R 3:30PM – 6:15PM
Prof. Ricardo Elia
Topics include safeguarding of cultural sites, monuments, and objects during armed conflict; history of cultural seizures as spoils of war; destruction of cultural heritage in war; development of legal protections; contemporary approaches to preservation of heritage at risk from war.
GRS AR893 World Archaeology
T 8:00AM -10:45AM
Prof. David Carballo
This seminar takes an explicitly comparative approach to addressing questions concerning the origins of and variability in human culture viewed through a review of worldwide archaeological literature.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR894 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
R 12:30PM – 3:15PM
Prof. John Marston
Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers.
* Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR707.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
All courses
100 Level Courses
CAS AR100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology
* You must also register for a discussion section, times and days found on Student Link.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR101 Introduction to Archaeology
* You must also register for a discussion section, times and days found on Student Link.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR150 Archaeology of Cities
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course fulfills Urban Studies Undergraduate requirement
200 Level Courses
CAS AR200 Heritage Matters: Introduction to Heritage Management
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR201 Americas Before Columbus
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I , Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR202 Archaeological Mysteries: Pseudoscience and Fallacy in the Human Past
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR205 Origins of Civilization
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
Course fulfills African Studies requirement
CAS AR206 Ancient Technology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR208 Lost Languages and Decipherments
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR209 The Near East Bronze Age
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR 210 Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR 215 The Contested Past
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR221 Archaeology of the Islamic World
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR222 Art and Architecture of Ancient America
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR230 Introduction to Greek and Roman Archaeology
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR232 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Aesthetic Exploration
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR240 The Archaeology of Ancient China
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR250 The Aztecs, Maya, and Their Predecessors: Archaeology of Mesoamerica
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR251 Ancient Maya Civilization
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Humanities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR261 Asia’s Ancient Cultures and Civilizations
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR262 Asian Gods & Goddesses
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR270 Archaeology of the Age of Exploration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR273 Archaeology of the Viking Age
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course, and Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR283 North American Archaeology
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR290 Archaeology of Environmental Change
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Course provides divisional studies credit in the Social Sciences
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
300 Level Courses
CAS AR305 Paleolithic Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR307 Archaeological Science
* Prerequisite: CAS AR101 or consent of instructor.
** You must also register for a lab section, days and times found on Student Link.
Course fulfills HUB Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy, Critical Thinking
Course required for major and minor in Archaeology
CAS AR322 Ancient Aztec and Inca Civilizations
* Meets with GRS AR722. Cross-listed with AH322.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR323 Maya Art and Architecture
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR330 Greek Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR331 Etruscan and Roman Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR332 Greek and Roman Cities
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR337 The Wine Dark Sea: Material Culture and Individual Identity in the World of Homer
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR338 Mare Nostrum: Material Culture and Individual Identity after Alexander
*Meets with GRS AR738.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR341 Archaeology of Mesopotamia
* Meets with GRS AR741.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR342 Archaeology in the Holy Land
* Meets with GRS AR742. Cross-listed with CAS RN390, GRS RN690, and STH TX815.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR343 Anatolian Archaeology
* Meets with GRS AR743.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR346 Seminar: The Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
* Meets with GRS AR746.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR347 Egypt and Northeast Africa: Early States in Egypt, Nubia and Eritrea/Ethiopia
* Meets with GRS AR747.
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR348 Gods, Graves and Pyramids: Ancient Egyptian Religion and Ritual
Course fulfills HUB Historical Consciousness, Aesthetic Exploration, Writing-Intensive Course
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
*Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent.
CAS AR353 Urbanism in Ancient Mesoamerica
* Prerequisite: CAS AR100 or AR101, or consent of instructor.
(Prerequisite: WR100 or 120 or equivalent)
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or topical requirement
CAS AR365 Deep Histories of Conquest: Aztec Mexico and New Spain
* Cross-listed with AN365.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR370 Archaeology of Colonial America
* Meets with GRS AR770.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR371 Archaeology of Post-Colonial America
* Meets with GRS AR771.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR372 Archaeology of Boston
* Meets with GRS AR772.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR375 Oral History and Written Records in Archaeology
* Meets with GRS AR775.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR390 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
Course fulfills Asian Studies requirement
Course fulfills East Asian Studies requirement
* Meets with AR790.
CAS AR393 Out of the Fiery Furnace: Early Metallurgy of the Pre-industrial World
* Meets with GRS AR793.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR396 Cultural Heritage and Diplomacy
* Meets with GRS AR796. Cross-listed with CAS IR396 and GRS IR796.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
400 Level Courses
CAS AR410 Archaeological Research Design and Materials Analysis
* Prerequisite: CAS AR307, or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, and Teamwork/Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR430 The End of Days: Analyzing Collapse in Complex Societies
* Meets with GRS AR830.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR435 Topics in the Materiality of Ancient Mediterranean Religions
* Meets with GRS AR735. Cross-listed with CAS RN490 and GRS RN790.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR438 Seminar: Pompeii
Prereq: junior or senior standing; or consent of instructor. An in-depth study of Pompeii and the other towns buried by Mount Vesuvius. All aspects of the Vesuvian cities will be examined, including urban planning and public architecture, private domestic and funerary architecture, mural painting, mosaics, and sculpture, as well as the history of the excavations.
*Cross listed with AH438.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR450 Methods and Theory in Archaeology
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking
Course required for major in Archaeology
CAS AR451 Seminar in Mesoamerican Archaeology
* Prerequisite: AR222, AR250, AR251, AR322, AR323, AR353, or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR480 Archaeological Ethics and The Law
* Meets with GRS AR892.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
500 Level Courses
CAS AR500 Public Archaeology in the United States
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR503 Archaeological Field Methods: Survey and Excavation
* Prerequisite: CAS AR101 or consent of instructor.
Course required for major in Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate field school requirement
CAS AR505 Remote Sensing and Archaeology
* Prerequisite: Two archaeology courses or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
* Prerequisite: Two archaeology courses or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR507 Lay of the Land: Surface and Subsurface Mapping in Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR510 Proposal Writing for Social Science Research
* Cross-listed with CAS AN510.
** Undergraduate prerequisite: admission to AR Honors Program or consent of instructor.
*** Graduate prerequisite: graduate student standing in the social sciences or humanities.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR511 Studies in European Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR513 Studies in African Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR516 Paleoethnobotany
* Prerequisite: CAS AR101 or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR518 Zooarchaeology
Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human-animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Lecture and Lab.
* Prerequisite: CAS AR101 or consent of instructor.
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate technical requirement
CAS AR528 Studies in Mesoamerican Art and Architecture
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR531 Studies in Etruscan and Roman Archaeology
CAS AR532 Studies in Near and Middle Eastern Archaeology
CAS AR534 Seminar in Roman Art
* Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
** Meets with CAS AH 534.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR535 Europe and the Mediterranean World in Late Antiquity
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR551 Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area requirement
CAS AR556 Archaeological Field Research Experience
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate area or technical requirement
CAS AR570 Approaches to Artifact Analysis in Historical Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical or technical requirement
CAS AR577 Pots and Pans: Material Culture of Cookery & Dining
*Cross listed with MET ML621.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR580 Studies in Archaeological Heritage Management Archaeological Collections Management: Curation and Public Interpretation
Course fulfills HUB Social Inquiry I, Historical Consciousness, Teamwork and Collaboration
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
CAS AR590 Life is a Bowl, Ceramic Studies in Archaeology
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical or technical requirement
CAS AR593 Memory in 3-D: Memorials, then and now
Societies craft their histories and identities via memorials, thereby firming up the past for the future. In this course, we analyze the historical context, form and message of important memorials in modern America and classical antiquity.
* Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
Course fulfills Archaeology Undergraduate topical requirement
600 Level Courses
GRS AR699 Teaching College for Teaching Assistants
700 Level Courses
GRS AR701 Intellectual History of Archaeology
* Prerequisite: graduate standing and at least two prior courses in sociocultural anthropology.
GRS AR703 Materials in Ancient Society
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.984.
GRS AR704 Materials in Ancient Society
* MIT Materials in Ancient Societies: course #3.989.
GRS AR705 Pre-Urban Development
GRS AR706 Archaeology of Complex Societies
GRS AR712 Seminar in Old World Prehistory
GRS AR727 Archaeology and Colonialism
GRS AR730 Seminar: Old World Historical Archaeology
GRS AR731 Seminar: Greek Archaeology
GRS AR734 Seminar: Archaeology of the Roman Provinces
GRS AR735 Topics in the Materiality of Ancient Mediterranean Religions
* Prerequisite: Prior coursework in Archaeology or in ancient religions (Classics/RN/Hist/STh), or permission of the instructor.
** Meets with CAS AR435. Cross-listed with CAS RN490 and GRS RN790.
GRS AR737 The Wine Dark Sea: Material Culture and Individual Identity in the World of Homer
*Meets with CAS AR337.
GRS AR738 Mare Nostrum: Material Culture and Individual Identity after Alexander
*Meets with CAS AR338.
GRS AR741 Archaeology of Mesopotamia
* Meets with CAS AR341.
GRS AR742 Archaeology in the Holy Land
* Meets with CAS AR342.
** Cross lists with CAS RN390/690 & STH TX815.
GRS AR743 Anatolian Archaeology
* Meets with CAS AR343.
GRS AR746 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
* Meets with CAS AR346.
GRS AR747 Egypt and Northeast Africa: Early States in Egypt, Nubia and Eritrea/Ethiopia
* Meets with CAS AR347.
GRS AR751 Seminar: Mesoamerica Archaeology
*Meets with CAS AR451.
GRS AR770 New World Historical Archaeology: Colonial America
* Meets with CAS AR370.
GRS AR771 New World Historical Archaeology: Post-Colonial America
* Meets with CAS AR371.
GRS AR772 Archaeology of Boston
* Meets with CAS AR372.
GRS AR775 Oral History and Written Records in Archaeology
* Meets with CAS AR375.
GRS AR790 The Archaeology of Southeast Asia
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificate requirement
* Meets with CAS AR390.
GRS AR793 Out of the Fiery Furnace: Metallurgy of the Asian World
* Meets with CAS AR393.
GRS AR795 Politics, Nationalism, and Archaeology
Course fulfills Asian Studies Graduate Certificate requirement
GRS AR796 Cultural Heritage and Diplomacy
* Meets with CAS AR396. Cross-listed with CAS IR396 and GRS IR796.
800 Level Courses
GRS AR808 Survey and Landscape Archaeology
GRS AR810 International Heritage Management
GRS AR815 Plunder and Preservation: Cultural Heritage in Wartime
GRS AR830 The End of Days: Analyzing Collapse in Complex Societies
* Meets with CAS AR430.
GRS AR891 Contemporary Theory in Archaeology
* Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR702.
*Meets with AN741.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR892 Archaeological Ethics and Law
* Meets with CAS AR 480.
** Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR780.
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR893 World Archaeology
Course required for MA in Archaeology
GRS AR894 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
* Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title previously numbered GRS AR707.
Course required for MA in Archaeology